本经用实。今皆用仁。
味酸辛甘。气平。微热。阳中之阴。入足少阳厥阴手少阴足太阴之经。 恶防己。 主
治心腹寒热。邪结气聚。除四肢酸痛湿痹。疗烦心不得眠。补中益肝气。宁心志。敛虚汗。
去筋骨风。助阴气。 方书更治中风虚劳。癫狂惊痫。振颤挛悸。虚烦健忘。消瘅。善太息。
赤白浊。着痹胁痛。腰痛咽喉。 胆虚不眠。寒也。炒熟枣仁为末。竹叶汤调服。胆实多睡。
热也。生枣仁为末。姜茶汁调服。（海藏） 血不归脾而睡卧不宁者。宜用此大补心脾。俾
血归脾而五脏安和。宁神就睡。（丹溪） 枣仁得木之气而兼土化。专补肝胆。亦复醒脾。
从其类也。熟者香气入脾。故能补脾。又补胆气。故可温胆。母子之气通。故亦主心虚惊悸
等病。 入温胆汤。治病后胆虚不眠。 入归脾汤。治脾家气血虚自汗。不眠惊悸。不嗜食。
君茯神远志麦冬石斛五味人参龙眼。止惊悸。并一切胆虚易惊。 睡中盗汗。枣仁茯苓人参
等分。为末。每服一钱。米饮下。 凡服固表药而汗不止者。用枣仁炒研一两。同地黄白芍
麦冬五味龙眼肉竹叶煎服。多服取效。自汗。服诸止汗固表药愈涩。而汗愈不收者。止可理
心血。盖汗乃心液。心无取养不能摄血。故溢而为汗也。以大补黄 汤加枣仁。有微热者。
更加石斛。兼下灵砂丹。 胆风沉睡。（胆风毒瓦斯。虚实不调。）枣仁生用一两。全挺腊茶二
两。以生姜汁涂。炙微焦为散。每服二钱。水煎温服。 痰在胆经。神不归舍。亦令不寐。
宜温胆汤。减竹茹一半。加南星炒枣仁各一钱。下青灵丹。 虚劳虚烦不得眠。枣仁炒二升。
甘草一两。知母茯苓芎 各二两。以水一斗。先煮枣仁。减三升。乃同煮。取三升。分服。 病
后虚弱。及高年阳衰不寐。六君子加炒枣仁炙黄 各一钱。 骨蒸心烦不眠。枣仁一两。水
二盏。研绞取汁。下粳米二合。煮粥候熟。下地黄汁一合。再煮匀食。 虚劳筋极。脚手拘
挛。指甲痛。数转筋。甚则舌卷卵缩。唇青面黑。木瓜虎胫骨酥炙五加皮当归酒浸桑寄生人
参黄 柏仁枣仁各一两。炙甘草半两。每服四钱。水一盏。姜五片。煎服。 喉舌生疮菌。
真琥珀生犀屑各一钱。人参枣仁去皮茯神去皮木辰砂各二钱。片脑一字。为末。炼蜜和为膏。
磁器收贮。疾作。每服一弹
〔论〕 酸枣仁所治。有多眠不眠之异。即本经首主寒热结气一语。足以概之。盖寒热
即阴阳之气。结而聚。则不得其合和而为阴阳之偏。凡多眠是阴胜于阳。宜以疏阴为先。生
用此味。不眠则阳胜于阴。宜以益阴为先。熟用此味。（所谓宜疏。即曰实。所谓宜益。即
曰虚。究之阴阳。各处其虚。非多眠属实。而不眠属虚。）疏阴者。导阴而使之化也。补阴
者。滋阴而俾之生也。生化之机合。缪氏故谓补血无如酸枣也。（生化之机合。则邪不得结。
气
举身中阴阳。其气为寒为热而偏胜者。即结聚于中。惟足少阳表里一身。足厥阴为阴阳独使
。故不论感伤寒热之错出。以变生中外者。先受于肝胆二经。而阴跷阳跷。行身左右之脉
。实合之（足少阳厥阴脉行身之侧）以见所患之证。如不眠多眠是也。（卫气不得入于阴。
常留于阳。阳气满。阳跷盛。阴气虚。故目不瞑也。卫气留于阴。不得行于阳。阴气盛。阴
跷满。阳气虚。故目闭也。此不眠及多眠之故。） 枣仁专入肝胆血分。生用以治多眠者。
疏阴中之壅气以致于阳也。其味酸而归于辛也。炒熟以治不眠者。发阴中之和气以召乎阳也。
其味酸辛而更归于甘也。阴中之壅气。疏之而能致于阳。则气之偏结于阴者。不病于寒矣。
阴中之和气。发之而能召乎阳。则气之偏结于阳者。不病于热矣。其为肝胆血分之要剂。职
是故欤。 方书枣仁首治中风。盖因入肝胆益血。血脏即风脏。故病于风者。即以益同脏之
血治之。至于挛惊癫狂诸证。皆虚风之治也。其补虚。自肝而外。当先属胆。次即属心。以
心为肝子。肝脏血虚。心已先亏其化源。故欲补心血。而不裕其用于肝。则生化之源无地也
。此外有治心肾不交之证者。以肝为一阴。一阴为独使。肝脏之血。原于水而成于火。枣仁
之交水火。正因其为厥阴经药耳。又阳跷阴跷二脉。足少阴肾之别脉也。方书治心肾不交。
故入兹味于诸药中。
性味酸敛。凡肝胆脾三经有实邪而热者。勿用。（仲淳）
〔修事〕 粒粗。勿碎皮者良。炒爆研细入药。如砂仁法。勿隔宿。
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Classic of Materia Medica) used the fruit. Now, the kernel is used.
Taste: sour, pungent, sweet. Nature: neutral, slightly warm. Category: Yin within Yang. Meridian tropism: Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder, Foot Jueyin Liver, Hand Shaoyin Heart, Foot Taiyin Spleen. Antagonistic with: *Pseudostellariae Radix* (Fufangji). Indications: Cold and heat in the chest and abdomen, pathological qi accumulation due to evil pathogens. Relieves soreness, pain, and damp-bi in the four limbs. Treats vexation and insomnia. Tonifies the middle jiao and benefits liver qi. Calms the mind spirit, consolidates deficiency sweating. Expels wind from bones and sinews. Assists yin qi. Medical formularies also treat stroke, consumptive disease, mania, epilepsy, tremors, spasms, palpitations, deficiency vexation, forgetfulness, xiao-ke (wasting-thirst), frequent sighing, red and white turbid discharge, fixed bi syndrome with胁 pain, lower back pain, and throat disorders.
Insomnia due to gallbladder deficiency is a cold pattern. Use roasted Zao Ren powder, taken with Zhuye Tang (Bamboo Leaf Decoction). (Source: Zhang Congzheng/Haizang) When blood fails to return to the spleen causing restless sleep, this herb should be used to greatly tonify the heart and spleen, allowing blood to return to the spleen so the five zang organs harmonize, calming the spirit for sleep. (Source: Zhu Zhenheng/Danxi) Zao Ren receives the qi of Wood and incorporates the transformation of Earth; it specifically tonifies the liver and gallbladder, and also awakens the spleen, following the principle of "like attracts like." Roasted Zao Ren's aroma enters the spleen, thus tonifying the spleen; it also tonifies gallbladder qi, thus warming the gallbladder. As mother and son qi connect, it also treats heart deficiency with palpitations and fright.
It is included in Wendan Tang (Warm the Gallbladder Decoction) to treat post-illness gallbladder deficiency insomnia. It is included in Guipi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) to treat spleen qi and blood deficiency manifesting as spontaneous sweating, insomnia, palpitations, and poor appetite. With Fushen, Yuanzhi, Maidong, Shihu, Wuweizi, Renshen, and Longyan Rou as chief ingredients, it stops palpitations and all conditions of gallbladder deficiency with easy fright. For night sweats, use equal parts Zao Ren, Fuling, and Renshen, powdered, one qian per dose, taken with rice water. For those whose sweating persists despite using exterior-consolidating herbs, use one liang of fried and ground Zao Ren, decocted with Dihuang, Baishao, Maidong, Wuweizi, Longyan Rou, and Zhuye; take frequently for effect. In cases of spontaneous sweating where various astringent and exterior-consolidating herbs cause excessive constriction without stopping sweat, only heart blood regulation is suitable. Sweat is the fluid of the heart; if the heart lacks nourishment, it cannot control blood, leading to overflow as sweat. Use Dabu Huang Tang (Great Tonification of Qi Decoction) plus Zao Ren; add Shihu if there is slight heat, and concurrently administer Lingsha Dan.
Gallbladder wind causing deep sleep (gallbladder wind-toxic qi, imbalance of excess and deficiency): Use one liang of raw Zao Ren and two liang of Lat Cha (winter tea), brushed with fresh ginger juice, roasted until slightly scorched, powdered. Two qian per dose, decocted in water, taken warm. Phlegm in the gallbladder meridian causing the spirit not to return to its residence also leads to insomnia. Use Wendan Tang, reduce Zhuru by half, add Nanxing and fried Zao Ren, one qian each, followed by Qingling Dan.
Consumptive disease with deficiency vexation and insomnia: Use two sheng of fried Zao Ren, one liang of Gancao, two liang each of Zhimu, Fuling, and Xiong. Decoct in ten dou of water; first boil Zao Ren until reduced by three sheng, then add other herbs and boil together to obtain three sheng; divide into doses. Post-illness weakness and insomnia due to yang decline in the elderly: Add one qian each of fried Zao Ren and Zhi Huangqi to Liujunzi Tang. Bone-steaming fever with vexation and insomnia: Use one liang of Zao Ren, two zhan of water; grind and squeeze to extract juice, add two he of Jingmi, cook into porridge; when cooked, add one he of Dihuang juice, boil again evenly, and eat.
Consumptive disease with extreme tendon tension, limb spasms, nail pain, frequent cramps, even tongue retraction and testicular contraction, blue lips, dark face: Use one liang each of Mugua, Hujingggu (roasted with su), Wujapi, Danggui (soaked in wine), Sangjisheng, Renshen, Huangqi, Baoren, and Zao Ren; half liang of Zhi Gancao. Four qian per dose, decocted in one zhan of water with five slices of ginger.
Sores and ulcers on throat and tongue: Use one qian each of Zhen Hupo and Sheng Xijue; two qian each of Renshen, Zao Ren (skin removed), Fushen (core removed), and Chensha; one zi of Pian Nao. Powder them, mix with refined honey to form a paste, store in porcelain. At onset of disease, take one pill size.
[Discussion] The treatments indicated by Zao Ren differ between hypersomnia and insomnia. This can be summarized by the statement in the *Bencao Jing*: "Mainly treats cold and heat and qi accumulation." Cold and heat refer to yin and yang qi. When they accumulate, they fail to harmonize, resulting in an imbalance of yin and yang. Hypersomnia indicates yin exceeding yang; it is appropriate to first disperse yin, using raw Zao Ren. Insomnia indicates yang exceeding yin; it is appropriate to first tonify yin, using roasted Zao Ren. (Dispersing refers to excess patterns; tonifying refers to deficiency patterns. Ultimately, both yin and yang are deficient in their respective functions; hypersomnia is not purely excess, nor is insomnia purely deficiency.) Dispersing yin means guiding yin to transform; tonifying yin means nourishing yin to promote generation. When the mechanism of generation and transformation unites, Mi Xiyou stated that no herb compares to Zao Ren for tonifying blood. (When the mechanism of generation and transformation unites, pathogens cannot accumulate. The yin and yang qi throughout the body, if biased towards cold or heat, will accumulate internally. Only the Foot Shaoyang and Foot Jueyin, being interior-exterior pairs governing the whole body, with Jueyin acting as the sole envoy of yin and yang, are affected first regardless of whether cold-heat pathogens intermix and change internally or externally. The Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao meridians run along the sides of the body, actually connecting with the Foot Shaoyang and Jueyin meridians running along the body's side, demonstrating the symptoms such as insomnia and hypersomnia. (When Wei Qi fails to enter yin and stays in yang, yang qi becomes full, Yang Qiao becomes vigorous, yin qi is deficient, hence the eyes remain open. When Wei Qi stays in yin and fails to move to yang, yin qi becomes full, Yin Qiao becomes full, yang qi is deficient, hence the eyes close. This is the cause of insomnia and hypersomnia.)
Zao Ren specifically enters the blood aspect of the liver and gallbladder. Raw Zao Ren treats hypersomnia by dispersing stagnant qi within yin to reach yang. Its taste shifts from sour to pungent. Roasted Zao Ren treats insomnia by stimulating harmonious qi within yin to attract yang. Its taste shifts from sour/pungent to sweet. Stagnant qi within yin, once dispersed, reaches yang, so qi biased and accumulated in yin will not suffer from cold. Harmonious qi within yin, once stimulated, attracts yang, so qi biased and accumulated in yang will not suffer from heat. Is this why it serves as a crucial agent for the blood aspect of the liver and gallbladder?
Medical formularies list Zao Ren primarily for treating stroke because it enters the liver and gallbladder to benefit blood; the blood organ is also the wind organ. Thus, wind diseases are treated by benefiting the blood of the same organ. Conditions like spasms, fright, mania, and epilepsy are all treated as deficiencies of false wind. Regarding tonifying deficiency, besides the liver, it should first belong to the gallbladder, then to the heart, because the heart is the child of the liver. If liver blood is deficient, the heart has already lost its source of transformation. Therefore, to tonify heart blood, one must enrich its utility in the liver, otherwise, the source of generation and transformation has no foundation. Additionally, there are treatments for heart-kidney non-interaction. Since the liver is "one yin" and acts as a sole envoy, liver blood originates from water and completes through fire. Zao Ren's ability to interact water and fire lies precisely in its nature as a Jueyin meridian herb. Furthermore, the Yang Qiao and Yin Qiao meridians are branch meridians of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney. Medical formularies treat heart-kidney non-interaction by including this herb among others.
Nature and taste: Sour and astringent. Do not use if there are excess pathogens and heat in the liver, gallbladder, or spleen meridians. (Source: Chen Shigong/Zhongchun)
[Processing] Coarse grains are preferred; do not crush the skin. Fry until popping, grind finely for medicinal use, similar to processing Cardamomi Fructus. Do not use overnight.