一名山漆
甘、微苦、温。入足厥阴经血分。止血散血，定痛，治一切血病。得生地、阿胶，治吐
衄。
（活血之力。）得当归、川芎，治恶血。
味微甘而苦，颇似人参，以末掺猪血中，血化为水者真。肿毒，醋磨涂，刃杖伤，嚼涂。
血
痢崩下，煎汁服。血虚吐衄，血热妄行，能损新血，无瘀者禁用。
黄芩、龙骨、理石为之使。畏牛膝、款冬。恶冷水、菊花、玄参、白僵蚕、白藓皮
、芫花。忌猪肉。杀乌头、巴豆、轻粉毒。
大苦，大寒。入手少阴经气分。泻心脾，凉肝胆，清三焦，解热毒，燥湿开郁。治心窍
恶血，阳毒发狂，惊悸烦躁，
恶心痞满，吞酸吐酸，心腹诸痛，肠 泻痢，疳疾虫症，痈疽疮疥，暴赤目痛，牙疳口疮，
孕妇腹中儿啼，胎惊子烦，
阴户肿痛。得木香，治热滞。得枳壳，
治痔疮。得肉桂，使心肾相交。得吴茱萸，治挟热下痢。得白芍，泻脾火。得石膏，泻胃
火。
得知母，泻肾火。得黄芩，泻肺火。得木通，泻小肠火。得川柏，泻膀胱火。得槐米，
泻大
肠火。得山栀，泻三焦火。配煨独头蒜，治脏毒下血。配川椒，安蛔虫。配芦荟末，蜜汤服
，治小儿疳疾。加蟾炭等分，青黛减半，麝香少许，搽走马牙疳。配茯苓，去湿热，治白淫
。佐龙胆草，泻肝胆火。佐枳实，消痞气火胀。佐花粉，解烦渴。使细辛，治口疮，止下血
。
各经泻火药得川连，其力愈猛。
泻心火，生用。火在上，酒炒；火在下，童便炒；火在中，姜汁炒；伏火，盐水炒；火
在气分而痛，吴茱萸拌炒。
食积成火，黄土炒；止泻，壁土炒；肝胆火，醋炒或胆汁炒；热结于下，朴硝拌炒。血中伏
火，干漆拌炒。虚热妄用，
必致格阳。（真阴益乏。）久服反化为热。（连性燥而不润。）不可食猪肉，恐令人作泻。邪火
横逆，非至苦至寒之品不能
退其热势。然发热初起，邪火正欲攻击而出，投川连遏抑其
火，则邪将盘结而不散，致内伤气血，热邪愈炎，所谓寒之益热也。又热久阴气大伤，胃液
干枯，宜急救胃阴，以制阳火，凉润之剂在所必需。若用苦燥者治其热，则愈燥而愈热。盖
苦以降气，气降则阴不生，燥以耗血，血亡则津益竭，由是畏火起与邪火交相攻击，其毙也
可立而待。
三七，又名山漆。味甘、微苦，性温。归足厥阴肝经的血分。具有止血和散瘀血的功效，能定痛，治疗各种血证。配合生地黄、阿胶，可治疗吐血、衄血（活血之力）。配合当归、川芎，可治疗恶血。
黄连味微甘而苦，与人参相似。将黄连粉末掺入猪血中，若血液化为水状，则为真品。对于肿毒，用醋磨涂敷；对于刀杖创伤，嚼碎后涂敷。对于血痢、崩漏下血，煎汁服用。对于血虚导致的吐血、衄血，以及血热妄行，黄连会损伤新血，体内无瘀滞者禁用。
黄芩、龙骨、理石作为黄连的引经药。黄连畏牛膝、款冬。与冷水、菊花、玄参、白僵蚕、白鲜皮、芫花相恶。忌食猪肉。黄连能解除乌头、巴豆、轻粉的毒性。
黄连味大苦，性大寒。入手少阴心经的气分。能泻心脾之火，凉肝胆，清三焦，解热毒，燥湿开郁。治疗心窍恶血，阳毒发狂，惊悸烦躁，恶心痞满，吞酸吐酸，心腹各种疼痛，肠鸣泄痢，疳疾虫积，痈疽疮疥，突发赤眼疼痛，牙疳口疮，孕妇腹中胎儿啼哭，胎惊子烦，阴户肿痛。配合木香，治疗热滞。配合枳壳，治疗痔疮。配合肉桂，使心肾相交。配合吴茱萸，治疗挟热下痢。配合白芍，泻脾火。配合石膏，泻胃火。配合知母，泻肾火。配合黄芩，泻肺火。配合木通，泻小肠火。配合川柏（黄柏），泻膀胱火。配合槐米，泻大肠火。配合山栀，泻三焦火。配伍煨独头蒜，治疗脏毒下血。配伍川椒，安蛔虫。配伍芦荟末，用蜜汤送服，治疗小儿疳疾。加入蟾酥炭等量，青黛减半，少许麝香，搽涂治疗走马牙疳。配伍茯苓，去除湿热，治疗白淫。佐以龙胆草，泻肝胆火。佐以枳实，消除痞气火胀。佐以天花粉，解除烦渴。使以细辛，治疗口疮，止住下血。
各经泻火药得到黄连的配合，其力量更加猛烈。
泻心火时，生用。火在上部，用酒炒；火在下部，用童便炒；火在中部，用姜汁炒；伏火，用盐水炒；火在气分且伴有疼痛，用吴茱萸拌炒。
食积成火，用黄土炒；止泻，用壁土炒；肝胆火，用醋炒或用胆汁炒；热结于下部，用朴硝拌炒。血中伏火，用干漆拌炒。虚热妄用黄连，必然导致格阳（真阴更加匮乏）。久服黄连反而化为热（黄连性质燥而不润）。不可食用猪肉，恐怕令人腹泻。邪火横逆，非至苦至寒之品不能退其热势。然而发热初起，邪火正欲攻击而出，此时投用黄连遏制抑制其火，则邪气将盘结而不散，导致内伤气血，热邪更加炽盛，这就是所谓的“寒之益热”。另外，热久则阴气大伤，胃液干枯，应当急救胃阴，以制约阳火，凉润之剂是必需的。如果使用苦燥之品治疗其热，则会越燥越热。因为苦味能降气，气降则阴不生，燥性能耗血，血亡则津液更加枯竭，由此畏惧之火起而与邪火交相攻击，死亡可以立刻等待到。
Sanqi (Notoginseng Radix), also known as Shanqi. Sweet, slightly bitter, warm in nature. Enters the blood level of the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. Stops bleeding and disperses blood stasis, alleviates pain, and treats all kinds of blood disorders. Combined with Shengdi Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata) and Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), it treats hematemesis and epistaxis (enhances blood circulation). Combined with Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), it treats evil blood.
Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) has a slightly sweet and bitter taste, resembling Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma). When its powder is mixed into pig's blood, if the blood turns into water, it is genuine. For swelling and toxicity, grind with vinegar and apply externally; for blade or stick injuries, chew and apply externally. For bloody dysentery and metrorrhagia, decoct and take orally. For hematemesis and epistaxis due to blood deficiency, and for reckless bleeding due to blood heat, Huanglian can damage new blood; it is strictly contraindicated in cases without blood stasis.
Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Longgu (Fossilia Ossis Mastodi et Humeri), and Lishi (Pumex) serve as guiding herbs for Huanglian. Huanglian is incompatible with Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix) and Kuandong (Farfarae Flos). It clashes with cold water, Juhua (Chrysanthemi Flos), Xuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix), Bai Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus), Baixianpi (Dictamni Cortex), and Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos). Pork is taboo. Huanglian can neutralize the toxicity of Wutou (Aconiti Radix), Badou (Crotonis Fructus), and Qingfen (Calomelas).
Huanglian is extremely bitter and extremely cold in nature. Enters the Qi level of the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Drains the Heart and Spleen, cools the Liver and Gallbladder, clears the Sanjiao, resolves heat toxicity, dries dampness, and opens stagnation. Treats evil blood in the heart orifices, Yang toxin causing mania, palpitations, restlessness, nausea, chest fullness, acid regurgitation, various pains in the heart and abdomen, intestinal diarrhea and dysentery, childhood malnutrition with parasites, carbuncles, sores, scabies, sudden red painful eyes, dental gangrene and mouth ulcers, fetal crying in the pregnant woman's abdomen, fetal fright and subfebrile sensation during pregnancy, and swelling and pain of the vaginal opening. Combined with Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix), it treats heat stagnation. Combined with Zhi Qiao (Aurantii Fructus), it treats hemorrhoids. Combined with Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), it facilitates the interaction between the Heart and Kidney. Combined with Wuzhuyu (Evodiae Fructus), it treats dysentery complicated by heat. Combined with Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), it drains Spleen fire. Combined with Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), it drains Stomach fire. Combined with Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), it drains Kidney fire. Combined with Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), it drains Lung fire. Combined with Mutong (Akebiae Caulis), it drains Small Intestine fire. Combined with Chuanbai (Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex), it drains Bladder fire. Combined with Huaimi (Sophorae Flavescentis Flos), it drains Large Intestine fire. Combined with Shanzhi (Gardeniae Fructus), it drains Sanjiao fire. Paired with baked single-clove garlic, it treats internal toxin bleeding. Paired with Chuanjiao (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium), it calms roundworms. Paired with Luohuamo (Aloe Arborescens Folium), taken with honey water, it treats childhood malnutrition. Added with Chan Tan (Mantis Ootheca Carbonisata) in equal parts, Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis) halved, and a small amount of Shexiang (Moschus), applied externally to treat rapid-progressing dental gangrene. Paired with Fuling (Poria), it removes damp-heat and treats leukorrhea. Assisted by Longdancao (Gentianae Radix), it drains Liver and Gallbladder fire. Assisted by Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), it dissipates qi stagnation and fire distension. Assisted by Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix), it relieves thirst and irritability. Guided by Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), it treats mouth ulcers and stops lower bleeding.
Fire-draining herbs from various meridians become more potent when combined with Chuanlian (Coptidis Rhizoma).
To drain Heart fire, use raw. If fire is in the upper part, stir-fry with wine; if in the lower part, stir-fry with child's urine; if in the middle part, stir-fry with ginger juice; for latent fire, stir-fry with salt water; if fire is in the Qi level accompanied by pain, stir-fry with Wuzhuyu.
For food accumulation turning into fire, stir-fry with yellow earth; to stop diarrhea, stir-fry with wall earth; for Liver and Gallbladder fire, stir-fry with vinegar or bile; for heat knotting in the lower part, stir-fry with Poxiao (Natrii Sulfas). For latent fire in the blood, stir-fry with Ganxi (Drymopteridis Rhizoma). Misuse for deficient heat will inevitably lead to Ge Yang (severe depletion of True Yin). Long-term use may transform into heat (Huanglian is drying and not moistening). Do not consume pork, as it may cause diarrhea. When pathogenic fire acts recklessly, only extremely bitter and extremely cold substances can reduce its heat intensity. However, at the initial stage of fever, when pathogenic fire is just beginning to attack and emerge, administering Huanglian to suppress it will cause the pathogen to knot and not disperse, leading to internal injury to Qi and Blood, making the heat pathogen more intense. This is what is meant by "using cold to increase heat." Furthermore, prolonged heat severely damages Yin Qi, drying up Stomach fluids. In such cases, urgent rescue of Stomach Yin is required to control Yang fire, and cooling-moistening agents are essential. If bitter-drying agents are used to treat this heat, it will become drier and hotter. Because bitterness descends Qi, and when Qi descends, Yin does not generate; dryness consumes Blood, and when Blood is lost, body fluids are further exhausted. Consequently, fear-fire rises and attacks the pathogenic fire, leading to imminent death.