【气味】
甘咸平无毒。可升可降。阴中阳也。
【主治】
破血。产后血胀。消痈肿扑损瘀血心腹搅痛。及经络不通。乃三阴经血分药也。少
用则和血。多用则破血。
【气味】
苦寒无毒。轻清上行。阳中阴也。入手太阴肺经。
【主治】
五内邪气。胃中热气。心中烦闷。除时疾热利五淋。通小便。治心烦懊 不得眠。
泻三焦火。清胃脘血。治热厥心痛。解热郁。行结气。祛肝胆屈曲之火使之下行。凡心痛稍
久。若温散之。反助火邪。栀子泻三焦之火。清胃脘之血。使邪易伏而病易退也。然本草不
言栀子能吐。而仲景用为吐药何也。盖栀子本非吐药。因邪气在上拒格而不纳食。令上吐则
邪因以出。所谓高者越之也。又栀子非利小便之药。而本草言能通利小便者何也。盖膀胱津
液之府。气化则能出焉。栀子能导肺邪。肺清则化行。乃辛与庚合。又与丙合。又能泄戊先
入中州故也。故仲景治伤寒发汗吐下后虚烦不得眠若剧者。又反复颠倒心中懊 。以栀子豉
汤治之。因其虚。故不用大黄之寒而有毒。反用栀子之虽寒而无毒者。乃祛胃中之热气也。
【气味】
苦甘平无毒。沉而降。阴中之阳。入手足厥阴经血分。
【主治】
热入血室。泄腹中滞血。除皮肤血热燥痒。行皮肤凝聚之血。伤寒八九日。内有蓄
血。发热如狂。小腹满。小便自利者。又有当汗失汗。热毒深入。吐血及血结胸烦燥谵语者
。仲景俱以抵当汤主之。与虻虫水蛭大黄同用。总以桃仁之苦可以泄滞。破血以生新血也。
[Flavor and Nature]
Sweet and salty, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Its action can ascend or descend. It is a substance of Yang within Yin.
[Indications]
Breaks blood stasis. Treats abdominal distension caused by blood stagnation after childbirth. Reduces carbuncles and swelling, and resolves blood stasis from traumatic injuries, including cramping pain in the heart and abdomen. Unblocks meridian obstructions. It is a drug that acts on the blood aspect of the Three Yin meridians. In small doses, it harmonizes the blood; in large doses, it breaks blood stasis.
[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter, cold in nature, non-toxic. Light and clear, acting upward. It is a substance of Yin within Yang. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian.
[Indications]
Clears pathogenic factors from the five internal organs. Clears heat in the stomach. Relieves mental restlessness. Eliminates heat dysentery in epidemic diseases and the five types of strangury (Wu Lin). Promotes urination. Treats mental vexation with a sense of oppression (Ao Nan) and insomnia. Drains fire from the Triple Burner. Clears blood heat in the epigastrium. Treats heart pain caused by heat jue. Resolves heat stagnation. Moves qi stagnation. Disperses the constrained fire of the Liver and Gallbladder, directing it downward. For heart pain that persists for some time, if treated with warming and dispersing methods, it will instead exacerbate the pathogenic fire. Zhi Zi clears fire from the Triple Burner and cools blood in the epigastrium, making pathogens easier to subdue and the disease easier to recede. However, materia medica texts do not state that Zhi Zi induces vomiting, so why did Zhang Zhongjing use it as an emetic? Actually, Zhi Zi is not inherently an emetic. It is used because when pathogens are located superiorly and cause rejection preventing food intake, inducing vomiting allows the pathogens to exit. This follows the principle: "For pathogens high above, use the method of surging out." Furthermore, Zhi Zi is not primarily a diuretic, yet materia medica states it promotes urination. Why? The Bladder is the reservoir of body fluids, which are excreted through Qi transformation. Zhi Zi guides lung pathogens; when the Lung is clear, transformation and dissemination proceed smoothly. This aligns with the combination of Xin (Metal) and Geng, and also Bing. It can also enter the Central Region (Spleen/Stomach) first to drain heat from Wu Earth. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing treats post-febrile disease cases where sweating, vomiting, or purging have led to deficiency vexation and insomnia, or severe cases with repeated tossing and turning and profound mental vexation, using Zhizi Chi Tang (Gardenia and Fermented Soybean Decoction). Because of the patient's deficiency, Da Huang (Rhubarb Rhizome), which is cold and toxic, is avoided; instead, Zhi Zi, which is cold but non-toxic, is used to clear heat in the Stomach.
[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter and sweet, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Sinking and descending. It is Yang within Yin. Enters the Blood aspect of the Hand-Jueyin and Foot-Jueyin meridians.
[Indications]
Treats heat entering the Blood Chamber. Drains stagnant blood in the abdomen. Clears skin dryness and itching caused by blood heat. Moves condensed blood in the skin. In Taiyang disease persisting for eight or nine days, if there is blood accumulation internally, accompanied by fever resembling mania, fullness in the lower abdomen, and normal urination, this indicates blood stasis. Also, if sweating was indicated but neglected, allowing heat toxins to penetrate deeply, resulting in hematemesis, chest blood accumulation, irritability, and delirious speech, Zhang Zhongjing treats these with Didang Tang (Defeat the Accumulation Decoction). Tao Ren (Peach Seed) is used together with Shui Zhi (Leech), Meng Chong (Blue Bottle Fly), and Da Huang (Rhubarb Rhizome). The general principle is that the bitterness of Tao Ren drains stagnation, breaks blood stasis, and generates new blood.