味辛，性生温熟寒，有大毒，入脾胃大肠三经。主消坚积，荡脏腑之沉寒，通闭塞，
利水谷之道路，排脓消肿，破血通经，杀鬼毒蛊疰及腹脏诸蛊。去皮心膜油，水煮五度用，
芫花为使，恶 草，畏大黄、黄连、藜芦、牵牛、芦笋、酱豉、冷水，杀斑蝥蛇蝎毒。
按∶巴豆专主宣通，则脾胃大肠宜其入已。炒令紫黑，可以通肠，亦可止泻。盖通因通
用之意也。仲景东垣及诸名家，每每用之，今世俗畏其辛热之毒，荡涤之患辄云劫剂，废皆
不用，不知巴豆为斩关夺门之将，其性猛烈，投之不当，为害非轻，用之得宜，奏功甚捷。
譬如
雷公云∶凡使巴豆之与豆及刚子，须在仔细认，勿误用杀人。巴颗小紧实，色黄。豆即
颗，有三棱，色黑。若刚子，小似枣核，两头尖，巴与豆即用，刚子，勿使。凡修事巴豆敲
碎，以麻油并酒等煮，研膏后用，每修事一两，以酒与麻油各七合，尽为度。
味苦，性寒。有小毒，入心小肠二经。主温疾伤寒，理大热癫狂，利小便，通水道，杀
三虫，愈疮疡，善除心痛，宜作浴汤。晒干酒蒸，去皮核用，川蜀者佳。
按∶金铃子苦寒，宜入心家，而小肠即其腑也，故并入之。疮疡诸证，何非心火所致，
得金铃以泻之，洵可愈矣。
味甘酸，性微寒无毒，入脾肝二经。主妇人产后血崩不定，血隔游风，崩中带下，症
瘕血闭，安胎通淋；又主热风及身痒风疹，二便不通，酒渣热毒。畏卤咸，一名凌霄花。
按∶紫葳甘归脾脏，酸走肝家，二经乃藏血裹血者也，故专调血证。风痒之生，亦营卫
不和
[Ba Dou (Croton Seed)]
Pungent in flavor, warm in nature when raw and cold when cooked, possessing great toxicity. It enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. It primarily eliminates hard accumulations, sweeps away deep-seated cold in the Zang-Fu organs, unblocks obstructions, facilitates the passage of water and grain, expels pus and reduces swelling, breaks blood stasis and unblocks the collaterals, and kills ghost toxins, Gu Zhu (parasitic diseases), and various internal parasites. The skin, heart, membrane, and oil must be removed; it is boiled in water five times before use. Yuan Hua (Genkwa Flos) serves as the guiding herb (Shi). It is incompatible with Cao Cao (likely referring to a specific herb or typo for 草), and fears Da Huang (Rhubarb Radix et Rhizoma), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Li Lu (Veratri Radix), Qian Niu Zi (Pharbitidis Semen), Lu Sun (Asparagus Fern Shoots), Jiang Chi (Fermented Soybean Paste), and cold water. It can neutralize the venom of Meloides beetles, snakes, and scorpions.
Commentary: Ba Dou specializes in promoting circulation and unblocking, making it suitable for the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine. When stir-fried until purple-black, it can promote bowel movements or stop diarrhea. This embodies the principle of "treating obstruction with unblocking methods" (Tong Yin Tong Yong). Zhang Zhongjing, Li Dongyuan, and other renowned physicians frequently used it. However, modern people fear its pungent-heat toxicity and the destructive effects of purgation, often labeling it as a "Jie Ji" (robust/forceful remedy) and abandoning its use. They fail to realize that Ba Dou is like a general who breaches gates and seizes doors; its nature is fierce. If administered improperly, it causes significant harm; if used appropriately, it yields rapid results.
Lei Gong stated: "When using Ba Dou, Ba Dou (variant name), and Gang Zi, one must carefully distinguish them to avoid fatal errors. Ba Dou grains are small, tight, and solid, with a yellow color. 'Dou' refers to the grain shape with three edges, black in color. 'Gang Zi' is small like a jujube pit, pointed at both ends. Use Ba Dou and the bean form, but do not use Gang Zi." For processing, crack the seeds, boil them with equal parts sesame oil and wine, then grind into a paste. For every liang (approx. 37g) processed, use seven he (approx. 140ml) each of wine and sesame oil.
[Jin Ling Zi (Chloranthus Fruit / Melia Toosendan Fruit)]
Bitter in flavor, cold in nature. Possessing slight toxicity. It enters the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. It primarily treats warm diseases and shanghan (cold damage), regulates mania caused by high fever, promotes urination, unblocks water passages, kills intestinal parasites, heals sores and ulcers, effectively relieves heart pain, and is suitable for making bath decoctions. Sun-dry, steam with wine, remove the skin and seeds, and use. Those from Sichuan are considered superior.
Commentary: Jin Ling Zi is bitter and cold, making it suitable for entering the Heart system, while the Small Intestine is its paired fu organ, hence it enters both. Sores and ulcers are all caused by Heart fire; with Jin Ling Zi to drain the heat, they can indeed be cured.
[Zi Wei (Bignonia Flower / Trumpet Vine Flower)]
Sweet and sour in flavor, slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. It enters the Spleen and Liver meridians. It primarily treats postpartum metrorrhagia that does not cease, blood stasis with wandering wind, leukorrhea due to flooding, abdominal masses (Zheng Jia) with amenorrhea, calms the fetus, and promotes urination. It also treats wind-heat, pruritus and urticaria, constipation and dysuria, and the heat-toxin of rhinophyma (wine nose). It fears halogenated salty substances. Also known as Ling Xiao Hua.
Commentary: Zi Wei's sweet flavor returns to the Spleen, and its sour flavor moves to the Liver. These two meridians store and envelop blood, so it specializes in regulating blood disorders. The generation of wind and itching is also due to disharmony between Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) Qi...