Library

Lugen (Reed Rhizome):
The qi is cold, the taste is sweet.
Bencao states: It primarily treats Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome characterized by excessive thirst and urination due to internal heat consuming body fluids) and Ke Re (external or endogenous pathogenic heat), and can reduce urination. Jin Gui Yu Han treats Wu Ye Ge Qi Fan Men (chest and diaphragm irritability caused by five types of dysphagia—qi, blood, phlegm, food, and wine stagnation), vomiting, and inability to eat. Use Lugen 5 liang, chopped, with 3 zhen of water, boiled down to 1 zhen, strain, and take at any time.

Wushan (Belamcanda Rhizome / Shegan):
Also known as Wushan.
The qi is neutral, the taste is bitter, slightly warm, and it has slight toxicity.
Bencao states: It primarily treats cough with upward rushing of qi, throat obstruction with sore throat, and difficulty in breathing; it dissipates stagnant qi, treats rebellious evil qi in the abdomen, and conditions caused by excessively hot food and drink. It treats old blood stasis between the heart and spleen causing coughing and expectoration, foul breath odor, and dissipates hot qi in the chest.
Yanyi states: It is excellent for treating Fei Qi Hou Bi (lung qi throat bi-syndrome).
Zhang Zhongjing uses it in Wushan Tang for treating moving qi or obstruction in the throat.
Shixi states: Zhang Zhongjing also uses it in Shegan Tang.
Xin states: It removes Wei Yong (stomach abscess).

Yiyiren (Coix Seed):
The qi is slightly cold and neutral, the taste is bitter and salty. It is non-toxic.
It enters the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.
Bencao states: It primarily treats sudden fire-heat sores, redness and heat of the skin, scabies, tinea, carbuncles, and hemorrhoids, and "saddle horse heat" (local damp-heat swelling from prolonged riding). It eliminates carbuncle swelling, edema, consolidated heat, wind-bi leading to weakness in the feet, and postpartum pain.
Zhang Zhongjing uses Yiyiren Fuzi Baijiang Tang for intestinal abscesses with pus. Yiyiren 20 parts, Fuzi 2 parts, Baijiang 5 parts. Grind the three substances into powder. Take a measure of one cun bi, add 2 sheng of water, decoct to obtain 1 sheng, and take in one dose. The stool will pass smoothly like a box, and the disease will be cured.

Puhuang (Typha Pollen):
The qi is neutral.
Bencao states: It primarily treats Jin Yi E Chuang (severe sores related to tendon overflow).
Yaoxing Lun states: It can also be used alone to treat blood-breaking. Combined with Puhuang, Chishao Yao, Danggui, Dahuang, and Puxiao, it treats blood stasis from falls and blows.
Ye states: It is similar to Lugen, just slightly larger.

Fangji (Stephania Root):
The qi is cold, the taste is greatly bitter and acrid. Bitter belongs to Yin, and its nature is neutral. It is non-toxic.
It circulates through the Twelve Meridians.
Xiang states: It treats severe damp-heat swelling in the lower limbs extending from the waist to the feet (Jiao Qi), tonifies the Bladder, removes lingering heat, and circulates through the Twelve Meridians. Use the peeled root.
Bencao states: It primarily treats Wind-Cold, Wen Nue (warm malaria), and various epilepsy syndromes caused by heat qi. It expels evil, promotes urination and defecation, treats edema and wind-swelling; removes Bladder heat, treats Cold-Shang chills and fever pathogens, stroke, spasticity of hands and feet, stops diarrhea; dissipates carbuncle swelling and malignant knots, various hernias, scabies, tinea, and insect sores; opens the Cou Li (pores/skin texture), and benefits the Nine Orifices.
Yaoxing Lun states: Han Fangji serves as the Jun (sovereign) herb. It also states: Mu Fangji serves as the Shi (envoy) herb. It is incompatible with Nuwan and Luxian. It removes damp-heat from the blood.