原名通草
平淡，无毒。色淡黄细香者佳。
《本经》除脾胃寒热，通利九窍血脉关节，令人不忘，去恶虫。
发明 木通， 根也，入手足太阳、手少阴、厥阴。泻气分湿热，防己泻血分湿热。
脾胃不和则水道不利，乃致郁，为寒热，为肿胀，为淋秘，为痹瘅，俱宜木通淡渗之剂，分
利阴阳，则水行火降，脾胃和，而心肾平矣。《本经》除脾胃寒热者，以其通利湿热也。曰
通利九窍、血脉、关节者，以其味淡渗也。曰令人不忘及去恶虫者，窍利则神识清，湿散则
恶虫去。以其通达九窍，行十二经，故又能催生下乳，散痈肿结热。惟胃虚肾冷，及伤寒大
便结燥，表虚多汗者禁服。恐重伤津液耗散胃汁也。时珍曰，木通上能通心清肺达九窍，下
能泄湿祛热，岂止利小便而已哉。盖能泄丙丁则肺不受邪。能通水道，水源即清，而诸经之
湿热皆从小便泄去，故导赤散用之。
原名通脱木
平淡，无毒。
发明 通草轻虚色白，专入太阴肺经。引热下降而利小便，入阳明胃经，通气上达而下
乳汁。东垣言，泻肺利小便，治五淋水肿癃闭，取气寒降味淡而升。仲景当归四逆汤，用以
通在里之湿热也。妊妇勿服，以其通窍也。
一名钓藤
甘微苦寒，无毒。取钩用良。
发明 钩藤手足厥阴药也。足厥阴主风，手厥阴主火。小儿急慢惊痫螈 ，内钩腹痛，
客忤胎风，大人肝风，头旋目眩，妇人带下赤白，皆肝风相火之病，肝木风静火息，则诸证
自除矣。
【原名：通草】
性味平淡，无毒。色泽淡黄、气味细香者为佳。
《神农本草经》记载其能消除脾胃的寒热邪气，疏通九窍、血脉和关节，使人记忆不衰退，去除恶虫。
【发明（木通）】
木通是植物的根，归入手太阳小肠经、足太阳膀胱经、手少阴心经和足厥阴肝经。它能清泻气分中的湿热，而防己则清泻血分中的湿热。
如果脾胃功能不和，就会导致水道不通畅，进而产生郁滞，引发寒热往来、肿胀、淋证及小便闭塞、痹症及黄疸等病症，这些都适宜使用木通这种淡味渗湿的药物，通过分别利泄阴阳之气，使水液运行正常、火气下降，脾胃调和，心肾也就平衡了。《本经》说它能除脾胃寒热，是因为它能通利湿热。说它能通利九窍、血脉、关节，是因为它味道淡而有渗利作用。说它能令人不忘以及去除恶虫，是因为九窍通畅则神识清明，湿气消散则恶虫离去。因为它能通达九窍，通行十二经脉，所以又能促进分娩、下乳，消散痈肿结聚的热毒。只有胃虚肾冷，以及伤寒导致大便干结燥硬、表虚多汗的患者禁止服用。恐怕会进一步重伤津液，耗散胃中汁液。李时珍说，木通上能通心气、清肺热、通达九窍，下能泄湿祛热，哪里只是利小便而已呢？大概因为它能泄丙丁之火（心火与肺热），则肺不受邪气侵犯。它能通调水道，水源即清澈，各条经脉的湿热都从小便排出，所以导赤散中使用它。
【发明（通草）】
通草质地轻虚、颜色洁白，专门进入太阴肺经。它能引导热邪下降并利小便；进入阳明胃经，能通气上行并下达乳汁。李东垣说，它能泻肺热、利小便，治疗五淋、水肿、癃闭，是利用其气寒而降、味淡而升的特性。张仲景在当归四逆汤中使用它，是为了通利体内的湿热。孕妇不要服用，因为它具有通窍的作用。
【一名：钩藤】
味甘，微苦，性寒，无毒。取带钩的部分使用效果较好。
【发明（钩藤）】
钩藤是作用于手足厥阴经的药物。足厥阴肝经主风，手厥阴心包经主火。小儿急惊风、慢惊风、癫痫、抽搐腹痛，以及客忤、胎风等症，还有大人的肝风内动、头晕目眩，妇人的赤白带下，都是肝风相火为患的疾病。如果肝木之风静止、相火熄灭，那么各种病症自然就会消除。
[Original Name: Tongcao]
Nature and flavor are neutral and plain, non-toxic. The best quality is characterized by a pale yellow color and a fine fragrance.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* records that it eliminates cold and heat in the spleen and stomach, unblocks the nine orifices, blood vessels, and joints, prevents forgetfulness, and expels harmful parasites.
[Innovation (Mutong)]
Mutong is the root of the plant, entering the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It drains damp-heat from the Qi level, whereas Fangji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) drains damp-heat from the Blood level.
When the harmony between the spleen and stomach is disrupted, the water passages become obstructed, leading to stagnation. This can manifest as alternating chills and fever, swelling, strangury with urinary retention, bi-syndrome (painful obstruction), and jaundice. All these conditions are suitable for treatment with Mutong, a bland-draining agent. By separately promoting the flow of Yin and Yang, water metabolism normalizes, fire descends, the spleen and stomach harmonize, and the heart and kidney reach equilibrium. *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it eliminates spleen and stomach cold and heat because it unblocks and drains damp-heat. It unblocks the nine orifices, blood vessels, and joints due to its bland taste which promotes seepage and diuresis. It prevents forgetfulness and expels harmful parasites because clear orifices lead to clarity of consciousness, and dispersed dampness leads to the expulsion of parasites. Because it penetrates the nine orifices and circulates through the twelve meridians, it can also induce labor, promote lactation, and dissipate heat accumulation in carbuncles and swellings. It is contraindicated in cases of stomach deficiency and kidney cold, as well as in typhoid disease presenting with dry, hard stools, surface deficiency with profuse sweating. Use is prohibited to avoid further damaging body fluids and depleting gastric juices. Li Shizhen stated that Mutong reaches upward to communicate with the heart, clear lung heat, and open the nine orifices; downward, it drains dampness and removes heat. Its function extends far beyond merely promoting urination. Generally, by draining Bing-Ding fire (Heart Fire and Lung Heat), it protects the lungs from pathogenic invasion. By unblocking the water pathways, the source of water becomes clear, and damp-heat from all meridians is excreted via urine; therefore, it is used in Daochi San (Guide Out Red Powder).
[Original Name: Tongtuomu (Tongcao)]
Nature and flavor are neutral and plain, non-toxic.
[Innovation (Tongcao)]
Tongcao is light, void, and white in color, specifically entering the Taiyin Lung Meridian. It guides heat downward to promote urination. Entering the Yangming Stomach Meridian, it promotes Qi circulation upward and facilitates the descent of milk. Li Dongyuan stated that it clears lung heat and promotes urination, treating the five types of strangury, edema, and urinary retention, utilizing its cold nature that descends and its bland taste that ascends. Zhang Zhongjing used it in Danggui Sini Tang (Angelica Sinensis Decoction for Extremity Cold) to unblock internal damp-heat. Pregnant women should avoid taking it due to its penetrating and opening properties.
[Also Known As: Gouteng]
Flavor is sweet, slightly bitter, nature is cold, non-toxic. The hooked parts are preferred for use.
[Innovation (Gouteng)]
Gouteng acts upon the Hand-Jueyin and Foot-Jueyin meridians. The Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian governs wind, while the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian governs fire. Conditions such as acute and chronic infantile convulsions, epilepsy, spasmodic abdominal pain, external fright (Ke Wu), fetal wind, adult liver wind causing dizziness and vertigo, and leukorrhea (red and white discharge) in women are all diseases caused by liver wind and ministerial fire. If the wind of liver wood calms and ministerial fire extinguishes, these symptoms will naturally resolve.