Compendium of Materia Medica

Page Eight

Medicines that Mutually Assist, Employ, Fear, and Abhor

Drawn from Xu Zhicai’s Medicinal Pairs, now supplemented with additions from various other Materia Medica.

Cotton Rose Hibiscus Frost-Resister
Woody Lotus Pod Woody Steamed Bun A common name for the fruit of the Climbing Fig (Ficus pumila), used to treat skin ailments and swelling.
Foreign Chive Seed Psoralea Seed Literally "Tonify-the-Bone Resin" (Buguzhi); a vital herb for warming the kidneys.

Wild Sophora Sophora Root Literally "Bitter Ginseng" (Kushen); used for clearing heat and treating skin parasites.
Grassy Musk Curcuma/Tulip Referring to Yujin, a fragrant root used to move the blood and clear the heart.
Stone Lane Rush Drynaria Fern Literally "Mender of Shattered Bones" (Gusuibu); as the name suggests, it is used to heal fractures.

Hard Gypsum Feldspar
White Numinous Sand Calomel A mercuric chloride preparation used topically for sores; "Numinous Sand" usually refers to alchemical mercuric compounds.
Wild Eggplant Cocklebur Referring to Cangerzi, used for sinus congestion and headaches.

Woody Pinellia
Wild Ginger Solomon’s Seal Literally "Yellow Essence" (Huangjing); a major longevity tonic in Chinese medicine.

Licorice Root
Atractylodes, Sophora Root, and Dried Lacquer serve as its assistants This refers to "Mutual Employment" (Xiangshi), where one herb enhances the effect of the primary herb.. Abhors Polygala. Avoid with pork.

Astragalus Root
Poria Mushroom serves as its assistant. Abhors White Dittany Bark and Tortoise Shell.

Ginseng
Poria Mushroom and Iris Seed serve as its assistants. Abhors brine and salt, as well as Deutzia. Fears Flying Squirrel Droppings original: "Wulingzhi," the excrement of the complex-toothed flying squirrel, used to invigorate blood..

Balloon Flower Root
Knotty Bark serves as its assistant. Along with Gentian, it serves as the assistant for "Dragon" Likely referring to Dragon Bone (Longgu) or a specific imperial formula.. Abhors and fears pork.

Ladybell Root
Abhors Stephania Root.