一名夺命丹、活血丹、蟠桃草。生田野间,似醴肠草,结子如桃,熟则微红,小如绿豆
大,
内有虫者佳。百草镜∶仙桃草,近水处田塍多有之,谷雨后生苗,叶光长,类旱莲,高尺许
,茎空,摘断不黑亦不香,立夏后开细白花,亦类旱莲而成穗,结实如豆大,如桃子中空,
内有小虫在内,生翅穴孔而出。采时须俟实将红,虫未出生翅时收用,药力方全。盖此药之
用全在虫,须晒焙令内虫死,若挂悬风干,恐内虫生翅而出,药亦无用矣。按∶此草须芒种
后采。若过夏至,则虫穴孔而出,化为小蚊,苞空无用矣。
性温,味甘淡,消痈肿跌打,或捣汁,或屑服,俱效。
治肝气和胃∶集听云∶一名八卦仙桃,此草生田野,叶如石榴叶,实如桃子,绝小,内
生小
虫者真。取实连虫用。一方专治肝气胃气小肠疝症,用仙桃草有虫者,金桔核,福桔核,荜
澄茄,各等分,为末,砂糖调丸绿豆大,每晚服一钱许,至重者二服断根。
治劳损虚怯∶百草镜云∶取有虫仙桃草,用童便制透,入补药用。
治吐血∶百草镜云∶用新鲜接骨仙桃草捣汁,加人乳和服,按∶吐血诸方,皆用凉血之
剂,
惟此药性热,加人乳能引血归经,故妙。
跌扑损伤∶救生苦海∶用地苏木五钱,八角金盘根一钱,接骨仙桃草五钱,臭梧桐花三
钱,
Also known as Duoming Dan (Life-Grabbng Pill), Huoxue Dan (Blood-Invigorating Pill), and Pantao Cao (Peach-shaped Herb). It grows in fields, resembling *Lichangcao* (Callicarpa macrophylla), bearing fruits like peaches that turn slightly red when ripe, slightly larger than mung beans. Those containing insects inside are of superior quality. *Baicao Jing* records: Xiantao Cao (Immortal Peach Herb) is abundant on field ridges near water. Seedlings emerge after the Grain Rain solar term; leaves are glossy and elongated, resembling *Hanlian* (Eclipta prostrata). The plant is about one chi tall, with hollow stems that do not turn black nor emit fragrance when broken. After the Start of Summer solar term, it produces small white flowers in spikes, also resembling *Hanlian*. The fruits are bean-sized, hollow like peaches, containing small insects that exit through winged holes. Harvesting must wait until the fruits are nearly red but before the insects have developed wings and flown out, to ensure full medicinal potency. Essentially, the efficacy of this herb lies entirely in the insect; it must be sun-dried or baked to kill the internal insect. If hung to air-dry, the insect may develop wings and escape, rendering the medicine useless. Note: This herb should be harvested after the Grain in Ear solar term. If harvested after the Summer Solstice, the insects will fly out through the holes, transforming into small mosquitoes, leaving empty husks useless for medicine.
The nature is warm, and the taste is sweet and bland. It dissipates carbuncles and swellings and treats traumatic injuries. Whether crushed for juice or taken as powder, it is effective.
To treat Liver Qi stagnation and Stomach disharmony: Ji Tingyun records: Also named Bagua Xiantao (Eight-Trigram Immortal Peach). This herb grows in fields, with leaves like pomegranate leaves and fruits like peaches, extremely small, genuine ones containing small insects inside. Use the fruit together with the insect. Another prescription specifically treats Liver Qi, Stomach Qi, and Small Intestine hernia syndromes. Use Xiantao Cao with insects, Jinju He (Kumquat seed), Fujie He (Fortune Orange seed), and Bichengqie (Long pepper fruit) in equal parts. Grind into powder, mix with brown sugar to form pills the size of mung beans. Take approximately one qian every night. For severe cases, two doses can cure it permanently.
To treat consumptive weakness and deficiency: *Baicao Jing* states: Take Xiantao Cao with insects, process thoroughly with urine from a prepubertal boy, and add to tonifying prescriptions.
To treat hematemesis: *Baicao Jing* states: Use fresh Jiegu Xiantao Cao (Bone-Knitting Immortal Peach Herb), crush and extract juice, mix with human milk and take. Note: Most prescriptions for hematemesis use blood-cooling agents. Only this herb is hot in nature; adding human milk helps guide the blood back to its vessels, which is why it is ingenious.
For falls and traumatic injuries: *Jiusheng Kuhai* states: Use Dishemu (Biancaea sappanwood) 5 qian, Bajiao Jinpan Gen (Root of *Polyscias fruticosa*) 1 qian, Jiegu Xiantao Cao 5 qian, Chuwutong Hua (Flower of *Mallotus apelta*) 3 qian,