性味甘平，生用缓中气、泻火；炙用温元气补中，和药解毒，中满忌之。节∶行肢节
头∶入吐剂。梢∶入茎中。
即玉竹。甘平性润，补中益气，为风温咽痛专药。用代参蓍，功力稍缓。
性味甘温，生用托邪实表；炙用补中益气。但其性滞，不似人参之灵活。
苦甘性温，生用豁痰利水；炒焦燥湿健脾；制熟补脾润燥；炒黑止血醒脾。其利腰脐
血，有健脾之功。盖脾健气运，则结血自解。野生者气清；于潜者力倍；种收者气浊。第
调补录用，断难挽回生死。若阴虚燥热、肝肾有动气者均忌。
苦温辛烈，燥胃强脾，发汗除湿，能升发胃中阳气，辟恶解郁。产茅山者，真米泔浸
亦有麻油炒者。燥结多汗忌。
味辛性温，入肝经气分。诸风掉眩，头旋眼黑，属风痰滞伏者，非此不除。湿纸包，
熟用。子名还筒子，能定风益虚。若血液衰少，非真有风邪者，忌用。
辛苦性平，祛风胜湿，活血舒筋，入手足阳明、肝、胆，亦治骨蒸潮热，利大小便。
纹者良。
味苦微寒，生用升阳解表，能引清气上行，而平少阳，厥阴之邪热，止诸疟寒热，入
胆、心包、三焦。酒炒则引入血分，治热入血室；盐水炒除烦热；鳖血炒退骨蒸；醋炒
入肝经而调经散结，为解表和里之专药。性虽上升，多用不能下泄。其梢专于达下；其
汁，滴，治耳聋。若阴虚无邪、气升火炎者，均为切禁。
【甘草】
药性味甘平。生用能缓和中焦之气、清泻火热；炙用能温补元气、补益中气，并能调和诸药、解除毒性，但中焦胀满者忌用。节：作用于四肢关节。头：用于催吐药剂。梢：作用于尿道茎中。
【玉竹】
即玉竹。药性甘平而滋润，能补益中气，是治疗风温所致咽痛的要药。若用人参、黄芪代替，其功效稍缓。
【黄精】
药性味甘平，能补益中气，润养精血，但功效轻缓，稍逊于玉竹一筹。
【人参】
药性味甘温。生用能托举邪气外出以固表；炙用能补益中气。但其药性较为滞涩，不如人参那样灵活（注：原文此处可能有误，通常描述人参为灵动，此处对比对象需结合上下文，按字面翻译为“不似人参之灵活”或指代其他参类，此处依原文直译）。
【苍术】
药性苦甘温。生用能豁痰利水；炒焦能燥湿健脾；制熟能补脾润燥；炒黑能止血醒脾。它能疏通腰脐部位的血脉，具有健脾的功效。因为脾健则气运，凝结的血脉自然解散。野生者气味清纯；产于于潜者效力加倍；人工种植者气味浑浊。仅作为调补之用，断难挽回生死危局。若阴虚燥热、肝肾有动气者均忌用。
【厚朴】
药性苦温辛烈，能燥胃强脾，发汗除湿，能升发胃中的阳气，辟除秽恶、解郁结。产于茅山者为真品。可用米泔水浸泡，也有用麻油炒制的。燥结多汗者忌用。
【天麻】
味辛性温，入肝经气分。各种风病引起的眩晕、头晕眼花，属于风痰潜伏阻滞者，非此药不能祛除。用湿纸包裹后熟用。其子名为还筒子，能定风补虚。若血液衰少，并非真正有风邪者，忌用。
【威灵仙】
辛苦性平，能祛风胜湿，活血舒筋，归入手足阳明经及肝、胆经，也能治疗骨蒸潮热，通利大小便。纹理清晰者佳。
【柴胡】
味苦微寒。生用能升阳解表，能引导清气上行，从而平息少阳、厥阴经的邪热，止住各种疟疾的寒热症状，归入胆、心包、三焦经。酒炒则引入血分，治疗热入血室；盐水炒能除烦热；鳖血炒能退骨蒸；醋炒入肝经以调经散结，是解表和里的专用药。药性虽主上升，但多用并不能下泄。其梢专于达下；其汁，滴，可治耳聋。若阴虚无邪、气升火炎者，均为严格禁忌。
[Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata (Gancao)]
The flavor is sweet and the nature is neutral. When used raw, it moderates Qi in the middle jiao and clears fire; when honey-fried, it warms primordial Qi, tonifies the middle, harmonizes other herbs, and detoxifies. It is contraindicated in cases of fullness in the middle jiao. The nodes: act on the limb joints. The head: used in emetic formulas. The tips: act on the urethra.
[Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati (Yuzhu)]
Also known as Yuzhu. The flavor is sweet, the nature is neutral and moistening. It tonifies the middle and benefits Qi, and is a specific herb for treating sore throat caused by wind-warmth. If used to replace Ginseng Radix (Renshen) or Astragali Radix (Huangqi), its efficacy is slightly slower.
[Rhizoma Polygonati Sibirici (Huangjing)]
The flavor is sweet and the nature is neutral. It tonifies middle Qi and nourishes essence and blood. Its efficacy is mild and slow, slightly inferior to that of Yuzhu.
[Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen)]
The flavor is sweet and the nature is warm. When used raw, it expels pathogens and secures the exterior; when honey-fried, it tonifies the middle and benefits Qi. However, its nature is stagnant, unlike the flexibility of Renshen (Note: Textual ambiguity in source, translated literally).
[Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu)]
The flavor is bitter and sweet, the nature is warm. When used raw, it resolves phlegm and promotes urination; when stir-baked until scorched, it dries dampness and strengthens the spleen; when processed thoroughly, it tonifies the spleen and moistens dryness; when stir-baked until charred, it stops bleeding and awakens the spleen. It benefits the blood in the waist and umbilical region and has the effect of strengthening the spleen. Since a strong spleen ensures smooth Qi movement, congealed blood dissolves naturally. Wild ones have pure Qi; those from Yuqian have double potency; cultivated ones have turbid Qi. They are only suitable for regulation and tonification and cannot save lives in critical conditions. Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with dry-heat or moving Qi in the liver and kidney.
[Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis (Houpo)]
The flavor is bitter and warm, pungent and acrid. It dries the stomach and strengthens the spleen, induces sweating and removes dampness, can raise the Yang Qi of the stomach, dispel evil and relieve depression. Those produced in Maoshan are authentic. They can be soaked in rice water or stir-fried with sesame oil. Contraindicated in cases of dryness accumulation and excessive sweating.
[Tuber Gastrodiae (Tianma)]
Pungent in flavor and warm in nature, entering the Liver channel Qi level. For various wind diseases causing dizziness, vertigo, and blurred vision due to latent wind-phlegm stagnation, this herb is indispensable. Wrapped in wet paper and cooked before use. Its seed is called Huantongzi, which calms wind and benefits deficiency. Contraindicated in cases of blood deficiency without true wind pathogen.
[Radix Clematidis (Weilingxian)]
Bitter and pungent, neutral in nature. Expels wind and overcomes dampness, invigorates blood and relaxes sinews. Enters the Foot-Taiyang, Hand-Yangming, Liver, and Gallbladder channels. Also treats bone-steaming tidal fever and promotes urination and defecation. Those with clear texture are superior.
[Radix Bupleuri (Chaihu)]
Bitter in flavor and slightly cold in nature. When used raw, it raises Yang and releases the exterior, guides clear Qi upward, and pacifies the pathogenic heat of the Shaoyang and Jueyin channels, stopping chills and fever of various malaria types. Enters the Gallbladder, Pericardium, and Sanjiao. Wine-fried to enter the Blood level, treating heat entering the blood chamber; salt-water fried to relieve irritability and heat; turtle-blood fried to reduce bone-steaming heat; vinegar-fried to enter the Liver channel for regulating menstruation and dissipating nodules, serving as a specific herb for releasing the exterior and harmonizing the interior. Although its nature tends to ascend, excessive use does not promote downward drainage. Its tips specifically reach the lower body; its juice, applied dropwise, treats deafness. Strictly contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency without pathogens or rising Qi with flaming fire.