防风、黄 世多相须而用。唐许胤宗为新蔡王外兵参军，王太后病风，不能言
，脉沉难对，医告术穷。胤宗曰∶“饵液不可进”。即以黄 、防风煮汤数十斛，置床下，
气如雾熏薄之，是夕语。
唐开元末，访隐民姜抚，已几百岁，召至集贤院。言服常春藤，使白发还 ，则长
生可致。藤生太湖，终南往往有之。帝遣使多取，以赐老臣。诏天下，使自求之。擢抚银青
光禄大夫，号冲和先生。又言终南山有旱藕，饵之延年，状类葛粉。帝取之作汤饼，赐大臣
。右骁骑将军甘守诚曰∶常春者千岁 也，旱藕者杜蒙也。方家久不用，抚易名以神之，民
间以酒渍藤，饮者多暴死。乃止。抚内惭，请求药牢山，遂逃去。今书之以备世疑。
今人多用治痢，盖执以苦燥之义。下俚但见肠虚渗泄，微似有血便，即用之，更不知
止。又罔顾寒热多少，但以尽剂为度，由是多致危困。若气实初病，热多血痢，服之便止，
仍不必尽剂也。或虚而冷，则不须服。余如经。
即大蓝实也，谓之蓼蓝非是，《尔雅》所说是。解诸药等毒，不可阙也。实与叶两用
。《注》不解实只解蓝叶，为未尽。经所说尽矣。蓝一本而有数色──刮竹、青绿、云碧、
青蓝、黄，岂非青出于蓝而青于蓝者也。生叶汁解药毒，此即大叶蓝，又非蓼蓝也。蓼蓝，
即堪揉汁，染翠碧。花成长穗，细小，浅红色。
防风与黄芪，世人常将它们配合使用。唐代许胤宗担任新蔡王外兵参军时，新蔡王的太后患了风病，不能说话，脉象沉伏难以诊察，医生们都说医术已穷尽无策。许胤宗说：“口服药液无法进服。”于是就用黄芪、防风煮成汤剂数十斛（古代容量单位），放在床下，让药气像雾一样熏蒸病人，当晚太后就能说话了。
唐开元末年，朝廷寻访隐士姜抚，据说他已有几百岁高龄，被召至集贤院。姜抚说服用常春藤可以使白发变黑，从而可以达到长生不老。常春藤生长在太湖地区，终南山也多有生长。皇帝派遣使者大量采集，赏赐给年老的大臣。并下诏天下，让百姓自行寻找。提拔姜抚为银青光禄大夫，号称冲和先生。姜抚又说终南山有一种叫“旱藕”的植物，食用它可以延年益寿，形状类似葛粉。皇帝取来做成汤饼，赏赐给大臣们。右骁骑将军甘守诚说：“常春就是千岁藤，旱藕就是杜蒙。”医家早已不再使用这两种东西，姜抚更改名称以神化它们，民间用酒浸泡常春藤饮用，喝的人大多突然死亡。于是禁令停止。姜抚内心惭愧，请求到药牢山隐居，随后逃走了。现在记录此事以备世人疑惑。
如今许多人用黄芪治疗痢疾，大概是拘泥于它“苦能燥湿”的理论。下层百姓只见肠道虚弱导致泄泻，大便中微似有血，就立即使用黄芪，而且不知道适可而止。又不顾寒热证候的多少，只以服完一剂药为标准，因此多导致病情危重困顿。如果是正气充实初患病，热多血痢，服用后便停止，仍然不必服完一剂药。如果是虚寒证，则不需要服用。其余情况按照经典记载处理。
大蓝实就是菘蓝的种子，称之为蓼蓝是不对的，《尔雅》中所说的才是正确的。（大蓝实）能解各种药物等毒，不可缺少的。种子与叶子都可以使用。《本草注》只解释了蓝叶而没有解释种子，认为不够全面。经典中已经说得很详尽了。蓝草这一种植物有多种颜色——刮竹色、青绿色、云碧色、青蓝色、黄色，这难道不是“青出于蓝而胜于蓝”吗？生蓝叶的汁液可以解药毒，这就是大叶蓝，又不是蓼蓝。蓼蓝，是可以揉出汁液来染翠碧色的。花长成穗状，细小，浅红色。
Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) and Huangqi (Radix Astragali) are often used together by people in the world. In the Tang Dynasty, Xu Yinzong served as the External Military Staff Officer for the Prince of Xincai. The prince's mother suffered from wind disease (stroke or paralysis caused by wind pathogen), was unable to speak, and her pulse was deep and difficult to diagnose; physicians declared their medical skills exhausted. Yinzong said, "Oral liquid medication cannot be administered." He then boiled several hundred hu (an ancient unit of volume) of decoction made of Huangqi (Radix Astragali) and Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae), placed it under the bed, and allowed the medicinal vapor to fumigate the patient like a mist. That evening, she regained her ability to speak.
At the end of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, the court sought out the recl Jiang Fu, who was said to be hundreds of years old, and summoned him to the Jixian Academy. Jiang Fu stated that consuming Changchunteng (Stem and Leaf of Aristolochia Manshuriensis) could turn white hair black again, thereby achieving longevity. Changchunteng grows in the Taihu region, and is also common in Zhongnan Mountain. The Emperor sent envoys to collect large quantities to bestow upon elderly ministers. An edict was issued throughout the realm for people to seek it themselves. Jiang Fu was promoted to Silver-Qing Guanglu Daifu (a high honorary title) and given the title Chonghe Xiansheng (Master of Harmony). Jiang Fu further claimed that there was a plant called "Hanou" (Dry Lotus Root) in Zhongnan Mountain; consuming it could extend life, and its appearance resembled Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix (Gefen Fen). The Emperor had it prepared as soup cakes and bestowed them upon high officials. Gan Shoucheng, Right Xiaoqi General, said: "Changchun is Qiansui Teng (Thousand-Year Vine), and Hanou is Dumeng." Physicians had long ceased using these substances; Jiang Fu changed their names to mystify them. Commoners soaked the vine in wine and drank it, resulting in many sudden deaths. Consequently, the practice was banned. Feeling ashamed internally, Jiang Fu requested to retreat to Yaolao Mountain and subsequently fled. This account is recorded here to address worldly doubts.
Currently, many people use Huangqi (Radix Astragali) to treat dysentery, likely adhering strictly to the principle that "bitterness dries dampness." Lower-class individuals, seeing only intestinal deficiency leading to leakage and slight traces of blood in the stool, immediately administer it without knowing when to stop. They disregard the degree of cold or heat syndromes, considering the completion of one dose as the limit, which often leads to critical and distressing conditions. If the qi is substantial and the illness is recent, with heat-predominant bloody dysentery, administration stops once symptoms cease, and it is not necessary to finish the entire dose. If the condition is deficient and cold, it should not be taken. Other cases should follow the classics.
Da Lan Shi (Seed of Isatidis) is indeed the seed of Isatis Indigotica Folium (Lan Ye); calling it Liaolan (Polygoni Tinctorii Folium) is incorrect, as described in Er Ya (The Classic of Names). It can resolve various drug poisons and is indispensable. Both the seed and the leaf are used. The Commentary only explains the blue leaf and fails to explain the seed, which is incomplete. The Classics have already explained this thoroughly. The Lan plant has several colors—bamboo-scraping color, green-blue, cloud-jade color, cyan-blue, and yellow—is this not an example of "blue comes from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself"? The juice of fresh Lan leaves can resolve drug toxicity; this refers to Dayelan (Large-leaf Indigo), which is distinct from Liaolan. Liaolan (Polygoni Tinctorii Folium) yields juice when kneaded, used for dyeing emerald green. Its flowers grow in long spikes, are small, and light red.