轻，宣，解肌，升阳，散火
辛甘性平，轻扬升发。入阴阳经，能鼓胃气上行，生津止渴（风药多燥，葛根独能止渴
者，以能升胃气、入肺而生津耳）。兼入脾经，开腠发汗，解肌退热（脾主肌肉）。为治脾胃
虚弱泄泻之圣药（经曰∶清气在下，则生飧泄。葛根能升阳明清气）。
疗伤寒中风，阳明头痛（张元素曰∶头痛如破，乃阳明中风，可用葛根葱白汤；若太阳
初病，未入阳明而头痛者，不可便服升葛汤发之，反引邪气入阳明也。仲景治太阳、阳明合
病，桂枝汤加葛根麻黄；又有葛根黄芩黄连解肌汤，是用以断太阳入阳明之路，非太阳药也
）。血痢温疟（丹溪曰∶治疟无汗要有汗，散邪为主，带补；有汗要无汗，扶正为主，带散。
若阳疟有汗，加参、 、白术以敛之，无汗加芩、葛、苍术以发之），肠风痘疹（能发痘疹。
丹溪曰∶凡斑疹已见红点，不可更服升葛汤，恐表虚反增斑烂也）。
又能起阴气，散郁火，解酒毒（葛花尤良），利二便，杀百药毒。多用反伤胃气（升散
太过）。
生葛汁大寒，解温病大热，吐衄诸血。
轻，宣，升阳，解毒
甘辛微苦。足阳明、太阴（胃、脾）引经药（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，
止阳明头痛齿痛），升发火郁，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。若下元虚者，用此
升之。则下元愈虚，又当慎用）。
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。有病大小便秘者，用通利药而罔效，重加升麻而反通。
丹溪曰∶气升则水自降。经曰∶地气上为云，天气下为雨。天地不交，则万物不通也），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），足寒阴痿，目赤口
疮，痘疮（升葛汤，初发热时可用，痘出后气弱或泄泻者可少用，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），风热疮痈。解百药毒，吐蛊毒，杀精鬼（性阳、
气升、味甘故也）。阴虚火动者忌用（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，何以为代？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。倘误用升麻，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，升麻、柴胡并用，蜜水炒之。别有一种绿升麻，缪仲醇用治滞下，每每有验）
。
Ge Gen (Puerariae Radix):
Properties are light, dispersing, resolving the muscle layer, raising Yang, and dissipating fire.
Flavor is acrid and sweet, nature is neutral. It is light and ascending in action. It enters the Yin and Yang meridians, can stimulate Stomach Qi to ascend, generate fluids, and relieve thirst (Wind-dispersing herbs are mostly drying; Ge Gen alone can relieve thirst because it raises Stomach Qi and enters the Lung meridian to generate fluids). It also enters the Spleen meridian, opens the interstices (Cou Li), induces sweating, and resolves muscular fever (the Spleen governs muscles). It is a sacred medicine for treating diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach deficiency (The Classic says: If clear Qi stays below, it produces undigested stool diarrhea. Ge Gen can raise the clear Qi of the Yangming channel).
It treats headache due to Cold Damage or Wind Strike in the Yangming stage (Zhang Yuansu said: Severe headache feeling like bursting indicates Yangming Wind Strike, which can be treated with Ge Gen Cong Bai Tang; if it is early Taiyang disease, before entering Yangming, headache should not be treated immediately with Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang to induce sweat, as this may draw pathogenic factors into the Yangming channel. Zhang Zhongjing treated concurrent Taiyang and Yangming diseases with Guizhi Tang plus Ge Gen and Mahuang; there is also Gegen Qinlian Tang for resolving the muscle layer, which is used to block the path from Taiyang to Yangming, not merely a Taiyang herb). It treats bloody dysentery and warm malaria (Zhu Danxi said: For malaria without sweat, aim to induce sweat, primarily to disperse pathogens with some tonification; for malaria with sweat, aim to stop sweat, primarily to support healthy Qi with some dispersion. For Yang-type malaria with sweat, add Renshen, [missing character], Baizhu to astringe; without sweat, add Huangqin, Ge Gen, Cangzhu to disperse). It treats intestinal wind and smallpox/rash (Ge Gen can erupt smallpox. Zhu Danxi said: Once macules and papules have appeared as red spots, one must not take Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang, lest the deficient exterior worsen the ulceration of the rash).
It can also raise Yin Qi, dissipate stagnant fire, resolve alcohol toxicity (Gehua is especially good), promote urination and defecation, and kill poisons from various drugs. Excessive use damages Stomach Qi (due to excessive ascending and dispersing action).
Raw Ge Gen juice is very cold, resolves high fever from warm diseases, and stops hematemesis, epistaxis, and other bleeding disorders.
Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma):
Properties are light, dispersing, raising Yang, and detoxifying.
Flavor is sweet and acrid, slightly bitter. It is a guiding herb for the Foot Yangming and Foot Taiyin meridians (Stomach, Spleen) (Renshen and [missing character] ascend, requiring this herb to guide them); it also enters the Hand Yangming and Hand Taiyin meridians (Large Intestine, Lung). It disperses wind pathogens externally (combined with Congbai, it disperses wind in the Hand Yangming meridian; combined with Ge Gen, it induces sweat in the Yangming meridian; combined with Shigao, it relieves Yangming headache and toothache). It raises dispersed fire and can lift Yang Qi from beneath the extreme Yin. It guides sweet-warm herbs upward to replenish scattered Wei Qi and solidify the exterior (Chaihu guides Shaoyang clear Qi upward; Sheng Ma guides Yangming clear Qi upward, hence they are used as assistant envoys in Buzhong Yiqi Tang. If the lower origin is deficient, using this to raise it will further deplete the lower origin, so caution is needed).
It treats epidemic toxic qi, headache (Yangming headache, pain extending to teeth and cheeks), alternating chills and fever, lung abscess with pus expectoration, tenesmus in dysentery (Tenesmus is caused by Qi stagnation. Qi stagnating in the middle must rise before it can descend. In cases of constipation where purgatives fail, adding more Sheng Ma often results in relief. Zhu Danxi said: When Qi rises, water descends naturally. The Classic says: Earthly Qi rises to become clouds, Heavenly Qi descends to become rain. If Heaven and Earth do not interact, all things cannot flow). It treats chronic diarrhea (The Classic says: If clear Qi stays below, it produces undigested stool diarrhea), rectal prolapse, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea (it can relax the tension of the Dai vessel), cold feet, impotence, red eyes, mouth ulcers, smallpox (Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang can be used during the initial fever stage; after eruption, if Qi is weak or diarrhea occurs, it can be used sparingly; otherwise, after spots appear, it must not be used, as it has a dispersing effect). It treats macules and papules (Macules appear in clusters like brocade patterns; papules appear as faint red dots. Generally, if Stomach heat is not purged downward, it rushes into the Shaoyang meridian, assisting Ministerial Fire to form macules; if it rushes into the Shaoyin meridian, it assists Sovereign Fire to form papules). It treats wind-heat sores and carbuncles. It resolves poison from various drugs, expels gu poison, and kills spirits/demons (Due to its Yang nature, ascending Qi, and sweet flavor). It is contraindicated in Yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity (Zhu Gong's *Ren Jian Shu* states that for blood stasis entering the interior causing hematemesis and epistaxis, Xijiao Dihuang Tang is used, a sacred medicine for the Yangming channel. If Xijiao is unavailable, Sheng Ma is substituted. These two herbs differ greatly in nature and flavor; how can they substitute each other? Presumably because Sheng Ma guides other herbs into the Yangming channel. Zhu Eryun said: Sheng Ma is ascending, while Xijiao is descending. Using Xijiao to stop bleeding relies on its descending Qi to clear Heart and Liver fire, causing blood to return to the vessels. If Sheng Ma is mistakenly used, blood will follow the ascending Qi, leading to uncontrollable hemorrhage. Ancient formulas should not be followed blindly).
The best quality is white inside, black outside, and firm, known as "Ghost Face Sheng Ma". Remove roots and rhizome tips before use (If tonics containing Renshen and [missing character] require Sheng Ma and Chaihu, but concern exists about excessive ascending action, Sheng Ma and Chaihu can be used together, stir-fried with honey water. There is another type, Green Sheng Ma, which Miu Zhongchun used to treat dysentery with frequent success).