音柔
忌山白桃，并忌见火。
辛，温。入手太阴、足阳明经气分。发散暑邪，通利小便。治霍乱转筋，胸腹绞痛，呕
逆泄
泻，遍身水肿，香港脚寒热，口中臭气。配浓朴，治阴暑。配白术，治水肿。
陈者良。宜冷冻饮料，若热服令人吐泻。火盛气虚，寒中阴脏，阴虚有热者，禁用。
夏日之香薷，如冬月之麻黄，散寒邪使阳气得升也。阳气为阴寒所遏，一切吐泻等症，
从此
蜂起，所谓阴暑也，香薷为宜。若暑热淫于五内，症必大热大渴，气喘汗泄，吐泻不止，元
气消耗，所谓阳暑也，非白虎、清暑益气等汤不可。倘用香薷散其真气，助其燥热，未有不
误者矣。
辛、微苦，微凉。入手太阴、足厥阴经气分。散风热，清头目，利咽喉口齿耳鼻诸病。
治心
腹恶气，胀满霍乱，小儿惊热，风痰血痢，瘰 疮疥，风瘙瘾疹。亦治蜂虿蛇蝎猫伤。（薄
荷，猫之酒也。）配生地、春茶，治脑热鼻渊。配花粉，治热痰。配蝉蜕、僵蚕，治风瘙瘾
疹。配生姜汁，治眼弦赤烂。配白蜜、白糖，化痰利咽膈。入逍遥散，疏肝郁。捣取自然汁
，滴 耳。捣取自然汁，和姜汁、白蜜，擦舌胎语涩。揉叶塞鼻，止衄血。（取汁滴鼻中即
止。）
产苏州者名龙脑薄荷，方茎中虚，似苏叶而微长，齿密面皱，其气芳香，消散风热，其
力尤
胜。兼能理血。
新病瘥人，服之令虚汗不止。瘦弱人，久服动消渴病。肺虚咳嗽，客寒无热，阴虚发热，
痘
后吐泻者，皆禁用。
[Xiangru / Moslae Herba]
Taste and Odor: Yin Rou (Note: Textual variant, typically Xiangru is acrid and slightly warm).
Contraindications: Avoid using with Shanbai Tao (White Peach of the Mountain), and avoid exposure to fire.
Properties and Meridian Tropism: Acrid, Warm. Enters the Qi level of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin and the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming.
Actions and Indications: Disperses summerheat pathogenic factors, promotes urination. Treats cholera with muscle cramps (turning tendons), colic in the chest and abdomen, vomiting and regurgitation, diarrhea, generalized edema, Hong Kong foot (foot disease) with alternating chills and fever, and foul breath.
Combinations: Combined with Houpo (Magnolia Bark), it treats Yin Summerheat; combined with Baizhu (Atractylodes Rhizome), it treats edema.
Preparation and Usage: Aged material is superior. It is suitable for consumption as a chilled beverage; if taken hot, it induces vomiting and diarrhea.
Contraindications: Contraindicated in cases of excess fire with Qi deficiency, cold in the middle jiao and yin organs, and yin deficiency with internal heat.
Pathophysiological Explanation: In summer, Moslae Herba acts like Ephedra Herb (Mahuang) in winter; it disperses cold pathogens allowing Yang Qi to ascend. When Yang Qi is constrained by Yin-Cold, various symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea arise simultaneously, known as "Yin Summerheat," for which Moslae Herba is appropriate. However, if summerheat-tyranny invades the five zang organs, symptoms must include high fever, extreme thirst, asthma, sweating, and incessant vomiting and diarrhea, leading to depletion of primal Qi. This is known as "Yang Summerheat," requiring formulas such as Baihu Decoction or Qingshu Yiqi Decoction. If Moslae Herba were used to disperse the true Qi and aggravate dryness-heat, misdiagnosis and mistreatment would inevitably occur.
[Bohe / Menthae Haplocalycis Herba]
Properties and Meridian Tropism: Acrid, slightly bitter, slightly cool. Enters the Qi level of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin and the Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin.
Actions and Indications: Disperses wind-heat, clears the head and eyes, and treats diseases of the throat, mouth, teeth, nose, and ears. Treats malignant qi in the heart and abdomen, distension and fullness, cholera, pediatric convulsive fever, wind-phlegm, bloody dysentery, scrofula, sores and scabies, wind-induced pruritus and urticaria. Also treats injuries from bees, wasps, snakes, and cat bites. (Mint is the wine/favor of cats.)
Combinations: Combined with Shengdi Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) and spring tea, it treats brain heat and nasal sinusitis (Bi Yuan); combined with Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix), it treats phlegm-heat; combined with Chantui (Cicada Slough) and Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus), it treats wind-induced pruritus and urticaria; combined with Shengjiang Zhi (Ginger Juice), it treats red and rotting eyelids; combined with Baimi (White Honey) and Baixtang (White Sugar), it resolves phlegm and benefits the throat and diaphragm; added to Xiaoyao San (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder), it soothes Liver Qi stagnation; crushed to extract natural juice and dripped into the ear; crushed to extract natural juice, mixed with ginger juice and white honey, applied to the tongue coating to treat slurred speech; rubbed leaves stuffed into the nostrils to stop epistaxis. (Dripping the juice into the nose stops bleeding immediately.)
Origin and Characteristics: The variety produced in Suzhou is called Longnao Bohe (Camphor Mint). It has square stems that are hollow inside, leaves resembling Perilla Leaves (Zisu Ye) but slightly longer, with dense serrations and wrinkled surfaces. Its aroma is fragrant, and its power to disperse wind-heat is particularly strong. It also regulates blood.
Contraindications: For those recovering from acute illness, ingestion causes incessant deficiency sweating; for emaciated individuals, long-term use triggers Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst) disease. Contraindicated in lung deficiency with cough, exogenous cold without fever, yin deficiency with fever, and post-variolous vomiting and diarrhea.