味辛苦。性温。无毒。乌头为使。
【主治】主恶血。破症结积聚。喉痹。乳难。身体风痒。头痛。咳逆。小儿头疮。痈肿
阴。可作摩粉。其叶主风痒。可煮以浴。（本经）治诸风 疡。肺气胸膈满。催生堕胎。
风秘。
【归经】入肝经。为平散肝风之品。（肝以散为补兼泻肺气）
【前论】苏颂曰。古方皆用有刺者。治风明目。最良。
鳌按、向来本草书。蒺藜二种。性味功用皆浑言之。然其所主实迥然各别。今特即本经以下
诸说。分划清楚。沙苑蒺藜性温补。今列入补剂中。而不与此相混。
【炮制】雷公曰。凡使。春令刺尽。拣净砂土。蒸半日。晒干。再用酒拌蒸半日。晒干
用。
味甘。性寒。无毒。
【主治】主通利小肠。得栀子、马牙硝。硼砂。疗伤寒热狂。（嘉 ）治湿热肿满。五
淋
茎痛
【归经】入小肠膀胱二经。为通利之品。（兼泻剂 除二经血分湿热）
【前论】子和曰。治伤寒热狂者。大热利小便。釜底抽薪之义也。
【禁忌】经疏曰。性淡渗而无补益。小便不利。及诸淋由于肾虚。真阴不足者。均忌。
味苦甘。性寒。有毒。禀天地阴寒之气以生。降也。阴也。瓜蒂为使。恶远志。反甘草。
【主治】主大腹。疝瘕。腹满。面目浮肿。留饮宿食。破症坚积聚。利水谷道。（本经）
散膀
痰迷癫痫
【归经】入肺脾肾三经。为行水之品。（兼泻剂 逐隧道水湿 直达水气结处以攻决为
用能
泻肾）
【前论】喻嘉言曰。胃为水谷之海。五脏六腑之源。脾不能散胃之水精于肺。而病于中。
肺
无所
肤
水病当以健脾为主。使脾实而气运。则水自行。
鳌按、甘遂乃泄水圣药。与商陆、大戟、芫花异性同功。方家俱不甚用。但商陆专除水
肿。
去商
【禁忌】经疏曰。元气虚人。除伤寒水结胸。不得不用外。其余水肿蛊胀。谨慎用之。
[Translation of Tribulus Terrestris]
Taste: Pungent, Bitter. Nature: Warm. Non-toxic. Aconitum (Wutou) serves as the guiding herb.
【Indications】Mainly treats evil blood (stagnant blood). Breaks up masses and accumulations. Treats throat obstruction (Houbi). Difficulty in lactation. Pruritus due to wind over the body. Headache. Rebellious cough. Pediatric scalp sores. Carbuncles and swellings affecting the yin region. Can be made into a powder for rubbing. Its leaves treat pruritus due to wind and can be boiled for bathing. (Shennong Bencao Jing) Treats various wind-induced ulcers. Chest and diaphragm fullness due to Lung Qi. Induces labor and aborts fetus. Wind-type constipation.
【Meridian Tropism】Enters the Liver Meridian. It is an agent that pacifies and disperses Liver wind. (The Liver prefers dispersion; thus, dispersion acts as tonification, while also draining Lung Qi.)
【Preceding Discussions】Su Song stated: Ancient prescriptions all used the thorny variety, which is best for treating wind diseases and improving vision.
Author's Note: Historically, materia medica texts mentioned two types of Tribulus, discussing their nature, taste, and functions vaguely. However, their specific indications are actually quite different. Here, I specifically clarify them based on the Shennong Bencao Jing and subsequent theories. Shaoyuan Tribulus has a warm and tonifying nature and is now listed among tonifying agents, distinct from this one.
【Processing】Lei Gong said: When using it, remove all thorns in spring, pick out sand and soil, steam for half a day, and dry in the sun. Then mix with wine, steam for another half day, and dry in the sun before use.
[Translation of Jinsha]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Cold. Non-toxic.
【Indications】Mainly promotes free flow and unblocking of the Small Intestine. Combined with Gardenia (Zhizi), Sodium Nitrate (Mayaning), and Borax (Pengsha), it treats mania due to heat from Typhoid fever (Shanghan). (Jiayou Bencao) Treats edema and distension due to damp-heat. The five types of strangury (Wulin). Pain in the penis/urethra.
【Meridian Tropism】Enters the Small Intestine and Bladder meridians. It is a promoting and unblocking agent. (Acts as a purgative, clearing damp-heat from the blood level of these two meridians.)
【Preceding Discussions】Zhang Zihe said: To treat mania due to heat from Shanghan, one must promote urination significantly in cases of great heat; this embodies the principle of "drawing firewood from under the cauldster."
【Contraindications】Miao Xiyong in Bencao Jing Shuluo stated: Its nature is bland and leaching without tonifying effects. It is contraindicated for difficulty in urination and various stranguries caused by Kidney deficiency and insufficiency of True Yin.
[Translation of Kansui]
Taste: Bitter, Sweet. Nature: Cold. Toxic. Born from the cold Yin energy of Heaven and Earth. It descends. It is Yin. Cucumis melo var. conomon (Gua Di) serves as the guiding herb. It is incompatible with Polygala (Yuanzhi) and opposes Glycyrrhiza (Gancao).
【Indications】Mainly treats abdominal distension (Da Fu). Hernia and masses (Shenjia). Abdominal fullness. Edema of the face and eyes. Retained fluid and old food stagnation. Breaks up hard masses and accumulations. Promotes drainage through the water and grain pathways. (Shennong Bencao Jing) Disperses phlegm-misting epilepsy affecting the Bladder.
【Meridian Tropism】Enters the Lung, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It is a water-moving agent. (Acts as a purgative, driving out water-dampness from the tunnels, reaching the sites where water-Qi knots to attack and resolve, capable of draining the Kidney.)
【Preceding Discussions】Yu Jiayan said: The Stomach is the sea of water and grain, the source of the five Zang and six Fu organs. If the Spleen cannot scatter the water essence from the Stomach to the Lung, disease arises in the middle. The Lung loses its governance. For water diseases, one should primarily strengthen the Spleen. If the Spleen is solid and Qi moves, then water flows naturally.
Author's Note: Kansui is the supreme medicine for draining water. It shares the same function but different nature with Phytolacca (Shanglu), Euphorbia (Daji), and Genkwa (Yuanhua). Physicians rarely use it. However, Phytolacca specifically removes edema.
【Contraindications】Miao Xiyong in Bencao Jing Shuluo stated: In persons with deficient Yuan Qi, except when absolutely necessary for chest binding due to water retention in Shanghan, other cases of edema and ascites require cautious use.