一名草决明
泻肝，明目
味苦微寒。入厥阴（肝）。祛风热，镇肝明目。治青盲障翳，虫疥恶疮。瞳子散大者忌
服（能助相火）。
类鸡冠而穗尖长。
泻肝，明目
甘苦咸平。入肝经，除风热。治一切目疾，故有决明之名。又曰∶益肾精（瞳子神光属
肾。日华曰∶明目甚于黑豆，作枕治头风）。
状如马蹄决明。捣碎煎。恶大麻仁。
宣，温中
辛温。温中明目，耐风寒，下水气（时珍曰∶古人种蓼为蔬，收子入药，今为酒曲用其
汁耳。以香蓼、青蓼、紫蓼为良）。
有香蓼、青蓼、紫蓼、赤蓼、木蓼、水蓼、马蓼。
轻，解热，外用敷疮
辛平轻虚。清肺解热（东垣普济消毒饮中用之），散血止嗽。
治喉痹咽痛（吹喉中良，或加白矾，或硝扫喉，取吐痰愈），鼻衄失音，外用敷诸疮良。
生湿地朽木上。状如肺肝，紫色虚软，弹之粉出，取粉用。
泻热，外用治疮
苦温微甘。有小毒，利大肠。
治泻痢疳积，瘰 疮痔，乳痈蚌毒。消肿追毒，生肌除 （音旱，黑斑），专入外科。
核扁如鳖，绿色。拣去油者，能毒狗。
补心脾，通，行水
甘温益脾助阳，淡渗利窍除湿。色白入肺泻热，而下通膀胱（能通心气于肾，使热从小
便出，然必其上行入肺，能清化源，而后能下降利水也），宁心益气，调营理卫，定魄安魂
（营主血，卫主气，肺藏魄，肝藏魂）。
治忧恚惊悸（心肝不足），心下结痛，寒热烦满，口焦舌干（口为脾窍，舌为心苗。火
下降则热除），咳逆（肺火）呕哕（胃火），膈中痰水（脾虚），水肿淋沥，泄泻（渗湿）遗
精（益心肾。若虚寒遗溺、泄精者，又当用温热之剂峻补其下。忌用茯苓淡渗之药）。小便
结者能通，多者能止（湿除则便自止），生津止渴（湿热去则津生），退热安胎。
松根灵气结成，以大块、坚白者良。去皮，乳拌蒸，多拌良。
白者入肺、膀胱气分，赤者入心、小肠气分（时珍曰∶白入气，赤入血），补心脾白胜，
利湿热赤胜。恶白蔹。畏地榆、秦艽、龟甲、雄黄。忌醋。
皮，专能行水，治水肿肤胀（以皮行皮之义，五皮散用之。凡肿而烦渴，便秘溺赤，属
阳水，宜五皮散、疏凿饮；不烦渴，大便溏，小便数，属阴水，宜实脾饮、流气饮。腰以上
肿，宜汗；腰以下肿，宜利小便）。
【青葙子】
别名草决明。
功效：清泻肝火，明目。
性味归经：味苦，微寒。入厥阴肝经。
作用：祛除风热，平抑肝阳以明目。治疗青盲（视力模糊或失明）、内障翳膜、虫疥及恶疮。瞳孔散大者忌服（因其能助长相火）。
形态特征：形状像鸡冠，但穗尖细长。
【决明子】
功效：清泻肝火，明目。
性味归经：味甘、苦、咸，性平。入肝经，清除风热。治疗各种眼疾，因此得名“决明”。另有说法认为其能补益肾精（瞳孔的神光归属于肾。日华子说：其明目效果甚于黑豆，用其做枕头可治疗头风）。
形态特征：形状像马蹄状的决明。使用时捣碎后煎煮。与大麻仁相畏（不宜同用）。
【蓼实】
功效：宣散，温中。
性味归经：味辛，性温。温中焦脾胃，明目，耐寒抗风，利水气（李时珍说：古人种植蓼作为蔬菜，收取种子入药，现在是用它的汁液来制作酒曲。以香蓼、青蓼、紫蓼为优良品种）。
种类：有香蓼、青蓼、紫蓼、赤蓼、木蓼、水蓼、马蓼等。
【茯苓皮】
功效：轻扬，解热，外用敷治疮疡。
性味归经：味辛，性平，质地轻虚。清肺热（东垣的普济消毒饮中使用它），散血止嗽。
主治：治疗喉痹咽痛（吹入喉中效果好，或加白矾，或用芒硝扫喉，催吐痰涎而愈），鼻出血失音，外用敷治各种疮疡效果良好。
生长环境与形态：生长在潮湿腐烂的树木上。形状像肺和肝，呈紫色，质地虚软，弹击时有粉末飞出，取粉末使用。
【猪苓】
功效：清热，外用治疗疮疡。
性味归经：味苦，性温，微甘。有小毒，通利大肠。
主治：治疗泄痢、疳积、瘰疬、疮痔、乳痈、蚌毒。消肿排脓，生肌除斑（音旱，指黑斑），专用于外科。
形态特征：核扁平如鳖甲，绿色。拣去含油多的部分，否则能毒死狗。
【茯苓】
功效：补心脾，通利，行水。
性味归经：味甘，性温，能补益脾气、助阳气；味淡，能渗湿利窍。
作用机理：色白入肺以泻热，向下通利膀胱（能通心气于肾，使热邪从小便排出，但这必须建立在肺气上行入肺，能清化水源，然后才能下降利水的基础上）。宁心安神，益气，调和营卫，定魄安魂（营气主血，卫气主气，肺藏魄，肝藏魂）。
主治：治疗忧思惊恐导致的悸动（因心肝不足），心下结痛，寒热烦闷，口焦舌干（口是脾之窍，舌是心之苗。火气下降则热除），咳逆（肺火），呕吐呃逆（胃火），膈间痰水（脾虚），水肿淋沥，泄泻（渗湿），遗精（补益心肾。若是虚寒导致的遗尿、泄精，则应当使用温热药剂峻补下元，忌用茯苓这种淡渗的药物）。小便不通者能通利，小便过多者能止住（湿气去除则小便自止），生津止渴（湿热去除则津液生成），退热安胎。
采收与炮制：由松根灵气凝结而成，以大块、坚硬、白色者为佳。去皮，用乳汁拌蒸，多拌几次效果更好。
归经与配伍禁忌：白色的茯苓入肺、膀胱的气分，红色的茯苓入心、小肠的气分（李时珍说：白色入气分，红色入血分）。补益心脾以白色者胜，利湿热以红色者胜。与白蔹相恶。畏惧地榆、秦艽、龟甲、雄黄。忌食醋。
茯苓皮：专门能行水，治疗水肿肤胀（这是“以皮行皮”的道理，五皮散中用到它。凡是肿胀且伴有烦渴、便秘、尿赤的，属于阳水，宜用五皮散、疏凿饮；不烦渴、大便溏、小便频数的，属于阴水，宜用实脾饮、流气饮。腰以上肿，宜发汗；腰以下肿，宜利小便）。
[Qiangzi (Celosia Seed)]
Also known as Caojueming.
Action: Clears Liver fire, brightens the eyes.
Properties and Meridians: Bitter in taste, slightly cold. Enters the Jueyin (Liver) meridian.
Effects: Disperses wind-heat, calms the Liver to brighten the eyes. Treats Qingmang (visual impairment or blindness), cataracts, insect-related skin sores, and severe ulcers. Contraindicated for those with dilated pupils (as it may assist Xianghuo [Ministerial Fire]).
Morphology: Resembles a cockscomb but with long, pointed spikes.
[Juemingzi (Cassia Seed)]
Action: Clears Liver fire, brightens the eyes.
Properties and Meridians: Sweet, bitter, and salty in taste, neutral in nature. Enters the Liver meridian, dispels wind-heat. Treats all types of eye diseases, hence the name Jueming. It is also said to benefit Kidney essence (the spiritual light of the pupil belongs to the Kidney. Ri Hua stated: Its ability to brighten the eyes surpasses that of black beans; making pillows with it treats head wind).
Morphology: Resembles horse hooves. Crush before decoction. Incompatible with Dama Ren (Cannabis Seed).
[Liaoshi (Polygonum Fruit)]
Action: Diffusing, warming the Middle Jiao.
Properties and Meridians: Pungent in taste, warm in nature. Warms the Middle Jiao, brightens the eyes, resists wind and cold, promotes urination (Li Shizhen noted: Ancients cultivated Polygonum as vegetables and used its seeds for medicine; now its juice is mainly used for brewing yeast. Fragrant Polygonum, Green Polygonum, and Purple Polygonum are considered superior).
Varieties: Includes Fragrant Polygonum, Green Polygonum, Purple Polygonum, Red Polygonum, Woody Polygonum, Aquatic Polygonum, and Horse Polygonum.
[Fuling Pi (Poria Peel)]
Action: Light, clearing heat, externally applied for sores.
Properties and Meridians: Pungent in taste, neutral in nature, light and void in texture. Clears Lung heat (used in Dong Yuan's Puji Xiaodu Yin), disperses blood stasis, stops cough.
Indications: Treats Houbi (sore throat) and pharyngeal pain (effective when insufflated into the throat, or combined with Bai Fan [Alumen] or Xiao [Natrii Sulfas] to sweep the throat, inducing vomiting of phlegm for cure); epistaxis and aphonia; externally applied to various sores with good effect.
Habitat and Morphology: Grows on damp, rotting wood. Resembles lungs and liver, purple in color, soft and spongy; powder appears when tapped, which is collected for use.
[Zhuling (Polyporus)]
Action: Clearing heat, externally treating sores.
Properties and Meridians: Bitter in taste, warm in nature, slightly sweet. Slightly toxic, promotes large intestine function.
Indications: Treats dysentery, gan accumulation, scrofula, sores and hemorrhoids, mastitis, and蚌毒 (frog/toad poisoning). Reduces swelling, draws out toxins, generates flesh, removes maculae (sound 'han', referring to dark spots); specialized for external medicine.
Morphology: Seeds are flat like turtle shells, green in color. Select those without oil content, as oily ones can poison dogs.
[Fuling (Poria)]
Action: Tonifying Heart and Spleen, promoting unobstructed flow, moving water.
Properties and Meridians: Sweet in taste, warm in nature; tonifies Spleen Qi and assists Yang; bland in taste, promotes diuresis and drains dampness.
Mechanism: White color enters the Lung to clear heat, descending to unblock the Bladder (can transmit Heart Qi to the Kidney, allowing heat to exit via urine, but this requires Lung Qi to ascend first to clear and transform the source, then descend to promote diuresis). Calms the mind, benefits Qi, harmonizes Ying and Wei, stabilizes Po and secures Hun (Ying governs Blood, Wei governs Qi, Lung stores Po, Liver stores Hun).
Indications: Treats palpitations due to worry and fright (due to Heart and Liver deficiency), knot-like pain below the heart, alternating chills and fever, irritability and fullness, dry mouth and tongue (mouth is the opening of the Spleen, tongue is the sprout of the Heart; downward movement of fire eliminates heat); cough and rebellion (Lung fire); vomiting and hiccups (Stomach fire); phlegm-fluid in the chest (Spleen deficiency); edema and dribbling urination; diarrhea (draining dampness); spermatorrhea (tonifying Heart and Kidney. For deficiency-cold causing enuresis or seminal emission, warm and tonifying herbs should be used to strongly tonify the lower body; bland-draining herbs like Fuling are contraindicated). Unblocks urinary retention, stops polyuria (removal of dampness stops excessive urination naturally); generates fluids and quenches thirst (generation of fluids upon removal of damp-heat); reduces fever and calms the fetus.
Harvest and Processing: Formed by the spiritual energy of pine roots; large, hard, and white pieces are superior. Remove peel, steam with milk mixture; multiple mixings are beneficial.
Meridian Tropism and Incompatibilities: White Fuling enters the Qi aspect of the Lung and Bladder; red Fuling enters the Qi aspect of the Heart and Small Intestine (Li Shizhen stated: White enters Qi, Red enters Blood). White is superior for tonifying Heart and Spleen; red is superior for draining damp-heat. Antagonistic with Bailian (Ampelopsis Radix). Averse to Diyuyu (Sanguisorba Root), Qinjiao (Gentiana Macrophylla Root), Guijia (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), and Xionghuang (Realgar). Avoid vinegar.
Fuling Pi (Poria Peel): Specifically moves water, treating edema and abdominal distension (principle of "treating skin with skin," used in Wupi San. For swelling with irritability/thirst, constipation, and dark urine, classified as Yang Edema, use Wupi San or Shuzao Yin; for swelling without irritability/thirst, loose stools, and frequent urination, classified as Yin Edema, use Shipi Yin or Liqi Yin. Swelling above the waist should be treated with sweating methods; swelling below the waist should be treated with diuretics).