苦辛温，有毒。陈者良。水浸一宿晒干，醋炒以去其毒。弘景曰∶用者微熬，不
可近眼，反甘草。
《本经》主咳逆上气，喉鸣咽肿短气，蛊毒鬼疟，疝瘕痈肿，杀虫鱼。
发明 芫花消痰饮水肿，故《本经》治咳逆，咽肿疝瘕痈毒，皆是痰湿内壅之象。仲景
治伤寒表不解，心下有水气，干呕发热而咳，或喘，或利者，小青龙汤主之。若表已解，有
时头痛汗出恶寒，心下有水气，干呕痛引两胁，或喘或咳者，十枣汤主之。盖小青龙汤驱逐
表邪，使水气从毛窍而出，《内经》开鬼门法也。十枣汤驱逐里邪，使水气从大小便而泄，
《内经》洁净府、去菀陈 法也。芫花、大戟、甘遂之性，逐水泻湿，能直达水饮窠囊隐僻
处，取效甚捷，不可过剂，泄人真元。
苦寒，有毒。熬黄用，芫花叶尖如柳，花紫似荆，荛花苗茎无刺，花细色黄与芫
花绝不相似，或言无荛花以芫花代之，性相近耳。
《本经》主伤寒温疟，下十二经水，破积聚，大坚症瘕，荡涤胸中留癖饮食，寒热邪
气，利水道。
发明 荛花苦辛，能破积聚症瘕，治痰饮咳逆，去咽喉肿闭。《本经》治伤寒温疟者
，取苦寒以攻蕴积伏匿之邪也。言下十二经水，又治饮食寒热邪气者，以其苦寒峻利，饮食
之邪亦得荡涤，而寒热自除也。仲景用此止利以行水，水去则利止矣。又小青龙汤云，若微
利者，去麻黄加荛花，盖亦取其利水也。愚按∶芫花、荛花虽有辛温开表，苦寒走渗之不同
，而破积逐水之功用仿佛。《本经》虽无芫花利水之说，而仲景十枣汤专行利水。是以药肆
皆不辨混收，医家亦不辨混用。犹夫食谷得以疗饥，食黍亦可疗饥，混用可无妨碍。若矾石
、石字形相类，药状亦相类，可不辨而混用耶。
芫花：味苦、辛，性温，有毒。以陈久者为佳。用水浸泡一夜后晒干，再用醋炒制以去除其毒性。陶弘景说：使用时需轻微加热，不可让药气靠近眼睛，且不能与甘草同用（相反）。
《神农本草经》记载：主治咳嗽气逆上冲，喉间鸣响，咽喉肿痛，呼吸短促，蛊毒及鬼疟病，疝气积聚，痈肿，以及杀灭鱼类寄生虫。
【发明】芫花能消除痰饮和水肿，所以《神农本草经》中治疗的咳嗽气逆、咽喉肿痛、疝气积聚和痈毒，都是痰湿在体内壅滞的表现。张仲景治疗伤寒表证未解，心下有水气，出现干呕、发热而咳，或者气喘、腹泻的情况，用小青龙汤主治。如果表证已解，有时出现头痛、出汗、恶寒，心下仍有水气，干呕且疼痛牵引两侧胁肋，或者气喘或咳嗽的情况，用十枣汤主治。小青龙汤是驱逐表邪，使水气从毛孔排出，这是《黄帝内经》“开鬼门”（发汗）的方法。十枣汤是驱逐里邪，使水气从小便和大便排泄，这是《黄帝内经》“洁净府”（利小便）、“去菀陈莝”（清除郁积陈旧之物）的方法。芫花、大戟、甘遂的药性，能逐水泻湿，能够直达水饮潜伏的隐蔽深处，取效非常迅速，但不可过量服用，否则会耗泄人的真元之气。
荛花：味苦，性寒，有毒。需炒至黄色后使用。芫花的叶子尖端像柳树叶，花朵紫色类似荆条花；荛花的苗茎没有刺，花朵细小颜色黄，与芫花完全不同。有人说没有荛花时用芫花代替，因为两者的药性相近。
《神农本草经》记载：主治伤寒温疟，通利十二经脉的水液代谢，破除积聚，消除坚硬的大块症瘕，荡涤胸中停留的癖积和饮食停滞，清除寒热邪气，通利水道。
【发明】荛花味苦辛，能破除积聚和症瘕，治疗痰饮引起的咳嗽气逆，去除咽喉肿胀闭塞。《神农本草经》说它治疗伤寒温疟，是利用其苦寒之性来攻逐蕴结潜伏的邪气。说它能通利十二经的水液，又能治疗饮食和寒热邪气，是因为它苦寒峻猛利窍，饮食停滞的邪气也能被荡涤清除，从而寒热自除。张仲景使用此药止利以行水，水液去了则腹泻自然停止。另外在小青龙汤中提到，如果有轻微腹泻的情况，去掉麻黄加入荛花，大概也是取其利水的作用。我认为：芫花和荛花虽然一个辛温开表，一个苦寒走渗，性质不同，但在破积逐水方面的功效却相似。《神农本草经》中虽然没有提到芫花有利水的作用，但张仲景的十枣汤专门用于行利水湿。因此药店都不加辨别地混合收存，医生也不加辨别地混合使用。这就好比吃谷物可以疗饥，吃黍米也可以疗饥，混用没有妨碍。但是像矾石和石决明这样字形相似、药状也相似的药物，难道可以不辨别而混用吗？
Yuanhua (Genkwa Flower): Bitter, pungent, warm in nature, toxic. The aged material is superior. Soak in water overnight, dry, and stir-fry with vinegar to reduce its toxicity. Hongjing stated: Use after slight roasting; avoid exposure of the eyes to its fumes. It is incompatible with Gancao (Licorice Root).
*Shennong Bencao Jing* records: It treats cough with rebellious Qi, wheezing in the throat, swelling and pain in the pharynx, shortness of breath, gu poison, ghost malaria, hernia masses, carbuncles and swellings, and kills fish parasites.
[Invention] Yuanhua eliminates phlegm-fluid retention and edema. Therefore, the conditions treated in *Shennong Bencao Jing*, such as cough with rebellious Qi, pharyngeal swelling, hernia masses, and carbuncle toxins, are all manifestations of internal obstruction by phlegm-dampness. Zhang Zhongjing treated cases where the exterior syndrome of Shanghan (Cold Damage) was not resolved, with fluid retention in the epigastrium, presenting with dry retching, fever, and cough, or possibly wheezing or diarrhea, using Xiao Qinglong Tang (Minor Blue Dragon Decoction). If the exterior syndrome had resolved, but there were occasional headaches, sweating, aversion to cold, persistent fluid retention in the epigastrium, dry retching with pain radiating to both hypochondria, or wheezing and cough, Shizao Tang (Ten Jujube Decoction) was indicated. Xiao Qinglong Tang expels exterior pathogens, allowing fluid retention to exit through the hair pores; this corresponds to the *Neijing* method of "opening the ghost gate" (diaphoresis). Shizao Tang expels interior pathogens, allowing fluid retention to drain via urination and defecation; this corresponds to the *Neijing* methods of "purifying the bladder" (diuresis) and "removing accumulated decay" (clearing stagnation). The properties of Yuanhua, Daji (Euphorbia Root), and Gansui (Kansui Root) are to purge water and drain dampness. They can reach the hidden recesses where fluid retention accumulates, acting very swiftly. However, they must not be overdosed, as they will deplete the body's primordial Qi.
Raohua (Radix Genkvae): Bitter, cold in nature, toxic. Roast until yellow before use. The leaves of Yuanhua have tips resembling willow leaves, and its flowers are purple like those of the荆 (Jing) plant. Raohua stems and seedlings have no thorns; its flowers are fine and yellow, completely unlike Yuanhua. Some say that when Raohua is unavailable, Yuanhua is used as a substitute because their properties are similar.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* records: It treats Shanghan warm malaria, promotes the flow of fluids in the twelve meridians, breaks up accumulations, dissolves large hard masses (zheng jia), cleanses retained pathogenic factors and food stagnation in the chest, eliminates cold-heat pathogenic factors, and benefits the water passages.
[Invention] Raohua is bitter and pungent; it can break up accumulations and masses, treat cough and rebellious Qi due to phlegm-fluid retention, and relieve swelling and closure of the throat. *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats Shanghan warm malaria, utilizing its bitter-cold nature to attack entrenched and latent pathogens. Its ability to promote fluid flow in the twelve meridians and treat dietary and cold-heat pathogens is due to its bitter-cold, drastic, and purgative action, which sweeps away dietary pathogens, thereby eliminating cold and heat. Zhang Zhongjing used this herb to stop diarrhea by promoting diuresis; once the water is removed, the diarrhea ceases. Furthermore, in the formula for Xiao Qinglong Tang, if there is slight diarrhea, Mahuang (Ephedra Stem) is removed and Raohua is added, likely to leverage its water-draining property. In my opinion: Although Yuanhua and Raohua differ in that one is acrid-warm to open the exterior and the other is bitter-cold to penetrate and drain, their functions in breaking accumulation and purging water are similar. Although *Shennong Bencao Jing* does not mention Yuanhua's ability to benefit water passages, Zhang Zhongjing's Shizao Tang specifically targets water retention. Consequently, herbal shops often mix them without distinction, and physicians use them interchangeably. This is akin to saying that eating grain or millet can satisfy hunger; mixing them causes no harm. However, for herbs like Fanshi (Alum) and Shijue Ming (Abalone Shell), which share similar names and appearances, can they really be mixed without distinction?