〔害〕其性涩而收敛，凡泄利肠 ，及女子漏下、崩中、溺血等症，皆血热积滞而为患，
法
当通利疏泄，不可便用止涩之剂，恐积滞瘀血在内，反能为害。惟久病虚脱者，不在所忌。
畏石羔、川椒、鱼腥及铁器。
〔利〕甘涩平，入心、肾、肝、大肠经，能收敛浮越之正气，涩肠益肾固精，安魂镇惊，
辟
邪解毒，治多梦纷纭，敛汗收脱，缩小便，生肌肉，得人参、牛黄良。
〔修治〕查近世之修治方法，但 赤为粉。亦有生用者，或酒浸一宿，焙干研粉，水飞
三次
用。如急用以酒煮焙干，或云凡入药须水飞晒干，每斤用黑豆一斗，蒸一伏时晒干用，否则
着人肠胃，晚年作热也。
尤能定惊，镇心安魂。龙潜藏于水，气入肾藏中。骨主肾病，故又益肾也。肝藏魂，能
变化
，魂飞不定者，治之以龙齿。
〔害〕其性温燥，肾虚有热，小水不利，或短涩赤黄，口苦舌干，皆忌之。恶败酱莎草。
〔利〕苦平，入肝肾二经，强筋壮骨，治男子腰脚软疼，女人关节不利，萆 为使。毛
名金
毛狮子，止金疮血出良。
〔修治〕二八月采根曝干，火燎去须，切细。子，酒浸一夜，蒸三时取出晒干用，一名
扶筋
。
〔害〕禁与苦寒药同用，以治血病，及与大辛热药用于胎前。另有一种草茅根，形如续
断，
误服令人筋软，恶雷丸。
〔利〕味苦辛微温，补肝肾，通血脉，理筋骨，主劳伤，暖子宫，缩小便，止遗泄，破
瘀血
，腰痛、胎漏、崩带、肠风、血痢痔毒，又主金疮折跌，止痛生肌，痈肿宜收，胎产莫缺。
地黄为使。
〔修治〕川产良，状如鸡脚，皮黄皱节，节断者真。七八月采根，去向里硬筋，酒浸伏
时，
焙干入药。
[Harm] Its nature is astringent and convergent. For conditions such as diarrhea and dysentery, as well as leukorrhea with bleeding, metrorrhagia (uterine bleeding), and hematuria in women, these are all caused by blood-heat and accumulation of stagnation. The therapeutic principle should be to promote free flow and discharge; one must not immediately use astringent agents, lest the accumulation and stasis remain inside, causing further harm. Only patients suffering from deficiency collapse due to chronic illness are exempt from this contraindication. It is incompatible with Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Chuan Jiao (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium), Yu Xing Cao (Houttuyniae Herba), and ironware.
[Benefit] Sweet, astringent, and neutral. Enters the Heart, Kidney, Liver, and Large Intestine meridians. It can converge floating and dispersing righteous Qi, astringe the intestines, benefit the Kidneys, consolidate essence, calm the soul, and subdue fright. It dispels evil and detoxifies, treating restless dreams, stopping sweating and rescuing collapse, reducing urination, generating flesh, and works well when combined with Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix) and Niu Huang (Calculus Bovis).
[Processing] Examining modern processing methods, only the red part is made into powder. Some are used raw, or soaked in wine for one night, dried by baking, and ground into powder after being processed by water levigation three times. If urgent use is required, it can be boiled in wine and dried by baking. Alternatively, it is said that for medicinal use, it must be water-levigated and sun-dried; for every jin (500g) of Long Gu, one dou (10 liters) of Hei Dou (Soybean) is used, steamed for one fu shi (12 hours), then sun-dried and used. Otherwise, it may adhere to the stomach and intestines, causing heat syndromes in later years.
It is particularly effective in calming fright, soothing the Heart, and anchoring the soul. Dragons hide in water, and their qi enters the Kidney organ. Bones govern Kidney diseases, thus it also benefits the Kidneys. The Liver stores the Hun (Ethereal Soul), which can transform; for those whose Hun flies unsteadily, Long Chi (Dragon Teeth) is used to treat them.
[Harm] Chuan Xu Duan (Dipsaci Radix) has a warm and dry nature. It is contraindicated for those with Kidney deficiency accompanied by heat, difficult urination, or short, scanty, painful, red, and yellow urine, bitter taste in the mouth, and dry tongue. It is antagonistic to Bai Jiang Cao (Patriniae Herba) and Sha Cao (Carexis Rhizoma).
[Benefit] Bitter and neutral. Enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. It strengthens tendons and bones, treats softness and pain in the waist and legs of men, and joint stiffness in women. Bi Xie (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma) serves as its guiding herb. Mao Rong (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) is named Jin Mao Shi Zi, and is excellent for stopping bleeding from traumatic wounds.
[Processing] Roots are harvested in the second and eighth lunar months, sun-dried, hair removed by fire scorching, and sliced thinly. Seeds are soaked in wine overnight, steamed for three shi (6 hours), taken out, sun-dried, and used. Also known as Fu Jin.
[Harm] Prohibited from being used together with bitter-cold herbs for treating blood diseases, and with large acrid-hot herbs during pregnancy. There is another herb, Cao Mao Gen (Imperatae Rhizoma), which resembles Xu Duan; accidental ingestion causes tendon weakness. It is antagonistic to Lei Wan (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus).
[Benefit] Bitter and acrid, slightly warm. Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, unblocks blood vessels, regulates tendons and bones. It primarily treats labor injuries, warms the uterus, reduces urination, stops enuresis and seminal emission, breaks up blood stasis, and treats lower back pain, fetal leakage, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, intestinal wind, bloody dysentery, and hemorrhoidal toxins. It also treats traumatic injuries and fractures, relieves pain, generates flesh, promotes healing of carbuncles and swellings, and is indispensable for obstetrics and gynecology. Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) serves as its guiding herb.
[Processing] Those produced in Sichuan are superior. They resemble chicken feet, with yellow, wrinkled nodes; those with broken nodes are authentic. Roots are harvested in the seventh and eighth lunar months, hard inner fibers are removed, soaked in wine for one fu shi (12 hours), dried by baking, and used in decoctions.