黑色长三四寸。形如拇脂。又似狗脊。凸凹 。有硬黑须簇之。其肉青绿色。春秋
采根。曝干用。又一种有金黄毛如狗形。皆可入药。勿用透山藤根。形状相似。只是入顶苦
不可饵也。（ ）
味苦甘平。气微温。苦燥湿。甘益血。温养气。是补而能走之药。入足少阴。萆 为之
使。恶败酱莎草。治腰背强。关机缓急。周痹寒湿膝痛。并脚弱毒风软脚。肾气虚弱。及风
邪淋露。少气目暗。（濒湖谓治风虚）又女子伤中关节重。强肝肾。续筋骨。补益男子。颇
利老人。并治失溺不节。主肝肾体用权衡形脏之关机者。（之颐）得牛膝菟丝地黄山萸白胶
杜仲。固精强骨壮腰肾。得沉香牛膝石斛木瓜白藓皮菊花五加皮漆叶蒺藜子。能通利关节。
除五缓六急。
〔论〕 狗脊之用。在本经关机缓急一语。人身八溪。（即八虚。两肘两腋两髀两 也。）
为关机之室。一溪有邪气恶血住留。则伤乎经络。而上下各关机举为之不利。不利即缓急。
夫经脉固所以利关节者也。然则关机之利。能不根治于大会之地乎。内经谓大关节在腰脊。
以腰为肾府。脊乃足太阳之所行。此一脏一腑。系人身根带。而肾中冲脉。实又为经脉之海。
（丹溪治人右手疼痛挛拳因湿气。以二陈加金毛狗脊杜仲川芎升麻。可知兹味宜于湿。而于
阴气不足之湿乃为中病。惟经脉之海。总属于肾中冲脉。故又以之治手也。）然则八溪虽为
关机之室。而腰脊尤居关节之大者。所以行血气。营阴阳。濡筋骨而利关节。胥属肾与膀胱
也。即经所云肾有邪则气留于两 。可知关机之室如两 者。尤以肾为主矣。又如脚弱并毒
风软脚。皆由大关节之处有邪气恶血留滞。故在下之经脉有伤而见于脚者。其关机不利如是
耳。夫别录既言风邪淋露少气目暗。（目睛神水。固属胆汁。然化原在肾水。水郁而风木不
能达之于上。故目暗。此皆经脉不利之故。以三阴经脉从下而上也。）甄权又言毒风软脚肾
气虚弱。即此知狗脊之功。专主下焦肝肾之阴气。本经谓颇利老人。缘老人下焦之阴气虚。
多有不利故也。抑本经但言寒湿。而别录甄权又出风邪毒风之治。有二道欤。要知肾者水脏
。全藉风木以达阳而化阴。风木虚则阳不达。阳不达则阴不化。而寒湿病乎血。病乎血则风
化自病而为风邪。久之为毒风。还病于肾脏而为风毒。或化为湿热以成种种肝病。皆坐风虚
而已。此味能益肾气。使阳得达而阴得化。用之者主辅得宜。（病各有所因。则剂各有所主
。）有何关节不利而风湿不瘳乎。
缪氏云。肾虚有热。小水不利。或短涩赤黄。口舌干。皆忌。
〔修治〕 去毛须。锉。酒浸一夕用。
Black in color, three to four inches long. The shape resembles the fat of a thumb. It also looks like the spine of a dog. The surface is uneven. It has clusters of hard black rootlets. Its flesh is bluish-green. The roots are harvested in spring and autumn. They are dried in the sun for use. Another variety has golden-yellow hairs resembling a dog. Both can be used as medicine. Do not use the root of *Pueraria lobata* (Tou Shan Teng), which has a similar shape but is bitter at the top and should not be ingested. ( )
Bitter and sweet in taste, neutral in nature. The qi is slightly warm. Bitterness dries dampness, sweetness benefits blood, and warmth nourishes qi. This is a tonifying yet circulating herb. It enters the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian (Zu Shao Yin Shen Jing). *Bixie* (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma) serves as its guiding herb. It is incompatible with *Patrinia* (Ba Jiang) and *Carex* (Sha Cao). It treats stiffness and soreness of the waist and back, laxity and tension of joints, generalized bi-syndrome with cold-damp knee pain, as well as leg weakness, toxic wind, and soft foot syndrome. For weak kidney qi, and conditions such as wind-pathogen-induced urinary dribbling or seminal emission, shortness of breath, and dim vision. (Li Shizhen states it treats wind-deficiency.) It also addresses heaviness of joints due to middle-jiao injury in women, strengthens the liver and kidney, reconnects sinews and bones, benefits men, and is particularly advantageous for the elderly. It treats urinary incontinence and lack of control, primarily regulating the balance of substance and function of the liver and kidney, and the joint mechanisms of form and viscera. (Chen Cangqi) When combined with *Achyranthes* (Niu Xi), *Cuscuta* (Tu Si Zi), *Rehmannia* (Di Huang), *Cornus* (Shan Zhu Yu), *Colla Corii Asini* (Bai Jiao), and *Eucommia* (Du Zhong), it consolidates essence, strengthens bones, and fortifies the lower back and kidneys. When combined with *Aquilaria* (Chen Xiang), *Achyranthes* (Niu Xi), *Dendrobium* (Shi Hu), *Quince* (Mu Gua), *Phellodendron* (Bai Xian Pi), *Chrysanthemum* (Ju Hua), *Acanthopanax* (Wu Jia Pi), *Toxicodendron* (Qi Ye), and *Tribulus* (Ji Li Zi), it promotes free flow in joints and eliminates five slackness and six tensions.
[Discussion] The utility of *Cibotium* (Gou Ji) lies in the phrase "laxity and tension of joints" from the *Shennong Bencao Jing*. The human body has eight streams (also known as the Eight Empties: two elbows, two axillae, two thighs, and two popliteal fossae). These are the chambers of the joint mechanisms. If pathogenic factors and evil blood remain in one stream, it damages the meridians, causing dysfunction in all upper and lower joints. Dysfunction manifests as laxity and tension. Although meridians facilitate joint movement, the proper functioning of joint mechanisms must be fundamentally treated at the major joints. The *Neijing* states that major joints are located in the waist and spine. The waist is the mansion of the Kidney, and the spine is the pathway of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. This zang-fu pair constitutes the root belt of the body, while the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) within the Kidney is the sea of meridians. (Zhu Danxi treated a patient's right hand pain and contracted fist caused by dampness using *Er Chen Tang* plus *Cibotium*, *Eucommia*, *Angelica Sinensis* (Chuan Xiong), and *Bupleurum* (Sheng Ma). This indicates this herb is suitable for dampness, and specifically targets dampness associated with yin deficiency. Since the sea of meridians is governed by the Chong Mai in the Kidney, it is also used to treat the hand.) Thus, although the eight streams are chambers of joint mechanisms, the waist and spine occupy the position of the major joints. Therefore, the circulation of qi and blood, the regulation of yin and yang, the moistening of sinews and bones, and the facilitation of joints all belong to the Kidney and Bladder. As the classics state, when the Kidney has pathogenic factors, qi remains in the two popliteal fossae. Thus, joint chambers like the popliteal fossae are primarily governed by the Kidney. Similarly, leg weakness and toxic wind soft foot syndrome are caused by the stagnation of pathogenic factors and evil blood in major joints. Hence, damage to the lower meridians manifests in the feet, resulting in such joint dysfunction. The *Bencao Jing Jiu Xin* mentions wind-pathogen-induced urinary dribbling, shortness of breath, and dim vision. (The spirit water of the eye belongs to gallbladder bile, but its source is kidney water. If water is stagnant, wind-wood cannot ascend, causing dim vision. This is due to meridian dysfunction, as the Three-Yin meridians ascend from below.) Zhen Quan also mentioned toxic wind, soft foot, and weak kidney qi. From this, we know the efficacy of *Cibotium* focuses on the yin qi of the lower jiao liver and kidney. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it is beneficial for the elderly because the elderly often have deficient yin qi in the lower jiao, leading to dysfunction. Furthermore, while the *Shennong Bencao Jing* only mentions cold-damp, the *Bencao Jing Jiu Xin* and Zhen Quan introduce treatments for wind-pathogen and toxic wind. Are there two different pathways? One must understand that the Kidney is a water organ, relying entirely on wind-wood qi to reach yang and transform yin. If wind-wood is deficient, yang does not reach; if yang does not reach, yin is not transformed, leading to cold-damp disease affecting blood. Disease affecting blood causes wind transformation into wind-pathogen, which over time becomes toxic wind, returning to the Kidney as wind-toxin. Or it transforms into damp-heat, forming various liver diseases. All are due to wind-deficiency. This herb benefits kidney qi, allowing yang to reach and yin to transform. Users must ensure appropriate primary and auxiliary roles. (Since diseases have specific causes, formulas have specific indications.) What joint dysfunction or wind-dampness would not heal?
Miao stated that for kidney deficiency with heat, characterized by difficult urination, or short, scanty, red, and yellow urine, along with dry mouth and tongue, it is contraindicated.
[Processing] Remove the hairy rootlets. Slice. Soak in wine overnight before use.