气味苦寒，无毒。主治寒湿风痹、黄胆、补中。《别录》云∶治蛊毒，久服益精气
，轻身。
（茜草《诗》名茹 ，《别录》名地血，一名染绯草，又名过山龙，一名西天王草，又
名风车草。始出乔山山谷及山阴谷中，东间诸处虽有而少，不如西间之多，故字从西。十二
月生苗，蔓延数尺，方茎中空有筋，外有细刺，数寸一节，每节五叶，七八月开花，结实如
小椒，中有细黑子，其根赤色。《周礼》庶氏掌除蛊毒，以嘉草攻之，嘉草者，襄荷与茜也。
主
茜草发于季冬，根赤子黑，气味苦寒，禀少阴水火之气化。方茎五叶，外有细刺，又禀
阳明
金土之气化。主治寒湿风痹者，禀少阴火气而散寒，阳明燥气而除湿，阳明金气而制风也。
得少阴之水化，故清黄胆。《周礼》主除蛊毒，故补中，中土调和，则蛊毒自无矣。《素问
》治气竭肝伤，血枯经闭，故久服益精气，轻身。
《素问·腹中论》岐伯曰∶病名血枯者，此得之年少时，有所大脱血，若醉入房中，气
竭肝
伤，故月事衰少不来。帝曰∶治以何术？岐伯曰∶以四乌贼骨，一 茹，二物并合之，丸以
雀卵，大如小豆，以五丸为后饭，饮以鲍鱼汁，利肠中及伤肝也。 茹当作茹 ，即茜草也
。《本经》下品中有 茹。李时珍引《素问》乌贼骨 茹方注解云∶《素问》 茹，当作茹
而与 音同字异也。愚
谓∶乌贼骨方，当是茜草之茹 ，非下品之 茹也。恐后人
疑而未决，故表正之。
【气味】苦，寒，无毒。主治寒湿风痹、黄疸、补中。《名医别录》说：治疗蛊毒，长期服用能增进精气，使身体轻健。
（茜草在《诗经》中名为“茹藘”，《名医别录》中名为“地血”，又名“染绯草”，又名“过山龙”，又名“西天王草”，又名“风车草”。最初产于乔山山谷及山阴谷中，东方各地虽然也有但数量少，不如西方多，所以字形从“西”。十二月生苗，蔓延数尺，茎方形中空有筋，外面有细刺，几寸一节，每节五叶，七八月开花，结成果实像小花椒，里面有细小的黑籽，其根呈赤色。《周礼》中庶氏掌管清除蛊毒，用嘉草来攻治它，所谓嘉草，就是襄荷与茜草。）
主论：茜草发于季冬，根赤子黑，气味苦寒，禀受少阴水火之气化。茎方形五叶，外有细刺，又禀受阳明金土之气化。主治寒湿风痹的，是禀受少阴火气而散寒，禀受阳明燥气而除湿，禀受阳明金气而制风。得到少阴之水化，所以清利黄疸。《周礼》主治除蛊毒，所以补益中气，中土调和，则蛊毒自然消除。《素问》治疗气竭肝伤、血枯经闭，所以长期服用能增进精气，使身体轻健。
《素问·腹中论》岐伯说：病名血枯的，这是年少时有所大出血，或者醉后行房事，导致气竭肝伤，所以月经衰少不来。黄帝问：用什么方法治疗？岐伯说：用四份乌贼骨，一份茹藘，两物混合，以雀卵为丸，大小如小豆，每次服五丸作为饭后药，用鲍鱼汁送服，以通利肠道并滋养受伤的肝脏。这里的“茹藘”应当写作“茹藘”，即茜草。《神农本草经》下品中有“茹藘”。李时珍引用《素问》乌贼骨茹藘方注解时说：《素问》中的“茹藘”，应当是“茹藘”，读音相同但字形不同。我认为：乌贼骨方中的“茹藘”，应当是茜草的“茹藘”，而不是《神农本草经》下品中的那个“茹藘”。恐怕后人怀疑而不能决断，所以在此加以纠正明确。
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, cold, non-toxic. It treats cold-dampness wind-bi (Wind-Bi syndrome caused by cold-damp pathogens), jaundice, and tonifies the Middle Jiao. *Bielu* states: It treats gu poison (parasitic diseases or toxic accumulation); long-term consumption benefits essence and qi, making the body light and agile.
(Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma is named "Ru Lu" in the *Classic of Poetry*, "Di Xue" in *Bielu*, also known as "Ran Fei Cao", "Guo Shan Long", "Xi Tian Wang Cao", and "Feng Che Cao". It originally grew in the valleys of Qiao Mountain and Shanyin Valley. Although present in eastern regions, it was scarce there compared to the abundance in western regions, hence the character includes the component for "West". Sprouts emerge in the twelfth lunar month, creeping for several chi. The stem is square, hollow with fibrous strands inside, and has fine prickles outside. It has nodes every few inches, with five leaves per node. Flowers bloom in the seventh and eighth months, bearing fruit resembling small peppercorns containing fine black seeds. Its root is reddish. In *Zhou Li*, the official "Shushi" was responsible for removing gu poison, using "Jia Cao" (auspicious herbs) to attack it; "Jia Cao" refers to Xianghe and Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma.)
Main Discussion: Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma emerges in late winter; its root is red and seeds are black, with a bitter and cold flavor, inheriting the Qi transformation of Shaoyin Water and Fire. The square stem and five leaves, along with external prickles, inherit the Qi transformation of Yangming Metal and Earth. To treat cold-dampness wind-bi, it inherits Shaoyin Fire Qi to disperse cold, Yangming Dryness Qi to remove dampness, and Yangming Metal Qi to subdue wind. By obtaining the water transformation of Shaoyin, it clears jaundice. As *Zhou Li* states it removes gu poison, it tonifies the Middle Jiao; when the Middle Earth harmonizes, gu poison naturally dissipates. *Suwen* treats qi exhaustion and liver injury, blood depletion, and amenorrhea; thus, long-term consumption benefits essence and qi, making the body light.
In *Suwen: Fuzhong Lun*, Qibo said: The disease named "Xue Ku" (Blood Depletion) arises from significant blood loss in youth, or from sexual activity while intoxicated, leading to qi exhaustion and liver injury, causing menstrual flow to diminish and cease. The Yellow Emperor asked: What method should be used for treatment? Qibo replied: Use four parts Sepiae Endothelium (Wuzeigu) and one part Ru Lu. Combine these two substances, pill them with quail eggs, sized like small beans. Take five pills after meals, washed down with Haliotidis Concha juice (Baoyu Zhi), to benefit the intestines and nourish the injured liver. Here, "Ru Lu" should be written as "Ru Lu", which is Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma. *Shennong Bencao Jing* lists "Ru Lu" in the Lower Grade. Li Shizhen, citing the *Suwen* formula of Wuzeigu and Ru Lu in his annotation, stated: The "Ru Lu" in *Suwen* should be "Ru Lu"; they share the same pronunciation but differ in character. I argue that the "Ru Lu" in the Wuzeigu formula refers to Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma, not the "Ru Lu" listed in the Lower Grade of *Bencao Jing*. To prevent future doubt and indecision, I hereby clarify this point.