气寒，味苦。无毒。
《本草》云∶主心腹邪气，五疸；补中益气，利九窍，通水道；治腹肿胀满。去土，用
茸。
味苦，阴中微阳。
《珍》云∶去诸死血。
《药性论》云∶主治六极伤心肺，吐血、泻血。
《日华子》云∶止鼻洪，月经不止。
苦而甘、寒。无毒。
《心》云∶去翳膜，明目。
《珍》云∶养目血。
《药性论》云∶使。治身上诸风。
《日华子》云∶治四肢游风，利血脉，心烦，胸膈壅闷。
气大寒，味苦、辛。无毒。
《本草》云∶主症瘕积聚结气，饮食寒热；破坚逐邪，通利水道，下膀胱水，伏留热气
，及皮间邪水上出，面目浮肿，身暴中风，热痱痒，利小便。久服，令人虚。又云∶疗肺壅
上气咳嗽，定喘促，除胸中痰饮。
《液》云∶苦、甜二味，主治同。仲景用苦，余方或有用甜者，或有不言甜、苦者。大
抵苦则下泄，甜则少缓。量病虚实用之，不可不审。《本草》虽云治同，甜、苦之味安得不
异？榆白皮为之使。恶僵蚕、石龙芮。仲景葶苈大枣泻肺汤用之。
味苦，阳中之阴。甘平。无毒。
《珍》云∶下乳，引导用之。
《药性论》云∶治风毒，通血脉。
《日华子》云∶治游风，风疹，妇人月经不匀。
气平，味甘、辛，阳也。无毒。灯草同。
《象》云∶治阴窍不利，行小水，除水肿闭，治五淋。生用。
《珍》云∶泻肺，利小便。甘平，以缓阴血。
《日华子》云∶明目退热，催生，下胞，下乳。
Qi is cold, taste is bitter. Non-toxic.
*Bencao* states: It treats evil qi in the heart and abdomen, five types of jaundice (Wu Dan); it tonifies the middle and benefits qi, unblocks the nine orifices, and promotes water passages; it treats abdominal swelling and fullness. Remove the soil, use the rootlets (rong).
Taste is bitter, nature is slightly yang within yin.
*Zhenzhenang* states: It eliminates various forms of dead blood (stasis).
*Yaoxing Lun* states: It treats the six extremes (severe deficiencies) damaging the heart and lungs, hematemesis, and bleeding from stool or urine.
*Ri Hua Zi Bencao* states: It stops epistaxis and metrorrhagia.
Taste is bitter and sweet, nature is cold. Non-toxic.
*Xin* (referring to *Xinfa Fangyue*) states: It removes nebulae and brightens the eyes.
*Zhenzhenang* states: It nourishes the blood of the eyes.
*Yaoxing Lun* states: It acts as a guiding herb. It treats wind pathogens affecting the whole body.
*Ri Hua Xi Bencao* states: It treats wandering wind in the four limbs, promotes the flow of vessels and blood, relieves mental restlessness, and resolves chest and diaphragm congestion and oppression.
Qi is greatly cold, taste is bitter and acrid. Non-toxic.
*Bencao* states: It treats zheng zha and ji ju (abdominal masses and accumulations), qi stagnation, and dietary cold-heat disorders; it breaks firmness and drives out evil, unblocks water passages, drains bladder water, clears latent retained heat, and expels evil water from the skin, treating facial and ocular edema, sudden stroke, hot miliaria with itching, and promoting urination. Long-term use causes deficiency. It also states: It treats lung obstruction causing upward rebellious qi and coughing, calms panting, and eliminates phlegm-fluid retention in the chest.
*Ye* (referring to related commentaries) states: The bitter and sweet varieties have the same therapeutic indications. Zhang Zhongjing uses the bitter variety, while other formulas may use the sweet one, or not specify whether it is sweet or bitter. Generally, bitter herbs tend to drain downward, while sweet herbs act more mildly. One must judge based on the deficiency or excess of the disease and examine carefully. Although *Bencao* claims they share the same indications, how can the tastes of sweet and bitter be different? Ulmus Alba Cortex (Yu Bai Pi) serves as its guiding herb. It is incompatible with Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiang Can) and Ranunculus japonicus (Shi Long Rui). Zhang Zhongjing uses it in Tingli Dazao Xie Fei Tang (Descurainiae Semen et Ziziphi Jujubae Decoction for Draining the Lungs).
Taste is bitter, nature is yin within yang. Taste is sweet and neutral. Non-toxic.
*Zhenzhenang* states: It promotes lactation and is used as a guiding agent.
*Yaoxing Lun* states: It treats wind-toxin and unblocks the vessels.
*Ri Hua Zi Bencao* states: It treats wandering wind, urticaria, and irregular menstruation in women.
Qi is neutral, taste is sweet and acrid, nature is yang. Non-toxic. Tong Cao belongs to the same category as Juncus Effusus (Deng Cao).
*Xiang* (referring to Li Dongyuan's works) states: It treats dysfunction of the yin orifices, promotes urination, resolves edema and urinary retention, and treats the five types of strangury (Wu Lin). Use raw.
*Zhenzhenang* states: It drains the lungs and promotes urination. Sweet and neutral, it moderates yin-blood.
*Ri Hua Zi Bencao* states: It brightens the eyes and reduces fever, induces labor, expels the placenta, and promotes lactation.