味苦，温、微温，无毒。主治中风伤寒头痛，温疟，发表出汗，去邪热气，止咳逆上气，
除寒热，破症坚积聚。五脏邪气缓急，风胁痛，治乳余疾，止好唾，通腠理，疏伤寒头疼，
解肌，泄邪恶气，消赤黑斑毒。不可多服，令人虚。一名卑相，一名龙沙，一名卑盐。生晋
地及河东川谷。立秋采茎，阴干令青。（浓朴为之使，恶辛夷、石韦。）
今出青州、彭城、荣阳、中牟者为胜，色青而多沫。蜀中亦有，不好。用之折除节。节
止汗故也。先煮一两沸，去上沫，沫令人烦。其根亦止汗。夏月杂粉用之。世用治伤寒，解
肌第一。（《大观》卷八，《政和》一九九页）
味甘，平，无毒。主治消渴，身大热，呕吐，诸痹，起阴气，解诸毒。治伤寒中风头痛，
解肌发表出汗，开腠理，治金疮，止痛，胁风痛。生根汁，大寒，治消渴，伤寒壮热。
葛谷∶主治下痢十岁以上。白葛，烧以粉疮，止痛断血。叶∶主金疮，止血。花∶主消
酒。一名鸡齐根，一名鹿藿，一名黄斤。生汶山川谷。五月采根，曝干。（杀野葛、巴豆、
百药毒。）
即今之葛根，人皆蒸食之。当取入土深大者，破而日干之。生者捣取汁饮之。解温病发
热。其花并小豆花干末，服方寸匕，饮酒不知醉。南康、庐陵间最胜，多肉而少筋，甘美。
但为药用之，不及此间尔。五月五日日中时，取葛根为屑，治金疮断血为要药，亦治疟及疮，
至
[Mahuang / Ephedrae Herba]
Bitter in taste, warm or slightly warm in nature, non-toxic. It treats headache caused by wind-stroke and cold damage (Shanghan), warm malaria (Wen Nue); it releases the exterior and induces sweating, eliminates pathogenic heat, stops cough and rebellious qi (Ke Ni Shang Qi), removes alternating chills and fever, breaks up masses and accumulations (Zheng Jian Ji Ju). It relieves urgency caused by pathogenic factors in the five zang organs, treats wind-induced flank pain, treats residual diseases of the breast, stops excessive salivation, unblocks interstices (Cou Li), disperses headache due to cold damage, resolves the muscle layer (Jie Ji), vents evil qi, and reduces red and black toxic macules. It should not be taken in excess, as it may cause deficiency. Also known as Beixiang, Longsha, or Beiyian. It grows in valleys of Jin region and Hedong. The stems are harvested at Start of Autumn and dried in shade until green. (Moumen / Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex is its guiding herb; it is incompatible with Xinyi / Magnoliae Flos and Shiwei / Pyrrosiae Folium.)
Those from Qingzhou, Pengcheng, Rongyang, and Zhongmu are considered superior, characterized by a green color and abundant foam. There is also some from Shu, but it is of poor quality. When used, break the stem and remove the nodes (jie), because the nodes stop sweating. Boil for one or two minutes first, and discard the foam on the surface, as the foam causes restlessness. The root also stops sweating. In summer, it can be mixed with starch powder. People generally use it to treat cold damage; it is the primary herb for resolving the muscle layer. (From *Daguan Bencao*, Vol. 8; *Zhenghe Zhenglei Bencao*, p. 199)
[Gegen / Puerariae Radix]
Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It treats thirst (Xiao Ke), high fever, vomiting, various bi syndromes (Bi Zheng), raises yin qi, and resolves various toxins. It treats headache due to cold damage and wind-stroke, resolves the muscle layer and releases the exterior inducing sweating, opens the interstices, treats metal wounds (Jin Chuang), stops pain, and treats wind pain in the flanks. Fresh juice of Gegen is very cold in nature; it treats thirst and severe fever from cold damage.
Ge Gu (Pueraria Flower/Fruit): Treats dysentery lasting more than ten years. White Gegen, when burned to ash and applied to sores, stops pain and bleeding. Leaves: Treat metal wounds and stop bleeding. Flowers: Treat alcohol intoxication. Also known as Jiqigen, Luhuo, or Huangjin. Grows in valleys of Wenshan. Roots are harvested in May and sun-dried. (It counteracts the toxicity of Yege, Badou, and hundred herbs.)
This is the current Gegen, which people usually steam and eat. One should select roots that penetrate deep into the soil and are large, break them, and dry them in the sun. Fresh ones can be crushed to extract juice for drinking. It resolves fever from warm diseases. Mix its flowers with dried powdered small bean flowers, take one cun cube (fangcunbi) dose, and one will not get drunk after drinking alcohol. Those from Nankang and Luling are the best, being fleshy, fibrous-poor, and sweet. However, for medicinal use, they are inferior to those from this region. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month at noon, collect Gegen and make it into powder; it is an essential medicine for treating metal wounds and stopping bleeding, and also treats malaria and sores, up to...