\r丝瓜\pb43.bmp\r，一名天吊瓜、一名纯阳瓜。味甘，性平。治五脏虚冷，补肾补精，
或阴虚火动，又能滋阴降火。久服能乌须黑发，延年益寿。叶，晒干为末，治绞肠痧。皮，
晒干为末，治金疮疼。但阴素太虚者，多食又能滑精，故有名倒阳菜者。
丝瓜，味甘，性凉。无毒。主治解热、凉血、通经、下乳汁、利肠胃。并治痰火及痈疽
疮、
──模板卷八
丝瓜花，味甘、微苦，性寒。清肺热、消痰、下气、止咳、止咽喉疼、消烦渴、泻命门
相火
（附单方） 治肺热咳嗽，喘急气促。
丝瓜花 蜂蜜 煎服。
（又方） 治小儿痘压后，余毒未尽，发出痘毒，硬节红肿，或乳蛾、 腮，或痧疹毒
热，痰喘咳嗽，吃之，有脓出头，无脓消散。
干丝瓜种，九月间经霜露阴干者，为末，每服（三钱）水煎，点水酒服。
（又方） 治肠风下血，痔漏脱肛。
丝瓜根，经霜者阴干，每服（三钱）， 用真菜油一点入罐底，水煎服。
──务本卷三
\r苦瓜\pb44.bmp\r，味苦，性寒。入心、脾、肺三经。除邪热，解劳乏，清心明目。
泻六经实火，清暑益气，止烦渴。
──丛本卷下
苦瓜，味苦，性寒平。治一切丹火毒瓦斯，疗恶疮结毒，或遍身已成芝麻疔、大疔疮，疼
难忍者，取叶，晒干为末，每服（三钱），无灰酒下，神效。又治杨梅疮。又此瓜花 为末，
治胃气疼，开水下；治眼疼，灯草汤下。
[Loofah]
Loofah (Luffa), also known as Tiandiao Gua and Chunyang Gua. It has a sweet taste and is neutral in nature. It treats deficiency-cold of the five Zang organs, tonifies the Kidney and replenishes essence; if there is hyperactivity of fire due to Yin deficiency, it can nourish Yin and descend fire. Long-term consumption can darken gray hair and blacken beard, prolonging life and promoting longevity. The leaves, when dried and powdered, treat Jiaochang Sha (acute intestinal colic). The peel, when dried and powdered, treats pain from traumatic wounds. However, for those with excessive deficiency of Yin constitution, excessive consumption can cause seminal emission, hence its alias "Daoyang Cai" (Yang-reversing vegetable).
[Loofah Fruit]
The fruit of Loofah has a sweet taste and is cool in nature. It is non-toxic. Its main indications are clearing heat, cooling blood, unblocking collaterals, promoting lactation, and benefiting the intestines and stomach. It also treats Phlegm-Fire and carbuncles, sores, and ulcers.
── From *Muban Juan Ba*
[Loofah Flower]
The flower of Loofah has a sweet and slightly bitter taste and is cold in nature. It clears Lung heat, resolves phlegm, directs Qi downward, stops cough, relieves sore throat, eliminates thirst and irritability, and drains the Ministerial Fire of the Mingmen (Gate of Life).
(Attached Single Prescription) For treating Lung-heat cough with panting and shortness of breath.
Decoct Loofah flowers with honey and take orally.
(Another Prescription) For treating residual toxins remaining after the subsidence of infantile smallpox/rubella, causing toxin eruption with hard nodules and red swelling, or mumps (Ru'e/Tonsillitis), parotid swelling, or toxic heat from rubella with phlegm-wheezing and cough. Taking this will promote suppuration if pus is present, or resolve the condition if no pus is present.
Take dried Loofah seeds, dried in the shade after frost and dew in September, powder them. Take 3 qian per dose, decoct in water, and take with a little rice wine mixed with water.
(Another Prescription) For treating Intestinal Wind bleeding (hematochezia), hemorrhoidal fistula, and rectal prolapse.
Take Loofah roots that have undergone frost, dry in the shade. Take 3 qian per dose, add one drop of pure rapeseed oil to the bottom of the pot, decoct in water, and take orally.
── From *Wuben Juan San*
[Bitter Melon]
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) has a bitter taste and is cold in nature. It enters the Heart, Spleen, and Lung meridians. It expels pathogenic heat, relieves fatigue, clears the Heart and brightens the eyes. It drains excess fire from the six meridians, clears summerheat and benefits Qi, and stops thirst and irritability.
── From *Congben Juan Xia*
Bitter melon has a bitter taste and is cold and neutral in nature. It treats all kinds of Danhuo Duwa (heat-toxins), heals malignant sores and condensed toxins, or sesame-like ding (carbuncles) and large carbuncles covering the body where pain is unbearable. Take the leaves, dry them, and powder them. Take 3 qian per dose, administer with Huigui Jiu (wine without ash/impurities), with miraculous effect. It also treats Yamei Chuang (Syphilis/Kaposi sarcoma-like lesions). Furthermore, the flowers of this melon, when powdered, taken with water treat Stomach-Qi pain; taken with Juncus Decoction (Rush soup) treat eye pain.