一名冬青。然冬青子红。此树子黑。当另是一种。或云即蜡树。寄虫造白蜡者。
味苦甘。气寒。气薄味浓。阴中之阴。降也。入足少阴经。 纲目主强阴。健腰膝。变
白发。明目。称为上品无毒妙药。 典术言女贞本少阴之精。冬不落叶。故其益肾之功可推。
禀天地至阴之气。今人用以变白辄效。应是甘寒凉血益血之药。（仲淳） 女贞子气味俱阴。
为入肾除热补精之要品。凡肾阴虚而有热者。此为对待之剂 同地黄首乌人参麦冬牛膝枸杞
山药旱莲草南烛子没食子桑椹黄柏椒红莲须。为变白要药。 同杞子甘菊生地蒺藜。能明目
。乌髭须。女贞子一斗。如法去皮。老酒浸一宿。每斗用马料黑豆一斗。淘净晒干。同蒸透。
九蒸九晒。各为末。加山姜（即苍术） 自然汁三两。川椒净末三两。于女贞末内同黑豆末
和匀。蜜丸梧子大。先食服四五钱。日汤或酒吞。 又方。采鲜鳢肠草二三十斤。捣汁。入
九蒸九晒过女贞子末。再晒干为丸亦得。但服之腹痛作泄。不若山姜汁椒末为佳。更服八珍
丸以实根本。或用川椒末和女贞子末。等分为丸。腹即不痛。盖女贞补血海纯阴。有川椒从
天表之阳。直入命门而补元阳。即能令元阴有主得以施化。此亦不必九蒸九晒也。 缪氏更
定凉血理脾方。何首乌（乌豆同牛膝蒸制如法。后用人乳浸晒三四十次。）赤白各二斤。女
贞子酒拌。九蒸九晒。二斤。旱莲草膏十二两。南烛子膏十二两。茅术泔浸。蒸晒三次。去
皮切十二两。真川椒红去白膜闭口者。十二两。没石子十两。为末。以旱莲乌饭子二膏。同
炼蜜和丸。梧子大。每空心饥时。各服五钱。白汤吞。 加减地黄丸。治男子天元受伤。精
气耗损。胃虚劳热。骨体空虚。肾衰阳痿。精泄不施。或生而不育。久服愈百病。长精神。
有生生广嗣之妙。大生地一斤酒浸。柳木甑蒸烂。摊开竹筛内。日晒。夜收地上。如是蒸晒
九次。听用。白茯苓怀山药（乳浸晒干三次）丹皮（酒浸一宿晒干）山萸肉（雄半油炙）何
首乌（同黑豆九蒸九晒）枸杞子（蒸熟）金樱子（蒸熟）女贞子（酒浸一宿蒸熟）各八两。
配地黄炼蜜。为丸梧子大。每日空心。用白汤或淡酒下八九十丸。 杞龙丸。治劳伤过度。
忧愁思虑。心火烁肺。肾水不足。服之能健男子脾胃。调女子经水。枸杞子酒润六两。龙眼
肉半斤。熟地一斤。当归酒净六两。人参三两。麦冬七两。五味子去核一两。丹参四两。茯
苓乳浸晒干。二次。四两。怀山药六两。何首乌黑豆九蒸九晒。二两。续断四两。女贞子酒
浸一宿晒干。六两。丹皮酒净四两。黄连酒炒一次三两。石斛一斤。先将石斛煎浓汁。又将
山药焙。投入石斛汁内。收干再晒。配众药末。炼蜜丸梧子大。每服百丸。空心。淡酒或白
汤下。久服令人多子。
〔论〕 人身有阴中之气。有阴中之血。益阴诸味。从阴气盛而化血者。与阴血盛而和
气者。不可一例视。女贞子入血海益血而和气以上荣。故其效于髭须更着。他味虽如侧柏子
凌冬。与女贞同益阴血。而用固迥殊。盖万物向阳。柏独西指。乃受金之正气者也。惟宜于
吐血诸证。以坚金之气。因母护子。使不为淫火所烁。若女贞则负至阴之贞。由肾至肺。并
以淫精于上下。不独髭须为然。即广嗣方中多用之。又石菖蒲亦秉至阴。四序长清。然苦辛
开心和血而帅气。更不同于女贞实之用也。夫人知阳为阴先。不知阴气之盛者。更由于阴血
之足。阴血足而后阴气乃得上荣于唇口。以阳源出阴中。阴中之阳。即所谓阴气也。经曰。
至阴虚。天气绝。此即血脱者。不能致其阴气于天表之明证。再冲脉之上俞在大抒。大抒者
足太阳穴也。下俞在巨虚之上下 。此胃穴也。先天之气与后天之气合。而后阴血充。以上
下行。故乌须者用此。必兼理脾胃。
女贞子，又名冬青。然而冬青树的果实是红色的，而女贞子的果实是黑色的，这应当是另一种植物。有人说它就是蜡树，即寄生昆虫以制造白蜡的那种树。
女贞子味苦、甘，性寒。其气薄而味浓，属于阴中之阴，药势主降。它入足少阴肾经。《本草纲目》记载它能强固阴精，健腰膝，使白发变黑，明目，被誉为上品无毒的妙药。《典术》说女贞子是少阴肾精所化，冬天不落叶，所以可以推知它有补肾的功效。它禀受了天地至阴之气，现在人们用它来使白发变黑往往有效，这应该是因为它具有甘寒凉血、益血的作用。（陈实功）女贞子气味均属阴，是入肾除热、补精的重要药物。凡是肾阴虚而有虚热的情况，此药是对证的方剂。与地黄、何首乌、人参、麦冬、牛膝、枸杞、山药、旱莲草、南烛子、没食子、桑椹、黄柏、椒红、莲须等同用，是使头发变黑的要药。与枸杞、甘菊、生地、蒺藜同用，能明目，使胡须变黑。
取女贞子一斗，依法去皮，用老酒浸泡一夜。每斗女贞子配马料黑豆一斗，淘洗干净后晒干，与女贞子一同蒸透。经过九次蒸、九次晾晒，分别研成细末。加入山姜（即苍术）的自然汁三两，川椒净末三两，在女贞子末中混合黑豆末，搅拌均匀，用蜂蜜制成梧桐子大小的丸药。饭前服用四五钱，每日用汤水或酒送服。
又一方：采集新鲜的鳢肠草二三十斤，捣汁。加入经过九蒸九晒的女贞子末，再晒干制成丸药也可以。但服用后会出现腹痛腹泻的情况，不如用山姜汁和椒末的方法好。如果同时服用八珍丸以巩固根本，或者只用川椒末和女贞子末等分制丸，腹痛就不会发生。这是因为女贞子补血海之纯阴，配合川椒从天表之阳直入命门以补元阳，就能使元阴有所主宰从而得以施化。这种方法也不必非要九蒸九晒。
缪氏更定凉血理脾方：何首乌（与乌豆同牛膝按法蒸制，之后用人乳浸泡晾晒三四十次），赤白何首乌各二斤；女贞子酒拌，九蒸九晒，二斤；旱莲草膏十二两；南烛子膏十二两；茅术（苍术）用米泔水浸泡，蒸晒三次，去皮切片，十二两；真川椒红（去除白膜和闭口者），十二两；没石子十两。研为细末，以旱莲草膏和乌饭子膏，配合炼蜜和丸，梧桐子大小。每次空腹饥饿时，各服五钱，白开水送服。
加减地黄丸：治疗男子先天元气受损，精气耗损，胃虚劳热，骨体空虚，肾衰阳痿，遗精滑泄不能生育，或生而不育。长期服用可治愈百病，长养精神，有生生不息、广嗣继后的奇妙功效。大生地一斤，酒浸，柳木甑蒸烂，摊开在竹筛内，日晒夜收置于地上，如此蒸晒九次，备用。白茯苓、怀山药（人乳浸晒干三次）、丹皮（酒浸一夜晒干）、山萸肉（雄半油炙）、何首乌（同黑豆九蒸九晒）、枸杞子（蒸熟）、金樱子（蒸熟）、女贞子（酒浸一夜蒸熟）各八两。配地黄炼蜜，制成梧桐子大小的丸药。每日空腹，用白开水或淡酒送下八九十丸。
杞龙丸：治疗劳伤过度，忧愁思虑，心火灼肺，肾水不足。服用它能强健男子脾胃，调理女子月经。枸杞子酒润六两，龙眼肉半斤，熟地一斤，当归酒洗净六两，人参三两，麦冬七两，五味子去核一两，丹参四两，茯苓乳浸晒干二次四两，怀山药六两，何首乌黑豆九蒸九晒二两，续断四两，女贞子酒浸一夜晒干六两，丹皮酒洗净四两，黄连酒炒一次三两，石斛一斤。先将石斛煎成浓汁，再将山药焙干，投入石斛汁内，收干后再晒。配合其他药末，炼蜜制成梧桐子大小的丸药。每次服用一百丸，空腹，用淡酒或白开水送服。长期服用能使人多子。
〔论〕 人体内有阴中之气，有阴中之血。滋补阴分的各种药物，有的是从阴气旺盛而化生血液，有的是因阴血旺盛而调和气机，不可一概而论。女贞子入血海，益血而和气，使气血上荣于头面，所以它对胡须头发的效果更为显著。其他药物虽然像侧柏子那样凌冬不凋，与女贞子同样有益阴血的作用，但用途确实截然不同。大概万物都向阳生长，唯独柏树向西指，这是接受了金的正气。只适宜用于吐血等证候，因为坚敛金气，通过母护子（金生水，此处意指通过固摄肺气以保护肾水或防止火热刑金），使其不被淫火所灼伤。至于女贞子，则具备至阴的贞正之性，由肾达肺，上下均布淫精，不仅限于胡须头发，在广嗣方中也多用它。另外石菖蒲也秉受至阴之气，四季常青，但它苦辛开心、和血、帅气，更不同于女贞子果实的用法。人们只知道阳为阴的先导，却不知道阴气的旺盛，更在于阴血的充足。阴血充足后，阴气才能上荣于唇口，因为阳源出于阴中，阴中之阳，就是所谓的阴气。《内经》说：“至阴虚，天气绝。”这就是血脱者，不能将阴气输送到天表（体表/上部）的明证。再者，冲脉的上俞穴在大杼穴，大杼穴是足太阳膀胱经的穴位；下俞穴在巨虚之上、下廉，这是胃经的穴位。先天之气与后天之气相合，然后阴血才充盈，以上下运行。所以使用乌须发的药物，必须兼调脾胃。
Nuzhenzi (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus), also known as Dongqing. However, the fruit of the Dongqing tree is red, whereas the fruit of Nuzhenzi is black; this should be a different species. Some say it is the Wax Tree, on which insects parasitize to produce white wax.
It tastes bitter and sweet, and its nature is cold. Its qi is thin while its flavor is strong, belonging to yin within yin, with a descending action. It enters the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. *Bencao Gangmu* records that it strengthens the yin essence, benefits the waist and knees, turns white hair black, and improves vision, being praised as a superior-grade, non-toxic, miraculous medicine. *Dianshu* states that Nuzhenzi is the essence of Shaoyin, does not shed leaves in winter, so its kidney-nourishing efficacy can be inferred. It inherits the supreme yin qi of heaven and earth. Currently, people use it to turn white hair black with frequent success, indicating it is likely a drug that clears heat from the blood and nourishes blood through its sweet and cold properties. (Chen Shigong) The qi and flavor of Nuzhenzi are both yin, making it a key item for entering the kidney to clear heat and replenish essence. For cases of kidney yin deficiency with internal heat, this drug is specifically indicated. When used together with Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata), Heshouwu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix), Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), Hanliancao (Ecliptae Herba), Nanzhuzi (Myricae Fructus), Meishiizi (Terminalia Chebulae Retardatae Fructus), Sangshen (Mori Fructus), Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex), Jiaohong (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium), and Lianxu (Nelumbinis Stamen), it becomes an essential prescription for turning hair black. Combined with Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), Ganju (Chrysanthemi Flos), Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), and Jili (Tribuli Fructus), it can improve vision and darken beard and hair.
Take one dou of Nuzhenzi, remove the skin according to method, and soak in aged wine overnight. For every dou of Nuzhenzi, use one dou of horse-feed black beans, wash clean, dry, and steam together with Nuzhenzi until thoroughly cooked. Perform nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying. Grind each into powder separately. Add three liang of natural juice from Shanjiang (Cangzhu, Atractylodis Rhizoma), three liang of purified and powdered Chuanjiao (Zanthoxyllum Piperitum), mix evenly with the Nuzhenzi powder and black bean powder. Form pills the size of wutong seeds using honey. Take four or five qian before meals, swallowed daily with decoction or wine.
Another prescription: Collect twenty to thirty jin of fresh Lichangcao (Ecliptae Herba), crush to extract juice. Mix with Nuzhenzi powder that has undergone nine steams and nine sun-dryings, then dry again to form pills. This may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea, which is inferior to the method using Shanjiang juice and Jiao powder. If combined with Bazhen Wan (Eight Treasure Pill) to consolidate the root, or if only Chuanjiao powder and Nuzhenzi powder are mixed in equal parts to form pills, abdominal pain will not occur. This is because Nuzhenzi nourishes the pure yin of the Blood Sea, while Chuanjiao enters the Mingmen (Gate of Life) directly from the exterior yang to tonify primal yang. This allows primal yin to have a master and thus function properly. In this case, nine steams and nine sun-dryings are not strictly necessary.
Mu Shi's Revised Prescription for Cooling Blood and Regulating Spleen: Heshouwu (steamed with Wudou and Niuxi according to method, then soaked in human milk and sun-dried thirty to forty times), two jin each of red and white varieties; Nuzhenzi tossed in wine, nine steams and nine sun-dryings, two jin; Hanliancao paste, twelve liang; Nanzhuzi paste, twelve liang; Maoshu (Cangzhu, Atractylodis Rhizoma) soaked in rice water, steamed and sun-dried three times, peeled and sliced, twelve liang; Zhen Chuanjiao Hong (true Sichuan pepper red, removing white membranes and closed-mouthed ones), twelve liang; Meishizi (Terminalia chebula retards fruit), ten liang. Grind into powder. Use Hanliancao paste and Wu Fanzi paste, combined with refined honey, to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take five qian each time when empty-stomached or hungry, swallowed with plain water.
Jiajian Dihuang Wan (Modified Rehmannia Pill): Treats men suffering from damage to primordial origin, depletion of essence and qi, stomach deficiency with labor fever, emptiness of bones and body, kidney decline with impotence, seminal emission without fertility, or congenital infertility. Long-term use cures hundred diseases, enhances spirit, and possesses the wonder of promoting vitality and offspring. Da Shengdi (Prepared Rehmannia Root) one jin, soaked in wine, steamed in a willow-wood steamer until soft, spread on bamboo sieve, sun-dried by day and stored on ground by night, repeated nine times, ready for use. Bai Fuling (Poria), Huai Shanyao (Chinese Yam, soaked in milk and sun-dried three times), Danpi (Moutan Cortex, soaked in wine overnight and sun-dried), Shanyurou (Corni Fructus, half male roasted with oil), Heshouwu (steamed with black beans nine times and nine sun-dryings), Gouqizi (steamed ripe), Jinyingzi (steamed ripe), Nuzhenzi (soaked in wine overnight and steamed ripe) — each eight liang. Combine with Dihuang and refined honey to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take eighty to ninety pills daily when empty-stomached, washed down with plain water or light wine.
Qilong Wan (Goji Dragon Pill): Treats excessive labor injury, worry and overthinking, heart fire scorching the lungs, and insufficient kidney water. Taking it strengthens the spleen and stomach in men and regulates menstruation in women. Gouqizi (moistened with wine) six liang, Longyanrou (Longan Aril) half a jin, Shudi (Prepared Rehmannia Root) one jin, Danggui (Angelica Sinensis Radix, washed clean with wine) six liang, Renshen (Ginseng) three liang, Maidong (Ophiopogon) seven liang, Wuweizi (Schisandra Berry, pitted) one liang, Danshen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Radix) four liang, Fuling (Poria, soaked in milk, sun-dried twice) four liang, Huai Shanyao (Chinese Yam) six liang, Heshouwu (steamed with black beans nine times and nine sun-dryings) two liang, Xuduan (Dipsaci Radix) four liang, Nuzhenzi (soaked in wine overnight, sun-dried) six liang, Danpi (washed clean with wine) four liang, Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma, stir-fried with wine once) three liang, Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis) one jin. First, boil Shihu to make a thick decoction. Then roast Shanyao, put it into the Shihu decoction, collect until dry, and sun-dry again. Mix with other powdered herbs, refine honey, and form pills the size of wutong seeds. Take one hundred pills at a time, when empty-stomached, washed down with light wine or plain water. Long-term use promotes fertility.
[Discussion] The human body contains yin qi and yin blood. Various substances that benefit yin differ in mechanism: some transform into blood from abundant yin qi, while others harmonize qi due to abundant yin blood. They cannot be viewed identically. Nuzhenzi enters the Blood Sea, nourishes blood, harmonizes qi, and causes it to ascend and nourish the head and face. Therefore, its effect on beard and hair is more pronounced. Other herbs, such as Cebai Zi (Platycladi Semen), which remains green in winter like Nuzhenzi and also benefits yin blood, have distinctly different applications. Generally, all things face the sun, but the cypress points west, receiving the righteous qi of Metal. It is suitable mainly for hematemesis and similar conditions, where its firming metal qi protects the child via the mother (metal generates water), preventing scorching by pathogenic fire. In contrast, Nuzhenzi embodies the integrity of supreme yin, extending from the kidney to the lung, distributing essence throughout the upper and lower jiao. Its utility is not limited to hair and beard; it is also widely used in prescriptions for promoting fertility. Additionally, Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma) also possesses supreme yin qualities and stays clear throughout the four seasons, but its bitter and pungent nature opens the heart, harmonizes blood, and directs qi, which differs significantly from the application of Nuzhenzi fruit. People know that yang precedes yin, but they do not realize that the abundance of yin qi stems from sufficient yin blood. Only when yin blood is sufficient can yin qi ascend to nourish the lips and mouth, because the source of yang emerges from yin; the yang within yin is what is referred to as yin qi. The Classic states: "When yin is extremely deficient, heavenly qi is severed." This is clear evidence that in cases of blood loss, yin qi cannot reach the heavenly surface (exterior/upper body). Furthermore, the upper shu point of the Chong Mai is at Dazhu (BL11), which belongs to the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian; the lower shu points are at Shangjuxu and Xiajuxu (ST37, ST39), which are Stomach meridian points. When primordial qi combines with acquired qi, yin blood becomes abundant and circulates up and down. Therefore, when using herbs to darken hair, one must simultaneously regulate the spleen and stomach.