（上蒲八切，下弃八切。《别录》中品）
【释名】菝 （同 ）、金刚根（《日华》
时珍曰∶菝 ，犹KT KT 也。KT KT ，短也。此草茎蔓强坚短小，故名菝 。
而江浙人谓之菝 根，亦曰金刚根，楚人谓之铁菱角，皆状其坚而有尖刺也。郑樵《通志》
云∶其叶颇近王瓜，故名王瓜草。
【集解】《别录》曰∶生山野。二月、八月采根，曝干。
弘景曰∶此有三种，大略根苗并相类。菝 茎紫而短小，多细刺，小减萆 而色深，人
用作饮。
恭曰∶陶云三种，乃狗脊、菝 、萆 相类，非也。萆 有刺者，叶粗相类，根不相类；
萆细长而白色，菝
根作块结，黄赤色，殊非狗脊之流。
颂曰∶今近道及江浙州郡多有之。苗茎成蔓，长二、三尺，有刺。其叶如冬青、乌药叶
而差大。秋生黄花，结黑子如樱桃大。其根作块，人呼金刚根。
时珍曰∶菝 山野中甚多。其茎似蔓而坚强，植生有刺。其叶团大，状如马蹄，光泽似
柿叶，不类冬青。秋开黄花，结红子。其根甚硬，有硬须如刺。其叶煎饮酸涩。野人采其根
叶，入染家用，名铁菱角。《吴普本草》以菝 为狗脊，非矣。详见狗脊下。
根
【气味】甘、酸，平、温，无毒。
【主治】腰背寒痛，风痹，益血气，止小便利（《别录》）。治时疾瘟瘴（大明）。补肝经
风虚（好古）。治消渴，血崩，下痢（时珍）。
【发明】时珍曰∶菝 ，足厥阴、少阴药。气温味酸，性涩而收，与萆 仿佛。孙真人
元旦所饮辟邪屠苏酒中亦用之。
颂曰∶取根浸赤汁，煮粉食，辟瘴。
【附方】新五。
小便滑数∶金刚骨为末。每服三钱，温酒下，睡时。（《儒门事亲》方）
取去
根本∶用菝 二两，为末。每米饮服二钱。后以地椒煎汤浴腰腹，须臾即通也。（《圣济录》）
消渴不止∶菝谷即菝 ， 咀半两，水三盏，乌梅一个，煎一盏，温服。（《普济方》）
下痢赤白∶金刚根、蜡茶等分。为末，白梅肉捣丸芡子大。每服五、七丸，小儿三丸，
白痢甘草汤下；赤痢乌梅汤下。（《卫
风毒脚弱，痹满上气，田舍贫家用此最良∶菝 （洗锉）一斛。以水三斛
渍曲去滓，取一斛渍饮，如常酿酒。任意日饮之。（《肘后方》）
(Bá qiē, xiā qiē. "Zhongpin" in *Bielu*).
[Names] Baqia (same as 𦮼), Jinganggen (Diamond Root) (*Ri Hua Bencao*).
Li Shizhen stated: The name "Baqia" describes the short and firm nature of its stems. "KT KT" is an onomatopoeic/descriptive term meaning short and firm. This herb has strong, hard, and short creeping stems, hence the name Baqia. In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, it is called Baqia root or Jinganggen; in the Chu region, it is called Tie Lingjiao (Iron Water Chestnut), all referring to its hardness and sharp thorns. Zheng Qiao in *Tongzhi* said: Its leaves are quite similar to those of Trichosanthes cucumerina (Wanggua), hence the name Wangguacao.
[Collection and Explanation] *Bielu* states: Grows in mountains and wilds. Roots are harvested in February and August and dried in the sun.
Tao Hongjing stated: There are three varieties, generally similar in roots and shoots. Baqia has purple, short stems with many fine thorns, slightly smaller than Dioscorea hypoglauca (Bixie) but darker in color, used by people for brewing drinks.
Su Gong stated: Tao's mention of three varieties confuses Cibotium barometz (Gouji), Baqia, and Bixie, which is incorrect. The thorny Bixie has rough leaves that look similar, but the roots are different; Bixie roots are slender and white, whereas Baqia roots form lumps, yellowish-red, completely unlike Cibotium.
Su Song stated: It is abundant near the capital and in various prefectures of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The seedlings grow into vines, two to three chi long, with thorns. The leaves resemble those of Ilex cornuta (Dongqing) or Lindera aggregata (Wuyao) but are larger. Yellow flowers appear in autumn, bearing black fruits the size of cherries. The roots form lumps, called Jinganggen by people.
Li Shizhen stated: Baqia is very common in the wild. Its stems are vine-like but strong and erect, with thorns. The leaves are round and large, shaped like horse hooves, glossy like persimmon leaves, not resembling Dongqing. It blooms yellow flowers in autumn and bears red fruits. The roots are very hard, with hard bristle-like rhizomes. Decoction of the leaves tastes sour and astringent. Rural people harvest its roots and leaves for use in dyeing workshops, calling it Tie Lingjiao. *Wu Pu Bencao* incorrectly identifies Baqia as Cibotium (Gouji). See the entry for Cibotium for details.
Root
[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, sour; neutral, warm; non-toxic.
[Indications] Cold pain in the lower back and back, wind-bi syndrome, tonifying blood and qi, stopping frequent urination (*Bielu*). Treating epidemic febrile diseases and miasma (*Daming Bencao*). Tonifying liver channel deficiency due to wind (*Haogu*). Treating Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst), metrorrhagia, and dysentery (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Li Shizhen stated: Baqia enters the Foot Jueyin Liver and Foot Shaoyin Kidney channels. Its temperature is warm, flavor sour, nature astringent and contracting, similar to Bixie. Sun Simiao also used it in the Tusu wine drunk on New Year's Day to ward off evil spirits.
Su Song stated: Soaking the root to extract red juice and boiling it with starch to eat can prevent miasma.
[Attached Prescriptions] Five new prescriptions.
Frequent and slippery urination: Powder the Jingang root (Baqia root). Take 3 qian each time, washed down with warm wine, before sleep. (Prescription from *Rumen Shiqin*)
Removing the root cause: Use 2 liang of Baqia, powder it. Take 2 qian each time with rice water. Afterwards, bathe the waist and abdomen with decoction of Zanthoxylum bungeanum (Dijiao); patency will be achieved shortly. (From *Shengji Lu*)
Unremitting Xiao Ke: Baigu, which is Baqia, chopped half liang, add 3 zhan of water and one dark plum (Wumei), decoct to 1 zhan, take warm. (From *Puji Fang*)
Dysentery with red and white discharge: Equal parts Jingang root and wax tea. Powder them, mix with flesh of white plum to make pills the size of Euryale ferox seeds (Qianzi). Take 5-7 pills each time, children take 3 pills; wash down white dysentery with licorice decoction, red dysentery with dark plum decoction. (From *Weiji Baoshu*)
Wind-tox causing weak legs, bi-sensation, fullness, and upward Qi rebellion; best for poor rural families: One hu of Baqia (washed and chopped). Soak Qu (yeast starter) in 3 hu of water, remove dregs, take 1 hu of liquid to soak ingredients for brewing, as usual. Drink at any time. (From *Zhouhou Beifang*)