即皮硝。又名盐硝。味咸辛苦。性寒。无毒。禀天地至阴极寒之气而生。降也。阴也
。石苇为使。畏三棱、莪术。
【主治】主百病。除寒热邪气。逐六腑积聚。结固留癖。能化七十二种石。（本经） 胃
中食
女子月候不通。（甄权） 通泄五脏百病。治天行热疾头痛。消肿毒。排脓。（大明） 〔芒
硝〕主五
破五淋。推陈致新。（别录） 下瘰 黄胆病。时疾壅热。能散恶血。堕胎。敷漆疮效。（甄
权） 〔马
〔风化硝〕
肿痛。（时
【归经】入胃大肠三焦三经。为下泄除热。润燥软坚之品。
【前论】时珍曰。硝有水火二种。形质虽同。性味迥别。惟神农本经朴硝硝石二条为正。
神
块者
出马
之称
出芒
黄以
三四
走而
芒
味辛。其性寒。无毒。
【主治】主心热烦躁。并五脏宿滞症结。（甄权） 明目。退膈上虚热。并消肿毒（大
明）
【归经】入胃大肠三焦三经。为破结泄热之品。
【前论】苏恭曰。元明粉治肿毒一句。非伏阳在内不可用。若用治真阴毒。杀人甚速。 东
垣曰。元明粉之用有二。去胃中实热荡肠中宿垢。大抵用此以代盆硝。 汪颖曰。元明粉
炼多遍。佐以甘草。去其咸寒之毒。遇有三焦肠胃实热积滞。少年气壮者。量与服之。殊有
速效。若脾胃虚冷。阴虚火动者。服之。速之死矣。 仲淳曰。大明言膈上虚热。当作实热
。邪解心凉故热退也。
【禁忌】经疏曰。凡病不由邪热闭结。及血枯津涸。以致大肠燥结。阴虚精乏。以致大
热骨蒸。火炎于上。以致头痛目昏。口渴耳聋。咽痛。吐血衄血。咳嗽痰壅。虚极类实等
症。均
【炮制】经疏曰。元明粉。即芒硝投滚汤沸化。夜置冰霜之下。结起在水面上者。用白
莱菔切片煮汁。投硝。以结起多次者为上。其色莹白。其味辛咸也。
This is Piao Xiao (Mirabilite). Also known as Yan Xiao (Salt Mirabilite). It tastes salty, pungent, and bitter. Its nature is cold. It is non-toxic. It is born from the most extreme yin and cold qi of heaven and earth. Its action is descending. It belongs to Yin. Shi Wei (Lepidopteris Herba) serves as its guiding herb. It fears San Leng (Burreed Tuber) and E Zhu (Curcuma Rhizome).
[Indications] It treats various diseases. It eliminates pathogenic factors of cold and heat. It expels accumulations in the Six Fu organs. It resolves solid knots and lingering masses. It can dissolve seventy-two types of stones. (From *Shennong Bencao Jing*) It treats food stagnation in the stomach. It treats amenorrhea in women. (From Zhen Quan) It unblocks and drains pathogenic factors from the Five Zang organs and hundred diseases. It treats headache caused by epidemic febrile diseases. It reduces swelling and detoxifies. It discharges pus. (From Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* citing Chen Cangqi) [Mang Xiao (Crystallized Sodium Sulfate)] It treats five types of strangury. It pushes out the old and brings forth the new. (From *Mingyi Bielu*) It treats scrofula, jaundice, and epidemic stagnant heat. It can dissipate evil blood. It induces abortion. Applied externally, it is effective for lacquer dermatitis. (From Zhen Quan) [Ma Ya Xiao (Horse Tooth Nitre)] ...swelling and pain. (From an unspecified physician, text fragmentary)
[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Stomach, Large Intestine, and San Jiao (Triple Burner) meridians. It is a substance that purges downward, clears heat, moistens dryness, and softens hardness.
[Preliminary Discussion] Li Shizhen said: There are two types of Xiao (Nitre): water nitre and fire nitre. Although their form and quality are similar, their nature and taste are vastly different. Only the entries for Pu Xiao (Raw Mirabilite) and Xiao Shi (Niter) in *Shennong Bencao Jing* are correct. ...block... comes from Ma... title... comes from Mang... Huang Yi... three four... moves and... Mang... (Text severely fragmented here, unable to translate fully, only partial words identified) It tastes pungent. Its nature is cold. It is non-toxic.
[Indications] It treats heart heat and restlessness. And stagnation and knotting syndromes in the five Zang organs. (From Zhen Quan) It brightens the eyes. It clears deficient heat above the diaphragm. And reduces swelling and detoxifies. (From Da Ming)
[Meridian Tropism] Enters the Stomach, Large Intestine, and San Jiao (Triple Burner) meridians. It is a substance that breaks knots and drains heat.
[Preliminary Discussion] Su Gong said: Regarding Yuan Ming Fen (Refined Mirabilite) treating swelling and toxicity, this applies only if there is hidden yang within. If used to treat true yin cold toxicity, it kills very quickly. Li Dongyuan said: The use of Yuan Ming Fen has two aspects. To remove excess heat in the stomach and sweep away accumulated filth in the intestines. Generally, it is used to replace Pen Xiao (Basin Nitre). Wang Ying said: Yuan Ming Fen is refined multiple times, assisted by Gan Cao (Licorice Root), to remove its salty-cold toxicity. When encountering excess heat and accumulation stagnation in the San Jiao and gastrointestinal tract, or in youths with strong constitution, it should be administered in measured doses. It yields particularly rapid effects. However, for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold or yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, taking it will lead to rapid death. Zhong Chun said: Da Ming's mention of "deficient heat above the diaphragm" should be interpreted as "excess heat." When the pathogen is resolved and the heart cools, the heat subsides.
[Contraindications] Miao Xiyong's *Bencao Jing Shu* states: For any disease not caused by pathological heat closure and binding, nor due to blood depletion and fluid exhaustion leading to dry constipation of the large intestine, nor due to yin deficiency and essence scarcity leading to bone-steaming fever, nor due to fire flaming upward leading to headache, blurred vision, thirst, deafness, sore throat, hematemesis, epistaxis, cough with copious phlegm, or deficiency extremes mimicking excess syndromes, all... (Text cuts off here, implying these conditions are contraindicated)
[Processing] Miao Xiyong's *Bencao Jing Shu* states: Yuan Ming Fen is made by dissolving Mang Xiao (Crystallized Sodium Sulfate) in boiling water, placing it under ice and frost at night, and collecting the crystals that form on the water surface. Using white Bai Cai Lu Bo (Radish) slices boiled in juice, adding the nitre, and repeating the crystallization process multiple times yields the best quality. Its color is crystal clear and white; its taste is pungent and salty.