钩藤，味甘、苦，气微寒，无毒。入肝经。治寒热惊痫，手足螈 ，胎风客忤，口眼抽
搐。
此物去风甚速，有风症者，必宜用之。然尤能盗气，虚者勿投。
或问钩藤为手少阴、足厥阴要药。少阴主火，厥阴主风，风火相搏，故寒热惊痫之症生。但
风火之生，多因于肾水之不足，以致木燥火炎，于补阴药中少用钩藤，则风火易散。倘全不
补阴，纯用钩藤以祛风散火，则风不能息，而火且愈炽矣。
大腹皮，味辛、苦，气微温，降也，无毒。入肺、脾、胃三经。主冷热诸气，通大、小
二肠
，止霍乱痰隔醋心，攻心腹大肠壅毒，消浮肿。亦佐使之药。若望其一味以攻邪，则单寒力
薄，必至覆亡矣。
或问大腹皮，即槟榔之外皮也，缪仲醇谓气味所主与槟榔同。而实不同也，大腹皮之功，
尤
薏苡、茯苓、车前、桑白皮、人参同用，始有功耳。
槟榔，味辛、苦，气温，降，阴中阳也，无毒。入脾、胃、大肠、肺四经。消水谷，除
痰癖
，止心痛，杀三虫，治后重如神，坠诸气极下，专破滞气下行。若服之过多，反泻胸中至高
之气。善消瘴气，两粤人至今噬之如始。古人疑其耗损真气，劝人调胃，而戒食槟榔。此亦
有见之言，然而非通论也。岭南烟瘴之地，其蛇虫毒瓦斯，借炎蒸势氛，吞吐于山巅水溪，
而
山岚水瘴之气，合而侵人，有立时而饱闷晕眩者。非槟榔口噬，又何以迅解乎。天地之道
，
有一毒，必生一物以相救。槟榔感天地至正之气，即生于两粤之间，原所以救两粤之人也。
况此物降而不升，虽能散气，亦不甚升，但散邪而不散正，此两粤之人所以长服而无伤。至
身离粤地，即不宜长服，无邪可散，自必损伤正气矣。
或问槟榔乃消瘴之物，似宜止治瘴气，何以治痢必须？曰∶槟榔虽可治痢，亦只宜于初
起，
而不宜于久痢也。痢无止法，用槟榔，所以下其积秽也，故初起之痢断须用之。痢久则肠中
无积秽之存，若仍如初痢之治法，则虚者益虚，而痢者益痢矣，是久痢断不可用槟榔也。然
吾以为初痢亦不可纯用槟榔，用当归、白芍为君，而佐之槟榔，则痢疾易痊，而正气又复不
损，实可为治痢之权衡也。
或疑槟榔去积滞，即宜独用之，何以反佐之以当归？当归虽补犹滑，以助其攻也。何以
更用
白芍之酸收，偏能奏功哉。不知槟榔必得补以行其攻也。夫积滞之不行也。由于气血之干涸
。倘徒用槟榔以攻其积滞，则气血愈伤，而瘀秽愈阻而不通，故必须当归以生气血，则大肠
自润，有可通之机。然而，肝木克脾，木旺则火旺，火旺必烁干气血。当归所生，不足以济
其所克，故必须益之芍药以平肝，则肝不克脾，而芍药酸中又能生血，以助当归之润，故同
群共济，以成槟榔之功，然则收之，正所以能其攻也。
钩藤，味甘、苦，气微寒，无毒。入肝经。治寒热惊痫，手足抽搐，胎风客忤，口眼抽搐。
或问钩藤为手少阴心经、足厥阴肝经要药。少阴主火，厥阴主风，风火相搏，故寒热惊痫之症生。但风火之生，多因于肾水之不足，以致木燥火炎，于补阴药中少用钩藤，则风火易散。倘全不补阴，纯用钩藤以祛风散火，则风不能息，而火且愈炽矣。
大腹皮，味辛、苦，气微温，降也，无毒。入肺、脾、胃三经。主冷热诸气，通大、小肠，止霍乱痰隔醋心，攻心腹大肠壅毒，消浮肿。亦佐使之药。若望其一味以攻邪，则单寒力薄，必至覆亡矣。
或问大腹皮，即槟榔之外皮也，缪仲醇谓气味所主与槟榔同。而实不同也，大腹皮之功，尤薏苡、茯苓、车前、桑白皮、人参同用，始有功耳。
槟榔，味辛、苦，气温，降，阴中阳也，无毒。入脾、胃、大肠、肺四经。消水谷，除痰癖，止心痛，杀三虫，治后重如神，坠诸气极下，专破滞气下行。若服之过多，反泻胸中至高之气。善消瘴气，两粤人至今噬之如始。古人疑其耗损真气，劝人调胃，而戒食槟榔。此亦有见之言，然而非通论也。岭南烟瘴之地，其蛇虫毒瓦斯，借炎蒸势氛，吞吐于山巅水溪，而山岚水瘴之气，合而侵人，有立时而饱闷晕眩者。非槟榔口噬，又何以迅解乎。天地之道，有一毒，必生一物以相救。槟榔感天地至正之气，即生于两粤之间，原所以救两粤之人也。况此物降而不升，虽能散气，亦不甚升，但散邪而不散正，此两粤之人所以长服而无伤。至身离粤地，即不宜长服，无邪可散，自必损伤正气矣。
或问槟榔乃消瘴之物，似宜止治瘴气，何以治痢必须？曰∶槟榔虽可治痢，亦只宜于初起，而不宜于久痢也。痢无止法，用槟榔，所以下其积秽也，故初起之痢断须用之。痢久则肠中无积秽之存，若仍如初痢之治法，则虚者益虚，而痢者益痢矣，是久痢断不可用槟榔也。然吾以为初痢亦不可纯用槟榔，用当归、白芍为君，而佐之槟榔，则痢疾易痊，而正气又复不损，实可为治痢之权衡也。
或疑槟榔去积滞，即宜独用之，何以反佐之以当归？当归虽补犹滑，以助其攻也。何以更用白芍之酸收，偏能奏功哉。不知槟榔必得补以行其攻也。夫积滞之不行也。由于气血之干涸。倘徒用槟榔以攻其积滞，则气血愈伤，而瘀秽愈阻而不通，故必须当归以生气血，则大肠自润，有可通之机。然而，肝木克脾，木旺则火旺，火旺必烁干气血。当归所生，不足以济其所克，故必须益之芍药以平肝，则肝不克脾，而芍药酸中又能生血，以助当归之润，故同群共济，以成槟榔之功，然则收之，正所以能其攻也。
Rattan Spine (Gouteng), sweet and bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Liver Meridian. It treats alternating chills and fever, convulsions, epilepsy, twitching of the hands and feet, fetal wind and external malevolent influences, and twitching or deviation of the mouth and eyes.
This herb removes wind pathogens with great speed; it is essential for those with wind syndromes. However, it tends to consume Qi, so it should not be administered to patients with deficiency.
One might ask: Rattan Spine is a key herb for the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Shaoyin governs Fire, while Jueyin governs Wind. When Wind and Fire clash, symptoms such as alternating chills and fever, convulsions, and epilepsy arise. The generation of Wind and Fire is often due to insufficiency of Kidney Water, leading to dryness of Wood and blazing of Fire. If Rattan Spine is used sparingly among Yin-nourishing herbs, Wind and Fire can be easily dispersed. But if Yin is not nourished at all, and Rattan Spine is used purely to dispel Wind and scatter Fire, the Wind will not subside, and the Fire will become even more intense.
Betel Nut Peel (Dafupi), pungent and bitter in flavor, slightly warm in nature, descending in action, non-toxic. Enters the Lung, Spleen, and Stomach meridians. It primarily regulates various Qi disorders caused by cold and heat, unblocks the large and small intestines, stops cholera-like vomiting and diarrhea, phlegm obstruction, and acid regurgitation, attacks toxic accumulation in the heart, abdomen, and large intestine, and reduces edema. It also serves as an assistant or envoy herb. If one expects it to attack pathogens solely on its own, its single cold nature and weak power will lead to failure and collapse.
One might ask: Betel Nut Peel is the outer skin of the Areca Nut (Binglang). Miao Zhongchun stated that its flavor and properties are the same as those of Areca Nut. In reality, they differ. The efficacy of Betel Nut Peel only manifests when used together with Coix Seed (Yiyiren), Poria (Fuling), Plantago Seed (Cheqianzi), Mulberry Root Bark (Sangbaipi), and Ginseng (Renshen).
Areca Nut (Binglang), pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, descending in action, Yang within Yin, non-toxic. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Lung meridians. It digests food and grain, eliminates phlegm stagnation, relieves heart pain, kills three types of parasites, effectively treats tenesmus, drives down all stagnant Qi, and specifically breaks downward stagnation. If taken in excess, it may instead purge the highest Qi in the chest. It excels at dissipating miasma; people in Liangyue (Guangdong and Guangxi) still chew it today as they did in ancient times. Ancients suspected it depletes True Qi, advised regulating the Stomach, and warned against eating Areca Nut. This is insightful advice, but not a universal principle. In the smoggy and miasmatic regions of Lingnan, venomous gases from snakes and insects, driven by hot and humid vapors, rise from mountain peaks and stream beds. The mountain mist and water miasma combine to invade humans, causing immediate bloating, stifling, dizziness, and vertigo. Without chewing Areca Nut, how could these symptoms be rapidly resolved? The Way of Heaven and Earth dictates that for every poison, there is a substance to counteract it. Areca Nut, imbued with the most upright Qi of Heaven and Earth, grows between Liangyue, originally intended to save the people there. Moreover, this herb descends rather than ascends; although it disperses Qi, it does not ascend significantly. It disperses pathogenic factors without dispersing healthy Qi, which is why people in Liangyue can take it long-term without harm. However, once one leaves the Liangyue region, long-term use is inappropriate. With no pathogens to disperse, it will inevitably damage healthy Qi.
One might ask: Areca Nut is a substance for eliminating miasma, seemingly suitable only for treating miasma. Why is it necessary for treating dysentery? I say: Although Areca Nut can treat dysentery, it is only suitable for the initial stage and not for chronic dysentery. Dysentery has no method of simply stopping it; using Areca Nut is to purge accumulated filth. Therefore, it must be used in initial dysentery. In chronic dysentery, there is no accumulated filth left in the intestines. If treated as in initial dysentery, the deficient will become more deficient, and the dysentery will worsen. Thus, Areca Nut must absolutely not be used in chronic dysentery. However, I believe that even in initial dysentery, Areca Nut should not be used alone. Using Angelica Sinensis (Danggui) and White Peony Root (Baishao) as the sovereign herbs, assisted by Areca Nut, allows dysentery to heal easily while preserving healthy Qi. This truly serves as the standard for treating dysentery.
One might doubt: Since Areca Nut removes stagnation, it should be used alone. Why assist it with Angelica Sinensis? Although Angelica Sinensis is tonifying, it is also slippery, aiding the attacking action. Why use the astringent Sour property of White Peony Root, which seems contradictory, yet achieves success? One does not know that Areca Nut requires tonification to facilitate its attacking action. The reason stagnation does not move is due to the depletion of Qi and Blood. If one merely uses Areca Nut to attack stagnation, Qi and Blood will be further damaged, and turbid filth will become more obstructed and blocked. Therefore, Angelica Sinensis is necessary to generate Qi and Blood, making the Large Intestine naturally moist and providing an opportunity for unblocking. However, Liver Wood overacts on Spleen Earth. When Wood is excessive, Fire becomes excessive. Excessive Fire scorches and dries up Qi and Blood. The Qi and Blood generated by Angelica Sinensis are insufficient to support what it overcomes. Therefore, White Peony Root must be added to soothe the Liver. Then Liver Wood will not overact on Spleen Earth. Furthermore, the sour taste of White Peony Root generates Blood, assisting the moistening effect of Angelica Sinensis. Thus, working together, they complete the function of Areca Nut. Therefore, astringency is precisely what enables the attacking action.