气微寒。味苦。无毒。主心腹邪气。肠鸣幽幽如走水。寒热积聚。破症除瘕。止烦
满益气。
丹参气微寒。禀天初冬寒水之气。入手太阳寒水小肠经。味苦无毒。得地南方之火味。
入手
少阴心经。气味俱降。阴也。心腹者。心与小肠之区也。邪气者。湿热之邪气也。气寒则清
热。味苦则燥湿。所以主之。肠小肠也。小肠为寒水之腑。水不下行。聚于肠中。则幽幽如
水走声响矣。苦寒清泄。能泻小肠之水。所以主之。小肠为受盛之官。本热标寒。所以或寒
或热之物。皆能积聚肠中也。其主之者。味苦能下泄也。积聚而至有形可征谓之症。假物成
形谓之瘕。其能破除之者。味苦下泄之力也。心与小肠为表里。小肠者心火之去路也。小肠
传
化失职。则心火不能下行。郁于心而烦满矣。其主之者。苦寒清泄之功也。肺属金而主气。
丹参清心泻火。火不刑金。所以益气也。
制 方:
丹参同牛膝、生地、黄 、黄柏。则健走飞步。同麦冬、沙参、五味、甘草、青蒿、花
粉。
治烦满。同牛膝、木瓜、萆 、 、杜仲、续断。治脊强脚痹。专一味。治湿热疝气。自
汗出欲死者。为末水丸。治软脚病。
气微温。味辛甘。无毒。主明目益精。除水气。久服轻身。
益母气微温。禀天初春之木气。入足厥阴肝经。味辛甘无毒。得地金土之味。入手太阴
肺经
、足太阴脾经。气味俱升。阳也。肝为藏血之脏。脾为统血之脏。辛甘益血。目得血则能视
。所以明目。脾者阴气之原也。肺者津液之原也。甘辛能润。所以益精。脾者为胃行津液者
也。肺者相传之官。通调水道者也。辛甘益脾肺。则津液行而水道通。所以除水气。久服益
肝脾肺。肺主周身之气。脾主周身之血。肝为生生之脏。以生气血。气血生。生长旺。自然
身轻矣。（茎）主疹痒。所以可浴儿也。
制 方:
益母子童便煎服。能下死胎。同川芎、归身、白芍、生地、杜仲、阿胶、续断丸。安胎
止痛
。同生地、白芍、麦冬、青蒿、五味、阿胶。治胎漏下血。
[Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Danshen)]
The qi is slightly cold. The taste is bitter. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats pathogenic factors in the heart and abdomen, intestinal murmurs sounding deep like flowing water, accumulations of cold and heat, breaks up masses (zheng), eliminates lumps (jia), stops irritability and fullness, and benefits qi.
Danshen has a slightly cold qi, inheriting the cold water energy of early winter, entering the Foot-Taiyang Cold Water Small Intestine Meridian. Its bitter and non-toxic taste derives from the fire flavor of the southern earth, entering the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Both its qi and taste descend, belonging to Yin. The heart and abdomen are the regions of the Heart and Small Intestine. Pathogenic factors refer to damp-heat pathogenic factors. Cold qi clears heat, and bitter taste dries dampness; thus, it treats these conditions. The intestine refers to the Small Intestine. The Small Intestine is the fu organ of cold water. If water does not flow downward but gathers in the intestines, it produces sounds deep like moving water. Danshen's bitter-cold clearing and draining action can drain water from the Small Intestine, thus treating this condition. The Small Intestine is the official responsible for receiving and containing; it has intrinsic heat and superficial cold, so both cold and hot substances can accumulate in the intestines. Its ability to treat this stems from the bitter taste's downward draining power. Accumulations that become tangible and traceable are called zheng (masses); those formed by borrowing material shape are called jia (lumps). Its ability to break them down relies on the downward draining force of its bitter taste. The Heart and Small Intestine are exterior-interiorly related; the Small Intestine is the pathway for Heart Fire to exit. If the Small Intestine fails in its transmission and transformation functions, Heart Fire cannot descend, stagnating in the Heart causing irritability and fullness. Its ability to treat this relies on the efficacy of bitter-cold clearing and draining. The Lung belongs to Metal and governs Qi. Danshen clears the Heart and drains Fire; since Fire does not oppress Metal, it benefits Qi.
Prescription Formulation:
When combined with Achyranthes Root (Niuxi), Rehmannia Root (Shengdi), Scutellaria Root (Huangqin), and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai), it enables vigorous walking and running. When combined with Ophiopogon Tuber (Maidong), Glehnia Root (Shashen), Schisandra Fruit (Wuweizi), Licorice Root (Gancao), Artemisia Annua (Qinghao), and Panax Notoginseng Root (Huafen - *Note: Hua Fen usually refers to Trichosanthes Root Gypsum or similar drying agents, here likely Trichosanthes Root*), it treats irritability and fullness. When combined with Niuxi, Papaya (Mugua), Dioscorea Hypoglauca Rhizome (Bixie), Eucommia Bark (Duzhong), and Dipsacus Root (Xuduan), it treats spinal stiffness and leg bi-syndrome. Used exclusively as a single herb, it treats damp-heat hernia with spontaneous sweating leading to near-death states. Made into pills with water powder, it treats soft-leg disease.
[Leonurus Japonicus (Yimucao)]
The qi is slightly warm. The taste is pungent and sweet. It is non-toxic. It primarily brightens the eyes, benefits essence, removes water retention, and with long-term use, lightens the body.
Yimucao has a slightly warm qi, inheriting the wood energy of early spring, entering the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its pungent and sweet, non-toxic taste derives from the metal and earth flavors of the earth, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Both its qi and taste ascend, belonging to Yang. The Liver is the zang organ storing Blood; the Spleen is the zang organ controlling Blood. Pungent and sweet nourish Blood; when the eyes receive Blood, vision is possible, thus brightening the eyes. The Spleen is the source of Yin Qi; the Lung is the source of Body Fluids. Sweet and pungent moisten, thus benefiting Essence. The Spleen transports fluids for the Stomach; the Lung is the official of transmission, regulating water passages. Pungent and sweet benefit the Spleen and Lung, allowing fluids to circulate and water passages to open, thus removing water retention. Long-term use benefits the Liver, Spleen, and Lung. The Lung governs Qi throughout the body; the Spleen governs Blood throughout the body; the Liver is the organ of life generation, producing Qi and Blood. When Qi and Blood are generated abundantly and growth mechanisms are vigorous, the body naturally becomes light. (The stem) treats rashes and itching, thus suitable for bathing infants.
Prescription Formulation:
Yimucao decocted with child's urine can expel dead fetus. Combined with Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong), Angelica Sinensis Radix (Guishen), White Peony Root (Baishao), Rehmannia Root (Shengdi), Duzhong, Donkey-hide Gelatin (Ejiao), and Xuduan made into pills, it calms the fetus and relieves pain. Combined with Shengdi, Baishao, Maidong, Qinghao, Wuweizi, and Ejiao, it treats fetal leakage with bleeding.