蜂蜜生性凉能清热，熟性温能补中。甘而和故解毒，甘而滑故润燥，甘缓可以去急，故
止心腹肌肉疮疡诸痛，甘润可以泄泽养正，故通三焦除众病和百药。
仲圣以蜜煎导通大便，蜜当为下利之所忌矣。然下利有用之者，一为猪肤汤，少阴伏邪
内发，阴下泄而阳上乘，致下利咽痛胸满心烦，液伤而脾亦困矣。以猪肤从阳引阴而平邪热，
阳不至上乘矣。白粉扶脾而止利，阴不至下泄矣。白蜜则佐猪肤润液，助白粉安中，故加之。
一为甘遂半夏汤，脉伏者有留饮在内，欲自利利反快者，利不即利，即利则快。心下续坚满
者，利后满减，过时又续，是为饮在上而肠则燥，致饮欲去不去，几与滞下无异。故以半夏
白芍，消饮于上而降之。甘遂甘草，借其相反之势以激之。白蜜是润液化燥以速其去，犹滞
下之用阿胶，此二方用蜜之意也。
蚕者食桑之虫，桑能去风，蚕性故近之；且感风而僵，更于感风之病为宜，味辛气温而
性燥，故治湿胜之风痰，而不治燥热之风痰。朱丹溪谓从治相火，散浊逆结滞之痰者正合。
汪庵删去从治字，而以为散相火逆结之痰，则其视僵蚕为何如药矣。
小儿惊痫夜啼，是肝热生风，又为痰湿所痼而阳不得伸，是以入夜弥甚。僵蚕劫痰湿而
散肝风，故主之。至男子阴疡、女子崩中赤白产后余痛，无非厥阴之风湿为患，无他奥义。
邹氏谓蚕食桑而有津液留于中，又解之为释泥淖塞漏卮，不特于僵蚕燥湿去风之义背，据其
所言，亦不免自相矛盾。
蜂蜜生用时性质寒凉，能够清除热邪；熟用时性质温和，能够补益中焦。其味甘且平和，因此能解除毒素；其味甘且滑利，因此能滋润干燥；其甘缓之性可以缓解急迫症状，所以能治疗心腹及肌肉疮疡等各种疼痛；其甘润之性能泄除浊泽、滋养正气，所以能疏通三焦、消除多种疾病并调和各种药物。
张仲景用蜜煎导法来通便，蜂蜜似乎应当是下利的禁忌之物。然而在下利的治疗中也有使用蜂蜜的情况：一是猪肤汤，用于少阴经伏藏之邪气内发，阴液向下泄泻而阳气向上乘袭，导致下利、咽痛、胸满、心烦，此时津液受损且脾脏也受困。方中以猪肤从阳引阴以平抑邪热，使阳气不再向上乘袭；以白粉（米粉）扶助脾土以止住下利，使阴液不再向下泄泻；加入白蜜则是辅助猪肤滋润津液，帮助白粉安定中焦，因此将其加入。二是甘遂半夏汤，脉象沉伏说明体内有留饮，想要自下利却反而感觉畅快，这是因为饮邪未去，若强行下利则暂时痛快，但心下持续坚硬胀满，下利后满减，过段时间又再次胀满，这是饮邪在上部而肠道干燥，导致饮邪想去除却去不掉，几乎与痢疾无异。因此用半夏和白芍，在上部消散饮邪并使其下降；用甘遂和甘草，借助二者相反的药势来激发饮邪排出。白蜜的作用是滋润津液、化解燥结以加速饮邪的排出，这就像治疗痢疾时使用阿胶的道理一样，这两个方剂使用蜂蜜的用意就在这里。
蚕是食用桑叶的昆虫，桑叶能祛风，所以蚕的性质也接近祛风；而且蚕因感风而僵死，更适宜用于治疗感风引起的疾病。蚕味辛、气温，性质燥烈，所以能治疗湿胜引起之风痰，而不能治疗燥热引起之风痰。朱丹溪认为僵蚕能“从治”相火，散除浊逆、结滞之痰，这一观点非常契合。汪庵删去了“从治”二字，认为它是散除相火逆结之痰，那么他对僵蚕药性的理解就大错特错了。
小儿惊痫、夜啼，是由于肝热生风，又被痰湿所阻滞，导致阳气不能舒展，因此在入夜时症状更加严重。僵蚕能劫除痰湿并疏散肝风，所以主治此症。至于男子阴部溃疡、女子崩漏及赤白带下、产后余痛等，无非是厥阴经风湿为患，没有其他的深奥道理。邹氏说蚕吃桑叶而有津液留在体内，又将其解释为释放泥淖中的堵塞和漏卮，这不仅违背了僵蚕燥湿祛风的本义，据他所言，也不免自相矛盾。
Honey, when raw, is cool in nature and can clear heat; when cooked, it is warm in nature and can tonify the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner). Its sweetness and harmony allow it to detoxify; its sweetness and slipperiness allow it to moisten dryness; its sweet and緩 (relaxing) nature can relieve urgency, thus treating various pains such as those in the heart, abdomen, muscles, and sores/ulcers. Its sweet and moistening nature can drain turbid fluids and nourish righteous Qi, thus unblocking the Three Jiao (Triple Burner), eliminating various diseases, and harmonizing all medicines.
Zhang Zhongjing used Honey Suppositories (Mi Jian Dao) to unblock bowel movements, suggesting that honey should be contraindicated for diarrhea. However, there are cases where honey is used for diarrhea: one is Zhu Fu Tang (Pig Skin Decoction). This addresses latent pathogens in the Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) channel erupting internally, where Yin fluids leak downward while Yang Qi floats upward, causing diarrhea, sore throat, chest fullness, and irritability. At this point, fluids are damaged and the Spleen is also distressed. Pig skin draws Yin from Yang to calm pathogenic heat, preventing Yang from floating upward. White flour (Bai Fen) supports the Spleen and stops diarrhea, preventing Yin from leaking downward. White honey is added to assist pig skin in moistening fluids and help white flour stabilize the Middle Jiao. The other case is Gansui Banxia Tang (Kansui and Pinellia Decoction). A submerged pulse indicates retained fluid inside. If spontaneous diarrhea brings relief, it is because the fluid has not yet been fully expelled; if forced, it brings temporary relief but epigastric hardness persists. After diarrhea, the fullness decreases slightly, but returns after some time. This indicates fluid retention in the upper body and dry intestines, making the fluid difficult to expel, resembling dysentery. Thus, Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) and Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba) are used to dissipate fluid above and direct it downward. Gansui (Kansui Radix) and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) utilize their opposing natures to stimulate expulsion. White honey moistens fluids and resolves dryness to accelerate expulsion, similar to the use of Ejiao (Asini Corii Colla) in treating dysentery. These are the reasons for using honey in these two formulas.
Silkworms are insects that eat mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves can dispel wind, so silkworms share this property. Furthermore, since they stiffen upon contracting wind, they are suitable for treating wind-related diseases. Silkworms taste pungent, are warm in nature, and are drying. Therefore, they treat wind-phlegm caused by excessive dampness, but do not treat wind-phlegm caused by dryness-heat. Zhu Danxi stated that silkworms "conformingly treat" (Cong Zhi) Ministerial Fire and dissipate turbid, rebellious, and stagnant phlegm, which is accurate. Wang An removed the term "conformingly treat," claiming it only dissipates Ministerial Fire rebellious and stagnant phlegm; this demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the herb's nature.
Pediatric convulsions, epilepsy, and night crying result from Liver Heat generating Wind, obstructed by Phlegm-Dampness, preventing Yang Qi from extending. Hence, symptoms worsen at night. Silkworms劫 (seize/remove) phlegm-dampness and disperse Liver Wind, thus treating these conditions. Conditions such as penile ulcers in men, metrorrhagia/metrostaxis with red and white discharge in women, and residual pain postpartum are all due to Wind-Dampness affecting the Jueyin (Terminal Yin) channel, without any profound mystery. Zou claimed that silkworms retain moisture from eating mulberry leaves and interpreted this as releasing blockages like mud or leaks. This contradicts the principle of silkworms drying dampness and dispelling wind, and his explanation is self-contradictory.