泻湿热、祛风。
大苦燥湿。大寒胜热。沉降入肾。消痈解毒。明目止泪。（泪为肝热。）治梦遗滑精。（白
术
牡蛎倍之、雄猪肚丸、亦治赤白带下。）热痢血痢。（纯下清血者、风伤肝也、宜散风凉血。
）肠风泻血。溺赤黄胆。又能祛风（热极生风。）杀虫。（虫因湿生。）治大风疥癞眉脱。又
能
解酒毒。（酒为湿热之最。）肝肾虚而无热者忌。（其气能伤肾、沈括梦溪笔谈云∶久用苦参
擦牙、逐病腰痛、由其气伤肾也。）糯米泔浸去腥气。蒸。元参为使。恶贝母、菟丝、漏芦
。反藜芦。
泻肝胆火、下焦湿热。
大苦大寒。沉阴下行。入肝胆而泻火。兼入膀胱肾经。除下焦之湿热。与防己同功。酒
浸。
亦能外行上行。治骨间寒热。（肾主骨。）惊痫邪气。（肝经风火。）时气温热。热痢疸黄。脚
肿而痛者、为湿香港脚、宜清热利湿搜风、痛而不肿、挛缩枯细
者、名干香港脚、宜养血润燥舒筋。）咽喉风热。赤睛弩肉。（泻肝胆火、能明目、元素曰∶柴
胡为主、龙胆为使、目疾要药。凡目疾初起、宜发散、忌寒凉。）痈疽疮疥。大损胃气。
无实火者忌之。甘草水浸一宿。曝用。小豆、贯众为使。忌地黄。
泻火燥湿。
大苦大寒。入心泻火。（海藏曰∶泻心实泻脾也、实则泻其子。）镇肝凉血。（凡治血、
防风
为上部之使、黄连为中部之使、地榆为下部之使。）燥湿开郁。解渴除烦。消心瘀。（能去心
窍恶血。）止盗汗。（凉心。）治热毒诸痢。（致痢之由不一、若止因湿热而气实者、连为要药
、嘉言曰∶治痢必先汗解其外、后调其内、首用辛凉以解表、次用苦寒以清里。痢有虚实
寒热之分、白属气分、红属血分、红热白寒之说非也、须凭脉证、而为凉泻温补。）痞满嘈
杂。吞酸吐酸。（因肝火郁而成者、同吴萸降火开郁。）腹痛心痛伏梁。（心积。）目痛 伤。
（人乳浸点、或合归芍等分、煎汤热洗、散热活血、亦佳。）痈疽疮疥。（诸疮痛痒、皆属心
火。）酒毒明目。定惊止呕。（热郁恶心、兀兀欲吐、可用数分。）解毒除疳。杀蛔。蛔得苦
则伏。）虚寒为病。大忌。（久服黄连苦参、反热从火化也、盖炎上作苦、味苦必燥、燥则热
矣、且苦寒沉阴肃杀、伐伤生和之气也。或用甘草以调其苦、或加人参以节制之、其庶几
乎。）黄连种数甚多。雅州连，细长弯曲。微黄无毛。有硬刺。马湖连，色黑细毛。绣花针
头硬刺。形如鸡爪。此二种最佳。云南连，体松。软毛。无硬刺。古勇连，（产云南古勇山
。）体重无毛。无硬刺。此二种次之。水连头。（又名鲁连、产川中。）体松。有毛。无硬刺
。又次之。新山连。（产广西。）光黄性重。断则淡黄色。土连。（产处州。）色黑。团节。（
马药中用之。）鸡屎连。色黑细小。断则淡绿色。以上三种。服之害人。云景连。（产云南。
）色黑。断则红色。不入药。川中种连。色黄。软毛。无硬刺。味微苦而薄。服之无效。去
毛。治心火。生用。肝胆火。猪胆汁炒。上焦火、酒炒。中焦火、姜汁炒。下焦火、盐水炒
。（或童便炒。）食积火、黄土炒。湿热在气分。吴萸汤炒。在血分。醋炒。（时珍曰∶诸法
不独为之引导、盖辛热制其苦寒、咸寒制其燥性、用者详之。）黄芩、龙骨为使。恶菊花、
元参、僵蚕、白藓皮。畏款冬、牛膝。忌猪肉。（时珍曰∶方有脏连丸、黄连猪肚丸、岂忌
肉而不忌脏腑乎。）杀乌头、巴豆毒。
【苦参】
清除湿热，祛除湿邪。
气味大苦而能燥湿，大寒而能胜热。药性沉降，入肾经。能消除痈肿、解毒、明目止泪。（眼泪多因肝热所致。）治疗梦遗滑精。（若配合白术和牡蛎加倍用量，制成雄猪肚丸，也能治疗赤白带下。）治疗热痢和血痢。（如果纯粹排出清血，是风邪损伤肝脏所致，适宜疏散风邪、凉血止血。）治疗肠风便血、小便赤黄及黄疸。又能祛风（热极生风）。杀虫（虫因湿气而生）。治疗严重的风疹疥癣、眉毛脱落。又能解酒毒。（酒是湿热之最。）肝肾虚而无热者忌用。（其气能伤肾，沈括在《梦溪笔谈》中说：长期用苦参擦牙，会导致腰痛，是因为其气伤了肾。）用糯米泔水浸泡以去除腥气，然后蒸制。以玄参为引经药。与贝母、菟丝子、漏芦相恶。与藜芦相反。
【龙胆草】
清泻肝胆之火，清除下焦湿热。
气味大苦大寒。性质沉阴下行。入肝胆经以泻火。兼入膀胱和肾经。清除下焦的湿热。功效与防己相同。用酒浸泡后，也能向外向上行散。治疗骨间寒热。（肾主骨。）惊痫邪气。（肝经风火。）时气温热病、热痢、黄疸。脚部肿胀疼痛的，称为湿香港脚，适宜清热利湿搜风；疼痛但不肿胀，肌肉挛缩枯细的，称为干香港脚，适宜养血润燥舒筋。）治疗咽喉风热、眼睛红赤有翳膜。（清泻肝胆之火，能明目，李东垣说：柴胡为主药，龙胆草为使药，是治疗眼疾的要药。凡是眼疾初起，适宜发散，忌用寒凉药物。）治疗痈疽疮疥。但会大损胃气。没有实火者忌用。用甘草水浸泡一夜，晒干使用。以小豆、贯众为引经药。忌用地黄。
【黄连】
清泻火热，燥湿。
气味大苦大寒。入心经以泻火。（张元素说：泻心实则就是泻脾，因为心为脾之母，实则泻其子。）镇肝凉血。（凡治疗血证，防风为上部的使药，黄连为中部的使药，地榆为下部的使药。）燥湿开郁，解渴除烦。消除心窍瘀血。（能去除心窍中的恶血。）止盗汗。（通过凉心实现。）治疗热毒引起的各种痢疾。（导致痢疾的原因不一，如果只是因湿热且正气充足，黄连是主要药物。喻嘉言说：治痢必须先解表，后调里，首先用辛凉药解表，其次用苦寒药清里。痢疾有虚实寒热之分，白色属气分，红色属血分，“红热白寒”的说法是不对的，必须根据脉证，决定是用凉泻还是温补。）治疗痞满嘈杂、吞酸吐酸。（如果是因肝火郁结而成，可同吴茱萸一起使用以降火开郁。）治疗腹痛、心痛、伏梁。（心积。）目痛受惊。（用人乳浸泡滴眼，或与当归、芍药等量煎汤热敷，散热活血，效果也很好。）治疗痈疽疮疥。（各种疮疡痛痒，都归属于心火。）解酒毒，明目。定惊止呕。（热郁导致的恶心，感觉想吐，可用少量黄连。）解毒除疳，杀蛔虫。（蛔虫遇到苦味就会潜伏。）虚寒病症大忌。（长期服用黄连、苦参，反而会使热从火化，因为炎上作苦，味苦必燥，燥则生热，况且苦寒沉阴肃杀，会伐伤生机和顺之气。或者用甘草来调和其苦性，或加入人参来制约它，这样就差不多了。）黄连的品种很多。雅州连，细长弯曲，微黄无毛，有硬刺。马湖连，色黑有细毛，绣花针头般的硬刺，形状像鸡爪。这两种最好。云南连，体松，软毛，无硬刺。古勇连，（产于云南古勇山），体重无毛，无硬刺。这两种次之。水连头，（又名鲁连，产于四川中部），体松，有毛，无硬刺。又次之。新山连，（产于广西），光黄色，质地重，折断后呈淡黄色。土连，（产于处州），色黑，呈团节状。（用于马药中。）鸡屎连，色黑细小，折断后呈淡绿色。以上三种，服用对人有害。云景连，（产于云南），色黑，折断后呈红色，不入药用。四川中部产的连，色黄，软毛，无硬刺，味道微苦而薄，服用无效。去毛，用于治疗心火，生用。治疗肝胆火，用猪胆汁炒。上焦火，用酒炒。中焦火，用姜汁炒。下焦火，用盐水炒。（或用童便炒。）食积火，用黄土炒。湿热在气分，用吴茱萸汤炒。在血分，用醋炒。（李时珍说：这些炮制方法不仅仅是为了引导药力，更是用辛热来制约其苦寒，用咸寒来制约其燥性，使用者需仔细斟酌。）以黄芩、龙骨为引经药。与菊花、玄参、僵蚕、白鲜皮相恶。畏款冬花、牛膝。忌猪肉。（李时珍说：方剂中有脏连丸、黄连猪肚丸，难道只忌肉而不忌脏腑吗？）能解乌头、巴豆的毒。
[Shenkushen (Radix Sophorae Flavescentis)]
Clears damp-heat, dispels wind.
Extremely bitter and drying for dampness; extremely cold and overcoming heat. Its nature is descending and sinking, entering the Kidney channel. It eliminates carbuncles, detoxifies, brightens the eyes, and stops tearing. (Tears are caused by Liver heat.) Treats nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea. (When combined with Atractylodis Rhizoma (Baizhu) and Ostreae Concha (Muli) in double dosage, formed into pills with male pig stomach, it also treats red and white leukorrhea.) Treats dysenteric diarrhea with heat and bloody dysentery. (If pure clear blood is passed, it indicates wind damaging the Liver; dispersing wind and cooling blood is appropriate.) Treats intestinal wind bleeding, dark yellow urine, and jaundice. It can also dispel wind (wind arises from extreme heat). Kills parasites (parasites arise from dampness). Treats severe wind sores, leprosy, and eyebrow loss. It can also resolve alcohol toxicity. (Alcohol is the utmost of damp-heat.) Contraindicated for deficiency of Liver and Kidney without heat. (Its qi can damage the Kidney; Shen Kuo in *Dream Pool Essays* stated: Long-term use of Shenkuishen to brush teeth leads to lower back pain because its qi damages the Kidney.) Soak in rice water to remove fishy odor, then steam. Use Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen) as a guiding herb. Adversely interacts with Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu), Cuscutae Semen (Tusizi), and Leuzeae Radix (Loulu). Incompatible with Veratrum Rhizome (Lilu).
[Longdancao (Radix Gentianae)]
Drains Liver and Gallbladder fire, clears damp-heat in the Lower Jiao.
Extremely bitter and extremely cold. Yin and descending in nature. Enters the Liver and Gallbladder channels to drain fire. Also enters the Bladder and Kidney channels. Removes damp-heat from the Lower Jiao. Has similar efficacy to Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix (Fangji). After wine soaking, it can also move outward and upward. Treats cold and heat alternating in the bones. (The Kidney governs the bones.) Convulsions and epilepsy due to pathogenic qi. (Wind-fire in the Liver channel.) Seasonal warm febrile diseases, dysenteric diarrhea with heat, jaundice. Swollen and painful feet indicate "Damp Hong Kong Foot" (Gout/Damp Bi); clearing heat, promoting urination to remove dampness, and searching for wind is appropriate. Painful but non-swollen, with spasms, atrophy, and thinness indicates "Dry Hong Kong Foot" (Dry Bi); nourishing blood, moistening dryness, and relaxing sinews is appropriate. Treats wind-heat in the throat, red eyes with pterygium. (Draining Liver and Gallbladder fire brightens the eyes; Li Dongyuan said: Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu) is the chief herb, Gentianae Radix (Longdancao) is the assistant herb, essential for eye diseases. For early-stage eye diseases, dispersion is appropriate; cold herbs are contraindicated.) Treats carbuncles, ulcers, sores, and scabies. However, it severely damages Stomach qi. Contraindicated for those without excess fire. Soak in Licorice Root (Gancao) water overnight, then sun-dry. Use Vigna Angularis Semen (Xiaodou) and Cyathulae Radix (Guanzhong) as guiding herbs. Contraindicated with Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang).
[Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis)]
Drains fire, dries dampness.
Extremely bitter and extremely cold. Enters the Heart channel to drain fire. (Zhang Yuansu said: Draining Heart excess is draining Spleen excess, because one drains the child when the mother is excess.) Calms the Liver and cools blood. (In treating blood disorders, Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng) is the guide for the Upper Jiao, Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) is the guide for the Middle Jiao, and Sanguisorbae Radix (Diyu) is the guide for the Lower Jiao.) Dries dampness, opens depression, relieves thirst, and removes irritability. Eliminates Heart blood stasis. (Removes evil blood from the Heart orifices.) Stops night sweats. (By cooling the Heart.) Treats various dysenteries caused by heat toxins. (Causes of dysentery vary; if solely due to damp-heat with excess qi, Huanglian is the key herb. Yu Jiayan said: Treating dysentery requires first resolving the exterior, then regulating the interior; initially use acrid-cool herbs to release the exterior, subsequently use bitter-cold herbs to clear the interior. Dysentery has distinctions of deficiency/excess and cold/heat; white discharge belongs to the Qi level, red discharge to the Blood level. The theory that 'red is heat and white is cold' is incorrect; treatment must be based on pulse and symptoms to decide between cooling purgation or warming tonification.) Treats epigastric fullness, burning sensation, acid regurgitation. (If caused by Liver fire stagnation, combine with Evodiae Fructus (Wuyu) to descend fire and open depression.) Treats abdominal pain, heart pain, and Fuliang accumulation. (Heart accumulation.) Eye pain due to injury/shock. (Instill soaked in human milk, or decoct equal parts of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Guizhi - *Note: Context implies Danggui/Shao Yao usually, text says Gui Shao*) and Paeoniae Radix (Shaoyao) for hot washing to dissipate heat and invigorate blood, which is also good.) Treats carbuncles, ulcers, sores, and scabies. (All sores with pain and itching belong to Heart fire.) Resolves alcohol toxicity, brightens eyes. Calms fright and stops vomiting. (For nausea due to heat stagnation, feeling like vomiting, a small amount can be used.) Detoxifies, eliminates infantile malnutrition, kills roundworms. (Roundworms subside when encountering bitterness.) Contraindicated for deficiency-cold conditions. (Long-term use of Huanglian and Shenkuishen may cause heat to transform from fire, because rising flame creates bitterness, bitter taste causes dryness, and dryness generates heat. Moreover, bitter-cold, sinking, yin, and austere properties damage the vital and harmonious qi. One may use Licorice Root (Gancao) to moderate its bitterness, or add Ginseng Radix (Renshen) to restrain it, which would be acceptable.) There are many varieties of Huanglian. Yazhou Lian is long, thin, curved, slightly yellow, hairless, with hard spines. Malihu Lian is black, fine-haired, with hard spines like embroidery needle heads, shaped like chicken claws. These two are the best. Yunnan Lian is loose, soft-haired, without hard spines. Guyong Lian (produced in Guyong Mountain, Yunnan) is heavy, hairless, without hard spines. These two are next best. Shuilian Tou (also called Lulian, produced in central Sichuan) is loose, hairy, without hard spines. Next is Xinshan Lian (produced in Guangxi), glossy yellow, heavy, breaking to reveal pale yellow. Tulian (produced in Chuzhou) is black, knotty. (Used in veterinary medicine.) Jishilian is black, fine, breaking to reveal pale green. The above three types are harmful if taken. Yunjing Lian (produced in Yunnan) is black, breaking to reveal red; not used in medicine. Central Sichuan Lian is yellow, soft-haired, without hard spines, slightly bitter and thin in taste; ineffective if taken. Remove hairs; used for Heart fire, raw. For Liver/Gallbladder fire, stir-fry with Pig Bile. For Upper Jiao fire, stir-fry with Wine. For Middle Jiao fire, stir-fry with Ginger Juice. For Lower Jiao fire, stir-fry with Salt Water. (Or stir-fry with Child's Urine.) For Food Stagnation fire, stir-fry with Yellow Earth. For damp-heat in the Qi level, stir-fry with Evodia Decoction. In the Blood level, stir-fry with Vinegar. (Li Shizhen said: These methods are not only for guidance, but also to use acrid-hot to restrain bitter-cold, and salty-cold to restrain dryness; users should deliberate carefully.) Use Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) and Dragon Bone (Longgu) as guiding herbs. Adversely interacts with Chrysanthemi Flos (Juhua), Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen), Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan), and Dictamni Cortex (Baixianpi). Feared by Kadsurae Flos (Kuandong) and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi). Contraindicated with Pork. (Li Shizhen said: Formulas include Zanglian Wan and Huanglian Zhu Du Wan; why forbid meat but not organs?) Can neutralize the toxicity of Aconiti Radix Preparata (Wutou) and Crotonis Fructus (Badou).