独脚一枝莲 八角莲附
《粤西偶记》∶生广西。草如黄连,根极大,持入药肆,则诸药香气尽消,为真。三脚
五脚
者次之。
百草镜∶此药产广东,根大如拳,春月发苗,经霜雪则死。若善藏过冬,则来年宿根复
发,
苗高尺许,叶大如杯,宛似荷叶,色绿柔浓,茎有细毛,六七月起茎;茎有白毛,开花微垂
,似山兰而小,其色微红。
稗史∶鄱阳山间生一种草,始萌芽时,便以莲蓬,俗呼为独脚连。移植于居宅隙地及园
圃中
,蛇虺不敢过其下。王季光宅后榛莽丛中有蛇穴,常出为人害,乃种此草数本于穴外,自是
其患不作。至暑月间,穴内臭甚,使园丁掘土访求,得死蛇十数,盖为草气所熏溃也。又一
小蛇来到草傍,立化为水矣。采药录∶独脚黄连苗叶如土大黄,面青背赤,根直色黄,此草
根下有赤练蛇数条者方是。
按∶纲目鬼臼亦名独脚连,无治疔之说,至集解下注形状,又小有异同,故仍为补之。
庚戌
,予在临安,有医士盛天然言其地古城与余杭接界,产独叶花,生山坑,不见天日,其形一
叶,中含红花一朵,俨如莲花状。其花从叶心透出,下有根,作独蒜状。其花叶闻人声,辄
缩入根内不可见,遇之者记其处掘之,亦止有根,其叶与花,虽剖根觅之,亦无形迹。倘得
之者,不论何等毒蛇咬,以根擦摩,蛇毒即尽。如有误服蛇变鳖者,以少许煎汤服之,即瘥
。并能解一切毒虫咬螫,一切虫毒草木毒,咽喉一十八症,皆验如神。凡人鼻发红色,生痱
掀痒异常,名曰痧虫食鼻。以此根磨涂,立愈。此乃天生神物,有山行遇之者,不论持何
物,先掷之以镇住,然后再掘,即不能遁形。凡生独叶花地,四围约尺许无草,其上不可手
取,亦勿以铁刀取,须用竹刀掘取,则不伤根。盖此草,蛇最喜蟠其旁,凡蛇咬人,亦中人
毒,必退壳,若觅此物,卧其傍一宿,则人毒解,可免退壳之患。大毒蛇都喜蟠其根旁,故
土最毒。近人手则手烂,然得其根,反能解百种大恶蛇毒,丐者觅此,以为得宝云。
治疔肿痈疽∶以根或醋酒磨涂叶,贴痈肿能消。
治蛇咬∶祝氏效方∶用独叶一枝花,生溪摊浮土上,根如鼠粪,用根,口嚼搽疮上。
退疔夺命丹∶万病回春云∶此丹专治疔疮,防风八分、青皮七分、羌活、独活、黄连各一钱
,赤芍六分,细辛八分、僵蚕一钱、蝉退四分,泽兰叶五分、金银花七分、甘草节一钱、独
脚连七分,紫河车即金线重楼七分,右锉五钱、先服倍金银花一两,泽兰一两,少用叶,生
姜十片,同捣烂,好酒旋热泡之,去渣热服,不饮酒者,水煎亦可。然后用酒水各一半煎生
姜十片,热服出汗,病退减后,再加大黄五钱同煎,热服,以利二三次去余毒。如有脓,加
何首乌、白芷梢;在脚,加槟榔、木瓜;要通利,加青皮、木香、大黄、栀子、牵牛。
独脚一枝莲 八角莲(附方)
《粤西偶记》记载:产于广西。草叶形状像黄连,根部极大。拿到药材铺中,其他药物的香气都会消失,以此可辨真伪。三脚或五脚的次之。
《百草镜》记载:此药产于广东,根大如拳头。春季发芽,经历霜雪后枯萎。如果妥善收藏过冬,来年宿根会重新萌发。苗高一尺左右,叶片大如杯口,宛如荷叶,颜色翠绿柔嫩,茎上有细毛,六七月间抽茎;茎上有白毛,花朵微垂,形似山兰但较小,花色微红。
《稗史》记载:鄱阳山间生长一种草,刚萌芽时就像莲蓬,俗称“独脚连”。移植到住宅空地及园圃中,蛇类不敢从其下方经过。王季光宅后的杂草丛中有一个蛇穴,经常出来害人,于是他在穴外种了几株这种草,从此祸患不再发生。到了暑天,穴内臭味极重,让园丁挖掘土壤寻找,发现十几条死蛇,大概是被草气熏蒸致死。又有一条小蛇来到草旁,立刻化为水了。
《采药录》记载:独脚黄连的苗叶像土大黄,叶面青绿色背面赤红色,根直且色黄。只有这种草根下有赤练蛇盘绕的才是真品。
按语:《本草纲目》中的鬼臼也名为独脚连,但没有治疗疔疮的说法。查阅集解部分注述的形状,又有细微差异,因此在此补充说明。
庚戌年,我在临安时,有位医生盛天然说当地古城与余杭交界处出产“独叶花”,生长在深坑中,不见天日。其形态只有一片叶子,中间含有一朵红花,俨然像莲花状。花朵从叶心透出,下面有根,呈独蒜状。其花叶听到人声就会缩入根内看不见,遇到的人记住位置挖掘,也只能挖到根,其叶与花,即使剖开根寻找,也没有形迹。如果得到它,不论被何种毒蛇咬伤,用根摩擦患处,蛇毒即可消除。如果有人误服蛇毒变成鳖怪,用少许煎汤服用,即可痊愈。并能解除一切毒虫咬螫、一切虫毒草木毒,以及咽喉十八种病症,都灵验如神。凡是有人鼻头发红,生痱子掀痒异常,名叫“痧虫食鼻”。用此根磨碎涂抹,立即痊愈。这是天生神物,在山中遇到的人,不论手持何物,先扔下以镇住它,然后再挖掘,它就无法遁形。凡生长独叶花的地方,四周约一尺范围内没有草,不可用手直接采摘,也不可用铁刀切割,必须用竹刀挖掘,才不伤根。因为这种草,蛇最喜欢盘踞在旁,凡是被蛇咬的人,中了蛇毒,必定要蜕皮,如果找到此物,睡在旁边一晚,人中毒的症状就会解除,可避免蜕皮的祸患。大毒蛇都喜欢盘踞在其根旁,所以那里的土最毒。近人手则手烂,但得到它的根,反而能解百种大恶蛇毒。乞丐寻找此物,认为得到了宝贝。
治疗蛇咬:祝氏效方:用独叶一枝花,放在溪边摊开的浮土上,根像鼠粪,取根嚼碎搽在疮口上。
退疔夺命丹:《万病回春》记载:此丹专治疔疮。防风八分、青皮七分、羌活、独活、黄连各一钱,赤芍六分,细辛八分、僵蚕一钱、蝉蜕四分,泽兰叶五分、金银花七分、甘草节一钱、独脚连七分,紫河车即金线重楼七分。以上药材锉成粗末共五钱。先服加倍的金银花一两、泽兰一两,少用叶,生姜十片,同捣烂,用好酒加热冲泡,去渣热服,不饮酒者,用水煎煮也可。然后用酒水各一半,煎煮生姜十片,热服出汗,病情减退后,再加入大黄五钱同煎,热服,通过排泄二三次以去除余毒。如果有脓,加何首乌、白芷梢;如果在脚部,加槟榔、木瓜;若要通利,加青皮、木香、大黄、栀子、牵牛。
**Dujiao Yizhilian (Single-footed One-stemmed Lotus) & Bajiaolian (Octagonal Lotus, Supplementary)**
*Yue Xi Ou Ji* records: Grows in Guangxi. The herb resembles *Coptis chinensis* (Huanglian), with a very large root. When brought to a medicine shop, the fragrances of other medicines are completely dissipated, which serves as proof of authenticity. Those with three or five "feet" (root lobes) are of inferior quality.
*Bai Cao Jing* records: This medicine is produced in Guangdong. The root is as large as a fist. It sprouts in spring and dies after frost and snow. If properly stored over winter, the perennial root will sprout again the following year. The seedling grows about one chi tall; leaves are as large as a cup, resembling lotus leaves, green and lush. The stem has fine hairs. In June and July, stems emerge; the stems have white hairs, flowers hang slightly, similar to *Cymbidium goeringii* but smaller, with a slight red color.
*Bai Shi* records: In the mountains of Poyang, there grows a kind of grass that, when first sprouting, resembles a lotus pod, commonly called "Dujiao Lian." Transplanted into vacant spaces around residences or gardens, snakes dare not pass underneath it. Wang Jiguang had a snake hole in the thicket behind his house, which often caused harm to people. He planted several specimens of this grass outside the hole, and thereafter the trouble ceased. During the hot summer months, the odor from the hole was extremely foul. He ordered gardeners to dig up the soil to search, finding more than ten dead snakes, likely killed by the熏 (fuming/vaporizing) effect of the grass's scent. Another small snake came near the grass and instantly turned into water.
*Cai Yao Lu* records: The seedlings and leaves of Dujiao Huanglian resemble *Rheum officinale* (Tudahuang); the leaf surface is bluish-green and the back is reddish. The root is straight and yellow. Only those roots where red-banded snakes (*Ptyas mucosa*) coil beneath them are considered authentic.
Note: *Bencao Gangmu* states that *Podophyllum emodi* (Guijiu) is also named Dujiao Lian, but lacks references to treating ding sores. The descriptions of its shape in the Collected Explanations section differ slightly. Therefore, supplementary notes are provided here.
In the Gengxu year, while I was in Lin'an, a physician named Sheng Tianran told me that at the border between the ancient city and Yuhang, there grows a plant called "Duye Hua" (Single-leaf Flower). It grows in mountain gullies, never seeing sunlight. Its form consists of a single leaf containing one red flower inside, resembling a lotus. The flower emerges from the center of the leaf, with a root below shaped like a single garlic clove. Its leaves and flowers retract into the root upon hearing human voices. Those who encounter it mark the spot and dig, but find only the root; even if the root is split open to search, no trace of the leaf or flower remains. If obtained, regardless of the venomous snake bite, rubbing the site with the root eliminates the snake venom. If someone mistakenly ingests snake poison and transforms into a turtle-like creature, taking a small amount decocted in water cures the condition. It can also resolve all insect bites and stings, all insect and herbal poisons, and eighteen types of throat ailments, proving as effective as divine intervention. Whenever a person's nose becomes red, developing heat rash with extreme itching, known as "Sha Chong Shi Bi" (Sha Worm Eating the Nose), grinding and applying this root brings immediate cure. This is a naturally occurring miraculous substance. Those who encounter it in the mountains should throw whatever object they hold down to suppress it before digging, preventing it from escaping. Around any place where Duye Hua grows, there is approximately one chi radius devoid of grass. Do not pick it by hand, nor cut it with an iron knife; use a bamboo knife to dig, so as not to damage the root. Snakes love to coil beside this grass. Anyone bitten by a snake and poisoned must shed their skin; if one finds this herb and sleeps beside it for a night, the human poison is resolved, avoiding the misfortune of shedding skin. Large venomous snakes prefer to coil around its roots, making the soil there most toxic. Contact with the soil causes hand rot, yet obtaining its root can antidote hundreds of types of severe snake venoms. Beggars seek this item, believing it to be a treasure.
**Treating Ding Sores, Boils, and Carbuncles:** Grind the root, or grind the leaves with vinegar and wine, and apply externally to the swelling to reduce it.
**Treating Snake Bites:** *Zhu Shi Xiao Fang*: Use one stem of Duye Yizhihua, placed on floating soil spread by a stream. The root resembles mouse droppings. Take the root, chew it, and apply to the wound.
**Tuiding Duoming Dan (Retreat Ding Life-Restoring Pill):** *Wan Bing Hui Chun* states: This pill specializes in treating ding sores. Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) 8 fen, Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride) 7 fen, Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) each 1 qian, Chishao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra) 6 fen, Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) 8 fen, Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus) 1 qian, Chantui (Bombyx Cicadae) 4 fen, Zelan Ye (Lycopus Lucidus Folium) 5 fen, Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos) 7 fen, Gancao Jie (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma cum Nodo) 1 qian, Dujiao Lian 7 fen, Ziheche (Placenta Humana), also known as Jinxian Chonglou (Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis), 7 fen. These are coarsely powdered, totaling 5 qian. First, take double the amount of Jinyinhua (1 liang) and Zelan (1 liang), using fewer leaves, along with 10 slices of fresh ginger. Pound them together, steep in good wine heated, strain, and drink hot. For those who do not drink alcohol, decocting in water is acceptable. Then, decoct 10 slices of fresh ginger in half wine and half water, drink hot to induce sweating. After symptoms subside, add Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) 5 qian, decoct together, drink hot, to eliminate residual toxins through two or three bowel movements. If pus is present, add Heshouwu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix) and Baizhi Shao (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix apical part); if located on the foot, add Binglang (Arecae Semen) and Mugua (Chaenomelis Fructus); for purgation, add Qingpi, Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Dahuang, Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus), and Qianniu (Pharbitidis Semen).