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Puhuang (Typhae Pollen) refers to the plant currently used for making mats. Some also use its leaves to make fans. The yellow part refers to the pollen dust from the flower stamens.

The flavor is sweet and neutral. It is a medicine entering the blood aspect of the Hand and Foot Jueyin meridians. It treats blood disorders and pain. Raw Puhuang promotes blood circulation, while processed Puhuang stops bleeding. It primarily treats cold-heat conditions in the heart, abdomen, and bladder, and promotes urination.

It has the effects of stopping bleeding and resolving blood stasis. It treats pain in the heart, abdomen, and epigastrium caused by blood and qi disorders. It treats hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed). It also treats hematuria, bloody dysentery, uterine bleeding, miscarriage, unblocking the meridians, and removing grass-like obstructions. Its efficacy lies specifically in the yellow pollen. However, it also embodies the principles of Summer Fire, Late Summer Earth, and Autumn Metal. (Ziyao recorded) Using it together with Wulingzhi (Trogopteri Dung) treats various abdominal swellings. Applying a mixture of equal parts Puhuang and Ganjiang (Dried Ginger) powder topically cured the condition. (Zhiyin's Formula) This indicates that Puhuang's ability to cool blood and invigorate circulation reflects the external manifestations of the Heart. The Ministerial Fire of the Hand Jueyin Pericardium serves as the attendant of the Heart. The combination with Ganjiang represents the mutual regulation of Yin and Yang. Receiving the Yin Qi of the Earth, combined with the acrid flavor: saying it is "sweet and neutral" actually implies an acrid quality. Sweetness harmonizes blood, while acridity disperses nodules. Therefore, both raw and processed forms are effective. (Ganjiang stir-fried with Heidou, Xiongkui, Danggui, Shengdi, Niuxi, and Zelan treat postpartum blood disorders; combined with Cheqiancao, Niuxi, Shengdi, and Maidong to treat hematuria; combined with Ejiao, Maidong, Chifuling, Cheqiancao, Duzhong, and Duandong to treat metrorrhagia and stranguria with blood; placing raw Puhuang under the tongue and changing frequently reduces macroglossia; for blood stagnation in the abdomen due to trauma, boiling raw Puhuang into a thick decoction and mixing with Tongbian (Child's Urine) is beneficial; for Five Exhaustions and Seven Injuries with stagnant blood causing chest pain and hematemesis/epistaxis, blood-invigorating herbs are primary; for hematemesis in elderly and children, half a qian of Puhuang powder taken with Shengdi juice, adjusted according to the patient; for severe nose and ear bleeding, half a liang each of roasted Ejiao and Puhuang, two qian per dose, decocted with one cup of water and one he of Shengdi juice, taken warm, binding both breasts tightly with cloth until bleeding stops; for joint pain, eight liang of Puhuang and one liang of Shuzhufu (Prepared Aconite Root), powdered, taken once daily; for threatened premature labor, two qian of Puhuang taken well water; for inducing labor, equal parts Puhuang and Dilongpi (Earthworm Skin), powdered, one qian fried separately and taken with fresh water for immediate delivery; for retained placenta, two qian of Puhuang...)

[Discussion] Puhuang grows in aquatic plants, possessing the Yin virtue of combined Water and Earth. When tender leaves sprout in spring and emerge from water, they appear reddish-white and fuzzy, reflecting the Qi of Cold Water. Unlike other substances, it reaches the Fire of the Hand Jueyin Pericardium before exerting its hemostatic and blood-resolving effects. (The Classic states: Two Yin reaches the Lung, its Qi returns to the Bladder, externally connecting to the Spleen and Stomach. It also states: Yin enters the Stomach, overflows with Essence-Qi, transports upward to the Spleen, Spleen Qi scatters Essence, returns upward to the Lung, regulates water passages, and transports downward to the Bladder. This elucidates the principle.) In the human body, Qi transformation returns to Water, similar to overflowing Essence-Qi and regulating water passages. (Returning to Qi, returning to Water, corresponds to the previous meaning of "matching Fire to conceive Water, transforming liquid into Blood," and also corresponds to "being concrete in Water, reaching function in Fire, and distributing transformation in Metal." Since Blood originates from Qi transformation, and Qi originates from Water transformation, it is called "return.") It is suitable only for cold-heat Qi transformation and Water transformation. Thus, it is used to transform blood damaged by cold-heat, making it equally suitable for stopping bleeding and resolving stasis. (For example, Shengliao Jisu treats epistaxis, sharing cooling-blood and clearing-heat properties, while Heishen San stops bleeding, sharing drying-dampness and warming-cold properties. Treating tongue swelling pairs with Ganjiang, while treating wooden tongue assists with Sanhuang, indicating suitability for both cold and heat.) In summary, it enters the Heart and conducts cooling-descending Qi transformation. Cooling belongs to Autumn Qi, not using Cold to remove Heat, but rather harmonizing Blood. It differs from the bitter-cold nature of Danpi, Zicao, and Yujin in cooling blood, and is not equivalent to the acrid-warm nature of Honghua, Qianggen, and Sumu in dispersing blood. It obtains a moderate temperature between Warm and Cool. Thus, sometimes it guides via Yang, like Ganjiang treating tongue swelling; sometimes it reaches via Yin, like Ejiao treating severe nose and ear bleeding. Its reduction of swelling does not rely on dredging, and its cessation of bleeding does not rely on astringency. Understanding this allows for the proper use of this herb.

[Differentiation and Treatment] Self-harvested material is authentic. Do not use Songhuang or Huanghao, which look identical but differ in taste and may induce vomiting. When using Puhuang, it must be passed through three layers of sieve.