气微寒。味苦酸。无毒。主风痒麻痹。通利关节。劳气咳嗽。背膊闷倦。散留结胸
膈痰滞。逐水消胀满。大肠风。安胃止风痛。（麸炒）
枳壳气微寒。禀天初冬寒水之气。入足太阳寒水膀胱经、手太阳寒水小肠经。味苦酸无
毒。
得地东南木火之味。入足少阳相火胆经、手厥阴风木心包络经。气味俱降。阴也。太阳经行
身表。附皮毛而为卫者也。太阳为寒水。风入寒水。则风湿相搏。风痒麻痹矣。其主之者。
酸可治风。苦可燥湿也。关节皆筋束之。太阳主筋所生病。苦寒清湿热。故利关节也。劳则
伤
少阳之气。于是相火刑金而咳嗽矣。枳壳味酸。可以平少阳。味苦可以泻相火。火息木平而
咳止矣。背膊。太阳经行之地。火热郁于太阳。则背膊闷倦。苦寒下泄。可以泻火热也。手
厥阴经起于胸中。厥阴为相火。火炎胸中。则痰涎滞结。枳壳寒可清火。苦可以泄胸膈之痰
也。入小肠膀胱而性苦寒。故可以逐水消胀满。风为阳邪。入大肠阳经。两阳相烁。则血热
下行。而为肠风。心包乃风木之经。代君行事而主血。枳壳清心包之火。可以平风木而治肠
风。胃为燥金。味苦能燥。所以安胃。经云。胃过于苦。胃气乃浓。益以苦能泄也。风入太
阳。气壅而痛。枳壳味苦能泄。所以止痛也。
制 方:
枳壳同人参、麦冬。治气虚大便不快。同川芎、归身、生地、白芍、秦艽。治肠风下血。
[Azhi Ke]
The qi is slightly cold. The taste is bitter and sour. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats wind-induced itching and numbness, unblocks and benefits the joints, treats cough due to overstrain, and relieves stifling fatigue in the back and shoulders. It dissipates retained phlegm stagnation in the chest and diaphragm, drives out water retention, and reduces distension and fullness. It treats intestinal wind, calms the stomach, and stops wind-pain. (Stir-fried with wheat bran)
Azhi Ke has a slightly cold qi. It inherits the cold-water qi of early winter. It enters the Foot-Taiyang Cold-Water Bladder Meridian and the Hand-Taiyang Cold-Water Small Intestine Meridian. Its taste is bitter and sour, and it is non-toxic.
It inherits the wood-fire taste from the southeast of the earth. It enters the Foot-Shaoyang Ministerial-Fire Gallbladder Meridian and the Hand-Jueyin Wind-Wood Pericardium Meridian. Both its qi and taste are descending, belonging to Yin. The Taiyang Meridian circulates on the body surface, attaching to the skin and hair to form the defensive (Wei) function. The Taiyang belongs to Cold-Water. When wind enters the Cold-Water, wind and dampness fight each other, resulting in wind-itch and numbness. Azhi Ke treats this because the sour taste can treat wind, and the bitter taste can dry dampness. Joints are bound by sinews. The Taiyang governs diseases arising from sinews. The bitter-cold nature clears heat and dries dampness, thus benefiting the joints. Overstrain injures the Qi of Shaoyang, causing Ministerial Fire to attack Metal (Lungs), leading to cough. Azhi Ke’s sour taste can level Shaoyang; its bitter taste can drain Ministerial Fire. When the fire subsides and Wood is leveled, the cough stops. The back and shoulders are areas traversed by the Taiyang Meridian. If fiery heat is depressed in the Taiyang, it causes stifling fatigue in the back and shoulders. The bitter-cold nature drains downward, clearing fiery heat. The Hand-Jueyin Meridian originates in the chest. Jueyin corresponds to Ministerial Fire. If fire flares up in the chest, saliva and phlegm stagnate and knot. Azhi Ke’s cold nature clears fire, and its bitter nature drains phlegm from the chest and diaphragm. Entering the Small Intestine and Bladder meridians with a bitter-cold nature, it can drive out water and reduce distension. Wind is a Yang pathogen. Entering the Large Intestine, a Yang meridian, two Yangs scorch each other, causing blood heat to flow downward, resulting in intestinal wind. The Pericardium is a Wind-Wood meridian, acting on behalf of the Sovereign and governing blood. Azhi Ke clears the fire of the Pericardium, leveling Wind-Wood and treating intestinal wind. The Stomach belongs to Dry Metal. The bitter taste can dry, thus calming the Stomach. The Classics state: "If the Stomach receives too much bitter, the Stomach Qi becomes dense." Furthermore, bitter taste can drain, hence this effect. When wind enters the Taiyang Meridian, Qi becomes congested and painful. Azhi Ke’s bitter taste can drain, thus stopping pain.
Prescription Formulation:
Azhi Ke combined with Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix) treats slow defecation due to Qi deficiency. Combined with Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Danggui Shen (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), it treats hematochezia due to intestinal wind.