气温。味甘。有小毒。主咳逆上气。雷鸣喉痹。下气。产乳金疮。寒心奔豚。（汤
泡去皮尖双仁者大毒勿用）
杏仁气温。禀天春和之木气。入足厥阴肝经。味甘。得地中正之土味。入足太阴脾经。
杏果
本苦。且属核仁而有小毒。则禀火性。入手少阴心经。气味俱升。阳也。肺为金藏。气上逆
乘肺则咳。肺苦气逆。急食苦以泄之。杏仁苦而下泄。所以止咳也。火结于喉。闭而不通。
则为喉痹。雷鸣者。火结痰雍声如吼也。杏仁温能散结。苦能下泄。甘可缓急。所以主之也
。杏仁味苦制肺。制则生化。则肺金下行。所以下气。肝藏血。血温则流行。故主产乳。血
既流行。疮口亦合。故又主金疮也。心阳虚。则寒水之邪自下。如豚上奔冲犯心君矣。故为
寒水奔豚。其主之者。杏仁禀火土之气味。能益心阳而伐水邪也。杏本有小毒。若双仁则
失其常。所以能杀人也。
制 方:
杏仁同白芍、甘草、北味、苏梗、百合、款冬。治火逆气喘。专一味。消狗肉积。
气平。味苦甘。无毒。主瘀血。血闭症瘕邪气。杀小虫。（双仁者大毒）
桃仁气平。禀天秋收之金气。入手太阴肺经。味苦甘无毒。得地中南火土之味。入手少
阴心
经、足太阴脾经。气味降多于升。阴也。心主血。脾统血。血者阴也。有形者也。周流乎一
身。灌溉乎五脏者也。一有凝滞。非瘀即闭矣。至有形可征即成症。假物成形则成瘕。盖皆
心脾不运故也。桃仁甘以和血。苦以散结。则瘀者化。闭者通。而积者消矣。桃为五木之精
。能镇辟不祥。所以主邪气。禀火之苦味。所以杀小虫也。
制 方:
桃仁同大黄、朴硝、甘草、桂枝。名桃仁承气汤。治蓄血。
[Apricot Seed]
Taste and Nature: Warm in nature, sweet in taste, slightly toxic.
Actions: Mainly treats cough with rebellious Qi (coughing and wheezing), roaring sounds in the throat, Hou Bi (sore throat with swelling and obstruction), descends Qi, postpartum disorders, and metal wounds (knife or arrow injuries). Cold Ben Tun (running piglet syndrome). (Note: Soak in decoction, remove skin and tips; those with double kernels are highly toxic and should not be used.)
Analysis:
Apricot seed is warm in nature, inheriting the mild Wood Qi of spring, entering the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian. It is sweet in taste, obtaining the central Earth flavor of the earth, entering the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. The apricot fruit is originally bitter, and as a kernel, it possesses slight toxicity, thus inheriting Fire properties, entering the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Its aroma and taste both ascend, belonging to Yang. The Lung is a Metal organ; when Qi rebels and attacks the Lung, it causes coughing. The Lung dislikes rebellious Qi and urgently requires bitter substances to drain it. Apricot seed is bitter and draining downward, hence it stops coughing. Fire結 (knots) in the throat, closing and blocking passage, resulting in Hou Bi. "Roaring" refers to fire knotting with phlegm obstruction, producing sounds like roaring. Apricot seed's warmth can dissipate knots, its bitterness can drain downward, and its sweetness can relieve urgency, thus treating these conditions. Apricot seed's bitterness controls Lung Qi; control leads to normal transformation and production, allowing Lung Metal Qi to descend, hence it descends Qi. The Liver stores Blood; when blood is warm, it flows smoothly, thus treating postpartum issues. Once blood flows, wound surfaces also heal, thus treating metal wounds. If Heart Yang is deficient, Cold Water pathogenic factors rise from below, rushing up like a piglet to invade the Heart Sovereign, known as Cold Water Ben Tun. Apricot seed treats this because it inherits Fire and Earth flavors, benefiting Heart Yang and attacking Water pathogens. Apricots have slight toxicity; if they have double kernels, they lose their normal state, hence they can cause death.
Prescription Formulation:
Apricot seed combined with Bai Shao (White Peony Root), Gan Cao (Licorice Root), Bei Wei Zi (Schisandra Berry), Su Geng (Perilla Stem), Bai He (Lily Bulb), and Kuan Dong Hua (Coltsfoot Flower) treats Fire-rebellious Qi asthma. Using a single ingredient of Apricot seed dissolves dog meat accumulation.
[Peach Kernel]
Taste and Nature: Neutral in nature, bitter and sweet in taste, non-toxic.
Actions: Mainfully treats blood stasis, blood closure, Zheng Jia (masses and accumulations), evil Qi. Kills small parasites. (Note: Those with double kernels are highly toxic.)
Analysis:
Peach kernel is neutral in nature, inheriting the gathering Metal Qi of autumn, entering the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian. It is bitter and sweet and non-toxic, obtaining the Fire and Earth flavors of the south-central earth, entering the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Its aroma and taste descend more than they ascend, belonging to Yin. The Heart governs Blood, and the Spleen controls Blood. Blood is Yin and has form; it circulates throughout the body and irrigates the five Zang organs. Any stagnation results in either blood stasis or blood closure. When it becomes tangible, it forms Zheng; assuming material form creates Jia. This is generally due to the failure of Heart and Spleen transportation. Peach kernel's sweetness harmonizes blood, and its bitterness dissipates knots; thus, stasis resolves, closure opens, and accumulations dissipate. The peach tree is the essence of the five woods, capable of suppressing and warding off inauspiciousness, thus treating evil Qi. Its bitterness, inheriting Fire properties, kills small parasites.
Prescription Formulation:
Peach kernel combined with Da Huang (Rhubarb Root), Po Xiao (Mirabilite), Gan Cao (Licorice Root), and Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) is named Tao Ren Cheng Qi Tang (Peach Kernel Decoction to Order the Qi), treating Xu Xue (accumulated blood).