一名水苏、一名龙脑薄荷。轻、散热理血。
辛而微温。清肺下气。理血辟恶。消谷。治头风目眩。肺痿血痢。吐衄崩淋。喉腥口臭。
邪
热诸病。辛烈之物。走散真气。虚者宜慎。方茎中虚。似苏叶而微长。密齿面皱。
轻、宣散风热。
辛能散。凉能清。（本经温、盖体温而用凉也。）升浮能发汗。搜肝气而抑肺盛。疏逆和
中。
宣滞解郁。消散风热。清利头目。治头痛头风。中风失音。痰嗽口气。语涩舌胎。（含漱
、或和蜜擦之。）眼耳咽喉口齿诸病。（辛香通窍、而散风热。）皮肤瘾疹疮疥。惊热（小儿
治惊药
蒸。
消宿食。止血痢。（血痢病在凝滞、辛能散、凉能清。）通关节。
定霍乱。猫咬蛇伤。（薄荷、猫之酒也、犬、虎之酒也、蜈蚣、鸡之酒也、桑葚、鸠之酒
也、莽草、鱼之酒也、食之皆醉、被猫伤者、薄荷汁涂之。）辛香伐气。多服损肺、伤心。
虚者远之。（每见小儿多食薄荷糕者、汗多体弱。）苏州所莳者。茎小而气芳。最佳。江西者
稍粗。次之。四川者更粗。又次之。野生者。茎叶气味都相似。入药以苏产者为胜。（张杲
医说方、灸火毒瓦斯入内、两股生疮、汁水淋漓者、用薄荷煎汁、频涂立愈。）
宣、理气醒脾。
辛甘温。芳香理诸气。开脾郁。（时珍曰∶少加入脾胃药中、甚醒脾气。）治风疳齿 。
香港脚
膝浮。（煎汤淋洗。）卒然心腹痛满。（下恶气。）味虽带甘。毕竟辛香伐气。挟虚者忌之。
出松州、凉州、辽州等处。叶细如茅草。用根。（根极繁密、八月采之、作汤浴、令人身香。）
俗作三柰。宣、温中辟恶。
辛温。暖中。辟瘴疠恶气。治心腹冷痛。寒湿霍乱。风虫牙疼。辛香伐气。甚于甘松香。
不
宜轻服。产拂林国。今广中亦栽之。根叶皆如生姜。与甘松良姜。俱入合诸香用。
[Jisu]
Also known as Shuisu (Perilla frutescens var. acuta), also known as Longnao Bohe (Mentha haplocalyx). Its nature is light and ascending; it disperses heat and regulates blood.
Pungent in flavor and slightly warm in nature. It clears the Lung and directs Qi downward, regulates blood, repels foul odors, aids digestion of grains, and treats dizziness caused by Head Wind (Tou Feng), Lung Wei (consumptive disease of the lung), bloody dysentery, hematemesis, epistaxis, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea, as well as foul breath and halitosis due to pathogenic heat. Pungent and fierce substances deplete true Qi; those with deficiency should exercise caution. The stem is square and hollow, resembling Perilla leaves but slightly longer, with dense serrations and a wrinkled surface.
[Bohe / Menthae Haplocalyx Herba]
Its nature is light and ascending; it disseminates Wind-Heat.
Pungency can disperse, and coolness can clear. (*Ben Jing* records its nature as warm, likely because the ambient temperature is low while its medicinal property is cool). Its action is ascending and floating, inducing sweating; it soothes Liver Qi and suppresses excessive Lung Qi; it unblocks rebellious Qi and harmonizes the Middle Jiao.
It unblocks stagnation, resolves depression, dissipates Wind-Heat, clears and benefits the head and eyes. It treats headache, Head Wind, aphasia due to Stroke, cough with phlegm, bad breath, slurred speech, and thick tongue coating (can be used for gargling, or mixed with honey for external application). It treats various diseases of the eyes, ears, throat, and teeth (its pungent aroma opens orifices and disperses Wind-Heat). It treats skin urticaria, sores, and scabies, and pediatric convulsive fever (steamed for use in formulas treating convulsions).
It resolves retained food, stops bloody dysentery. (The pathology of bloody dysentery involves coagulation and stagnation; pungency disperses, and coolness clears.) It unblocks the joints.
It stabilizes Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome). It treats bites from cats and snakebites. (Mentha is the "wine" for cats; Canis familiaris is the "wine" for tigers; Scolopendra is the "wine" for chickens; Morus fruit is the "wine" for turtledoves; Magnolia officinalis bark is the "wine" for fish; consuming these induces intoxication. For cat bites, apply Mentha juice externally.) Pungent and aromatic substances deplete Qi; excessive consumption damages the Lung and Heart. Those with deficiency should avoid it. (It is often observed that children who consume too much Mentha cake suffer from excessive sweating and physical weakness.) The variety cultivated in Suzhou has slender stems and an aromatic fragrance, considered the best. The variety from Jiangxi is slightly thicker, ranking second. The variety from Sichuan is even thicker, ranking third. Wild varieties have similar stems, leaves, and aromas. For medicinal use, the variety from Suzhou is superior. (Zhang Gao recorded in *Yi Shuo Fang*: For toxic heat from moxibustion entering the interior, causing ulcers on both thighs with dripping fluid, boil Mentha juice and apply frequently for immediate healing.)
[Gansong Xiang / Nardostachys Chinensis Radix et Rhizoma]
Its nature is disseminating; it regulates Qi and awakens the Spleen.
Pungent and sweet in flavor, warm in nature. Its aromatic quality regulates various Qi mechanisms and opens Spleen depression. (Li Shizhen stated: When added in small amounts to formulas for the Spleen and Stomach, it greatly awakens Spleen Qi.) It treats wind-related gingival caries and swelling of the knees due to Jiaoxie (foot weakness/athletic foot) (rinse with decoction). It treats sudden cold pain and fullness in the heart and abdomen (it directs evil Qi downward). Although the flavor carries sweetness, it ultimately depletes Qi through its pungent aroma; those with deficiency should avoid it.
It originates from Songzhou, Liangzhou, Liaozhou, and other places. The leaves are fine like grass; the root is used. (The roots are extremely dense; harvested in the eighth month, boiled for bathing, it makes the body fragrant.)
Commonly known as San Nai. Its nature is disseminating; it warms the Middle and repels evil.
Pungent in flavor, warm in nature. It warms the Middle, repels miasma and foul qi, and treats cold pain in the heart and abdomen, cold-damp Huoluan, and toothache caused by wind-worms. Its ability to deplete Qi through pungent aroma is stronger than that of Gansong Xiang itself. It should not be taken lightly. It originates from Fulin Country (Byzantine Empire/Europe); it is now also cultivated in Guangdong. The roots and leaves resemble Ginger. Along with Gansong and Galangal, it is used as part of mixed aromatic blends.