甘,平。入足厥阴经。专治头风目翳,能疗疳积伤睛。风湿喉痹,亦可用以为佐。配地
龙、
乳香薰鼻,治脑痛。配蛤粉、猪肝,治痘后目翳。人乳或童便拌蒸,随症制之。血虚病目者
禁用。
一名竹园荽
甘,寒。淡渗。入手足太阳经血分。去脐下满闷,消膀胱湿热。得腊茶、生姜,治癃秘。
得
滑石、甘草梢,治膏淋。得栀子,治热狂。得白术、甘草、牵牛,治脾湿肿满。
真阴不足者禁用。
(毒草类二十七种)
黄芩为之使。恶干漆。忌冷水。
苦,大寒。入足太阴、手足阳明、厥阴经血分。性沉而不浮,用走而不守。荡涤肠胃之
邪结
,祛除经络之瘀血,滚顽痰,散热毒,痘初起血中热毒盛者宜之。得杏仁,疗损伤瘀血。得
生地汁,治吐血刺痛。得牡蛎、僵蚕,治时疫疙瘩恶症。配桃仁,疗女子血秘。合芒硝,治
伤寒发黄。同川连,治伤寒痞满。欲速行、下行,生用。欲缓行,煎熟用。欲上行,酒浸炒
用。破瘀血,韭汁炒。加僵
蚕、姜
糊丸,蜜汤下,治大头瘟。血枯经闭,血虚便秘,病在气分、不在血分者,禁用。
怪症∶灸疮疮肉成片,痛不可忍,此血肉热极也,用硝、黄各五钱水送,得微利即愈。
仲景百劳丸用大黄以理劳伤。盖内热既久,瘀血停于经络,必得将军开豁其路,则肝脾通畅
,推陈而致新,清升而浊降,骨蒸自除,痨症自愈也。然须蒸熟入滋补之剂以治之,庶几通
者通、补者补,两收其效。
【谷精草】
味甘,性平。归入足厥阴肝经。专门治疗头风(头部风邪引起的疼痛)和目翳(角膜云翳),能够疗治疳积伤睛(小儿疳积导致的眼睛损伤)。风湿喉痹(因风湿之邪导致咽喉闭塞不通),也可以用它作为辅助药物。配伍地龙、乳香熏鼻,可治疗脑痛。配伍蛤粉、猪肝,可治疗痘疹后留下的目翳。用人乳或童便拌蒸,根据症状进行炮制。血虚引起的眼病禁用。
又名竹园荽。
【大黄】
味甘,性寒。味淡而具有渗利作用。归入手太阳小肠经、足太阳膀胱经的血分。能去除脐下满闷感,消除膀胱湿热。配合腊茶、生姜,可治疗小便不利(癃秘)。配合滑石、甘草梢,可治疗膏淋(尿液浑浊如脂膏)。配合栀子,可治疗热盛发狂。配合白术、甘草、牵牛子,可治疗脾湿引起的肿胀胀满。真阴不足者禁用。
味辛、苦,性寒。治疗有名气的痈疽(有固定名称的化脓性感染),无名肿毒(没有固定名称的急性化脓性炎症),兼治乳疖(乳房疖肿)、痘疔(痘疮中的重症)。
(属于毒草类第二十七种)
味苦,大寒。归入足太阴脾经、手阳明大肠经、足阳明胃经、足厥阴肝经的血分。药性沉降而不浮散,作用走窜而不固守。能荡涤肠胃中的邪气结滞,祛除经络中的瘀血,化解顽固痰浊,散发热毒,痘疹初起时血中热毒炽盛者适宜使用。配合杏仁,可治疗损伤引起的瘀血。配合生地黄汁,可治疗吐血及刺痛。配合牡蛎、僵蚕,可治疗时疫引起的疙瘩恶症。配伍桃仁,可治疗女子血闭不通。合用芒硝,可治疗伤寒引起的发黄。同黄连一起,可治疗伤寒引起的痞满(心下痞塞胀满)。想要快速下行,宜生用;想要缓慢作用,宜煎熟后用;想要上行,宜酒浸炒后用。破除瘀血,可用韭汁炒制。加入僵蚕、姜糊制成丸剂,蜜汤送服,可治疗大头瘟(头面红肿热痛的疫病)。血枯经闭、血虚便秘、病在气分而非血分者,禁用。
怪症:灸疮疮肉成片生长,疼痛难以忍受,这是血肉热极的表现,用芒硝、大黄各五钱用水送服,得到轻微腹泻即可痊愈。
张仲景的百劳丸中使用大黄来调理劳伤。因为内热日久,瘀血停滞在经络中,必须依靠“将军”(大黄的别称)开通道路,才能使肝脾通畅,推陈出新,清阳上升而浊阴下降,骨蒸潮热自然消除,痨症自然痊愈。然而必须将大黄蒸熟后加入滋补药剂中治疗,这样才能通补兼施,两全其效。
[Valerian Grass / Jing Jie Cao]
Sweet, neutral. Enters the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Specifically treats Toufeng (head wind/pain) and Muye (corneal opacity), capable of treating Ganji Shangjing (eye damage caused by pediatric malnutrition/Gan syndrome). For Fengshi Houbi (wind-dampness throat obstruction), it can also be used as an adjuvant. Paired with Dilong (Earthworm) and Ruxiang (Frankincense) for nasal fumigation, it treats Naotong (brain pain). Paired with Ha Fen (Clam Shell Powder) and Zhu Gan (Pig Liver), it treats post-smallpox Muye. Steamed with Ren Ru (Human Milk) or Tong Bian (Child's Urine), processed according to symptoms. Contraindicated in eye diseases due to Blood Deficiency.
Also known as Zhuyuan Sui.
[Dahuang / Rhubarb]
Sweet, cold. Pale and permeating. Enters the Blood aspect of the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian and Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian. Removes fullness and oppression below the umbilicus, dissipates Damp-Heat in the Bladder. Obtained with Lacha (Cured Tea) and Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger), it treats Longmi (difficulty in urination). Obtained with Huashi (Talcum) and Gancao Shao (Tip of Licorice Root), it treats Gaolin (milky urine/gonorrheal discharge). Obtained with Zhizi (Gardenia Fruit), it treats Re Kuang (heat-induced mania). Obtained with Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala), Gancao (Licorice Root), and Qianniu (Pharbitis Seed), it treats Pi Shi Zhongman (swelling and distension due to Spleen Dampness). Contraindicated in cases of Zhen Yin Bu Zu (Insufficiency of True Yin).
Acrid, bitter, cold. Treats Ming Ji Yong Ju (named carbuncles and ulcers), Wu Ming Zhong Du (unnamed swelling and toxicity), and concurrently treats Ru Ji (breast furuncle) and Ding (carbuncle-like sore).
(Category 27: Toxic Herbs)
Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root) is its guiding herb. Dislikes Ganshi (Dry Lacquer). Avoids Cold Water.
Bitter, very cold. Enters the Blood aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its nature is sinking and not floating; its action moves but does not stay. It sweeps away pathogenic stagnation in the intestines and stomach, removes blood stasis from the meridians, rolls away stubborn phlegm, disperses heat and toxicity. It is suitable when Heat-Toxin in the blood is abundant at the initial stage of smallpox/rash. Obtained with Xingren (Apricot Seed), it treats traumatic blood stasis. Obtained with Sheng Di Huang Zhi (Juice of Rehmannia Root), it treats hematemesis and stabbing pain. Obtained with Mu Li (Oyster Shell) and Jiang Can (Silkworm), it treats epidemic sores and severe conditions. Paired with Tao Ren (Peach Kernel), it treats female blood amenorrhea. Combined with Mang Xiao (Mirabilite), it treats yellowing due to Shanghan (Cold Damage). With Chuan Lian (Coptis Chinensis), it treats Shanghan Piman (epigastric fullness/stuffiness due to Cold Damage). To act quickly and descend, use raw. To act slowly, use decocted. To ascend, use wine-steamed and stir-fried. To break blood stasis, stir-fry with Jiu Zhi (Leek Juice). Add Jiang Can (Silkworm) and Jiang Hu (Ginger Paste) to make pills, taken with honey water, to treat Datou Wen (Big Head Plague/Epidermal Erysipelas). Contraindicated in Blood Dryness Amenorrhea, Blood Deficiency Constipation, and diseases located in the Qi aspect rather than the Blood aspect.
Strange Syndrome: When moxibustion sores grow into sheets of flesh, unbearable in pain, this indicates extreme heat in flesh and blood. Use Xiao (Mirabilite) and Huang (Rhubarb), each 5 qian, delivered with water. Recovery occurs upon mild purgation.
Zhang Zhongjing's Bailao Wan uses Dahuang to manage Lao Shang (consumptive injury). Since internal heat persists for a long time, blood stasis stops in the meridians, one must rely on the "General" (nickname for Rhubarb) to open the path, so that the Liver and Spleen become smooth, pushing out the old to bring forth the new, clear Yang ascends and turbid Yin descends, bone-steaming fever is removed, and consumptive disease heals itself. However, it must be steamed ripe and added to tonifying formulas to treat it, thereby achieving both unblocking and tonifying effects.