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Horseherb (Niuxi), with a sweet and sour taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. The variety produced in Shu (Sichuan) is of superior quality. It excels at circulating through the twelve meridians, relaxing the sinews and bones, reconnecting severed tissues, nourishing Yin, and strengthening Yang. It eliminates soreness and pain in the lower back and knees, effectively relieves painful and difficult urination, and guides other herbs downward. In recent times, many people use this herb to treat blood disorders and abdominal masses (Xue Zha), yet achieve no effect. This is because they have not pondered its specific functions. Blood disorders and abdominal masses are diseases of the Spleen Meridian. Horseherb can circulate within the meridians but cannot penetrate into the intestines and abdomen. Moreover, these masses are formed by phlegm encasing blood. Horseherb belongs to the Yin aspect; it can expel blood stasis but cannot expel phlegm. This is why it remains ineffective throughout the year. Regarding syncope due to blood loss (Xue Yun), blood deficiency, and postpartum uterine contraction pain (Erzhen Tong), it is especially inadvisable to use lightly. Recent practitioners who use it often cause unpredictable adverse changes, failing to realize the error in using Horseherb.

Horseherb excels at moving but lacks the ability to consolidate. Syncope and blood deficiency represent extreme depletion; without blood to nourish the Heart, syncope occurs. If one does not use Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) to tonify blood, but instead uses Horseherb to move blood, this is adding insult to injury. Although postpartum uterine contraction pain seems to indicate blood stasis in the abdomen, postpartum conditions involve significant depletion of Qi and Blood and are prone to cold transformations. If it is not actually blood stasis, but mistakenly suspected as Erzhen Tong, the reckless use of Horseherb to dispel stasis will lead far from recovery. Therefore, only when severe pain upon palpation is present should a small amount of Horseherb be added to Danggui and Chuanxiong. Otherwise, do not use it lightly.

One might ask: Horseherb is known for inducing abortion and is not a tonic, so shouldn't it be contraindicated during pregnancy? Yet, historically, some used it during pregnancy without harming the fetus. Why? Is Horseherb an abortifacient? No, it is a herb for repairing damage. Where fractures can be reconnected, how could undamaged tissue be caused to abort? Ancient practitioners combined Horseherb with Moschus (Shexiang) for external application to induce abortion, utilizing its moving property. However, the abortifacient effect is due to Moschus, not Horseherb. There is no record of internal use of Horseherb causing abortion. Nevertheless, since its nature is moving, it should not be used excessively during pregnancy and childbirth, but it cannot be definitively classified as an abortifacient.

One might ask: Horseherb is a herb for the lower body; when used to tonify the knees, efficacy is often lacking. Is Horseherb not a herb for improving gait? The predecessors' statements on treating the lower body are not entirely incorrect, but knee strength cannot be achieved by Horseherb alone. Knee strength depends on full marrow in the bones; empty marrow leads to weak legs. To strengthen the knees, one must tonify the marrow. Marrow fullness relies on sufficient Kidney Water (Jing-Yin). If Kidney Water is insufficient, how can bone marrow fill? Thus, to tonify bone marrow, one must tonify Kidney Essence. Although Horseherb also tonifies essence, it cannot significantly tonify essence. Therefore, using Horseherb alone to treat knee issues due to Kidney deficiency is unlikely to yield quick results.

One might ask: Horseherb is a herb for strengthening the feet. Recently, people use it for lower body ailments with little success. Can it only strengthen the knees but not the feet? Strengthening the knees is the means to strengthen the feet, but strengthening the knees cannot be done merely by targeting the knee joint. Feet walk because Qi fills them. Without tonifying Qi to power the feet, and relying solely on Horseherb to strengthen the knees, the knees themselves may not even become strong, let alone the feet. (Commentary: Strong feet stem from strong knees; strong knees stem from abundant Qi. This is a profound truth.)

One might suspect: Horseherb acts on the Blood level; why does it succeed more easily when combined with Qi-level herbs? This is because Horseherb's nature is moving, and Qi also moves. When combined, Qi faces no obstruction, and Blood faces no stagnation. Naturally, Blood generates easily and Qi prospers, ensuring success.

One might suspect: Horseherb is a supreme herb for tonifying the center and reconnecting severances. Why did you omit discussing it? I reply: Predecessors have already discussed Horseherb's ability to tonify the center and reconnect severances; why repeat? However, the meaning of "tonifying the center and reconnecting severances" has a deeper explanation. Horseherb moves without consolidating; it can promote blood circulation between severed parts but cannot tonify blood within those parts. It must be used within formulas that tonify Qi and Blood to achieve the effect of reconnecting severances. This interpretation of "tonifying the center and reconnecting severances" was indeed overlooked by predecessors.