苦參 너삼 (고삼)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 3

1. 性寒, 味苦, 無毒.

   Its nature is cold, its taste bitter, and it is non-toxic — the classic profile of a heat-clearing herb.

2. 治熱毒風, 皮肌生瘡, 赤癩眉脫.

   It treats heat-toxin wind, skin sores, and reddish leprosy that causes the eyebrows to fall out — pulling out deep-seated toxic heat from the skin.

3. 除大熱嗜睡, 明目止淚.

   It clears excessive heat that causes drowsiness, brightens the eyes, and stops tearing — addressing fatigue and eye issues caused by heat rising upward.

4. 養肝膽氣.

   It nourishes the qi of the liver and gallbladder, since bitter flavors are believed to enter and strengthen these organs.

5. 除伏熱, 腸澼, 小便黃赤.

   It dispels lurking heat, dysentery, and dark-yellow or reddish urine — useful when hidden heat descends and disturbs the intestines and bladder.

6. 療齒痛及惡瘡, 下部䘌.

   It treats toothache, malignant sores, and parasitic ulcers in the lower body — a remarkably wide range of uses for one herb.

7. 處處有之, 葉極似槐, 故一名水槐, 一名地槐.

   It grows everywhere, and because its leaves closely resemble those of the pagoda tree, it is also called water-pagoda or ground-pagoda.

8. 三月八月十月採根, 暴乾. 不入湯用. 《本草》

   The root is gathered in the third, eighth, and tenth months and sun-dried; according to the Bencao, it is not commonly used in decoctions because its taste is overwhelmingly bitter.

9. 入足少陽經.

   It enters the foot Shaoyang gallbladder meridian — consistent with its role of nourishing the liver and gallbladder.

10. 味至苦, 入口卽吐, 胃弱者愼用.

    Its taste is so extremely bitter that one may vomit upon tasting it, so those with a weak stomach must use it with caution.

11. 糯米泔浸一宿, 蒸三時久, 曬乾.

    Soak it in rice-rinse water overnight, steam it for about three hours, and sun-dry — a traditional process to soften its harshness and bitterness.

12. 少入湯藥, 多作丸服.

    Only a small amount is used in decoctions; it is more commonly formed into pills, since its strong action is better absorbed gradually.

13. 治瘡酒浸, 治腸風, 炒至烟起, 爲末用.

    For sores, it is soaked in liquor; for intestinal wind, it is dry-roasted until smoke rises and then ground into powder — the preparation shifts with the ailment.

14. 《入門》

    These preparation methods are recorded in the Yimen (Introduction to Medicine).

15. 能峻補陰氣. 《丹心》

    According to the Danxi Xinfa, it powerfully supplements yin qi — the bitter flavor not only clears heat but also replenishes deficient yin.

16. 實

    What follows concerns the fruit (seeds) of the plant.

17. 以十月, 收其子, 餌如槐子法.

    In the tenth month, gather its seeds and take them in the same manner as pagoda-tree seeds — the parallel with the pagoda tree extends even to how the seeds are consumed.

18. 久服, 輕身不老, 明目, 有驗. 《本草》

    Long-term use is said to lighten the body, prevent aging, and brighten the eyes, with proven results, according to the Bencao — an idealized phrasing that reflects classical hopes for steady, long-term tonification.