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Niu Bang Zi (Arctii Fructus), also known as Shu Nian Zi or E Shi.
It clears heat and resolves toxicity.
Pungent in flavor, neutral in nature. It moistens the lungs, clears heat, dissipates nodules, dispels wind, benefits the throat and diaphragm, regulates phlegm coughs, eliminates macules and rashes, promotes urination and defecation, and circulates through the twelve meridians. It disperses the toxicity of various swellings, sores, and ulcers, and unblocks stagnant qi in the waist and knees (Its nature is cold and slippery; it is contraindicated for patients with chickenpox presenting with deficiency-cold diarrhea).
The fruit resembles grapes and is brownish. It is steamed after being mixed with wine; once a frost-like coating appears on the surface, it is wiped off before use. The root is bitter and cold. After scraping clean with a bamboo knife, juice is extracted and taken mixed with honey to treat stroke; recovery occurs when sweating ensues. Crushed and mixed with lard, it is applied externally to swellings, sores, and fungating wounds (where flesh protrudes like flowers).

Guan Zhong (Cyrtomii Rhizoma) clears heat and resolves toxicity.
Sweet and slightly pungent, with slight toxicity. Its action specializes in clearing heat and dissipating nodules.
It treats carbuncles, sores, furuncles, and scrofula (apply using vinegar grinding). It resolves various toxins, insect venom, snakebites, insect bites, and rabies bites.
The root resembles Colocasia esculenta (Taro) and Allium macrostemon; the hairy husk must be removed before use (It is used in Yu Shu Dan. *Guang Biji* states it originates from Hongshan County Suichang, Chuzhou, and is hairless; the claim that authentic Guan Zhong has hair is incorrect).

Bai Jiang Cao (Patriniae Herba) clears heat and resolves toxicity.
Salty in flavor to soften hardness, bitter to drain downward, and cold to overcome heat. It enters the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians, and connects to the Lung and Small Intestine meridians. It dissipates heat, resolves toxicity, unblocks meridians, promotes lactation, discharges pus, stops bleeding, generates flesh, and kills parasites.
It treats spermatorrhea and hematuria, back abscesses (in ancient formulas, Lou Lu Tang is considered primary), and pre-emptively resolves the toxicity of epidemic smallpox/rubella (due to its cold nature overcoming heat and its entry into the Yangming meridian).
It originates from the Min region. The stem resembles Sesamum indicum; those that are black and lacquer-like when dried are authentic. It is steamed with licorice root. Forsythia suspensa (Lian Qiao) serves as the guiding herb.

Tu Fu Ling (Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma) is bitter and slightly cold, toxic, yet capable of resolving the toxicity of pathogenic heat.
It treats metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, postpartum distension and pain due to blood and qi stagnation, breaks up masses (Zheng Jia), induces eruption of macules and pustules (used in Wang Haicang's Kuai Ban San), dissolves fish bones (due to its ability to soften hardness), and kills three types of intestinal parasites.
The root resembles Dryopteris crassirhizoma (Gou Ji) but is larger. Its juice can restrain the "Three Yellows" (San Huang: Scutellariae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex), dissolve metals, precipitate stalactite and cinnabar, control mercury, resolve toxicity, and soften hardness (Soaking it in water vats and drinking this water daily can prevent epidemic diseases).