轻宣、升阳、解毒。
甘辛微苦。足阳明、太阴引经药。（脾胃、参 上行、须此引之。）亦入手阳明、太阴。
（大
肠、肺。）表散风邪。（引葱白、散手阳明风邪、同葛根、能发阳明之汗、引石膏、主阳明
头痛齿痛。）升散火郁。能升阳气于至阴之下。引甘温之药上行。以补卫气之散。而实其表
。（柴胡引少阳清气上行、升麻引阳明清气上行、故补中汤用为佐使。）治时气毒疠头痛。（
阳明头痛、痛连齿颊。）寒热肺痿。吐脓。下痢后重。（后重者、气滞也、气滞于中、必上行
而后能下降、有病大小便秘滞、用通利药而罔效、重用升麻而反通、丹溪曰∶气升则水自降
。）久泄。（经曰∶清气在下、则生飧泄。）脱肛。崩中带下。（能缓带脉之缩急。）痘疮。（升
葛汤、初发热时可用、痘出后、或下陷泄泻者、可少用、否则见点之后、必不可用、为其
解散也。）斑疹。（成朵如锦纹者、为斑、隐隐见红点者、为疹、盖胃热失下、冲入少阳、则
助相火而成斑、冲入少阴、则助君火而成疹、又有内伤阴证见斑疹者、微红而稀少、此胃气
极虚、逼其无根之火、游行于外、当补益气血、使中有主则气不外游、血不外散、忌用升散
之品。）风热疮痈。解百药毒。吐蛊毒。杀精鬼。（性阳气升、味甘故也。）阴虚火升者忌用
。（下元虚者、用此升之、则下元愈虚、朱肱活人书言、瘀血入里、吐衄血者、犀角地黄汤
乃阳明圣药、如无犀角、代以升麻、二药性味相远、何以云代、盖以升麻能引诸药、同入阳
明也、朱二允曰∶升麻性升、犀角性降、用犀角止血、乃借其下降之气、清心肝之火、使血
下行归经耳、傥误用升麻、血随气升、不愈涌出不止乎、古方未可尽泥也。）里白外黑。紧
实
者良。名鬼脸升麻。去须芦用。（或有参 补剂、须用升柴、而又恐其太升发者、并用蜜水
炒之、别有一种绿升麻、缪仲醇广笔记、用治痢有效、肘后方、卒肿毒起、升麻磨醋、频
涂之。）
Lightly disperses pathogens, raises Yang Qi, and resolves toxicity.
Sweet, pungent, slightly bitter. It is a guiding herb for the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian and Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. (If Spleen and Stomach Qi needs to ascend, it must be guided by this.) It also enters the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian and Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian.
(Large Intestine, Lung.) Disperses Wind pathogens externally. (Combined with Scallion White, it can disperse Wind in the Hand-Yangming Meridian; combined with Puerariae Radix [Gegen], it can induce sweating from the Yangming Meridian; combined with Gypsum Fibrosum [Shigao], it treats Yangming headache and toothache.) Raises and disperses Fire stagnation. It can raise Yang Qi from below the Supreme Yin. It guides Sweet-Warm herbs upward to replenish the dispersion of Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), thereby solidifying the exterior.
(Chaihu guides Shaoyang Clear Qi upward; Shengma guides Yangming Clear Qi upward; therefore, it is used as an assistant envoy in Buzhong Yiqi Tang.) Treats headaches caused by seasonal epidemics and toxic plagues. (Yangming headache, pain radiating to teeth and cheeks.) Alternating chills and fever, Lung萎 (Lung flaccidity). Coughing up pus. Dysentery with tenesmus. (Tenesmus is due to Qi stagnation. If Qi stagnates in the middle, it must be lifted first to allow descent. When constipation or urinary retention occurs and purgatives fail, heavy use of Shengma may反而 relieve obstruction. Danxi said: When Qi ascends, Water descends naturally.) Chronic diarrhea. (The Classic says: When Clear Qi is below, it generates diarrhea with undigested food.) Rectal prolapse. Metrorrhagia and leukorrhea. (It can relieve the contraction and urgency of the Dai Mai [Girdle Vessel].) Smallpox. (Shengge Tang can be used when fever initially starts; after smallpox erupts, or if there is sinking or diarrhea, it can be used in small amounts; otherwise, after spots appear, it must absolutely not be used, because at that stage, dispersing action is needed.) Macules and papules. (Those forming clusters like brocade patterns are macules; those faintly appearing as red dots are papules. This is because Stomach Heat, not properly purged, rushes into the Shaoyang Meridian, assisting Ministerial Fire to form macules; rushing into the Shaoyin Meridian, assisting Lord Fire to form papules. There are also cases where internal injury and Yin syndrome present with macules/papules, which are faint red and sparse. This indicates extreme deficiency of Stomach Qi, forcing rootless Fire to wander externally. One should tonify Qi and Blood so that the interior has a master, preventing Qi from wandering out and Blood from scattering. Avoid using ascending and dispersing agents.) Wind-Heat sores and carbuncles. Resolves toxicity of various drugs. Expels Gu poison. Kills spirits and demons. (This is because its nature is to raise Yang Qi, and its taste is sweet.) Contraindicated in Yin deficiency with Fire hyperactivity. (For those with deficient Lower Yuan, using this to lift will further deplete the Lower Yuan. Zhu Gong in Huoren Shu stated that for blood entering the interior causing hematemesis or epistaxis, Xijiao Dihuang Tang is the sacred medicine for the Yangming Meridian. If Rhinoceros Horn is unavailable, it can be replaced by Shengma. These two herbs have vastly different properties and flavors; why say they can replace each other? Probably because Shengma can guide other herbs together into the Yangming Meridian. Zhu Eryun said: Shengma's nature is ascending, while Xijiao's nature is descending. Using Xijiao to stop bleeding relies on its descending Qi to clear Heart and Liver Fire, making Blood descend and return to its vessels. If Shengma is mistakenly used, Blood will rise with Qi, leading to unceasing hemorrhage. Ancient prescriptions should not be followed blindly.) The inner part is white, the outer part black; tight and solid texture is good. Named "Ghost Face Shengma". Remove roots and rhizome nodes before use. (In Ginseng tonics, if Shengma and Chaihu are needed but their ascending effect is feared, they can be stir-fried with honey water. There is another type called Green Shengma; Miu Zhongchun recorded in Guang Biji that it is effective for treating dysentery. The Zhouhou Fang records that for sudden swelling and toxicity, grind Shengma with vinegar and apply frequently.)