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Wild Langdu (Radix Euphorbiae Fissilae)

Pungent in flavor, neutral in nature, highly toxic. It primarily treats cough with rebellious qi rising upward, breaks up food accumulation, cold-heat and water-dampness pathologies, hypochondriac masses and fixed accumulations, malignant sores, rat chancres and ulceration, ghost essence and gu poison, and kills flying birds and running beasts. Also known as Xudu (Continuing Poison). Grows in the valleys of Qinting and Fenggao. The roots are harvested in February and August and dried in the shade. Those that are aged and sink in water are considered superior. (Soybean [Glycine max] serves as its guiding herb; it is incompatible with Maemingjiang.)

Tao Hongjing stated: Qinting is located in Longxi, and also appears in Dangchang. It is said to grow only on a few acres of land, where pit vipers eat its roots, making it rare. Some use those from Mount Tai; currently, those from Hanzhong and Jianping are used. It is claimed to share the same root and category as Fangkui (Astragali Comosus Radix), but when placed in water, the one that sinks is Wild Langdu, while the one that floats is Fangkui. Rarely used by the common people, it is an important medicine for treating abdominal diseases. The *Tang Bencao* annotation notes: This substance is completely different in category from Fangkui and grows in different places. Wild Langdu is now produced in Qinzhou and Chengzhou. Qinting was originally on the border of these two prefectures; none are heard of from Mount Tai or Hanzhong. Moreover, Qin and Long are cold regions where snakes do not exist. The claim that it grows on a few acres and is eaten by pit vipers is absurd. According to other annotations: It is grouped with Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chenpi, 陈皮), Evodiae Fructus (Wuzhuyu, 吴茱萸), Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Banxia, 半夏), and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhishi, 枳实) as the "Six Aged Substances." Furthermore, Wild Langdu has leaves resembling Phytolaccae Radix (Shanglu, 商陆) and Rheum Palmati Radix (Dahuang, 大黄); the stems and leaves have hairs, the root bark is yellow, and the flesh is white. Solid and heavy ones are superior; light and hollow ones have inferior efficacy. Qinting is in Longxi, and Fenggao is a county below Mount Tai. It also appears in Dangchang, Hanzhong, and Jianping. Old texts by Tao state it shares a root with Fangkui, distinguishing them by floating or sinking in water; this is unreliable. If Fangkui is harvested in autumn and winter, it is solid and sinks in water; if Wild Langdu is harvested in spring and summer, it is light and hollow and floats in water. Thus, they are entirely distinct in category and habitat, and should not be classified together. Minister Yuxi et al., according to the *Shu Ben Tu Jing*, note: The root resembles Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen, 玄参); those that are floaty and hollow are inferior. *Yaoxing Lun* states: Wild Langdu acts as an assistant drug, bitter and pungent in flavor, toxic. It treats phlegm-fluids and mass accumulations and can kill rats. *Tu Jing* states: Wild Langdu grows in the valleys of Qinting and Fenggao; it is now found in various prefectures of Shaanxi, as well as Liao Prefecture and Shizhou. The seedlings and leaves resemble Shanglu and Dahuang; stems and leaves have hairs; flowers bloom in April, fruits mature in August; root bark is yellow, flesh is white. Harvested in February and August, dried in the shade. Aged ones that sink in water are superior. Ge Hong treated cases of constant distending pain connecting the heart and abdomen using two liang of Wild Langdu and half a liang of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi, 附子), pounded, sifted, and formed into honey pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take one pill on the first day, two on the second, three on the third, one more on the fourth, and three again on the sixth; continuous administration from one to three days leads to recovery. *Qianjin Fang* treats malignant diseases using equal parts of Wild Langdu and Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix (Qinjiao, 秦艽), pounded into powder, taken with wine in a measure of one cun bi, twice daily; continuous administration leads to recovery.

The *Shenghui Fang*: Treats dry tinea with chronic crusts that exude yellow fluid when scratched and itch during rainy weather. Apply Wild Langdu powder topically. The *Jixiao Fang*: Treats all kinds of intestinal parasites within the zang-fu organs. Pound Sichuan Wild Langdu into powder. Take one da qian per dose, dissolved with a piece of maltose the size of a soap bean and a little rock sugar in water. Take on an empty stomach before sleep. Drink a small amount of thick liquid before taking the medicine; worms will be discharged the next morning, which is effective.