味苦，性寒无毒，入心经。主心火炎，目疾暴发，疮疡红肿，肠红下痢，痞满泄泻小
儿疳热，消口中疮，惊悸烦躁，天行热疾。黄芩、龙骨、连翘、滑石为使，恶菊花、芫花、
玄参、白藓、白僵蚕，畏款冬花，解巴豆、乌头毒，忌猪肉、冷水。
按∶黄连味苦泻心，治心火诸病不可缺。泻痢虽属脾经，正由火不能生土，况心与小肠
相为表里，心火泻则小便亦利，而肠胃自浓矣。因寒得泻者忌之，又久病气虚，心火不盛者，
用
雷公云∶凡使以布拭去髭毛，然后用浆水浸二伏时，漉出，于柳木火中焙干用。若服此
药，得十两，不得食猪肉，若服至三年，一生不得食猪肉也。
味苦，性大寒无毒，入脾胃大肠心肝五经。性沉而不浮，用走而不守，夺土郁而无壅
滞，定祸乱而致太平，名曰将军。又主痈肿及目疾痢疾暴发，血关火闭，推陈致新。黄芩为
使，无所畏，锦纹者佳。
按∶大黄之入脾胃大肠，人所解也。其入心与肝也，人多不究。昔仲景百劳丸，庶虫丸，
都用大黄以理劳伤吐衄，意最深微。盖以浊阴不降则清阳不升者，天地之道也，瘀血不去则
新血不生者，人身之道也，蒸热日久，瘀血停于经络，必得大黄以豁之，则肝脾通畅，陈推
而致新矣，今之治劳，多用滋阴，频服不效，坐而待毙嗟乎，术岂止此耶？至痈肿目疾及痢
疾，咸热瘀所致，故并治之，伤寒脉弱及风寒未解者，禁用。
雷公云∶凡使细切，内纹如水旋斑紧重，锉蒸从巳至未，晒干，又漉，腊水蒸，从未至
亥，如此蒸七度，晒干，却漉，薄蜜水再蒸一伏时，其大黄酱如乌膏样子，日晒干用之为妙。
黄连：味苦，性寒，无毒，归心经。主治心火亢盛，目疾突发，疮疡红肿，便血下痢，痞满泄泻，小儿疳积发热，消除口舌生疮，惊悸烦躁，时行热病。以黄芩、龙骨、连翘、滑石为引经药（使药），忌与菊花、芫花、玄参、白鲜皮、白僵蚕同用，畏惧款冬花，能解巴豆、乌头之毒，忌食猪肉、冷水。
按语：黄连味苦能泻心火，治疗心火引起的各种疾病不可或缺。虽然泄痢病症多属脾经，但根本原因在于心火不能生脾土（火不生土）。况且心与小肠互为表里，心火得泻则小便通利，肠胃自然滋润。因受寒而致泄泻者禁用此药；此外，久病气虚、心火不旺盛者也不宜使用。
雷公云：凡使用黄连，需用布擦去须毛，然后用浆水浸泡两个昼夜（二伏时），滤出，在柳木火上焙干后使用。如果服用此药，累计达到十两，就不能吃猪肉；如果服用至三年，一生都不能再吃猪肉。
大黄：味苦，性大寒，无毒，归脾、胃、大肠、心、肝五经。药性沉降而不浮散，作用走窜而不固守，能破除土气的郁结而无壅滞，平定祸乱而致太平，故名为“将军”。又主治痈肿及目疾、痢疾突发，血闭火郁，推陈出新。以黄芩为引经药（使药），无所畏惧，以有锦纹者为佳。
按语：大黄入脾、胃、大肠经，人们通常知晓。但其入心、肝经，人们往往不加探究。昔日张仲景的百劳丸、庶虫丸，都使用大黄来调理劳伤导致的吐血、衄血，用意深远微妙。大概因为浊阴不降则清阳不升，这是天地的规律；瘀血不去则新血不生，这是人体的规律。蒸热日久，瘀血停滞于经络，必须用大黄来豁除，才能使肝脾通畅，推去陈旧而生发新血。如今治疗劳损，多用滋阴之法，频繁服用却无效，坐以待毙，唉！医术难道只有这些吗？至于痈肿、目疾及痢疾，都是由于热邪瘀滞所致，所以一并治疗。伤寒脉弱及风寒表证未解者，禁用。
雷公云：凡使用大黄，需细切，选取内部纹理如水旋斑且质地紧重的，锉碎后蒸制，从巳时至未时，晒干，再次滤出，用腊月水蒸制，从未时至亥时，像这样蒸七次，晒干，再次滤出，用薄蜜水再蒸一个昼夜（一伏时），此时大黄酱状如黑膏，日晒干燥后使用为妙。
Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian, 黄连): Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic, enters the Heart Meridian. It primarily treats hyperactive Heart Fire (excessive heat in the heart), sudden onset of eye diseases, redness and swelling of sores and ulcers, bloody stool and dysentery, epigastric fullness and diarrhea, childhood malnutrition fever (Gan syndrome with heat), elimination of oral ulcers, palpitations and irritability, and epidemic febrile diseases. It is guided by Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin, 黄芩), Os Draconis et Ossis Mamillae (Longgu, 龙骨), Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao, 连翘), and Talcum (Huashi, 滑石). It is incompatible with Chrysanthemi Flos (Juhua, 菊花), Genkwa Flos (Yuanhua, 芫花), Scrophulariae Radix (Xuan Shen, 玄参), Dictamni Cortex (Bai Xian Pi, 白鲜皮), and Bombyx Batryticatus (Bai Jiang Can, 白僵蚕); it fears Adenophorae Radix (Kuan Dong Hua, 款冬花). It resolves the toxicity of Bryoniae Radix (Badou, 巴豆) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Wutou, 乌头). Pork and cold water are contraindicated.
Commentary: Coptidis Rhizoma is bitter and drains Heart Fire; it is indispensable for treating various diseases caused by Heart Fire. Although dysentery and diarrhea often belong to the Spleen Meridian, they fundamentally arise because Fire fails to generate Earth (Fire not generating Earth). Moreover, the Heart and Small Intestine are exteriorly-interiorly related; when Heart Fire is drained, urination becomes smooth, and the intestines and stomach naturally become moistened. It is contraindicated for those who suffer from diarrhea due to cold. Furthermore, it should not be used for patients with chronic illness, Qi deficiency, or weak Heart Fire.
Lei Gong stated: When preparing Coptidis Rhizoma, wipe off the root hairs with a cloth, then soak it in fermented grain water for two days and nights (two Fu periods). Drain it, and dry it by baking over willow wood fire. If one consumes this herb, accumulating ten taels, pork must be avoided; if consumed for three years, pork must never be eaten for life.
Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang, 大黄): Bitter in taste, greatly cold in nature, non-toxic, enters the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Heart, and Liver meridians. Its nature is sinking rather than floating, its action is moving rather than retaining. It breaks the stagnation of Earth Qi without causing obstruction, pacifies chaos and brings peace, hence named "General" (Jiangjun). It also treats carbuncles, sores, sudden onset of eye diseases and dysentery, blood closure and fire stagnation, pushing out the old and generating the new. Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin, 黄芩) serves as the guiding herb; there are no incompatibilities. The variety with brocade patterns (Jinwen) is superior.
Commentary: That Rhei Radix et Rhizoma enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians is well understood by people. However, its entry into the Heart and Liver meridians is often overlooked. In ancient times, Zhang Zhongjing's Bailao Wan and Shuchong Wan both used Rhei Radix et Rhizoma to regulate labor injuries accompanied by hematemesis and epistaxis, implying profound and subtle intent. Generally, when turbid Yin does not descend, clear Yang cannot ascend; this is the way of Heaven. When stasis blood is not expelled, new blood cannot be generated; this is the way of the human body. Prolonged steaming heat causes stasis blood to stagnate in the collaterals; only by using Rhei Radix et Rhizoma to expel it can the Liver and Spleen become unobstructed, pushing out the stale to generate the new. Nowadays, in treating consumption/labor injury, many use yin-nourishing methods. Frequent administration yields no effect, leading to sitting and waiting for death. Alas! Is medical art limited to this? As for carbuncles, eye diseases, and dysentery, all are caused by heat and stasis, thus they are treated together. It is strictly contraindicated in Taiyang disease with weak pulse and in cases where wind-cold pathogen has not yet resolved.
Lei Gong stated: When preparing Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, slice it finely. Select pieces with internal textures resembling water swirls and brocade patterns that are dense and heavy. Cut into small pieces, steam them from Si hour to Wei hour, sun-dry, then drain. Steam again with water collected in the twelfth lunar month (La water) from Wei hour to Hai hour. Repeat this steaming process seven times, sun-drying each time. After the seventh drying, drain again, steam once more with thin honey water for one Fu period (one day and night). At this point, the Rhei Radix et Rhizoma resembles black paste. Sun-dry it for use; this is the optimal method.