泻热,解毒
甘寒入肺。散热解毒(清热即是解毒),补虚(凡物甘者皆补)疗风,养血止渴(丹溪
曰∶痈疽安后发渴,黄 六一汤吞忍冬丸切当。忍冬养血,黄 补气,渴何由作)。
治痈疽疥癣,杨梅恶疮,肠 血痢,五种尸疰。
经冬不凋,名忍冬(又名左缠藤)。花叶同功,花香尤佳,酿酒代茶。熬膏并妙(忍冬
酒,治痈疽发背一切恶毒,初起便服奇效。干者亦可,惟不及生者力速。忍冬五两,甘草二
两,水二碗、煎至一碗,再入酒一碗略煎,分三服,一日一夜吃尽。重者日二剂,服至大、
小肠通利,则药力到。忍冬丸,照前分两,酒煮晒干,同甘草为末,以所煮余酒打糊为丸。
陈藏器曰∶热毒血痢,浓煎服之。为末,糖调常服,能稀痘)。
一名黄花地丁
泻热,解毒
甘平。花黄,属土,入太阴、阳明(脾、胃)。化热毒,解食毒,消肿核。
专治乳痈(乳头属厥阴,乳房属阳明。同忍冬煎,入少酒服,捣敷亦良)疔毒,亦为通
淋妙品(诸家不言治淋,试之甚验)。擦牙、乌髭发(瑞竹堂有还少丹,方取其通肾。东垣
曰∶苦寒肾经君药),白汁涂恶刺(凡螳螂诸虫,盛夏孕育,游诸物上,必遗精汁,干久则
有毒。人手触之成疾,名狐尿刺。惨痛不眠,百疗难效,取汁浓涂即愈,千金方极言其功)。
叶如莴苣,花如单瓣菊花,四时有花,花罢飞絮,断之茎中有白汁(郑方升曰∶一茎两
花,高尺许者,掘下数尺,根大如拳,旁有人形拱抱。捣汁酒服,治噎膈如神)。
To drain heat and detoxify.
Sweet and cold, enters the Lung Meridian. Disperses heat and detoxifies (clearing heat is equivalent to detoxifying), tonifies deficiency (all sweet substances have a tonifying effect), treats wind-pathogens, nourishes blood and relieves thirst (Zhu Danxi said: "For thirst occurring after the resolution of carbuncles and sores, taking Renshen Wan with Huangqi Liuyi Tang is most appropriate. Renshen nourishes blood, Huangqi tonifies Qi, so how can thirst arise?").
Treats carbuncles and sores, scabies and tinea, ymei chuang (chancre-like ulcers), bloody dysentery from intestinal wind, and five types of Shizhu diseases.
It does not wither in winter, hence named Rendong (also known as Zuochan Teng). The flowers and leaves have the same efficacy; its fragrance is particularly fine, and it can be used for brewing wine or making tea. Making an extract is also excellent (Rendong Wine: treats all kinds of malignant toxins such as carbuncles and back-sores; taking it at the initial stage yields miraculous effects. Dried herbs can also be used, though they are not as rapid in action as fresh ones. Take 5 liang of Rendong and 2 liang of Gancao, add 2 bowls of water, decoct until 1 bowl remains, then add 1 bowl of wine and simmer briefly. Divide into three doses, consumed within one day and night. For severe cases, administer two doses per day until bowel movements become smooth, indicating the medicinal power has reached the target. Rendong Wan: according to the previous proportions, boil in wine, dry, grind together with Gancao into powder, and form pills using the residual wine as a binder. Chen Cangqi stated: "For bloody dysentery caused by heat-toxin, decoct strongly and take. Grind into powder, mix with sugar, and take regularly to make rashes sparse and easy to erupt").
Also known as Huanghua Diding.
To drain heat and detoxify.
Sweet and neutral. The flower is yellow, corresponding to Earth, entering the Taiyin and Yangming meridians (Spleen and Stomach). Resolves heat-toxins, antidotes food poisoning, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules.
Specifically treats Ruphong (breast abscess) (the nipple belongs to the Jueyin meridian, the breast belongs to the Yangming meridian. Decoct together with Rendong, take with a little wine; applying the mashed herb externally is also good); also treats Dingdu (carbuncle toxin), and is a superb agent for promoting urination (most texts do not mention its use for Lin syndrome, but clinical trials prove it very effective). Rubbing teeth and darkening hair (Ruizhutang's Huanliao Dan uses this property to unblock Kidney Qi. Li Dongyuan said: "Bitter-cold herbs are the sovereign drugs for the Kidney meridian"); applying the white sap to treat "fox urine thorns" (any insect like the mantis, during summer reproduction, crawling over objects, leaves behind seminal fluid which becomes toxic when dried long-term. Human contact causes disease called "fox urine thorn," characterized by excruciating pain preventing sleep, resistant to many treatments. Applying concentrated sap cures it instantly; Qianjin Fang highly praises its efficacy).
Leaves resemble lettuce, flowers resemble single-petal chrysanthemums, flowering throughout the four seasons, producing fluff after blooming. Breaking the stem reveals white sap (Zheng Fangsheng said: "One stem bearing two flowers, about one chi high, digging several chi underground reveals roots as large as fists, with human-shaped arching formations beside them. Grinding the juice and taking it with wine miraculously treats Yige [dysphagia/esophageal obstruction]").