泻热毒
苦凉、性沉而降。利水通肠，功胜大戟。疗疔肿，解砒毒（极能泻下。凡患肿毒，中砒
毒者，不拘根、皮、枝、叶，捣汁多饮，得大利即愈。虚人忌用）。
子，可作烛。
宣，行气血
苦平。痘疮顶陷，浆滞不起者，用枝煎汤浴之（此因气凝血滞，或风寒外束而热，得此
暖气透达，浆随暖而行，再用助气血药更效）。
枝，煎汁，治黄胆。
通关窍，搜风
辛咸性燥，气浮而散。入肺、大肠经。金胜木，燥胜风，故兼入肝。搜风泄热，吹之导
之，则通上、下关窍，而涌吐痰涎，搐鼻立作喷嚏。
治中风口噤，胸痹喉痹（凡中风不省人事，口噤不能进药。急提头发，手掐人中，用皂
角末或半夏末吹入鼻中，有嚏者生，无嚏者肺气已绝，死。或用稀涎散吐之，皂角末一两，
白矾五钱，每用一钱，温水调灌。或加藜芦、少麝，鹅翎探喉，令微吐稀涎，再用药治。年
老、气虚人忌用）。服之则除湿去垢（最去油腻，刮人肠胃），消痰破坚（取中段，汤泡服，
治老人风秘），杀虫下胎。治风湿风癞，痰喘肿满，坚症囊结（厥阴肝脉络阴器。寒客肝经，
则为囊结）。涂之则散肿消毒，煎膏贴一切痹痛。合苍术焚之，辟瘟疫湿气。一种小如猪牙，
一种长而枯燥，一种肥浓多脂。多脂者良。去粗皮、子弦。或蜜炙、酥炙，绞汁烧灰用。柏
实为使，恶麦冬。畏人参、苦参（性能消铁，不结荚者，凿树一孔，八铁封之，则结荚矣。
锤碾见之，久则成孔，故此木不能烧爨）。
皂角刺辛温。搜风杀虫，功同皂荚。但其锋锐，能直达患处，溃散痈疽。治痈毒妒乳，
风厉恶疮（痈，同癞。疠乃营气热附，风寒客于脉而不去。经曰∶脉风成为疠。脉与营皆血
也。蒸晒为末，大黄汤调下）胎衣不下。痈疽已溃者禁用，孕妇忌之。
皂角子通大便燥结。 存性用（汪机曰∶其性得湿则滑。李时珍曰∶亦辛以润之之义，
非得湿则滑也）。
Discharge heat toxins.
Bitter, cool in nature, heavy and descending. Promotes urination and unblocks the bowels; its efficacy surpasses that of *Euphorbia pekinensis* (Jing Daji). Treats carbuncles and sores, resolves arsenic poisoning (It has a very strong purgative effect. For those suffering from sores or arsenic poisoning, regardless of whether the root, bark, branch, or leaf is used, crush it to extract juice and drink a large amount; recovery occurs with profuse diarrhea. Contraindicated for persons with deficiency).
The seeds can be made into candles.
To diffuse and promote the movement of Qi and Blood.
Bitter, neutral in nature. For chickenpox lesions that are depressed at the apex with stagnant fluid failing to rise, wash with a decoction of the branches (This is due to Qi stagnation and Blood stasis, or external constraint by Wind-Cold leading to heat. The warmth penetrates and diffuses, allowing the fluid to move with the warming Qi; combining this with herbs that tonify Qi and Blood yields better results).
Decoct the branches to extract juice for treating jaundice.
To open orifices and search out Wind.
Pungent, salty, dry in nature; aromatic and dispersing. Enters the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. Metal overcomes Wood, and Dryness overcomes Wind, thus it also enters the Liver meridian. It searches out Wind and drains Heat. When blown into the nose to guide and stimulate, it opens the upper and lower orifices, inducing vomiting of phlegm-saliva, and sneezing immediately upon nasal insufflation.
Treats stroke with locked jaw, chest bi syndrome, and throat bi syndrome (In cases of stroke with loss of consciousness and inability to swallow medicine due to locked jaw, urgently pull the hair, press the Ren-26 (Renzhong) acupoint with fingers, and insufflate powder of *Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus* (Zao Jiao) or *Pinelliae Rhizoma* (Ban Xia) into the nose. If sneezing occurs, there is hope; if not, Lung Qi is exhausted, indicating death. Alternatively, use *Xi Xian San* to induce vomiting: 1 liang of *Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus* powder, 5 qian of *Alumen* (Bai Fan), mix 1 qian with warm water and administer. Or add *Veratrum nigrum* (Li Lu) and a small amount of *Moschus* (She Xiang), probe the throat with a goose feather to induce slight vomiting of thin saliva, then treat with other medicines. Contraindicated for the elderly and those with Qi deficiency). Ingestion removes dampness and dirt (most effective at removing grease, scraping the intestines and stomach), resolves phlegm and breaks hardness (take the middle section, soak in hot water and ingest, to treat constipation due to Wind in the elderly), kills parasites, and expels the fetus. Treats wind-dampness, leprosy, phlegm-wheezing, swelling and fullness, hard masses, and scrotal nodules (The Foot-Jueyin Liver meridian connects with the genitalia. Cold invading the Liver meridian leads to scrotal nodules). Topical application dissipates swelling and detoxifies; decocted into a plaster and applied, it treats all types of bi pain. Burned together with *Atractylodes macrocephala* (Cang Zhu) to ward off epidemic dampness. There are varieties small like pig's teeth, long and dry, and thick and fatty. Those with more fat are superior. Remove the coarse skin and inner strings. Can be honey-fried, butter-fried, juiced, or burned to ash. *Platycladi Semen* (Bai Shi) serves as an assistant herb; adverse reaction with *Ophiopogonis Radix* (Mai Dong). Feared by *Ginseng Radix* (Ren Shen) and *Sophorae Flavescentis Radix* (Ku Shen) (Its nature can corrode iron; if it does not produce pods, drill a hole in the tree, insert an iron piece, seal it, and pods will form. Hammering or grinding reveals marks that eventually become holes; thus, this wood cannot be used for firewood).
*Gleditsiae Sinensis Spina* (Zao Jiao Ci) is pungent and warm. It searches out Wind and kills parasites, with effects similar to *Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus*. However, its sharp tip can reach the affected area directly, dispersing carbuncles and ulcers. Treats toxic sores, mastitis (breast abscess), and severe wind-related ulcers (Carbuncle is synonymous with leprosy here. Leprosy arises from heat attaching to Ying-Qi, with Wind-Cold lodging in the vessels and not departing. The Classics state: "Wind entering the vessels becomes leprosy." Vessels and Ying both relate to blood. Steam and sun-dry, grind into powder, and take with *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Da Huang) decoction). Also treats retained placenta. Contraindicated for already ulcerated carbuncles and ulcers; contraindicated for pregnant women.
*Gleditsiae Sinensis Semen* (Zao Jiao Zi) unblocks dry fecal impaction. Use preserved in nature (Wang Ji said: Its nature becomes slippery when wet. Li Shizhen said: This is also the meaning of "Pungency moistens," not merely because it becomes slippery when wet).