一名灯笼草，俗名挂金灯
苦寒，无毒。
《本经》主热烦满，定志，益气，利水道。
发明 酸浆利湿除热清肺，治咳化痰，痰热去而志定气和矣。又主咽喉肿痛。盖此草治
热痰咳嗽，佛耳草治寒痰咳嗽。故其主治各有专司也。
一名苦菜，又名鹿肠，根作败酱气，故名。
苦平，无毒。
《本经》主暴热火疮，赤气疥瘙，疽痔，马鞍热气。
发明 败酱乃手阳明、厥阴药。善除暴热火疮，皆取苦寒散毒之用。其治疽痔马鞍热气
，以其性专下泄也。《金匮》薏苡附子败酱散，治肠痈固结未溃，故取薏苡下达，败酱苦降
，附子开结，而为热因热用之向导，深得《本经》之旨。若脓成热毒势胀不可用也。而妇人
下部疽蚀，方中亦恒用之。近世医师罕有识者，惟徽人采取笮干，曰苦笮菜，惜乎，不知治
疗之功用也。
辛温，无毒。紫色有白丝者真。蜜水拌微炒。
《本经》主咳逆上气，善喘喉痹，诸惊痫，寒热邪气。
发明 款冬味辛入气分，色紫归血分，虽其性温，却不燥血，故能轻扬上达。观《本经
》主治，一皆气升火炎之病。古方用为温肺，治咳嗽之要药。润肺消痰，止嗽定喘，喉痹喉
喑，肺痿肺痈，咸宜用之。有人病咳多日，或令燃款冬花三两放无风处，以管吸其烟咽之，
数日果愈。嫠寡失合，阴虚劳嗽禁用，以其性温也。
【酸浆】
别名灯笼草，俗称挂金灯。
味苦、性寒，无毒。
《神农本草经》记载其主治热邪引起的烦闷胀满，安定神志，补益元气，通利水道。
【发明】酸浆能利湿、清热、清肺，治疗咳嗽并化解痰液，当痰热去除后，神志自然安定，气机调和。此外，它主要治疗咽喉肿痛。大概是因为此草专门治疗热痰咳嗽，而佛耳草专门治疗寒痰咳嗽，所以它们的主治功能各有专长。
【败酱草】
别名苦菜，又名鹿肠，因其根部具有败酱的气味，所以得名。
味苦、性平，无毒。
《神农本草经》记载其主治突然爆发的火热疮疡，皮肤红肿瘙痒疥癣，痈疽痔疮，以及马鞍接触部位产生的热气（指因摩擦或湿热引起的局部病变）。
【发明】败酱草是手阳明大肠经和足厥阴肝经的药物。善于消除突然爆发的火热疮疡，都是利用其苦寒之性来消散毒邪的作用。它治疗痈疽痔疮及马鞍热气，是因为其药性专于向下泄导。《金匮要略》中的薏苡附子败酱散，用于治疗肠痈（肠道化脓性炎症）结实但未溃破的情况，因此选用薏苡仁下达，败酱草苦降，附子开结，作为“热因热用”原则的向导，深得《神农本草经》的宗旨。如果脓液已经形成，热毒势盛且肿胀明显，则不可使用。而在治疗妇女下部疮疡腐蚀的方剂中，也常常使用它。近代医生很少有人认识它的功效，只有徽州人采取并压榨干燥，称为“苦笮菜”，可惜他们不知道其治疗功用。
【款冬花】
味辛、性温，无毒。以紫色带有白色丝状物的为真品。用蜜水拌过后微炒。
《神农本草经》记载其主治咳嗽气逆，喘息，喉痹（咽喉肿痛闭塞），各种惊风癫痫，以及寒热邪气。
【发明】款冬花味辛入气分，色紫归血分，虽然其性温，却不会燥伤血液，因此能够轻扬上行。观察《神农本草经》的主治内容，都是针对气机上逆、火炎上扰的疾病。古方将其作为温肺、治疗咳嗽的重要药物。它能润肺消痰，止咳平喘，对于喉痹、声音嘶哑、肺痿、肺痈都适宜使用。曾有人患咳嗽多日，有人让他点燃三两款冬花放在无风处，用管子吸入烟雾咽下，几天后果然痊愈。但是，寡妇等阴虚劳嗽患者禁用，因为其性温。
[Physalis alkekengi]
Also known as Lantern Grass, commonly called Hanging Golden Lamp.
Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states it treats heat-induced vexation and fullness, calms the spirit, benefits qi, and promotes urination.
[Commentary] Physalis alkekengi promotes dampness resolution, clears heat, and purifies the lungs; it treats coughs and transforms phlegm. Once the phlegm-heat is eliminated, the spirit becomes calm and qi harmonizes. It also primarily treats sore throat and swelling. This is because this herb specializes in treating cough due to phlegm-heat, whereas *Pseudognaphalium affine* (Foer Cao) specializes in treating cough due to cold-phlegm. Thus, their primary indications have specific domains.
[Patrinia scabiosifolia]
Also known as Bitter Vegetable, or Deer Intestine. It is named so because its root smells like fermented soybean paste (baijiang).
Bitter in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats sudden-onset hot fire sores, red skin rashes, scabies, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and heat generated from saddle friction.
[Commentary] Patrinia scabiosifolia is a herb for the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine and Foot-Jueyin Liver meridians. It excels at eliminating sudden-onset hot fire sores, utilizing its bitter-cold property to dissipate toxicity. Its treatment of carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and saddle-heat is due to its nature being specifically directed downward. In *Jingui Yaolue*, the formula Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang San (Coix Seed, Aconite, and Patrinia Decoction) is used to treat intestinal abscesses that are consolidated but not yet ulcerated. Therefore, Coix seed is used to direct downwards, Patrinia scabiosifolia to descend bitterly, and Aconite to open stagnation, serving as a guide for the principle of "treating heat with heat." This deeply captures the essence of *Shennong Bencao Jing*. However, if pus has formed and the heat-toxin is severe with significant swelling, it should not be used. It is also frequently used in formulas for treating ulcerative lesions in the lower genital region of women. In recent times, few physicians recognize its efficacy. Only people from Huizhou collect and press-dry it, calling it "Ku Ze Cai" (Bitter Pressed Vegetable), which is a pity, as they do not know its therapeutic functions.
[Adenophora stricta / Coltsfoot Flower - Note: Text refers to Kuan Dong Hua, typically *Farfarae Flos*]**
Pungent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. The authentic variety is purple with white silk-like fibers. It is mixed with honey water and lightly stir-fried.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats cough with rebellious qi, asthma, laryngeal obstruction (Hou Bi), various types of convulsive epilepsy, and pathogenic cold-heat conditions.
[Commentary] Coltsfoot Flower is pungent and enters the Qi level; its purple color enters the Blood level. Although its nature is warm, it does not dry out the blood, allowing it to rise gently and ascend. Observing the indications in *Shennong Bencao Jing*, they all pertain to diseases characterized by ascending qi and flaming fire. Ancient formulas use it as a key herb for warming the lungs and treating coughs. It moistens the lungs, eliminates phlegm, stops coughing, and calms asthma. It is suitable for laryngeal obstruction, hoarseness, lung atrophy (Fei Wei), and lung abscesses (Fei Yong). There was a case where a patient suffered from cough for many days. Someone suggested burning three taels of Coltsfoot Flower in a windless place and inhaling the smoke through a tube. After a few days, the condition indeed resolved. However, it is contraindicated for widows or those with yin deficiency and labor-induced cough, due to its warm nature.