辛、苦，寒，拣肥润里白者，竹刀去毛切，勿令犯铁器，引经上行，用酒浸焙，下行
盐水润焙，得黄柏酒良，伏盐、硼砂。
甘、酸、咸，温，皮如松梢有鳞甲，形柔软如肉，酒浸一宿，刷去浮甲，劈破中
膜一重，焙干用，或酥炙得所。
李中立曰∶肉苁蓉，肥大柔软者佳，干枯瘦小者劣，今人多以金莲根、草苁蓉、嫩松梢，
盐
甘、咸，温，酒润焙。
陶九成辍耕录云∶锁阳生鞑靼田地，发起如笋，上丰下俭，鳞甲栉比，筋脉联系，绝类
男阳
甘、辛，平，洗净，以酒浸一日夜，湿纸包糠火中煨熟，取出切片，焙用，破开明亮
坚实者佳。
苦、甘、辛，温，去芦，炒用，防风地榆为使，忌桃、李、菘菜、青鱼、雀肉。
辛烈苦温，焙用，使忌同白术。
二术留皮者当以米泔水浸半日，去粗皮，肆中售者多削净，不可水浸更泄性味，凡用不
拘州
同，
生用可也。
苍术苗高二三尺，其叶抱茎而生，稍间叶似棠梨叶，其脚下叶有三五叉，皆有锯齿小刺，
根
槌，亦有大如拳
分苍白，或又以为诸州皆产苍术
【知母】味辛、苦，性寒。选用肥润且内部洁白的药材，用竹刀去除毛须后切片，切勿让药材接触铁器。若要引药上行，可用酒浸泡后焙干；若欲引药下行，则用盐水润湿后焙干。与黄柏配伍并用酒制效果更佳。此外，伏盐、硼砂可制约其偏性。
【肉苁蓉】味甘、酸、咸，性温。外皮像松梢一样有鳞甲，质地柔软如肉。用酒浸泡一夜，刷去表面的浮甲，劈开中间的一层薄膜，焙干后使用，或者用酥油炙烤至适宜程度。李中立说：肉苁蓉以肥大柔软者为佳，干枯瘦小者较差。现在许多人用金莲根、草苁蓉、嫩松梢来冒充。
【锁阳】味甘、咸，性温。用酒润湿后焙干。陶九成在《辍耕录》中说：锁阳生长在鞑靼地区的地里，初生时像笋，上部丰满下部俭薄，鳞甲排列整齐，筋脉相连，极像男性的生殖器。
【天麻】味辛、甘，性平。洗净后，用酒浸泡一天一夜，用湿纸包裹，在糠火中煨熟，取出切片，焙干后使用。掰开后内部明亮坚实者为佳。
【防风】味苦、甘、辛，性温。去掉芦头，炒制后使用。以防风、地榆为佐使药。忌食桃、李、菘菜（白菜）、青鱼、雀肉。
【苍术】味辛烈苦温，焙干后使用。使用时需注意，禁忌同白术。对于保留外皮的苍术，应当用米泔水浸泡半天，去掉粗皮；市面上出售的多已削净，不可再用水浸泡，否则会更泄其性味。凡是用苍术，不拘泥于产地州郡的区别，生用也可以。苍术苗高二三尺，叶子抱茎而生，中间的叶子像棠梨叶，根部的叶子有三五叉，都有锯齿状的小刺。根部有的大如拳头，分苍白两种颜色，又有人说各州都产苍术。
【狗脊】味苦、甘，微温。选用带有金色绒毛的，用火燎去须毛，细切后，用酒浸泡，蒸晒后使用。以萆薢为佐使药，恶败酱、莎草。现在的人常把垂水草当作狗脊，这是不对的。
[Anemarrhenae Rhizoma] Pungent, bitter, cold in nature. Select plump, moist rhizomes with white interiors. Remove the hairs using a bamboo knife and slice; avoid contact with iron vessels. To guide the action upward, soak in wine and bake; to guide downward, moisten with salt water and bake. It is effective when combined with Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) processed with wine. Fuyan (Salted mineral) and Borax can mitigate its properties.
[Cynomorii Herba] Sweet, sour, salty, warm. The skin resembles pine tips with scales, and the texture is soft like meat. Soak in wine for one night, brush off the floating scales, split open the middle membrane, bake until dry for use, or roast with suet (animal fat) to the appropriate degree. Li Zhongling stated: Cynomorii Herba that is plump, large, and soft is superior; those that are dry, shriveled, thin, and small are inferior. Nowadays, many people substitute it with Golden Lotus Root, Grass Cynomorium, or tender pine tips.
[Cynomorii Herba - Alternative Description / Suoyang context implied by text structure but labeled as Suoyang description in source logic]: Sweet, salty, warm. Moisten with wine and bake. Tao Jiu Cheng in "Zhuo Geng Lu" states: Suoyang grows in the lands of the Tartars. When emerging, it resembles a bamboo shoot, being fuller at the top and thinner at the bottom, with scales arranged like roof tiles and tendons connecting them. It closely resembles the male organ.
[Gastrodiae Rhizoma] Pungent, sweet, neutral in nature. Wash clean, soak in wine for a day and night, wrap in wet paper, and bake in chaff fire until cooked. Take out, slice, and bake for use. Those that are bright and solid when broken open are superior.
[Saposhnikoviae Radix] Bitter, sweet, pungent, warm. Remove the root neck (lu), stir-fry before use. Use Saposhnikoviae Radix and Sanguisorbae Radix as guiding herbs. Avoid peaches, plums, Chinese cabbage (Songcai), green fish, and sparrow meat.
[Atractylodis Rhizoma] Pungent, strong, bitter, warm. Bake before use. Contraindications are the same as for Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu). For Atractylodis Rhizoma retaining the bark, soak in rice washing water for half a day and remove the coarse bark. Those sold in markets are often stripped clean; do not soak in water again as this will further dissipate its nature and flavor. Generally, Atractylodis Rhizoma can be used raw regardless of the province of origin. The stem of Atractylodis Rhizoma is two to three feet high, with leaves embracing the stem. The middle leaves resemble Cotoneaster leaves, while the basal leaves have three to five lobes, all with serrated small thorns. The roots vary in size, some as large as a fist, differing in color between white and greyish-white. Some claim Atractylodis Rhizoma is produced in all provinces.
[Cibotii Rhizoma] Bitter, sweet, slightly warm. Select those with golden hair, burn off the hairs with fire, cut finely, soak in wine, steam, and sun-dry for use. Use Dioscorea Hypoglauca Rhizoma (Bixie) as a guiding herb. It opposes Patriniae Herba (Baijiang) and Cyperi Rhizoma (Shacao). Nowadays, people mistakenly use Nymphoides peltata (Chuishui Cao) as Cibotii Rhizoma, which is incorrect.
[Cyrtomii Rhizoma] Bitter, slightly cold. Remove the skin and hairs, cut into pieces, and bake. Use Artemisiae Capillaris Herba (Yinchen) and Vigna angularis (Chixiaodou) as guiding herbs. Shi Zhongru (Stalactitum) can mitigate its properties. Nowadays, people mistakenly use Dendrobium nobile stems (Beibai Cao) as Cyrtomii Rhizoma, which is incorrect.