本经女贞主治，张石顽谓咸指枸骨，诸家误列于此。观邹氏之疏，则知张氏实误矣。女
贞当春夏秋生长之会，被蜡虫蚀肌吮血，身无完肤，仍不废开花结实，而其所成之蜡，非他
膏脂可及。是故中之所以补，五脏之所以安，精神之所以养，百疾之所以除，皆人于热气耗
败之余之大效，非本经无端加以隆誉。然则用女贞者，当知苦平非温补之品，而功与温补埒
者，其故自有在矣。
卫矛以甄权破陈血落胎，与日华子通月经破症结两说按之，自属善败恶血，故和剂局方
用以治产后败血。但其三面如箭羽，古惟燔之以遣祟，方药少用。则用之于除邪杀鬼，乃为
合宜。考千金外台诸方，疗恶疰心痛，卒暴心痛，忽中恶气毒痛，鬼疟日发，及务成子萤火
丸，非善取其长者欤。
五加皮茎柔皮脆，用在于根，宜下焦风湿之缓证。若风湿搏于肌表，则非其所司。古方
多浸
心疝少腹有形为寒，肺热生痿 为热，本经并主之。刘潜江云∶肾肝气虚，故病于湿。
湿者阴之淫气也，阴淫则阳不化而为风；风者阳之淫气也，阳淫则阴愈不化而更病于湿。至
病湿，固已阴锢阳、阳蚀阴而成湿热矣。按此论甚精。五加皮辛苦而温，惟善化湿耳。化其
阴淫之湿，即驱其阳淫之风。风去则热已，湿去则寒除。即别录之疗囊湿、阴痒、小便余沥、
腰脚痛痹、风弱、五缓，皆可以是揆之。邹氏以本经之益气，别录之坚筋骨强志意，为身半
以上事。实则肾肝受治之益，不必析之为两事也。
《神农本草经》中记载的女贞子主治功效，张石顽认为实际上指的是枸骨（一种植物），各家将其错误地列在此处。查看邹氏的疏证，就知道张氏确实错了。女贞子在春、夏、秋三季生长旺盛时，遭受蜡虫侵蚀肌肤、吸食血液，全身没有完好的皮肤，但仍然不废弃开花结果，而它所形成的蜡质，不是其他膏脂所能比及的。因此，它之所以能补益人体，使五脏安宁，滋养精神，祛除百病，都是在人气血被热气耗损败坏之后的巨大疗效，这并不是《本经》无缘无故给予的过高赞誉。然而，使用女贞子的人，应当知道其味苦性平，并非温补类的药材，但其功效却与温补药材相当，这其中的原因自有其道理。
卫矛，根据甄权所说可以破除陈旧瘀血并导致堕胎，结合日华子所说的通月经、破症结两种说法来看，它确实善于败坏恶血，所以和剂局方用它来治疗产后败血。但是它的枝条三面像箭羽一样，古代只焚烧它来驱除邪祟，在方药中很少使用。那么用它来祛除邪气、驱鬼，才是合适的。考察《千金方》、《外台秘要》等方书，治疗恶疰心痛、突然暴发性心痛、忽然感受恶气毒痛、鬼疟每日发作，以及务成子的萤火丸，难道不是善于利用它的长处吗？
五加皮茎干柔嫩、树皮脆裂，药用部位在于根部，适宜治疗下焦风湿的缓证。如果风湿之邪搏结于肌表，那就不是它能主管的了。古方多将五加皮浸泡后用于治疗心疝、少腹有形的寒证，以及肺热导致的痿证为热证，《本经》都主治这些病症。刘潜江说：肾肝气虚，所以生病于湿。湿是阴气的淫溢，阴气淫溢则阳气不能化生而为风；风是阳气的淫溢，阳气淫溢则阴气更加不能化生而更生病于湿。至于患病于湿，本来就已经是阴气固结阳气、阳气蚀伤阴气而形成了湿热了。按此论述非常精妙。五加皮味辛苦性温，只善于化湿罢了。化解那阴气淫溢的湿邪，就是驱散那阳气淫溢的风邪。风邪去除了热也就停止了，湿邪去除了寒也就消除了。即使是《别录》中提到的治疗囊湿、阴部瘙痒、小便余沥不尽、腰脚疼痛痹阻、风弱、五缓等症状，都可以据此推论。邹氏认为《本经》说的益气，以及《别录》说的坚筋骨强志意，是属于身体上半部分的事。实际上，这是肾肝受到治疗后产生的益处，不必将其分析为两件事。
The indications for *Ligustrum lucidum* (Nü Zhen Zi, Glossy Privet Fruit) recorded in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) were claimed by Zhang Shiwang to actually refer to *Ilex cornuta* (Gou Gu, Chinese Holly), and various authors mistakenly listed it here. Examining Zou's commentary reveals that Zhang was indeed mistaken. *Ligustrum lucidum* grows vigorously during the convergence of spring, summer, and autumn. When infested by scale insects that erode its flesh and suck its blood, leaving no intact skin, it still does not cease flowering and bearing fruit. The wax it produces cannot be matched by other greases or fats. Therefore, its ability to tonify the body, pacify the five zang organs, nourish spirit and essence, and eliminate myriad diseases is a remarkable efficacy following the depletion and deterioration caused by pathogenic heat. This is not an ungrounded eulogy added by the *Bencao Jing*. Thus, those who use *Ligustrum lucidum* should understand that although its taste is bitter and nature neutral—not a warming tonic—its efficacy rivals that of warming tonics, for reasons inherent to its nature.
*Euonymus alatus* (Wei Mao, Winged Euonymus Branch), according to Zhen Quan, can break down stale blood and induce abortion. Corroborated by Ri Huazi’s statements on promoting menstruation and breaking mass formations, it clearly belongs to herbs that effectively dissipate evil blood. Hence, the *Heji Jufang* (Prescriptions from the Bureau of Taiyi) uses it to treat postpartum retained blood. However, since its branches are three-sided like arrow feathers, ancient times only burned it to dispel malevolent influences, and it was rarely used in herbal formulas. Therefore, employing it to expel pathogens and drive away ghosts is appropriate. Consulting formulas from the *Qianjin Yaofang* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and *Waitai Miyao* (Secret Essentials of the Outer Chamber), such as treatments for malignant wandering pain affecting the heart, sudden violent heart pain, acute poisoning by evil qi, daily recurring ghost malaria, as well as Wu Chengzi’s Yinghuo Wan (Firefly Pill), do they not skillfully utilize its strengths?
*Acanthopanax senticosus* (Wujia Pi, Five-leaf Acanthopanax Bark) has tender stems and brittle bark; its medicinal part is the root, making it suitable for chronic damp-wind conditions in the lower jiao. If wind-dampness clumps at the muscle and surface level, it falls outside its jurisdiction. Ancient formulas often soak it to treat xinshan (heart hernia) with palpable masses in the lower abdomen due to cold, and fei re sheng wei (lung heat generating flaccidity syndrome) due to heat; the *Bencao Jing* addresses both. Liu Qianjiang stated: "Kidney and liver qi deficiency leads to disease from dampness." Dampness is the excessive overflow of yin qi; when yin overflows, yang fails to transform, resulting in wind. Wind is the excessive overflow of yang qi; when yang overflows, yin fails to transform further, leading to more dampness disease. Once diseased by dampness, it inevitably involves yin binding yang and yang corroding yin, forming damp-heat. This argument is extremely profound. *Acanthopanax senticosus* is pungent, bitter, and warm, excelling only in transforming dampness. By resolving the dampness of yin overflow, one drives away the wind of yang overflow. When wind departs, heat ceases; when dampness leaves, cold is removed. Even the indications in the *Benbie Lu* (Record of Additional Properties) for treating scrotal dampness, genital itching, dribbling urine, lumbar and leg pain with bi-syndrome, wind weakness, and the "five slacknesses" can all be deduced from this principle. Zou regarded the *Bencao Jing*'s mention of benefiting qi, and the *Benbie Lu*'s mention of strengthening sinews and bones and fortifying willpower, as pertaining to the upper half of the body. In reality, these benefits stem from the treatment of the kidney and liver and need not be analyzed as two separate matters.