干姜为之使。恶泽泻、硝石、寒水石。忌豆。
苦、辛，温。入足太阴、阳明经气分。除肠胃之浊邪，涤膜原之秽积。破郁血，去结水，
消宿食，散沉寒。得炒姜，治肠风下血。（邪去血自归经。）配黄连，治带下。（湿热消也。）
配杏仁，治气逆急喘。（寒邪去也。）佐白茯苓，治尿浑。（邪气消也。）佐解表药，却卫气之
有余。（寒邪乘之则有余。）佐分理药，清大肠之多阻。
去粗皮，姜汁炒，或醋炒用。暴泻如水，（肠胃虚，忌辛散。）胃虚呕恶，脾阴不足，孕
妇，（服之损胎元。）四者禁
用。
恶元参、蛇蜕皮。
辛、甘、淡，气温。入足少阴经气分。除阴下之湿，合筋骨之离，补肝气而利于用，助
肾气而胎自安。凡因湿而腰
膝酸疼，内寒而便多余沥，须此治之。得羊肾，治腰痛。配牡蛎，治虚汗。配菟丝、五味，
治肾虚泄泻。配糯米、山药，
治胎动不安。佐当归，补肝火。入滋补药，益筋骨之气血。入祛邪药，除筋骨之风寒。
去粗皮用。治泻痢，酥炙。除寒湿，酒炙。润肝肾，蜜炙。补腰肾，盐水炒。治酸疼，
姜汁炒。内热，精血燥者，
禁用。肾中之气不足，因之寒湿交侵，而腰足疼痛，用杜仲温其气，燥其湿，而痛自止。
故合破故、胡桃、为蟠桃
果，治腰膝酸疼之胜药。若精水不足，内多虚热者，用此治之，水益燥，火益盛，其痛更甚。
如略用钱许，为熟地之使，
则又能理气而使之不滞。
干姜作为其引经药。忌与泽泻、硝石、寒水石同用。避免食用豆类。
味苦、辛，性温。归足太阴脾经、足阳明胃经的气分。能清除肠胃中的浊邪，涤荡膜原（半表半里之隙）的秽积。能破除郁结之血，消除停聚之水，消化隔宿之食，散除深层之寒。配伍炒姜，可治疗肠风下血。（邪气去除后，血液自然回归经脉。）配伍黄连，可治疗带下病。（湿热得以消除。）配伍杏仁，可治疗气逆急喘。（寒邪得以祛除。）佐以白茯苓，可治疗小便浑浊。（邪气得以消除。）佐以解表药，可驱除卫气的有余之邪。（寒邪侵袭则导致卫气有余。）佐以分理药（调理气机之药），可清利大肠的多重阻滞。
去除粗皮，用姜汁炒制，或用醋炒后使用。暴泻如水者（肠胃虚弱，忌用辛散之品）、胃虚呕恶、脾阴不足、孕妇（服用会损伤胎元）这四种情况禁用。
忌与玄参、蛇蜕皮同用。
味辛、甘、淡，性温。归足少阴肾经的气分。能清除阴部下方的湿气，连接分离的筋骨，补益肝气以利于功能发挥，助益肾气以使胎元自安。凡是因湿邪导致的腰膝酸痛，因内寒导致的小便频多且淋漓不尽，都需要用此药治疗。配伍羊肾，可治疗腰痛。配伍牡蛎，可治疗虚汗。配伍菟丝子、五味子，可治疗肾虚泄泻。配伍糯米、山药，可治疗胎动不安。佐以当归，可补益肝火。加入滋补药中，可增益筋骨的气血。加入祛邪药中，可祛除筋骨的风寒。
去除粗皮后使用。治疗泻痢时，用酥油炙烤。祛除寒湿时，用酒炙烤。滋润肝肾时，用蜜炙烤。补益腰肾时，用盐水炒制。治疗酸痛时，用姜汁炒制。内有实热、精血干燥者，禁用。若肾中气不足，因寒湿交加侵袭而导致腰足疼痛，使用杜仲温煦其气，燥化其湿，疼痛自然停止。因此，配合破故纸（补骨脂）、胡桃，制成蟠桃果方剂，是治疗腰膝酸痛的良药。若是精水不足，体内多有虚热者，使用此药，会使水更燥，火更盛，疼痛更加严重。如果仅用量少许，作为熟地黄的引经药，则又能理气并防止其滋腻滞塞。
Ginger, dried (Ganjiang) serves as its guiding herb. It is incompatible with Alisma Rhizoma (Zexie), Natrii Sulfas (Xiaoshi), and Arsenolite (Hanshuishi). Beans should be avoided.
Bitter, pungent, warm. Enters the Qi aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Eliminates turbid pathogens from the intestines and stomach; purges filth and accumulation from the membrane source (Moyuan, a space between the exterior and interior). Breaks up stagnant blood, removes accumulated water, digests retained food, disperses deep-seated cold. Combined with stir-fried ginger, it treats intestinal wind with bloody stool. (Once the pathogen is expelled, blood returns to its vessels naturally.) Paired with Coptis Rhizoma (Huanglian), it treats leukorrhea. (Damp-heat is eliminated.) Paired with Apricot Seed (Xingren), it treats sudden asthma due to rebellious Qi. (Cold pathogen is removed.) Assisted by Poria (Fuling), it treats cloudy urine. (Pathogenic factors are cleared.) Assisted by exterior-releasing herbs, it resolves excess in the Defensive Qi. (When cold pathogens invade, they cause excess.) Assisted by qi-regulating herbs, it clears multiple obstructions in the Large Intestine.
Remove the coarse bark. Use after stir-frying with ginger juice or vinegar. Contraindicated in cases of sudden profuse watery diarrhea (due to deficiency-cold of the intestines and stomach, pungent-dispersing herbs are contraindicated), vomiting and nausea due to Stomach deficiency, insufficiency of Spleen Yin, and pregnancy (it may damage the fetal origin). These four conditions are strictly prohibited.
Incompatible with Scrophulariae Radix (Yuanshen) and Snake Slough (Shetupi).
Pungent, sweet, bland, warm. Enters the Qi aspect of the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. Eliminates dampness below the yin region; binds separated sinews and bones; tonifies Liver Qi to facilitate function; assists Kidney Qi to ensure fetal stability. It is indicated for soreness and pain in the waist and knees caused by dampness, and frequent, dribbling urination caused by internal cold. Combined with Sheep Kidney, it treats lower back pain. Paired with Oyster Shell (Muli), it treats spontaneous sweating due to deficiency. Paired with Dodder Seed (Tusizi) and Schisandra Berry (Wuweizi), it treats diarrhea due to Kidney deficiency. Paired with Glutinous Rice (Nuomi) and Chinese Yam (Shanyao), it treats restless fetus. Assisted by Angelica Sinensis (Danggui), it tonifies Liver Fire. When added to tonic formulas, it benefits the Qi and Blood of sinews and bones. When added to pathogen-expelling formulas, it dispels Wind-Cold from sinews and bones.
Use after removing the coarse bark. For treating diarrhea and dysentery, roast with butter. For dispelling Cold-Damp, roast with wine. For moistening Liver and Kidney, roast with honey. For tonifying Waist and Kidney, stir-fry with salt water. For treating soreness and pain, stir-fry with ginger juice. Contraindicated in cases of internal heat and dryness of Essence and Blood. If there is insufficiency of Qi in the Kidneys, leading to invasion by combined Cold-Damp and resulting in pain in the waist and feet, Du Zhong warms the Qi and dries the Damp, causing the pain to cease spontaneously. Therefore, combined with Psoralea Fruit (Buguzhi) and Walnut Kernel (Hetao), forming the "Pan Tao Guo" formula, it is an excellent remedy for soreness and pain in the waist and knees. However, if there is insufficiency of Essence and Water with much internal deficient heat, using this herb will further dry the Water and intensify the Fire, exacerbating the pain. If used in small amounts as a guiding herb for Rehmannia Root Preparata (Shudihuang), it can regulate Qi and prevent stagnation caused by cloying tonics.