【气味】
甘寒无毒。
【主治】
劳伤虚羸。补中益气。除瘀血血闭寒热。利小便。下五淋。除客热在肠胃。止渴坚
筋。妇人崩中。久服利人。主妇人月经不匀。通血脉淋沥。止吐衄诸血。伤寒哕逆。肺热喘
急。水肿黄胆。解酒毒。但茅根甘能除伏热。利小便。故能止诸血哕逆喘急消渴。治黄胆水
肿。乃良物也。世人因微而忽之。惟事苦寒之剂。致伤冲和之气。乌足知此哉。
（一名草金羚。此药始出田野人牵牛谢药。故以名之。近人隐其名为黑丑。白者为白
丑。盖以丑属牛也。）
【气味】
苦寒有毒。
【主治】
下气疗脚满水肿。除风毒。利小便。治 癖气块。利大小便。除虚肿。落胎。治腰
痛下冷脓泻蛊毒药。并一切气壅滞。和山茱萸服去水病。除气分湿热三焦壅结。逐痰消饮。
通大肠气秘风秘。杀虫。达命门。牵牛乃感南方热火之化以生。若病湿极盛。湿气不得施化
。致大小便不通。则宜用之。令湿去而气得周流可也。今人不问有湿无湿及湿之极与否。但
遇伤食或有热症。即用牵牛克伐之药。暗蚀人之元气而不知耶。嗟夫。
【苗花】【气味】
甘凉无毒（萱属水性。下走阴分。）
【主治】
煮食治小便赤涩。身体烦热。除酒疸。消食利湿热。作菹利胸膈。安五脏。令好欢
乐无忧。轻身明目。
【根】【主治】
沙淋。下水气。酒疸黄色遍身者捣汁服。大热衄血。研汁一大盏。和生姜汁
半盏细呷之。吹乳乳痈肿痛。 酒服。以滓封之。
【气味】
味甘，性寒，无毒。
【主治】
治疗因劳损导致的身体虚弱消瘦。补益中气，益气力。消除瘀血、血闭经以及寒热往来症状。通利小便。治疗五种淋证（石淋、砂淋、膏淋、冷淋、热淋）。清除肠胃中的客热（外感或饮食积滞产生的热邪）。止渴，使筋脉坚固。治疗妇女崩漏（非经期大量出血或淋漓不断）。长期服用对人体有益。主治妇女月经周期不规律。疏通血脉，治疗淋沥不尽。制止吐血、鼻衄等各种出血症状。治疗伤寒引起的呃逆（打嗝）。治疗肺热引起的喘息急促。治疗水肿和黄疸。解除酒毒。茅根味甘能清除潜伏的热邪，通利小便，因此能够止住各种出血、呃逆、喘急和消渴症，治疗黄疸和水肿，确实是一种良药。世人因为它的药性轻微而忽视它，只使用苦寒的药物，导致损伤了人体冲和之气（平和的生命活力），哪里知道这个道理呢？
（又名草金羚。这种药最初出现在田野中，有人牵着牛来感谢药效，所以以此命名。近代人隐晦地称其为黑丑，白色的称为白丑，大概是因为“丑”在十二地支中对应牛。）
【气味】
味苦，性寒，有毒。
【主治】
降气，治疗脚部胀满和水肿。消除风毒。通利小便。治疗癖气块（腹内结块）。通利大、小便。消除虚肿。堕胎。治疗腰痛、下焦冷脓、泄泻以及蛊毒药物中毒。治疗一切气机壅滞。与山茱萸同服可去除水病。清除气分中的湿热及三焦的壅结。驱逐痰饮，消除水饮。通治大肠气秘和风秘（便秘）。杀虫。通达命门（肾间动气，生命之根）。牵牛子感受南方热火之气而生。如果病情湿气极盛，湿气无法运化，导致大小便不通，则适宜使用它，使湿气去除，气机得以周流运行即可。如今的人不问是否有湿以及湿的程度如何，只要遇到伤食或有热症，就立即使用牵牛这类克伐攻下的药物，暗中侵蚀人的元气而自己却不知道吗？唉！
【苗、花】【气味】
味甘，性凉，无毒。（萱草属水性，药力下行进入阴分。）
【主治】
煮食可治疗小便赤红涩痛。缓解身体烦热。消除酒疸（因饮酒过多导致的黄疸）。消食，通利湿热。做成腌菜食用可通利胸膈。安定五脏。使人心情愉悦快乐无忧。轻身明目。
【根】【主治】
治疗沙淋（砂石淋证）。下行水气。对于遍身发黄的酒疸，捣取汁液服用。治疗大热引起的鼻衄，研磨取汁一大盏，混合生姜汁半盏，细细呷服。治疗吹乳（乳汁淤积）和乳痈肿痛，用酒送服，并将药渣敷贴患处。
[Flavor and Nature]
Sweet, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications]
Treats emaciation and weakness caused by overexertion and injury. Tonifies the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), benefits Qi, and strengthens energy. Eliminates blood stasis, blood obstruction, and alternating chills and fever. Promotes urination. Treats the five types of strangury (Shi Lin/Stone Strangury, Sha Lin/Sand Strangury, Gao Lin/Pasty Strangury, Leng Lin/Cold Strangury, Re Lin/Heat Strangury). Clears pathogenic heat in the stomach and intestines. Relieves thirst and consolidates tendons. Treats metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (uterine bleeding) in women. Long-term consumption is beneficial to the body. Mainly treats irregular menstruation in women. Unblocks blood vessels and treats dribbling strangury. Stops various types of bleeding such as hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed). Treats hiccups caused by Shanghan (Cold Damage syndrome). Treats panting and urgency due to lung heat. Treats edema and jaundice. Resolves alcohol toxicity. Since Mugen (Imperatae Rhizoma) is sweet, it can clear latent heat and promote urination; therefore, it can stop various bleedings, hiccups, panting, and xiaoke (wasting-thirst syndrome), and treat jaundice and edema. It is indeed a fine herb. People neglect it because its action is mild, relying only on bitter-cold agents, thereby damaging the harmonious Qi (vital harmony) of the body. How could they know this?
(Also known as Cao Jin Ling. This herb was first found in fields where people would lead oxen to thank for its medicinal efficacy, hence the name. In recent times, people obscure its name as Hei Chou (Black Ox); white ones are called Bai Chou (White Ox), likely because 'Chou' corresponds to the Ox in the Earthly Branches.)
[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter, cold, toxic.
[Indications]
Descends Qi and treats fullness and edema in the legs. Eliminates wind toxicity. Promotes urination. Treats Pi Qi masses (abdominal masses). Promotes both large and small bowel movements. Eliminates deficiency-type swelling. Induces abortion. Treats lower back pain, cold pus discharge from the lower jiao, diarrhea, and gu poison (parasitic or toxic poisoning). Treats all types of Qi stagnation and obstruction. Taken with Cornus Officinalis Fructus (Shanzhuyu), it removes water retention diseases. Clears damp-heat in the Qi level and congestion in the Sanjiao (Triple Burner). Drives out phlegm and eliminates fluid retention. Treats constipation due to Qi stagnation and wind in the large intestine. Kills parasites. Reaches the Mingmen (Gate of Life). Qian Niu Zi (Pharbitidis Semen) is born from absorbing the transformation of southern hot fire. If dampness is extremely abundant and cannot be transformed and distributed, leading to obstruction of urination and defecation, it is suitable to use this herb to remove dampness so that Qi can circulate freely. Nowadays, people do not inquire whether there is dampness or the degree of dampness; whenever they encounter food stagnation or heat syndromes, they immediately use Qian Niu, a harsh purgative, secretly eroding the person's Yuan Qi (Original Qi) without realizing it. Alas!
[Seedlings and Flowers][Flavor and Nature]
Sweet, cool, non-toxic. (Daylily belongs to Water nature, and its action descends into the Yin levels.)
[Indications]
Boiled and eaten, it treats dark and scanty urine with dysuria. Relieves bodily restlessness and heat. Eliminates Jiu Dan (alcoholic jaundice). Promotes digestion and clears damp-heat. When made into pickles, it benefits the chest and diaphragm. Calms the Five Zang organs. Makes one joyful and free from worry. Lightens the body and improves vision.
[Root][Indications]
Treats Sha Lin (sand strangury). Descends water qi. For alcoholic jaundice with yellowing of the whole body, crush and take the juice. For severe heat causing epistaxis, grind to obtain one large cup of juice, mix with half a cup of fresh ginger juice, and sip slowly. Treats ruili (milk accumulation) and breast abscess with swelling and pain. Take with wine, and apply the dregs externally to the affected area.