一名川芎
白芷为之使。畏黄连。伏雌黄。
辛，温。入手足厥阴经气分，血中气药。上行头目，下行血海。散风寒，疗头痛，破瘀
蓄，
调经脉。治寒痹筋挛，目泪多涕，痘疮不发，血痢滞痛，心胁诸痛。得细辛，治金疮。得麦
曲，治湿泻。得牡蛎，治头风吐逆。得腊茶，疗产风头痛。配地黄，止崩漏。（血不滞。）配
参、 ，补元阳。（理气之功。）配薄荷、朴硝，为末，少许吹鼻中，治小儿脑热，目闭赤肿
。佐槐子，治风热上冲。佐犀角、牛黄、细茶，去痰火、清目疾。
川产，里白不油、辛甘者良。上行，少用。下行，多用。白芷同蒸，焙干去芷用。单服
久服
，肝木反受金气之贼。（辛归肺，肺气偏胜，肝反受刑，久则偏绝而猝死。）气升痰喘，火剧
中满，脾虚食少，（辛散气。）火郁头痛，皆禁用。
怪症∶产后两乳忽长，细小如肠，垂过小腹，痛不可忍，危亡须臾，名曰乳悬。川芎、
当归
各一斤，以半斤锉散，于瓦器内用水浓煎频服，以一斤半切片烧烟，令将口鼻吸烟。用尽未
愈，再作一料，仍以蓖麻子一粒，贴其顶心。
郁在中焦，用此以开提其气，气升则郁自降，为通阴阳血气之使。（与川芎不同。）
当归为行气动血之药，多服久服，则血气消耗，筋力渐驰，犹渐成虚弱者。况芎 走散
真气
，与细辛、辛夷不远，岂得为常服之剂。
出江南者为抚芎。
川芎，又名川芎。
味道辛，性温。归入手经和足厥阴肝经的气分，是行于血中的气药。药性上行至头部和眼部，下行至血海（冲脉）。能疏散风寒，治疗头痛，破除瘀血积滞，调理经脉。治疗寒痹引起的筋脉拘挛、眼睛流泪多涕、痘疮不出、血痢伴有的气血阻滞疼痛、心胁部的各种疼痛。与细辛配合，治疗金创（刀箭等金属利器造成的外伤）。与麦曲配合，治疗湿邪导致的腹泻。与牡蛎配合，治疗头风引起的呕吐逆气。与腊茶配合，治疗产后受风引起的头痛。配伍地黄，能止住崩漏（非经期大量出血或淋漓不尽）。（因为血行通畅而不瘀滞。）配伍人参、[此处原文缺字，通常指黄芪或类似补气药]，能补益元阳。（发挥理气的作用。）配伍薄荷、朴硝，研成粉末，取少许吹入鼻中，治疗小儿脑热、眼睛闭合且红肿。佐以槐子，治疗风热上冲之证。佐以犀角、牛黄、细茶，能去除痰火、清利眼疾。
四川产的川芎，内部颜色洁白且不油腻、味道辛甘的为佳品。用于上行（治上部病证），用量要少。用于下行（治下部病证），用量要多。与白芷一同蒸制，焙干后去掉白芷使用。单独服用并长期服用，肝木之气反而会受到肺金之气的克制伤害。（因为辛味入肺，若肺气偏胜，肝木就会受到刑克，时间久了会导致肝气偏绝而突然死亡。）对于气机上升伴有痰喘、火热炽盛导致的中焦胀满、脾虚食少（因辛散耗气）、火郁引起的头痛，都禁止使用。
怪异病症：产后两个乳房突然变长，细小如肠管，下垂超过小腹，疼痛难以忍受，危及生命仅在顷刻之间，这种病名叫“乳悬”。用川芎、当归各一斤，将其中半斤切碎散开，在瓦器内用水浓煎，频繁服用；将另外一斤半切片烧烟，让患者吸入烟气。如果用药后仍未痊愈，再制作一剂，同时在头顶心贴上一粒蓖麻子。
郁结在中焦，使用此药来升提其气，气机上升则郁结自然下降，它是疏通阴阳血气的使者。（这与川芎的功效不同。）当归是行气活血的药物，多服久服，会导致血气消耗，筋力逐渐松弛，渐渐形成虚弱体质。况且芎藭（川芎）走窜发散真气，与细辛、辛夷相近，怎么能作为常服的药物呢？
出产于江南地区的称为抚芎。
Chuanxiong, also known as Chuanxiong.
Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Bai Zhi) serves as its guiding herb (shi). It is inhibited by Coptidis Rhizoma (Huang Lian). It can suppress Orpiment (Fushi Huang).
Pungent in taste, warm in nature. It enters the Qi level of the Hand and Foot Jueyin (Liver) meridians. It is a Qi-moving herb within the Blood. Its action ascends to the head and eyes and descends to the Sea of Blood (Chong Mai). It disperses Wind-Cold, treats headache, breaks up blood stasis accumulation, and regulates the meridians. It treats cold bi syndrome with tendon spasms, excessive tearing and nasal discharge, failure of smallpox eruptions, bloody dysentery with stagnation pain, and various pains in the heart and hypochondrium. Combined with Asari Radix et Rhizoma (Xixin), it treats metal wounds. Combined with Wheat Qu (Maiqu), it treats damp diarrhea. Combined with Ostrea Concha (Muli), it treats cephalalgia due to wind with vomiting and regurgitation. Combined with La Cha (aged tea), it treats postpartum cephalalgia due to wind. Paired with Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang), it stops metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (bleeding not during menstruation). (Because blood flows smoothly without stagnation.) Paired with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and [text missing, likely Astragali Radix], it tonifies Original Yang. (Exerts the function of regulating Qi.) Paired with Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bohe) and Natrii Sulfas (Puxiao), ground into powder, a small amount blown into the nose, it treats pediatric brain heat with closed eyes and redness/swelling. Assisted by Sophorae Semen (Huai Zi), it treats upward rushing of Wind-Heat. Assisted by Rhinocerotis Cornu (Xijiao), Bovis Calculus (Niuhuang), and Xi Cha (fine tea), it eliminates phlegm-fire and clears eye diseases.
Those produced in Sichuan are superior if they are white inside, not oily, and have a pungent-sweet taste. For ascending actions (treating upper body conditions), use a small dose. For descending actions (treating lower body conditions), use a larger dose. Steam together with Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi), dry by baking, then remove Baizhi. Long-term single use damages Liver Wood, which is then attacked by Lung Metal. (Since pungent flavors enter the Lung, if Lung Qi becomes excessive, Liver Wood suffers punishment; over time, this leads to extreme deficiency of Liver Qi and sudden death.) Contraindicated in cases of ascending Qi with phlegmatic wheezing, severe fire causing middle jiao fullness, spleen deficiency with poor appetite (due to pungency scattering Qi), and headache due to constrained fire.
Strange Syndrome: Postpartum breast suspension (Ru Xuan). The breasts suddenly elongate, becoming thin like intestines, hanging down past the lower abdomen, with unbearable pain, life-threatening in an instant. Use 1 jin each of Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui). Take half a jin, chop and scatter, decoct strongly in water in a clay vessel, and administer frequently. Take the remaining one jin half, slice, burn to produce smoke, and have the patient inhale the smoke. If not cured after using this amount, prepare another dose, and additionally paste one Ricini Semen (Bimazi/Castor Bean seed) on the vertex (Baihui point).
When depression is in the Middle Jiao, this herb is used to lift the Qi; when Qi ascends, the depression naturally resolves. It acts as a messenger to unblock Yin-Yang and Blood-Qi. (This differs from Chuanxiong.) Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui) is a herb that moves Qi and invigorates Blood. Long-term or heavy use consumes Blood-Qi, gradually weakens sinews and strength, and leads to a constitution of gradual debility. Moreover, Xiongqiong (Chuanxiong) scatters and dissipates True Qi, similar to Asari Radix et Rhizoma (Xixin) and Magnoliae Flos (Xinyi); how can it be a herb for regular daily consumption?
Those produced in Jiangnan are called Fujiong.