味酸苦，性微寒有小毒，入肝经。主怒气伤肝，胸腹中积聚，腰脐间瘀血，腹痛下痢，
目疾崩漏，调经安胎。赤者专主破血利小便，除热明眼目。雷丸、乌药、没药为使，恶石斛，
芒硝，畏硝石、鳖甲、小苏，反藜芦。
按∶白芍酸走肝，故能泻水中之火，因怒受伤之证，得之皆愈。积聚腹痛，虽脾之病，
然往往亢而承制，土及似木之象也。经曰∶治病必求于本。今治之以肝，正其本也。目疾与
妇人诸证，皆血之病得之，以伐肝邪，则血自生而病自已，故四物汤用之，亦以妇人多气也。
今竟称其补血之效而忘其用，可耶？新产后宜酌用之，恐酸寒伐生生之气也，血虚者煨用，
痛痢者炒用。
雷公云∶凡采得后，于日中晒干，以竹刀刮去粗皮，将蜜水拌蒸，从巳至未，晒干用之。
味甘苦，性寒无毒，入心肝脾肺四经。凉心火之烦热，泻脾土之湿热，止肺经之衄
热，除肝木之血热。忌见铁器，当归为使，得麦门冬酒良。恶贝母，畏芜荑、莱菔及子。
按∶生地黄总是凉血之剂，故入四经以清诸热。老人津枯梗结，妇人崩漏，及产后血攻
心者，尤为要药。实脾药中用二三分，使脾家永不受邪。血虚寒者忌之。
味甘苦，性温无毒，入心肝肾三经。活血气，封填骨髓；滋肾水，补益真阴。伤寒后胫
股疼痛，新产后脐腹难禁。利耳目，乌须发，治五劳七伤，能安魂定魄。使忌畏恶，俱同生
地，性尤泥滞，姜酒浸用。
按∶熟地黄为补血之剂，而心与肝，藏血生血者也，故能入焉。其色黑，其性沉阴重浊，
经
必受其益，而劳伤惊悸，并可痊矣。
雷公云∶采得生地黄，去白皮，磁锅上柳木甑蒸之，摊令气歇，拌酒，再蒸，又出令干，
勿令犯铜铁，令人肾消，并白发，男损营，女损卫也。
【白芍药】
味酸、苦，性微寒，有小毒，归入肝经。主治因怒气损伤肝脏，胸腹中的积聚，腰脐间的瘀血，腹痛及腹泻痢疾，眼疾及崩漏，调和月经、安胎。赤芍专主破血、利小便，清除热邪以明目。以雷丸、乌药、没药为引使，忌与石斛同用，畏芒硝、硝石、鳖甲、小苏（注：此处指某种矿物或药物，原文如此），反藜芦。
按语：白芍味酸入肝，故能泻除水中之火，凡是因愤怒受伤导致的病证，服用此药皆可痊愈。积聚和腹痛，虽然是脾的病证，但往往是因为木气亢盛而克制土气，呈现出类似木克土的象。医经说：“治病必求于本。”现在通过治疗肝脏来治病，正是抓住了根本。眼疾和妇女的各种病证，都是血分病变所致，通过伐除肝邪，血液自然生成，病也就好了，所以四物汤中使用它，也是因为妇女多气虚血弱之故。如今竟然只称颂其补血的功效而忘记了它的真正用途，这可以吗？新产后的妇女应斟酌使用，恐怕其酸寒之性会损伤生生之气。血虚者宜煨用，腹痛痢疾者宜炒用。
雷公说：凡是采得后，在太阳下晒干，用竹刀刮去粗皮，用蜜水拌蒸，从巳时到未时，晒干后使用。
【生地黄】
味甘、苦，性寒，无毒，归心、肝、脾、肺四经。清凉心火的烦热，泻除脾土的湿热，止住肺经的衄血热，清除肝木的血热。忌见铁器，以当归为使，与麦门冬、酒同用效果良好。忌与贝母同用，畏芜荑、莱菔及其种子。
按语：生地黄总是作为凉血的药剂，因此进入四经以清除各种热邪。老人津液枯竭导致梗结，妇人崩漏，以及产后血气攻心的情况，尤其需要此药。在实脾药中加入二三分，可使脾脏永远不受邪气侵袭。血虚且伴有寒症者忌用。
【熟地黄】
味甘、苦，性温，无毒，归心、肝、肾三经。活血气，填补骨髓；滋补肾水，补益真阴。治疗伤寒后小腿和大腿疼痛，新产后脐腹部难以忍受的疼痛。通利耳目，使头发变黑，治疗五劳七伤，能安定魂魄。其使药、忌药、畏药、恶药，都与生地黄相同，其性质尤为黏滞，需用姜酒浸泡后使用。
按语：熟地黄是补血的药剂，而心和肝是藏血和生血的脏腑，所以它能进入这两经。其色黑，其性沉阴重浊，经脉必然受到它的益处，而劳伤惊悸等症，也可以痊愈。
雷公说：采得生地黄后，去掉白皮，在磁锅上的柳木蒸笼中蒸制，摊开让热气散尽，拌入酒，再蒸，又取出晾干，不要让铜铁接触，否则会令人肾消，并导致白发，男子损伤营气，女子损伤卫气。
[Bai Shaoyao (White Peony Root)]
Taste: sour, bitter. Nature: slightly cold, slightly toxic. Meridian tropism: Liver meridian. Indications: Mainly treats liver injury caused by anger, accumulations and masses in the chest and abdomen, blood stasis between the waist and umbilicus, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dysentery; eye diseases, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis; regulates menstruation and calms the fetus. Chi Shaoyao (Red Peony Root) specifically breaks blood stasis, promotes urination, clears heat, and brightens the eyes. Guiding herbs: Lei Wan (Omphalia Lapponica), Wu Yao (Linderae Radix), Moyao (Myrrha). Contraindications: Avoid Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis); incompatible with Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas), Xiaosu (likely referring to a mineral salt or specific herb as per text); antagonistic to Lifulu (Veratrum nigrum).
Commentary: Bai Shaoyao enters the Liver via its sour taste, thus it can drain fire from within the water (Kidney/Liver yin context). Conditions injured by anger will all heal upon taking it. Accumulations and abdominal pain are diseases of the Spleen, yet often arise when Wood qi is hyperactive and over-controls Earth, presenting an image similar to Wood controlling Earth. The Classics state: "In treating disease, one must seek the root." Treating via the Liver now addresses precisely this root. Eye diseases and various women's disorders are all blood-related pathologies; by subduing Liver pathogens, blood naturally regenerates, and the illness subsides. Hence, Siwu Tang (Four Substance Decoction) uses it, also because women tend to have Qi deficiency and Blood weakness. To merely praise its blood-nourishing effect while forgetting its true usage—is this acceptable? For postpartum women, use with discretion, lest its sour-cold nature damage the vital generating Qi. For Blood deficiency, roast before use; for abdominal pain and dysentery, stir-fry before use.
Lei Gong states: After harvesting, dry in the sun, scrape off the coarse skin with a bamboo knife, mix with honey water, steam from Si hour (09:00-11:00) to Wei hour (13:00-15:00), then dry and use.
[Sheng Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix)]
Taste: sweet, bitter. Nature: cold, non-toxic. Meridian tropism: Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung meridians. Actions: Cools irritability and heat of Heart fire; drains damp-heat of Spleen earth; stops nasal bleeding and heat in the Lung meridian; clears blood-heat of Liver wood. Contraindications: Avoid contact with iron vessels. Guiding herb: Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix). Synergies: Effective with Maidong (Ophiopogonis Tuber) and wine. Antagonisms: Incompatible with Beimu (Fritillariae Bulbus); adverse reaction with Wuyi (Allophylus cobbe seed), Laifu (Raphani Fructus), and their seeds.
Commentary: Sheng Dihchang is always a blood-cooling agent, entering the four meridians to clear various heats. It is especially a crucial medicine for the elderly with dried-up fluids causing obstruction, women with metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, and postpartum cases where blood attacks the heart. Adding two or three fen in splea-strengthening formulas ensures the Spleen remains free from pathogens. Contraindicated in cases of Blood deficiency with cold.
[Shu Dihuang (Prepared Rehmanniae Radix)]
Taste: sweet, bitter. Nature: warm, non-toxic. Meridian tropism: Heart, Liver, Kidney meridians. Actions: Invigorates Qi movement in blood, fills and seals marrow; nourishes Kidney water, tonifies True Yin. Indications: Pain in calves and thighs after Shanghan (Cold Damage); unbearable pain in the umbilical and abdominal region after childbirth. Benefits ears and eyes, darkens hair, treats Five Exhaustions and Seven Injuries, calms the Hun and Po. Its guiding, contraindicated, adverse, and antagonistic properties are the same as Sheng Dihuang. Its nature is particularly cloying and obstructive; soak in ginger wine before use.
Commentary: Shu Dihuang is a blood-tonifying agent. Since the Heart and Liver store and generate blood, it enters these organs. Its color is black, and its nature is heavy, turbid, and Yin-dominant. The meridians necessarily benefit from it, and conditions such as exhaustion injuries and palpitations due to fright can be cured.
Lei Gong states: After harvesting Sheng Dihuang, remove the white skin, steam in a willow-wood steamer placed on a porcelain pot, spread out to let the vapor dissipate, mix with wine, steam again, then take out and dry. Do not allow contact with copper or iron, as this causes Kidney depletion, premature whitening of hair, damages Ying (Nutrient) Qi in men, and Wei (Defensive) Qi in women.