一名金佛草,一名地莲,俗呼黄花子草。生郊野,立春后发苗,叶多白毛,似绵絮。至
立夏
开黄花,一茎直上,花成簇,处处山 有之。乡人初春采其叶,揉粉作 食,清香坚韧,最
适口。此草形小,布地生叶,似慎火而薄,摘之有白丝,色青白,本小如剪刀草。 按∶纲
目有鼠曲,俗名毛耳朵。叶有白茸,又名茸母,宋徽宗诗∶茸母初生认禁烟。即此。蚁食此
草即醉,故又名蚍蜉酒草。然其功用亦止载其能治寒热咳嗽,去肺寒,大升肺气而已。今别
补其功用。
味酸性热,多食损目,治囊风湿痒,煎汤洗,愈儿疳梅疮下疳,同甘草煎洗。
一名苦参子,一名鸦胆子。出闽广,药肆中皆有之。形如梧子,其仁多油,生食令人吐,
作
治痢∶何梦瑶医碥∶鸦胆丸,用鸦胆子去壳捶去油一钱,文蛤醋炒,枯矾川连炒,各三
分,
糊丸。朱砂为衣。或鸦胆霜,黄丹各一钱,加木香二分亦可。乌梅肉丸,朱砂为衣,二方俱
丸绿豆大,粥皮,或盐梅皮,或圆眼干肉,或芭蕉子肉,包吞十一二丸,立止。
里急后重∶吉云旅抄∶用鸦胆即苦榛子,去壳留肉,包龙眼肉,每岁一粒,白滚水下。
治痔∶金御乘云∶近日闽中板客皆带鸦胆子来,治痔如神。有患者,以子七粒包圆眼肉
吞下
至圣丹∶治冷痢久泻,百方无验者,一服即愈。凡痢之初起,实热实积,易知而易治。
惟虚
人冷积致痢,医多不以为意,盖实热之症,外候有身热烦躁,唇焦口渴,肚疼窘迫,里急后
重,舌上黄胎,六脉洪数,证候既急,治者亦急。轻则疏利之,重则寒下之,积去而和,其
阴阳无不愈者。致于虚人冷积致痢,外无烦热躁扰,内无肚腹急痛,有赤白相兼,无里急后
重,大便流痢,小便清长,此由阴性迟缓,所以外症不急,遇此不可姑息,但以集成三仙丹
下之,以去其积,倘不急下,必致荠虎贻患。其积日久,渐次下坠,竟至大肠下口直肠上口
交界之处,有小曲折,隐匿于此,为肠秽最深之处,药所不到之地,证则乍轻乍重,或愈或
发,便则乍红乍白,或硬或溏,总无一定,任是神丹,分毫无济。盖积不在腹内,而在大肠
之下,诸药至此,性力已过,尽成 糠,安能去此沉匿之积?所以冷痢有至三五年十数年
不愈者,由此故也。古方用巴豆为丸下之者,第恐久病患虚,未敢轻用,今已至捷至稳鸦胆
子一味治之。此物出闽省云贵,虽诸家本草未收,而药肆皆有,其形似益智子而小,外壳苍
褐色,内肉白有油,其味至苦,用小铁锤轻敲其壳,壳破肉出,其大如米,敲碎者不用,专
取全仁用之。三五岁儿二十余粒,十余岁者三十多粒,大人则四十九粒。取大圆肉包之。小
儿一包三粒,大人一包七粒,紧包,空腹吞下,以饭食压之,使其下行,更借此圆肉包裹,
可以直至大肠之下也。此药并不峻厉,复不肚痛,俟大便行时有白冻如鱼脑者,即冷积也。
如白冻未见过,一二日再进一服,或微加数粒,此后不须再服。服时忌荤酒三日,戒鸭肉一
月,从此除根,永不再发矣。倘次日腹中虚痛,用白芍一枝,甘草一枝,各重三钱,纸包水
湿,火内煨熟,取起捶烂,煎汤服之,立止。此方不忍隐秘,笔之于书,以公世用。
痢疾神方∶医宗汇编∶用白石榴烧灰一钱,真鸦片切片二钱,鸦胆子去壳纸包,压去油
三两
,人参三分,枯矾二分,海南沉香三分,共为细末,调粥为丸,重五六厘,晒干瓷瓶收贮。
红痢用蜜一匙,滚水调下。红白相兼,阴阳水送下。肚胀,滚汤下。水泻,米汤开水送下。
忌油腻腥酸一月。
[Golden Buddha Grass]
Also known as Jin Fo Cao (Golden Buddha Herb), also known as Di Lian (Earth Lotus), commonly called Huang Hua Zi Cao (Yellow Flower Seed Grass). It grows in the suburbs and fields, sprouting after the Beginning of Spring (Lichun). The leaves have many white hairs, resembling cotton wadding. By the Beginning of Summer (Lixia), it opens yellow flowers; a single stem grows straight upward, with flowers growing in clusters. It is found in mountains everywhere. Villagers harvest its leaves in early spring, rub them into powder to mix with food; it has a fresh fragrance and a tough texture, making it very palatable. This herb is small in stature, spreading on the ground with leaves, resembling Shen Huo (a plant) but thinner. When plucked, white silk-like strands appear; the color is greenish-white, and the root is small like Jian Dao Cao (Scissors Grass). According to records: Ben Cao Gang Mu mentions Shu Qu (Mouse Curd Plant), commonly known as Mao Er Duo (Furry Ears). Its leaves have white down, and it is also called Rong Mu (Down Mother); Emperor Huizong of Song wrote a poem: "Rong Mu just born, recognized by the Cold Food Festival." This refers to this plant. Ants become intoxicated after eating this grass, hence it is also called Pi Fu Jiu Cao (Ant Wine Grass). However, its functions are only recorded as treating chills and fever with cough, removing cold from the lungs, and greatly boosting lung Qi. Here, additional functions are supplemented.
Taste: sour; Nature: hot. Excessive consumption damages the eyes. It treats wind-dampness itching of the scrotum when decocted for washing. It cures pediatric malnutrition (Gan syndrome), syphilitic sores, and chancre when decocted with Gan Cao (Licorice Root) for external washing.
[Yadanzi / Brucea javanica]
Also known as Ku Shen Zi (Bitter Sophora Seed), also known as Ya Dan Zi. It originates from Fujian and Guangdong provinces and is available in all pharmacies. It resembles the seed of a parasol tree (Wu Tong); the kernel is oily. Raw consumption induces vomiting.
Treating Dysentery: He Mengyao's *Yi Bian* records: Ya Dan Wan (Ya Danzi Pill), using Ya Dan Zi (Brucea javanica Seed) shelled, pounded, and oil removed (1 qian), Wen Ge (Clam Shell) stir-fried with vinegar, Ku Fan (Alum), and Chuan Lian (Coptis Chinensis Rhizome) stir-fried, each 3 fen, made into pills with paste. Coated with Zhu Sha (Cinnabar). Alternatively, Ya Dan Shuang (Ya Danzi Paste) with Huang Dan (Red Lead) each 1 qian, plus Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) 2 fen. Pills made with Wu Mei Rou (Mume Fruit Flesh) and coated with Zhu Sha (Cinnabar). Both formulas are made into pills the size of mung beans, wrapped in rice skin, salted plum skin, dried longan flesh, or banana seed flesh, swallowed (11-12 pills), stopping dysentery immediately.
Tenesmus (Li Ji Hou Zhong): *Ji Yun Lv Chao* records: Use Ya Dan Zi, also known as Ku Zhen Zi, shelled leaving the meat, wrapped in longan flesh, one grain per year of age, taken with plain boiled water.
Treating Hemorrhoids: Jin Yucheng stated: Recently, boatmen in Fujian carry Ya Dan Zi to treat hemorrhoids with miraculous effect. A patient swallowed seven seeds wrapped in longan flesh.
Zhi Sheng Dan (Supreme Holy Pill): Treats chronic cold dysentery and diarrhea where hundreds of methods failed; cured after one dose. Generally, dysentery at onset, characterized by excess heat and accumulation, is easy to identify and treat. Only in deficiency-cold constitutions causing dysentery due to cold accumulation do physicians often pay little attention. For excess heat syndromes, external signs include fever, restlessness, dry cracked lips, thirst, abdominal pain and distress, tenesmus, yellow tongue coating, and surging-rapid pulse. Since the syndrome is urgent, treatment is urgent. Mild cases are treated with draining and purging methods; severe cases with cold purgatives. Once accumulation is removed and harmony is restored, yin and yang recover without exception. Regarding deficiency-cold constitutions causing dysentery via cold accumulation: there are no external signs of heat/restlessness, no internal acute abdominal pain, stool contains both red and white mucus, no tenesmus, loose stools, and clear abundant urine. This is because yin nature is slow, so external symptoms are not urgent. In such cases, one must not be lenient; use Ji Cheng San Xian Dan (Integrated Three Immortals Pill) to purge and remove accumulation. If not purged urgently, it will lead to serious complications. Accumulation lingers for a long time, gradually sinking to the junction of the lower large intestine and upper rectum, hiding in small bends, the deepest place of intestinal filth, unreachable by medicine. Symptoms fluctuate between light and heavy, remission and recurrence; stool varies between red and white, hard or loose, with no fixed pattern. Even divine pills offer no help. Because the accumulation is not in the abdomen but below the large intestine, drug potency dissipates before reaching there, becoming useless dregs. How can they remove such hidden accumulation? Thus, cold dysentery may persist for three to five years or even over ten years for this reason. Ancient formulas used Ba Dou (Croton Seed) pills for purging, fearing weakness in chronic patients, daring not use lightly. Now, Ya Dan Zi (Brucea javanica Seed) alone offers a swift and safe cure. This herb comes from Fujian, Yunnan, Guizhou. Though not recorded in various materia medica, it is available in pharmacies. It resembles Yi Zhi Ren (Alpinia Oxyphylla Fruit) but smaller. The shell is grayish-brown; the inner meat is white and oily, extremely bitter. Gently crack the shell with a small iron hammer; the meat emerges, size of a rice grain. Broken kernels are discarded; only whole kernels are used. Children aged 3-5 take over 20 grains; teenagers over 30 grains; adults take 49 grains. Wrap in large longan flesh. Children: 3 grains per wrap; Adults: 7 grains per wrap. Wrap tightly, swallow on an empty stomach, press down with a meal to facilitate downward movement. The longan wrapping helps reach the lower large intestine. This drug is neither harsh nor painful to the stomach. When bowel movements occur with white jelly-like substance resembling fish brain, it indicates cold accumulation. If white jelly is not seen, administer another dose after 1-2 days, or slightly increase the number of grains. No further doses needed thereafter. Avoid meat and alcohol for three days during medication; avoid duck meat for one month. This cures the root cause permanently. If hollow abdominal pain occurs the next day, use Bai Shao (White Peony Root) one branch, Gan Cao (Licorice Root) one branch, each weighing 3 qian. Wrap in paper, moisten with water, roast in fire until cooked. Remove, pound, decoct, and drink; pain stops immediately. This formula is not kept secret but recorded here for public use.
Divine Formula for Dysentery: *Yi Zong Hui Bian* records: Burn Bai Shi Liu (White Pomegranate) to ash (1 qian), slice Zhen Ya Pian (True Opium) (2 qian), Ya Dan Zi (Brucea javanica Seed) shelled and pressed on paper to remove oil (3 liang), Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) (3 fen), Ku Fan (Alum) (2 fen), Hai Nan Chen Xiang (Aquilaria Sappanwood) (3 fen). Grind into fine powder, mix with porridge to make pills, weighing 5-6 li each. Dry and store in porcelain bottles. For red dysentery, take with honey and boiling water. For mixed red and white, take with Yin-Yang Water (mixed cold and hot water). For abdominal distension, take with boiling water. For watery diarrhea, take with rice water. Avoid greasy, fishy, and sour foods for one month.