气温，味苦，而甘辛，气味俱薄，阳也，升也。甘热，纯阳。无毒。
手太阴之剂，入足太阳经，走手少阴经，阳明经药。
《象》云∶发太阳、少阴经汗。去节，煮三二沸，去上沫。不则，令人心烦闷。
《心》云∶阳明经药，去表上之寒邪。甘热，去节，解少阴寒，散表寒、发浮热也。
《珍》云∶去荣中寒。
《本草》云∶主中风伤寒头痛，温疟，发表出汗，去邪热气。止咳逆上气，除寒热，破
症坚积聚。
《液》云∶入足太阳、手少阴，能泄卫实发汗，及伤寒无汗，咳嗽。根、节能止汗。夫
麻黄，治卫实之药，桂枝，治卫虚之药，桂枝、麻黄虽为太阳经药，其实荣卫药也。以其
在太阳地分，故曰太阳也。本病者即荣卫，肺主卫，心主荣为血，乃肺、心所主，故麻黄为
手太阴之剂，桂枝为手少阴之剂。故伤风、伤寒而嗽者，用麻黄、桂枝，即汤液之源也。
《药性论》云∶君。味甘平，治瘟疫。
《本草》又云∶浓朴为之使，恶辛夷、石苇。
气温，味大辛、苦，微温；气浓味薄，阳也，升也，纯阳。无毒。
太阳经本经药。
《象》云∶太阳经风药，治寒邪结郁于本经。治头痛、脑痛；大寒犯脑，令人脑痛，齿
亦痛。
《心》云∶专治太阳头痛，其气雄壮。
《珍》云∶治巅顶痛。
《本草》云∶主妇人疝瘕，阴中寒肿痛，腹中急。除风头痛，长肌肤，悦颜色，辟雾露
，润泽，疗风邪 曳，金疮，可作沐药、面脂。实，主流风四肢。恶 茹。此与木香，同治
雾露之气；与白芷，同作面脂药治疗。
仲景云∶清明以前，立秋以后，凡中雾露之气，皆为伤寒。又云清邪中于上焦，皆雾露
之气，神术、白术汤内加木香、 本，择其可而用之。此既治风，又治湿，亦各从其类也。
The qi is warm, the taste is bitter, sweet, and pungent. The aroma and flavor are both thin; it belongs to Yang, and its action is ascending. It is sweet and hot, purely Yang. It is non-toxic.
It serves as an agent for the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, enters the Foot-Taiyin Bladder Meridian (Note: Text says Foot-Taiyang, standard is Foot-Taiyang Bladder), travels to the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and is a medicine of the Yangming Meridian.
Li Dongyuan states: It induces sweating from the Taiyang and Shaoyin meridians. Remove the nodes before use, boil for two or three boils, and discard the foam on the surface. Otherwise, it will cause mental restlessness and oppression.
Wang Haogu states: It is a medicine of the Yangming Meridian, removing cold pathogens from the exterior upper levels. Sweet and hot, after removing the nodes, it resolves Shaoyin cold, disperses exterior cold, and vents floating heat.
Zhang Congzheng states: It removes cold from the Ying (Nutritive) level.
Bencao records: It mainly treats headache due to wind-stroke and cold damage, warm malaria, releases the exterior and induces sweating, and eliminates pathogenic heat. It stops coughing and counterflow qi, removes cold and heat, breaks up masses and accumulations.
Cheng Wuji states: It enters the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, able to vent Wei (Defensive) excess and induce sweating, and treat cold damage with no sweat and cough. The root and nodes of Ephedra can stop sweating. Ephedra is a medicine for treating Wei excess, while Cinnamon Twig is a medicine for treating Wei deficiency. Although Cinnamon Twig and Ephedra are considered medicines of the Taiyang Meridian, they are essentially medicines regulating Ying and Wei. Because they act in the territory of the Taiyang, they are called Taiyang medicines. The fundamental disease involves Ying and Wei; the Lung governs Wei, and the Heart governs Ying (Blood). This is governed by the Lung and Heart; therefore, Ephedra is an agent of the Hand-Taiyin Meridian, and Cinnamon Twig is an agent of the Hand-Shaoyin Meridian. Thus, for wind-strike or cold damage accompanied by cough, using Ephedra and Cinnamon Twig constitutes the source of decoction therapy.
Yaoxing Lun states: As the Sovereign herb. Taste is sweet and neutral, treating plague epidemics.
Bencao further states: Polygalae Radix (Gan Cao/Polygala? Note: Text says Nongpu, likely Polygalae Radix or similar, but usually Gancao is Shi. Wait, text says "Nongpu wei zhi shi", meaning Polygalae Radix acts as the Envoy. Mahuang's envoy is often Gancao, but here it specifies Nongpu. I will translate literally.) acts as the Envoy. It dislikes Xin Yi (Magnolia Flower) and Shi Wei (Pyrrosiae Folium).
The qi is warm, the taste is greatly pungent and bitter, slightly warm; the qi is dense and the flavor is thin. It belongs to Yang, its action is ascending, and it is purely Yang. It is non-toxic.
It is a primary medicine of the Taiyang Meridian.
Li Dongyuan states: It is a wind-dispelling medicine of the Taiyang Meridian, treating cold pathogens knotted and stagnant within this meridian. It treats headache and brain pain; severe cold invading the brain causes brain pain, and the teeth also hurt.
Wang Haogu states: It specifically treats Taiyang headaches; its qi is vigorous and strong.
Zhang Congzheng states: It treats vertex pain.
Bencao records: It mainly treats women's hernia and masses, cold swelling and pain in the yin region, and abdominal urgency. It removes wind-induced headaches, promotes skin growth, enhances complexion, wards off fog and dew moisture, moisturizes, treats wind-pathogen induced traction/spasms, metallic wounds, and can be used as a wash medicine or facial cream. In cases of excess, it primarily affects the four limbs. It dislikes Ru grass (specific plant unspecified, translated as Ru grass). This shares with Agarwood (or Woody Aromatic Herb) the treatment of fog and dew qi; together with Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi), it serves as a facial cream treatment medicine.
Zhang Zhongjing states: Before Qingming and after Liqiu, any exposure to fog and dew qi is considered cold damage. He also stated that clear pathogens attacking the Upper Jiao are all fog and dew qi. In Shen Shu Tang or Bai Zhu Tang, add Agarwood (or Woody Aromatic Herb) and Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix (Gaoben), selecting appropriate ones for use. This treats both wind and dampness, following the principle of each acting according to its kind.