甘淡微寒，无毒。有南北二种，北者质坚、性寒，南者体虚力微。反藜芦。
《本经》主血结，惊气，除寒热，补中益肺气。
发明 沙参专泄肺气之热，故喘嗽气壅，小便赤涩不利，金受火克。阴虚失血，或喘咳
寒热及肺痿等疾宜之。《本经》主血结惊气者，因惊气入心，心包热郁而血结也。除寒热者
，郁热解而寒热除也。补中益肺气者，用以清理脾胃之虚热，则津液复而正气受益矣。洁古
言，肺寒用人参，肺热用沙参。好古言，沙参性寒，补五脏之阴，总未达轻虚泄热之义也。
《卫生方》治肺热咳嗽，沙参一味，水煎服之。《肘后方》治卒然疝痛，自汗欲死，沙参为
末，酒服立瘥。《证治要诀》治妇人白带，沙参为末，米饮服之。盖沙参专开肺气，肺气清
则木邪散，而疝自除，带自愈矣。时珍云∶人参甘苦而温，其体重实，专补脾胃元气，因而
益肺与肾，故内伤元气者宜之。沙参甘淡而寒，其体轻虚，专清肺气，因而益肺与肾，故金
受火克者宜之。此即《本经》补中益肺气之谓，一补阳而生阴，一补阴而制阳。不可不辨。
《本经》名荠
辛甘苦微温，无毒。甘者为荠 ，苦者为苦梗，咬之腥涩者
为木梗，不堪入药。
《本经》主胸胁痛如刀刺，腹满肠鸣幽幽，惊恐悸气。
发明 桔梗上升清肺气，利咽喉，为肺部引经，又能开发皮腠，故与羌、独、柴胡、
、苏辈同为解表药。与甘草同为舟楫之剂，诸药有此一味不能下沉也。伤寒邪结胸胁，则痛
如刀刺，邪在中焦则腹满肠鸣幽幽。辛甘升发，苦淡降泄，则邪解而气和矣。其主惊恐悸气
者，心脾气郁不舒，用以升散之也。朱肱用桔梗治胸中痞满，总不出《本经》主治，仲景治
寒实结胸，同贝母、巴豆，取其温中消谷破积也。治肺痈唾脓血，用桔梗、甘草，取排脓而
清浊气也。治少阴证，二三日咽痛，用甘桔汤，取其调寒热通阴气也。《千金方》治喉痹毒
气，桔梗二两，水煎顿服。加甘草、连翘、荆、防名如圣汤，通治咽喉诸病。桔梗有甘、苦
二种，甘者曰荠 ，《千金》治强中为病，茎长兴发，不交精出，取其能升解热邪于上也。
又干咳嗽乃痰火之邪郁在肺中，亦宜甘以润之。痢疾腹痛乃肺金之气郁在大肠，则宜苦以开
之。甘升而苦降也。此药升降诸气，能入肺使诸气下降，俗泥为上升而不能下行，失其用矣
。痘疹下部不能起发，为之切忌，以其性升，能阻药力于上，不得下达也。惟阴虚久嗽不宜
用，以其通阳泄气也。其芦吐膈上风热实痰，生研末，白汤调服二三钱，探吐之。
沙参：味甘、淡，性微寒，无毒。有南北两种，北沙参质地坚实、药性偏寒；南沙参质地疏松、药力较弱。与藜芦相反。
《神农本草经》记载其主治血结（血液瘀滞凝结）、惊气（因受惊导致的气机紊乱），能消除寒热症状，补益中焦并增益肺气。
【发明】沙参专门清泄肺部的热邪，因此对于气喘咳嗽、气机壅滞、小便赤红涩痛不利，以及肺部受火热之邪克制所致的病症，还有阴虚导致的失血，或伴有寒热的喘咳及肺痿等疾病适宜使用。《神农本草经》所说的治疗血结和惊气，是因为惊恐之气侵入心脏，导致心包热郁而引发血结。所谓消除寒热，是指郁积的热邪解除后，寒热症状自然消失。所谓补益中焦和增益肺气，是指通过清理脾胃的虚热，使津液恢复，从而让正气受益。张洁古说，肺寒用人参，肺热用沙参。李好古说，沙参性寒，能补五脏之阴，这些都未能透彻理解沙参轻清虚灵、泄除热邪的真义。《卫生方》治疗肺热咳嗽，单用沙参一味，水煎服用。《肘后备急方》治疗突然发生的疝痛，自汗淋漓近乎死亡，将沙参研为末，用酒送服，立即痊愈。《证治要诀》治疗妇女白带，将沙参研为末，用米汤送服。大概是因为沙参专门开通肺气，肺气清肃则肝木之邪消散，疝气自然消除，带下自愈。李时珍说：人参味甘苦、性温，质地沉重坚实，专门补益脾胃元气，进而益肺肾，所以内伤元气者适宜使用。沙参味甘淡、性寒，质地轻虚，专门清泄肺气，进而益肺肾，所以肺部受火热之邪克制者适宜使用。这就是《神农本草经》所说的“补中益肺气”的含义，人参是一方面补阳而生阴，沙参是一方面补阴而制阳。不可不加以辨别。
桔梗：味辛、甘、苦，性微温，无毒。味甘的是荠梗（即桔梗），味苦的是苦梗，咬起来有腥涩味的是木梗，不堪入药。
《神农本草经》记载其主治胸胁疼痛如刀刺，腹部胀满且肠鸣音低沉，惊恐悸动不安。
【发明】桔梗上升以清利肺气，通畅咽喉，是肺部的引经药，又能开发皮毛腠理，所以与羌活、独活、柴胡、紫苏等同类，都属于解表药。与甘草配合称为“舟楫之剂”，有了这一味药，其他药物就不能下沉。伤寒邪气结聚在胸胁，就会疼痛如刀刺；邪气在中焦就会导致腹满肠鸣幽幽作响。辛甘升发，苦淡降泄，这样邪气解除而气机调和。它主治惊恐悸动，是因为心脾气机郁结不舒，利用桔梗来升散郁结。朱肱用桔梗治疗胸中痞满，总不出《神农本草经》的主治范围。张仲景治疗寒实结胸，配合贝母、巴豆，取其温中消谷破积的作用。治疗肺痈吐脓血，使用桔梗、甘草，取其排脓并清化浊气的作用。治疗少阴病，发病二三日咽痛，使用甘桔汤，取其调和寒热、通利阴气的功效。《千金方》治疗喉痹毒气，用桔梗二两，水煎一次服完。加入甘草、连翘、荆芥、防风，名为如圣汤，通用治疗咽喉各类疾病。桔梗有甘、苦两种，味甘的叫荠梗，《千金方》治疗强中病（阴茎异常勃起不衰），茎长兴奋而不射精，取其能升散上部热邪的作用。另外，干咳是由于痰火邪气郁结在肺中，也适宜用甘味来滋润。痢疾腹痛是由于肺金之气郁结在大肠，则适宜用苦味来开泄。甘味主升，苦味主降。此药能升降诸气，能入肺使诸气下降，世俗之人拘泥于认为它只能上升而不能下行，就失去了它的用处。痘疹在下部不能起发透发，是此药的禁忌，因为其性升，会阻碍药力上行，使其不能下达。只有阴虚久咳不宜使用，因为它通阳泄气。其根芦能吐出膈上的风热实痰，生研为末，用白开水调服二三钱，催吐之。
**Adenophorae Radix (Shashen)**: Sweet, slightly bland, and slightly cold in nature; non-toxic. There are two types: northern and southern. The northern type is solid in texture and cold in property; the southern type is loose in texture and weak in efficacy. It is incompatible with *Veratrum nigrum* (Lilu).
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states that it treats blood stasis (blood stagnation and coagulation), qi disturbance due to fright, eliminates chills and fever, tonifies the middle jiao, and benefits lung qi.
[Invention] Adenophorae Radix specifically clears heat from the lung qi. Therefore, it is suitable for asthma, cough, qi congestion, red and scanty or difficult urination, conditions where the metal element is overcome by fire, yin deficiency with hemorrhage, or wheezing and cough accompanied by chills and fever, as well as lung abscess (Fei Fei). The statement in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* regarding treating blood stasis and qi disturbance due to fright refers to the fact that fright qi enters the heart, causing heat stagnation in the pericardium which leads to blood stasis. Eliminating chills and fever means that once the stagnant heat is resolved, the chills and fever disappear. Tonifying the middle and benefiting lung qi refers to clearing deficient heat in the spleen and stomach, thereby restoring body fluids and benefiting righteous qi. Zhang Jiegou stated that Ginseng is used for lung cold, while Adenophorae Radix is used for lung heat. Li Haogu stated that Adenophorae Radix is cold in nature and tonifies the yin of the five zang organs; however, neither fully grasped the meaning of its light, void nature and ability to vent heat. The *Weisheng Fang* treats lung-heat cough by decocting a single dose of Adenophorae Radix in water. The *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* treats sudden hernia pain with profuse sweating approaching death by administering powdered Adenophorae Radix with wine, resulting in immediate recovery. The *Zhengzhi Yaojue* treats leukorrhea in women by administering powdered Adenophorae Radix with rice water. This is because Adenophorae Radix specifically opens lung qi; when lung qi is clear, liver wood pathogenic factors disperse, and the hernia is eliminated while leukorrhea heals spontaneously. Li Shizhen said: Ginseng is sweet, bitter, and warm; its substance is heavy and solid, specializing in tonifying yuan qi of the spleen and stomach, thereby benefiting the lungs and kidneys, making it suitable for internal injury to yuan qi. Adenophorae Radix is sweet, bland, and cold; its substance is light and void, specializing in clearing lung qi, thereby benefiting the lungs and kidneys, making it suitable for conditions where metal is overcome by fire. This is what the *Shennong Bencao Jing* means by "tonifying the middle and benefiting lung qi." One tonifies yang to generate yin, while the other tonifies yin to control yang. They must not be confused.
**Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng)**: Pungent, sweet, bitter, and slightly warm in nature; non-toxic. The sweet variety is called Qi Geng (Jie Geng); the bitter variety is Ku Geng; the woody variety that tastes fishy and astringent when bitten is Mu Geng, which is unsuitable for medicinal use.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states that it treats stabbing pain in the chest and hypochondrium, abdominal fullness with low-pitched borborygmi, and fright palpitations.
[Invention] Platycodonis Radix ascends to clear and benefit lung qi, unblocks the throat, serves as a guiding herb for the lung meridian, and can open the skin and pores. Thus, it belongs to the category of exterior-releasing herbs, similar to *Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix* (Qianghuo), *Saussureae Radix* (Duhuo), *Bupleuri Radix* (Chaihu), and *Perillae Folium* (Zisu). When combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao), it forms a "boat and oar" formula, preventing other herbs from sinking. When pathogenic factors of cold damage bind in the chest and hypochondrium, pain feels like stabbing; when pathogenic factors are in the middle jiao, abdominal fullness and low-pitched borborygmi occur. Pungent and sweet ascend and release, while bitter and bland descend and drain, thus resolving pathogenic factors and harmonizing qi. Its treatment of fright and palpitations addresses the constraint of heart and spleen qi, using Platycodonis Radix to ascend and disperse. Zhu Gong used Platycodonis Radix to treat chest oppression, staying within the scope of the *Shennong Bencao Jing*. Zhang Zhongjing treated cold-solid binding in the chest with Platycodonis Radix, Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu), and *Ricini Semen* (Badou), utilizing their ability to warm the middle, digest food, and break accumulations. For lung abscess with expectoration of pus and blood, Platycodonis Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are used to expel pus and clear turbid qi. For Shaoyin syndrome with sore throat after two or three days, Ganjie Tang is used to harmonize cold and heat and unblock yin qi. The *Qianjin Fang* treats throat obstruction and toxic qi by decocting two liang of Platycodonis Radix in water and taking it in one dose. Adding Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao), Schizonepetae Herba (Jingjie), and Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng) creates Rusheng Tang, which generally treats various throat diseases. Platycodonis Radix has sweet and bitter varieties. The sweet one is called Qi Geng. The *Qianjin Fang* treats Qiangzhong disease (priapism), characterized by persistent erection without ejaculation, utilizing its ability to ascend and resolve heat pathogens above. Additionally, dry cough results from phlegm-fire pathogens constrained in the lungs, which should be moistened with sweet flavors. Abdominal pain in dysentery results from lung metal qi constrained in the large intestine, which should be opened with bitter flavors. Sweet ascends and bitter descends. This herb regulates the ascending and descending of all qi; entering the lungs, it causes all qi to descend. Laypeople mistakenly believe it only ascends and cannot descend, thereby losing its utility. It is strictly contraindicated when measles or smallpox lesions fail to erupt from the lower body, because its ascending nature obstructs the downward movement of medicinal power. It is unsuitable for chronic cough due to yin deficiency, as it promotes yang and drains qi. Its root crown can induce vomiting of wind-heat excess phlegm in the diaphragm; when freshly ground into powder and taken with warm water (2–3 qian), it induces vomiting.