茯苓为之使。恶白藓皮、龟甲。
甘，微温。入手太阴经，兼入足太阴气分。助气补血。固腠理，益脾胃，托疮疡，止盗
汗。（固气之功。）得枣仁，
止自汗。配干姜，暖三焦。配川连，治肠风下血。配茯苓，治气虚白浊。配川芎、糯米，治
胎动、腹痛、下黄汁。佐当
归，补血。使升、柴，发汗。
补虚，蜜炒。嘈杂病，乳炒。解毒，盐水炒。胃虚，米泔炒。暖胃，除泻痢，酒拌炒。
泻心
火，退虚热，托疮疡，生用。恐滞气，加桑白皮数分。血枯（助气生火，血愈枯也。）中风，
（阳气升，风益疾，痰益盛。）火动生痰，五内虚甚，（升气于表也。）上热下寒，（气升，上
益热，下益寒。）痘色不润，（助气，血愈枯。）肝气不和，（黄耆能动三焦之火。）皆禁用。
怪症∶四肢节脱，但有皮连，不能举动，此筋解也。用黄耆三两，酒浸一宿，焙研，酒下二
钱，至愈而止。
黄 补气，而气有内外之分。气之卫于脉外者，在内之卫气也。气之行于肌表者，在外
之卫
气也。肌表之气，补宜黄耆。五内之气，补宜人参。若内气虚乏，用黄 升提于表，外气日
见有余，而内气愈使不足，久之血无所摄，营气亦觉消散，虚损之所以由补而成也。故内外
虚气之治，各有其道，不谙其道而混治之，是犹盲人之不见黑白也。
茯苓作为引经药。畏忌白鲜皮、龟甲。
味甘，性微温。归入手太阴肺经，兼入足太阴脾经的气分。能助气补血。固密腠理（皮肤纹理及汗孔），补益脾胃，托毒外出治疗疮疡，止盗汗。（具有固摄正气的作用。）与酸枣仁配伍，可止自汗。与干姜配伍，可温暖三焦。与黄连配伍，可治疗肠风下血。与茯苓配伍，可治疗气虚引起的白浊。与川芎、糯米配伍，可治疗胎动不安、腹痛、下黄汁。佐以当归，可补血。配合升麻、柴胡，可发汗。
用于补虚，用蜜炒；嘈杂病（胃中不适，似饥非饥，似痛非痛），用乳汁炒；用于解毒，用盐水炒；胃虚，用米泔水炒；用于暖胃、消除泻痢，用酒拌炒。
生用可清心火，退虚热，托毒外出治疗疮疡。若担心其壅滞气机，可加少量桑白皮。血枯（因助气生火，导致血液更加枯竭）中风（阳气上升，风邪更盛，痰涎更多）火动生痰，五脏内部极度虚弱（气升于体表）上热下寒（气上升，上部更热，下部更寒）痘疹颜色不润泽（助气导致血液更加枯竭）肝气不和（黄芪能触动三焦之火）这些情况都禁用。
怪异病症：四肢关节脱开，仅靠皮肤相连，不能活动，这是筋脉松弛解体的表现。用黄芪三两，酒浸泡一夜，焙干研末，酒送服二钱，直到痊愈为止。
黄芪补气，但气有内外的区别。护卫在脉外的气，是内在的卫气。运行于肌表的气，是外在的卫气。肌表之气，适宜用黄芪补益。五脏内部之气，适宜用人参补益。如果内部气虚匮乏，使用黄芪将气升提至体表，外表之气日渐有余，而内部之气更加不足，久而久之血液失去统摄，营气也感觉消散，虚损之所以由补益而成。所以内外虚气的治疗，各有其道，不懂其道而混治，这就像盲人看不见黑白一样。
Poria (Fuling) serves as the guiding herb. It is incompatible with Dictamni Cortex (Baixianpi) and Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum (Guijia).
Sweet in taste, slightly warm in nature. Enters the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, and also enters the Qi aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Assists Qi and nourishes Blood. Consolidates the Couli (skin texture and pores), benefits the Spleen and Stomach, expels pus from sores/ulcers, and stops nocturnal sweating. (Its function lies in consolidating Zheng Qi [Upright Qi].) Combined with Suanzaoren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), it stops spontaneous sweating. Paired with Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), it warms the Sanjiao (Triple Burner). Paired with Chuanlian (Coptidis Rhizoma), it treats intestinal wind bleeding. Paased with Fuling (Poria), it treats white turbidity due to Qi deficiency. Paired with Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma) and Nuomi (Oryza Sativa Germen), it treats restless fetus, abdominal pain, and discharge of yellow fluid. With Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) as an assistant, it nourishes Blood. Guided by Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) and Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), it induces sweating.
For tonifying deficiency, stir-fry with honey; for Zaochao disease (epigastric discomfort resembling hunger but not quite, resembling pain but not quite), stir-fry with milk; for detoxification, stir-fry with salt water; for Stomach deficiency, stir-fry with rice washing water; for warming the Stomach and eliminating diarrhea/dysentery, stir-fry with wine mixed.
Raw usage clears Heart Fire, reduces deficiency heat, and expels pus from sores/ulcers. If concerned about stagnating Qi, add a small amount of Sangbaipi (Morus Albae Cortex). Contraindicated in: Xueku (Blood Withering - assisting Qi generates fire, causing blood to wither further); Zhongfeng (Wind Stroke - Yang Qi rises, wind becomes more severe, phlegm increases); Huodong Shengtan with extreme internal deficiency (Qi rises to the exterior); Shangre Xiahan (Upper Heat Lower Cold - Qi rises, upper part becomes hotter, lower part colder); Dou se bu run (Pox color not lustrous - assisting Qi causes blood to wither further); Ganqi buhe (Liver Qi disharmony - Huangqi can agitate Fire in the Sanjiao). All these are strictly contraindicated.
Strange Syndrome: Dislocation of joints in four limbs, connected only by skin, unable to move, this is Jiejie (relaxation of sinews). Use Huangqi (Astragali Membranacei Radix) 3 liang, soaked in wine overnight, dried and powdered, taken with wine 2 qian, until cured.
Huangqi tonifies Qi, but Qi has internal and external distinctions. The Qi guarding outside the vessels is the Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) internally. The Qi circulating on the muscle surface is the Wei Qi externally. For Qi on the muscle surface, Huangqi is suitable for tonification. For Qi within the five Zang organs, Renshen (Ginseng Radix) is suitable for tonification. If internal Qi is deficient and scanty, using Huangqi to lift it to the exterior will make external Qi appear abundant day by day, while internal Qi becomes increasingly insufficient. Over time, Blood loses its control, and Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) feels dissipated. This is how deficiency syndromes arise from improper tonification. Therefore, the treatment of internal and external deficient Qi each has its own method. Ignoring these methods and treating them indiscriminately is like a blind person failing to distinguish black from white.