栀子 〔苦寒，入心、肺、胃三经。炒透研。〕治胸中懊 ，而眠卧不宁；疏脐下血滞，
而小便不利。〔以其能清心、肺、大、小肠郁火血热故也。〕清太阴肺，轻飘而上达；〔轻飘象肺。
色赤象火，故能泻肺中之火。东垣言其入肺中血分。〕泻三焦火，屈曲而下行。〔能降火从小便中
泄去。〕治胃脘火痛，〔亦治热厥心痛。〕疗酒热鼻赤，〔酒热伤肺则鼻赤，甚者延及于面。〕黄胆
可理，赤目能除。〔苦寒泻一切有余之火，故能治上诸症。〕
苦寒损胃而伤血，凡脾胃虚弱者忌之，血虚发热者亦忌，心腹痛不因火者勿用。世人每用治血，不知
血寒则凝，反为败症。凡治吐血，当以顺气为先，气降则血自归经，此大法也。
黄柏 〔苦寒，入肾经。〕生用则降实火，丸用则不伤胃。治上酒炒，治中蜜炒，治下盐炒
。肥浓鲜黄者佳。〕泻龙火而救肾水，〔伏火煎熬，则肾水渐涸、丹溪谓其滋阴降火者，以其泻阴中
之火、而阴不受伤也。〕止梦遗而止下消。利水窍涩痛，〔皆肾阴虚而相火旺之所致。〕除目赤肿疼
。〔阴虚血热之故。〕治阴疮而理带下，〔皆湿热乘阴虚流客下部而成。阴疮有二种∶一者阴饮作旧
脓出，一者只生热疮，煎汤洗之，仍同芩、连为末涂之。男女俱患之。凡热病遗毒，手足肿痛欲断，
取五斤，煎汤渍之。冬月向火，火毒入内，两股生疮，其汁淋漓，糊之立愈。诸疮大痛宜用之。〕止
便血而杀疳虫，〔止便血者清肠之力，味苦故能杀虫。〕疝疼香港脚皆堪疗，〔善治下焦湿热作肿及
痛，故香港脚最效，病疼因肾虚湿热邪乘者宜之。〕痢疾疸家尽可医。〔亦皆除湿热之功。〕口舌生疮
至效，〔蜜水浸之，时时噙嗽兼饮之甚良。〕足膝痿软如神。〔元素谓诸痿瘫痪必用之药。〕泻阴
火，除湿热，是其本功。
苦寒之性，利于实热，不利于虚热，凡胃虚食少，脾虚泻多忌之，肾虚五更溏泄勿用。
槐花 〔苦酸寒，入肝、胃、大肠三经。含蕊而陈久者良，微炒。〕止便红，除血痢，〔皆凉
血之力。〕疗五痔，治赤目，〔皆涤热之功。〕子名槐角，〔苦寒〕用颇相同，兼黑
发明目，而除热泪；〔凉血则发不白，血分无热则目明，肝经不热则泪自止。〕治火热难产，而止涎唾
。〔凉血除热，而胎产自易。涎唾多者，脾胃有热之故。〕
枝洗阴囊湿痒。
叶医疥癣疔肿。
苦寒纯阴，脾胃弱者禁用，即虚热而非实火者亦禁之。
槐实能堕胎，孕妇勿服。
楝实 〔即金铃子。苦寒，有小毒，入心、肺、脾、胃、小肠五经。去核，〕止心痛腹疼，
而疗诸疝；〔导小肠膀胱之热，因引心包相火下行，故心腹热痛，及疝气为要药。〕善杀虫治疥，而
利小肠。〔湿热蕴积，则内生诸虫，湿热浸淫，则外为疥疡，小肠热结，则水道不通。此药大苦大
寒故也。〕
根〔苦寒，有毒，勿用赤者，误服吐泻杀人。〕杀诸虫，〔涂洗疥癣甚良。〕利大肠。〔入糯米
同煎，杀毒。若泻以冷粥止之。〕
脾胃虚者大忌。
桂 〔近根之浓者名肉桂，辛甘大热，有小毒，入肝、肾二经。去皮用，见火无功。〕补命
门之真火，〔益火消阴，是其本功。〕扶脾胃之虚寒。〔以其有温中之能。〕坚筋骨，〔乃助火之功。
〕通血脉，〔热则流通也。〕下部腹痛，非此不除，〔肉桂治下焦，桂心治中焦，桂枝治上焦，此本天
亲上，本地亲下之道也。〕奔豚疝气，用之即效。〔奔豚属肾火虚衰，阴气凝结，气上攻所致。疝气
因肾虚，而寒湿邪气乘虚客之者最效。〕宣通百药，〔辛散热行也。〕善堕胞胎。〔能通子宫而破血故
也。〕
桂心〔即皮中之次浓者。味甘辛热，入心、脾二经。〕止心疼腹痛，〔因寒疼者可用。〕破 瘕
癖，〔通行瘀血之力。〕宣气血而无壅，利关节而有灵。
桂枝〔即顶上细枝薄皮者。辛甘微热，入肺、膀胱二经。〕主冬令之风寒，〔仲景治冬日发热汗出为
太阳伤风，用以解肌表之风。治发热无汗为太阳伤寒，麻黄汤中用以驱营分之寒。〕散下焦之蓄血。〔
故桃仁承气汤用之。〕横行手臂，而为治疼风之引经；〔风化为火忌用。〕直达小腹，而为泄奔豚之向导。
桂性偏阳，不可轻试。温热中暑燥病，及阴虚内热之人，并一切失血之症，均为大忌，误投则祸
不旋踵，慎之慎之。
吴茱萸 〔辛苦热，有小毒，入脾、胃、肝三经。开口者勿用，盐汤泡透焙干。〕燥肠胃而止
久滑之泻，〔故四神丸用以治脾肾虚寒之滑泻。〕故阴寒而治心腹之疼。〔属火热者，不可误投。〕
祛冷胀为独得，〔浊阴不降，胸中气逆满塞，宜用此苦热，以泄其逆气，非他药可代。〕疏肝气有偏
长，〔独入厥阴有功。〕疝疼香港脚相宜，〔属寒湿者宜之，若因湿热者勿用。〕开郁杀虫至效，〔辛
热走散开发，故开郁化滞多功，辛辣故杀虫。〕治吞酸必用，〔湿郁则热，热郁则酸，酸为肝味，故
责之肝火。左金丸中，引黄连入肝，而去其湿热，此从治之义。〕祛痰冷如神。〔寒痰冷冻饮料停积，以
致气逆咳吐，胸膈如有冷物上塞，饮热汤稍下者，用之如神，以其有温中下气之能也。〕
凡病非寒滞者大忌。
蜀椒 〔辛热有毒，入脾、肾二经。闭口者杀人。〕杀蛔虫，〔蛔见椒则头伏。〕止泄泻。〔
温脾胃，暖命门，则虚寒之泻可除。又能散风祛寒除湿。〕
椒目〔苦辛〕利小便，消水肿。
非命门火衰，中气寒冷者大忌。
雷丸 〔苦寒，入胃、大肠二经。白者可用，赤者杀人。〕专主杀虫，〔湿热则生虫，寒能清热
，苦能除湿杀虫。〕亦解蛊毒，〔苦寒能除辛热故也。〕
无毒积者勿用。
芜荑 〔辛苦平，小者不可入药。〕最杀诸虫，能除疳枳。
多服损胃。
干漆 〔辛温有毒，入肝经。炒至烟尽为度。中其毒者，多食蟹及甘豆汤解之。〕行瘀血之神丹
，〔瘀血见之，即化为水。〕杀诸虫之上品。
虚者及惯生漆疮者大忌。孕妇戒投。
皂荚 〔辛咸温，有小毒。刮去皮弦及子，酥炙。〕豁痰开胸膈，〔疏导壅滞，洗涤垢腻之
功，取汁熬膏，丸如桐子大，每服十丸，治胸中痰结。〕搜风治癫疾。〔开窍通关，辛散杀虫之
力，一方用皂刺三斤，烧灰蒸晒，研末，大黄煎汤空心调服一钱匕，下虫而愈。〕吹喉痹，熏
便秘，〔二便因气秘不通者，烧烟熏之。〕杀虫治癣，〔醋熬嫩刺，涂癣甚良。〕敷毒消肿。〔便
毒痈疽，醋熬膏敷之有效。〕
性极尖利，无闭不开，无坚不破，为济急之神丹。皂角刺功用同皂英，更能直达疮所，为痈毒未
溃之神药。
类中风症，多有阴虚，世人每用稀涎散吐之，是愈竭其津液也，法所最忌，孕妇亦禁。
巴豆 〔辛热，大毒，反牵牛。炒熟去油，只用厘许，不可过分。〕诸般积滞，〔痰食虫血是也
。〕立皆荡涤；脏腑气血，悉被侵伤。辛热大毒，迅速下泻之厉药。明矾〔三钱煎溶，入豆七粒。〕同
，〔去豆研，用少许。〕吹喉痹，出热涎，立开如神。
禀火烈之气，以少许着肌，顷刻发泡，况肠胃柔质岂能堪此乎！慎勿用。火能灼物，故主烂胎，孕
妇大忌。
Gardeniae Fructus (Zhi Zi, 栀子): [Bitter, cold; enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach meridians. Stir-fry thoroughly and grind.] Treats chest fullness with restlessness and insomnia; unblocks blood stasis below the umbilicus, and improves difficult urination. [Because it can clear stagnant fire and blood heat in the Heart, Lung, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine.] Clears the Taiyin Lung meridian; its nature is light and floating, ascending upwards; [Its light nature corresponds to the Lung. Its red color corresponds to Fire, thus it can drain fire from the Lung. Li Dongyuan stated it enters the Blood aspect of the Lung.] Drains Sanjiao fire, descending downwards through curves. [It allows fire pathogens to be excreted via urine.] Treats epigastric pain caused by fire, [also treats heart pain due to heat-jue (cold limbs with internal heat).] Cures rhinophyma (red nose) caused by wine-heat, [Wine-heat damaging the Lung causes a red nose, severe cases extend to the face.] Manages jaundice, eliminates red eyes. [The bitter-cold nature drains all excess fire, thus treating the aforementioned symptoms.]
Gardeniae Fructus is bitter-cold, damaging the Stomach Qi and injuring Blood. It is contraindicated for those with Spleen-Stomach deficiency, and also for those with blood-deficiency fever. Do not use if heart/abdominal pain is not caused by fire. People often use it to treat bleeding disorders, unaware that cold congeals blood, leading to worsening conditions. When treating hematemesis (vomiting blood), one must first regulate Qi; when Qi descends, blood naturally returns to its vessels. This is the major principle.
Phellodendri Cortex (Huang Bai, 黄柏): [Bitter, cold; enters the Kidney meridian.] Raw use reduces excess fire; pill form does not damage the Stomach. For upper body ailments, stir-fry with wine; for middle body, with honey; for lower body, with salt. [Those that are plump, fresh, and bright yellow are best.] Drains Dragon Fire to save Kidney Water, [Stagnant fire boils, causing Kidney Water to dry up gradually. Zhu Danxi called it nourishing Yin and reducing fire because it drains fire within Yin, thereby protecting Yin.] Stops nocturnal emission and treats Xia Xiao (lower wasting-thirst). Relieves painful, obstructed urination, [All caused by Kidney Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of Ministerial Fire.] Eliminates red, swollen, painful eyes. [Due to Yin deficiency and blood heat.] Treats genital sores and regulates leukorrhea, [All caused by damp-heat flowing into the lower jiao due to Yin deficiency. Genital sores have two types: one discharges old pus, the other is merely hot sores; wash with decoction, still apply powder of Huang Qin and Lian Mu.] Both men and women can suffer. For residual toxins from febrile diseases causing swelling and pain in hands/feet, take five jin, decoct and soak. In winter, near fire, fire-toxin enters internally, causing sores on thighs with dripping fluid; paste application heals immediately. Suitable for various sores with severe pain. Stops hematochezia (blood in stool) and kills pinworms, [Stops blood by clearing intestines; bitter taste kills parasites.] Treats hernia pain and podagra (gouty feet), [Good at treating lower jiao damp-heat swelling and pain, most effective for podagra; suitable if pain is due to Kidney deficiency with damp-heat pathogen invasion.] Treats dysentery and jaundice patients. [Also relies on removing damp-heat.] Highly effective for mouth and tongue ulcers, [Soak in honey water, hold in mouth and swallow occasionally, very good.] Like a god for flaccidity of feet and knees. [Zhang Yuansu said it is a necessary drug for all flaccidity and paralysis.] Draining Yin fire and removing damp-heat is its fundamental function.
The bitter-cold nature benefits excess heat but harms deficient heat. Contraindicated for stomach deficiency with poor appetite, spleen deficiency with frequent diarrhea, and Kidney deficiency with morning diarrhea (waking before dawn to defecate).
Sophorae Flos (Huai Hua, 槐花): [Bitter, sour, cold; enters the Liver, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. Those containing buds and aged are good, lightly stir-fried.] Stops hematochezia, eliminates bloody dysentery, [Both due to cooling blood power.] Treats five types of hemorrhoids, treats red eyes, [Both due to purging heat power.] The seed is named Huai Jiao, [Bitter, cold] usage is similar, additionally darkens hair, brightens eyes, and eliminates hot tears; [Cooling blood prevents graying, no heat in blood aspect means bright eyes, no heat in Liver meridian stops tearing.] Treats difficult labor due to fire-heat, stops excessive saliva. [Cooling blood and removing heat makes delivery easier. Excessive saliva is due to Stomach-Spleen heat.]
Branches wash scrotal dampness and itching.
Leaves treat tinea, impetigo, and carbuncles.
Bitter-cold and purely yin, strictly contraindicated for weak Spleen-Stomach, and even for deficient heat rather than excess fire.
Huai Shi (Sophorae Fructus) can induce abortion; pregnant women should not take it.
Meliae Fructus (Lian Shi, 楝实): [i.e., Jin Ling Zi. Bitter, cold, slightly toxic; enters Heart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine meridians. Remove core.] Stops heart and abdominal pain, treats various hernias; [Drains heat from Small Intestine and Bladder, guiding Pericardium Ministerial Fire downward, thus essential for heart/abdominal heat-pain and hernia qi.] Good at killing parasites, treating tinea, benefiting Small Intestine. [Damp-heat accumulation generates internal worms; damp-heat infiltration causes external tinea; Small Intestine heat knot blocks water passages. Due to this drug's great bitterness and coldness.]
Root: [Bitter, cold, toxic; do not use red ones, accidental ingestion causes vomiting/diarrhea leading to death.] Kills various parasites, [Applying/washing for tinea is very good.] Benefits Large Intestine. [Decoct with glutinous rice to detoxify. If diarrhea occurs, stop with cold porridge.]
Strictly contraindicated for Spleen-Stomach deficiency.
Cinnamomi Cortex (Rou Gui, 肉桂): [Thick part near root is Rou Gui. Pungent, sweet, great heat, slightly toxic; enters Liver and Kidney meridians. Remove bark, ineffective if exposed to fire.] Tonifies True Fire of Mingmen, [Benefiting fire to eliminate yin is its fundamental function.] Supports Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold. [Due to its warming middle ability.] Strengthens sinews and bones, [This is the effect of assisting fire.] Unblocks blood vessels, [Heat promotes circulation.] Lower abdominal pain cannot be removed without this, [Rou Gui treats lower jiao, Gui Xin treats middle jiao, Gui Zhi treats upper jiao; this follows the way of heaven亲近 upper, earth亲近 lower.] Ben Tun (running piglet) and hernia qi respond immediately. [Ben Tun belongs to Kidney fire deficiency, yin qi condensation, qi attacking upward. Hernia qi due to Kidney deficiency with cold-damp pathogen invasion is most effective.] Disseminates and unblocks hundred drugs, [Pungent disperses heat, moves qi.] Good at inducing abortion/breaking blood. [Can unblock uterus and break blood.]
Gui Xin (Cinnamon Heart): [Second thickest part of bark. Sweet, pungent, hot; enters Heart and Spleen meridians.] Stops heartache and abdominal pain, [Usable for pain due to cold.] Breaks zheng zha masses (accumulations), [Power to circulate blood stasis.] Disseminates Qi and Blood without obstruction, benefits joints with agility.
Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi): [Thin bark from top fine branches. Pungent, sweet, slightly hot; enters Lung and Bladder meridians.] Mainly treats wind-cold in winter, [Zhang Zhongjing treats winter fever with sweating as Taiyang Wind Strike, uses it to release muscle-surface wind. Treats fever without sweating as Taiyang Cold Damage, uses in Mahuang Tang to drive out Ying-level cold.] Scatters lower jiao stored blood. [Thus used in Taoren Chengqi Tang.] Travels horizontally in arms, serving as guiding herb for treating gout/pain; [Avoid if wind transforms into fire.] Reaches directly to lower abdomen, serving as guide for draining Ben Tun.
Cinnamon nature is biased toward Yang, do not test lightly. Contraindicated for warm-heat, summerheat, dryness diseases, and persons with Yin deficiency and internal heat, and all bleeding disorders. Misuse brings disaster instantly; be extremely cautious.
Evodiae Fructus (Wu Zhu Yu, 吴茱萸): [Pungent, bitter, hot, slightly toxic; enters Spleen, Stomach, Liver meridians. Do not use open ones, soak in salt water thoroughly, bake dry.] Dries intestines/stomach, stops chronic loose stools, [Thus Shensi Wan uses it to treat Spleen-Kidney deficiency-cold loose stools.] Dispels yin-cold, treats heart/abdominal pain. [If due to fire-heat, do not misapply.] Unique merit in dispelling cold distension, [Turbid yin fails to descend, qi rebellion fills chest, suitable to use this bitter-hot to vent rebellious qi, not replaceable by other drugs.] Special strength in soothing Liver qi, [Unique merit entering Jueyin meridian.] Suitable for hernia pain and podagra, [Suitable for cold-damp, do not use for damp-heat.] Highly effective in opening depression and killing parasites, [Pungent-hot moves and disperses, thus opens depression and resolves stagnation; pungent-spicy kills parasites.] Essential for treating acid regurgitation, [Damp depression leads to heat, heat depression leads to acid; acid is Liver flavor, thus blamed on Liver fire. In Zuojin Wan, guides Huang Lian into Liver to remove damp-heat, this is the meaning of contrary treatment.] Removes cold phlegm like a god. [Cold-phlegm frozen drinks accumulate, causing qi rebellion cough/vomit, feeling of cold object blocking chest/diaphragm, relieved slightly by hot soup; use like a god, due to warming middle and descending qi functions.]
Strictly contraindicated for diseases not due to cold-stagnation.
Zanthoxyli Pericarpium (Shu Jiao, 蜀椒): [Pungent, hot, toxic; enters Spleen and Kidney meridians. Closed-mouth ones kill.] Kills roundworms, [Roundworms bow head upon seeing pepper.] Stops diarrhea. [Warms Spleen/Stomach, warms Mingmen, thus deficiency-cold diarrhea can be removed. Also disperses wind, dispels cold, removes dampness.]
Semen Zanthoxyli (Jiao Mu, 椒目): [Bitter, pungent] Promotes urination, reduces edema.
Strictly contraindicated unless Mingmen fire declines or middle Qi is cold.
Polyporus Umbellatus? No, Omphalia Lapida? No, Lei Wan (Lei Wan, 雷丸): [Bitter, cold; enters Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. White ones usable, red ones kill.] Specifically main for killing parasites, [Damp-heat generates worms, cold clears heat, bitter removes dampness/kills parasites.] Also solves gu poison, [Bitter-cold removes pungent-heat.]
Do not use without toxin accumulation.
Meliosmae Fructus? No, Wu Yi (Wu Yi, 芜荑): [Pungent, bitter, neutral; small ones not for medicine.] Best at killing various parasites, eliminates ganji (childhood malnutrition/parasites).
Overdose damages Stomach.
Dry Lacca (Gan Qi, 干漆): [Pungent, warm, toxic; enters Liver meridian. Stir-fry until smoke ceases. If poisoned, eat crab and Gan Dou Tang to resolve.] Divine pill for moving blood stasis, [Blood stasis sees it, turns to water.] Top grade for killing parasites.
Contraindicated for deficient persons and those prone to lacquer dermatitis. Pregnant women forbidden.
Gleditsiae Sinensis Spina? No, Gleditsiae Fructus (Zao Jia, 皂荚): [Pungent, salty, warm, slightly toxic. Scrape off skin/string/seeds, roast with butter.] Expels phlegm, opens chest/diaphragm, [Guiding stagnation, washing dirt/grease power; extract juice, boil into paste, pills like wattle seeds, 10 pills per dose, treats chest phlegm knot.] Searches wind, treats epilepsy. [Opens orifices, unblocks passages, pungent disperses/kills parasites power. One formula uses three jin Zao Ci, burn to ash, steam/dry, grind to powder, Da Huang decoction empty stomach mix take one qian bi, expel worms and heal.] Blows into throat obstruction, smokes for constipation, [When bowel/bladder blocked by qi stagnation, smoke with burning.] Kills parasites, treats tinea, [Boil tender spines in vinegar, apply to tinea very good.] Applies to toxins, reduces swelling. [Genital sores/carbuncles, boil paste in vinegar apply effective.]
Nature extremely sharp and penetrating, opens all closures, breaks all hardness, divine pill for emergency relief. Zao Ci (Gleditsiae Spina) has same function as Zao Jia, more able to reach directly to sore site, divine medicine for unruptured carbuncle/toxin.
Stroke-like syndromes often have Yin deficiency; people often use Xixian San to vomit, this exhausts fluids further, strictly contraindicated in method, pregnant women also forbidden.
Crotonis Fructus (Ba Dou, 巴豆): [Pungent, hot, great toxicity, opposes Qiu Niu. Cook ripe, remove oil, use only a tiny amount (li), do not exceed.] Various accumulations/stagnations, [Phlegm, food, worms, blood.] Immediately sweep clean; Zang-Fu Qi-Blood, all invaded/injured. Pungent-hot great toxicity, rapid purgative harsh drug. Ming Fan (Alumen, 明矾) [3 qian decoct dissolve, add 7 beans.] Together, [Remove beans, grind, use little.] Blow into throat obstruction, expel hot saliva, open immediately like a god.
Endowed with fierce fire qi, a little touching skin blisters instantly, how much less can soft gut/intestines bear this! Be careful not to use. Fire burns objects, thus mainly rots fetus, pregnant women strictly forbidden.