气味苦、寒，无毒。主下淤血、血闭，寒热，破症瘕积聚、留饮宿食，荡涤肠胃，推
陈致新，通利水谷，调中化食，安和五脏。
陈修园曰∶大黄色正黄而臭香，得土之正气正色，故专主脾胃之病；其气味苦寒，故主
下泄
凡血淤而闭，则为寒热；腹中结块，有形可征曰症，可聚可散曰瘕；五脏为积，六腑为
聚，
以及留饮宿食，得大黄攻下，皆能已之。自“荡涤肠胃”下五句，是申明大黄之效。末一
句是总结上四句，又大申大黄之奇效也。意谓人只知大黄荡涤肠胃，功在推陈，抑知推陈即
所以致新乎？人知大黄通利水谷，功在化食，抑知化食即所以调中乎？且五脏皆禀气于胃，
胃
得大黄运化之力而安和，而五脏亦得安和矣，此《本经》所以有黄良之名也。（有生用者，
有用清酒洗者。）
气味苦、甘、平，无毒。主淤血、血闭、症瘕邪气，杀小虫。（双仁者，大毒。）
陈修园曰∶桃仁气平为金气，味苦为大味，味甘为上味。所以泻多而补少者，以气平主
降，
味苦主泄，甘味之少，不能与之为敌也。
徐灵胎曰∶桃得三月春和之气以生，而花色鲜明似血，故凡血郁血结之疾，不能调和畅
达者
，此能入于其中而和之散之。然其生血之功少，而去淤之功多者，何也？盖桃核本非血类，
故不能有所补益。若淤瘕皆已败之血，非生气不能流通。桃之生气，皆在于仁，而味苦又能
开
泄，故能逐旧而不伤新也。
【大黄】
气味：苦，寒，无毒。
主治：主要治疗瘀血阻滞、经血闭止、寒热往来；破除癥瘕积聚（腹内结块）、停留的饮邪和隔宿的食物；能荡涤肠胃，推陈出新，通利水谷运化，调和脾胃以消化食物，使五脏安宁平和。
陈修园说：大黄色正黄且气味芳香，禀受了土的正气和正色，所以专门主治脾胃的疾病；其气味苦寒，所以主要治疗因瘀血闭阻导致的寒热症状。凡是血液瘀滞而闭阻，就会产生寒热；腹中结块，形状固定可查证的称为“症”，时聚时散的可移动的称为“瘕”；病在五脏称为“积”，病在六腑称为“聚”，以及停留的饮邪和隔宿的食物，得到大黄的攻下作用，都能治愈。从“荡涤肠胃”以下的五句话，是进一步阐明大黄的疗效。最后一句是对上面四句的总结，更是大力宣扬大黄的奇特功效。意思是说，人们只知道大黄荡涤肠胃，功劳在于推陈，却不知道推陈正是为了致新吗？人们知道大黄通利水谷，功劳在于化食，却不知道化食正是为了调中吗？况且五脏都依赖胃气滋养，胃得到大黄运化的力量而安和，那么五脏也就随之安和了，这就是《神农本草经》称大黄为“黄良”的原因。（有的生用，有的用清酒清洗。）
【桃仁】
气味：苦，甘，平，无毒。
主治：主治瘀血、经血闭止、癥瘕及邪气，能杀灭小虫。（双仁的桃仁，有大毒。）
陈修园说：桃仁气平属于金气，味苦是大味，味甘是上味。之所以泻实多于补虚，是因为气平主降，味苦主泄，甘味较少，不能与之抗衡。
徐灵胎说：桃子得三月春天的温和之气而生，花色鲜明像血，所以凡是血郁血结的疾病，不能调和畅达的，桃仁能进入其中调和消散它。然而它生血的功效少，而去瘀的功效多，为什么呢？因为桃核本来不属于血类，所以不能有所补益。如果瘀血和癥瘕都是已经败坏的血液，没有生气就不能流通。桃子的生气都在桃仁里，而且味苦又能开泄，所以能驱逐旧瘀而不伤害新血。
[Da Huang / Rhizoma Rhei]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, Cold, non-toxic.
Indications: Primarily treats blood stasis (stagnation of blood), amenorrhea due to blood obstruction, alternating chills and fever; breaks up masses and accumulations (abdominal lumps), retained fluids, and old food; purges the intestines and stomach, eliminates the stale to generate the new, promotes the smooth flow of water and grain digestion, harmonizes the middle jiao to transform food, and pacifies and harmonizes the five zang organs.
Chen Xiuyuan states: Da Huang has a pure yellow color and a fragrant odor, inheriting the righteous qi and color of Earth, thus specializing in treating diseases of the Spleen and Stomach; its bitter and cold flavor primarily addresses chills and fever caused by blood stasis and obstruction. Whenever blood is stagnant and obstructed, chills and fever arise; abdominal masses that are fixed and palpable are termed "Zheng" (masses), while those that gather and scatter are termed "Jia" (accumulations); pathology in the five zang organs is called "Ji" (accumulation), and in the six fu organs is called "Ju" (gathering). Retained fluids and old food can all be cured by the purgative action of Da Huang. The five sentences following "purges the intestines and stomach" further elucidate the efficacy of Da Huang. The final sentence summarizes the preceding four, greatly extolling the unique efficacy of Da Huang. The implication is that people only know Da Huang purges the intestines and stomach, with merit in eliminating the stale, but do they realize that eliminating the stale is precisely how the new is generated? People know Da Huang promotes the flow of water and grain, with merit in transforming food, but do they realize that transforming food is precisely how the middle jiao is harmonized? Moreover, the five zang organs all receive qi from the Stomach; when the Stomach obtains the transformative power of Da Huang and becomes harmonious, the five zang organs also become harmonious. This is why the *Shennong Bencao Jing* names Da Huang as "Huang Liang" (Excellent Yellow). (Some are used raw, some are washed with clear wine.)
[Tao Ren / Semen Persicae]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, Sweet, Neutral, non-toxic.
Indications: Treats blood stasis, amenorrhea due to blood obstruction, Zheng/Jia masses, and pathogenic factors; kills small parasites. (Peach kernels with two almonds contain high toxicity.)
Chen Xiuyuan states: Tao Ren has a neutral qi belonging to Metal qi, a bitter taste which is a major taste, and a sweet taste which is a superior taste. It tonifies less than it drains because neutral qi governs descending, and bitter taste governs purging; the slight sweetness cannot counteract this.
Xu Lingtai states: Peaches grow by absorbing the mild qi of spring in the third month, and their flowers are bright red like blood. Therefore, for diseases of blood stagnation and congealment that cannot be harmonized and unblocked smoothly, Tao Ren can enter them to harmonize and dissipate them. However, why does its ability to generate blood lie less in its function, while its ability to remove stasis lies more? Because peach pits do not belong to the category of blood, they cannot provide nourishment. If stasis and masses are already corrupted blood, without vital qi they cannot circulate. The vital qi of the peach resides entirely in the kernel, and its bitter taste opens and purges, thus allowing it to expel the old without injuring the new.