\r白豆蔻\pq52.bmp\r
性热气香。入肺部宣邪破滞。味辛质燥。行胃中止呕除寒。（白豆蔻辛热。气香色
白。入肺。理上焦一切寒凝气滞。故又兼入胃腑。散逆气。凡呕吐呃逆等证。因于寒滞者。
皆可用之。然辛热香燥之物。阴虚多火者。不可乱投。）
\r草豆蔻\pq53a1.bmp\r
性味较白蔻为猛。芳香则中土偏宜。暖胃温中。疗心腹之寒痛。宣胸利膈。治呕吐
之乖违。又能燥湿强脾。可变胃辟除陈腐。兼解郁痰肉毒。故和羹服食馨香。（草豆蔻产闽
省。形如龙眼。皮淡黄而薄。仁如砂仁。其气馨香而和。略带甘味。其性热。专入脾胃。故
功用与白蔻相仿。而治上治中不同。然总属辛香燥烈之品。阴不足者远之。）
治太阴独胜之寒。辛温入胃。破瘴疠疟邪之积。刚猛宣中。质燥气雄。味多浊恶。利
痰解郁。性却瞑眩。（草果。滇广所产。形如诃子。皮黑浓。其仁粗大。其气辛烈而臭。其
性热。其所入所用虽与草豆蔻相仿。而刚猛恶浊之气不同。故能破瘴疠之气。发脾胃之寒。
截疟除痰。用为劫药。然虚人服之。每易作吐耳。）
\r肉豆蔻\pq53a.bmp\r
味属苦辛。温中散逆。质原香燥。入胃除邪。逐冷滞以下气行痰。脾家所喜。治虚
寒而浓肠止泻。肾脏偏宜。（肉豆蔻形如草豆蔻。而肉浓皮皱。内有斑纹。如槟榔式。味苦
辛。性温无毒。能入脾胃与肾。宣导一切寒滞。煨熟又能实大肠。止泻痢。但有火邪者禁之
。至于平呕吐。降痰气。亦分所宜耳。）
白豆蔻
性味辛热，气味芳香。入肺经以宣散邪气、破除气滞。味道辛而质地燥烈，能行气于胃中，止呕并驱除寒邪。（白豆蔻辛热，气味芳香，颜色洁白，入肺经，调理上焦所有因寒凝导致的气机阻滞，因此又兼入胃腑，散降逆气。凡是呕吐、呃逆等证候，若由寒邪阻滞引起，皆可使用此药。然而，辛热香燥的药物，对于阴虚且多火的患者，不可随意投用。）
草豆蔻
性味比白豆蔻更为猛烈。其芳香之性更适合中焦脾胃。能暖胃温中，治疗心腹部的寒痛；宣通胸膈，治疗呕吐等不适。又能燥湿健脾，消除胃中的陈腐之气，兼解郁结之痰和肉毒，因此用于调和羹汤或食用时香气宜人。（草豆蔻产于福建省，形状像龙眼，皮色淡黄且薄，仁像砂仁，气味馨香平和，略带甘味。其性热，专入脾胃，所以功效与白豆蔻相似，但主治部位有上焦和中焦的区别。然而总归属于辛香燥烈的药物，阴液不足者应远离。）
草果
治疗太阴脾经独盛的寒邪。性辛温入胃，能破除瘴疠疟邪的积聚。刚猛宣通中焦，质地燥烈，气势雄浑，味道多浊恶，能利痰解郁，性质虽令人产生瞑眩反应（指服药后出现的不适感，有时是药效发挥的表现）。（草果产于云南、广东等地，形状像诃子，皮黑且厚，仁粗大，气味辛烈而臭。其性热，虽然所入脏腑和用途与草豆蔻相仿，但其刚猛恶浊之气不同，因此能破除瘴疠之气，激发脾胃之寒，截断疟疾、消除痰饮，作为劫夺病邪的药物使用。然而虚人服用，容易引发呕吐。）
肉豆蔻
味道属苦辛，能温中散逆。质地原本香燥，入胃以除邪，驱逐冷滞以下气行痰，为脾脏所喜。治疗虚寒证并能厚肠止泻，肾脏较为适宜。（肉豆蔻形状像草豆蔻，但肉质厚实、皮皱，内部有斑纹，类似槟榔的样子。味道苦辛，性温无毒，能入脾胃与肾经，宣导一切寒滞。煨熟后又能实大肠，止泻痢。但有火邪者禁用。至于平复呕吐、降下痰气，也是其适宜的功用。）
White Cardamom (Baidoukou)
Nature is hot and pungent, aroma is fragrant. Enters the Lung meridian to disseminate pathogenic factors and break qi stagnation. Flavor is pungent and texture is drying; promotes qi movement in the Stomach to stop vomiting and dispel cold. (White Cardamom is pungent and hot, with a fragrant aroma and white color. It enters the Lung meridian to regulate all types of cold coagulation and qi stagnation in the Upper Jiao, thus also entering the Stomach fu-organ to scatter rebellious qi. For conditions such as vomiting and hiccups caused by cold stagnation, it can be used. However, substances that are pungent, hot, aromatic, and drying should not be administered indiscriminately to patients with yin deficiency and excessive fire.)
Greater Galangal Seed (Caodoukou)
Its nature and flavor are more fierce than White Cardamom. Its aromatic property is particularly suitable for the Middle Earth (Spleen and Stomach). It warms the Stomach and middle jiao, treating cold pain in the heart and abdomen; it unblocks the chest and benefits the diaphragm, treating disorders of vomiting. It can also dry dampness and strengthen the Spleen, changing the stomach to eliminate stale and corrupt matter. It simultaneously resolves stagnant phlegm and meat toxicity, hence its fragrance when used to harmonize soups or food. (Greater Galangal Seed is produced in Fujian Province. Its shape resembles longan fruit, with pale yellow and thin skin. The kernel resembles Amomum villosum (Sharen), with a pleasant and mild aromatic fragrance, slightly sweet in taste. Its nature is hot, specifically entering the Spleen and Stomach. Therefore, its functions are similar to White Cardamom, but differ in treating the upper versus middle jiao. Nevertheless, it belongs to the category of pungent, aromatic, and drying-aggressive substances, so those with insufficient yin should avoid it.)
Nutmeg Fruit (Caoguo)
Treats the cold excess of the Taiyin (Spleen) alone. Pungent and warm, enters the Stomach; breaks up accumulations of miasma and malaria pathogens. Rigid and vigorous in unblocking the middle, with a drying texture and majestic aura; flavors are often turbid and foul. It benefits phlegm and resolves stagnation, though its nature may cause vertigo or dizziness (mingxuan). (Nutmeg Fruit is produced in Yunnan and Guangdong. Its shape resembles Terminalia chebula (Hezi), with thick black skin and large kernels. Its aroma is pungent, fierce, and unpleasant. Its nature is hot. Although its entry and usage are similar to Greater Galangal Seed, its rigid, fierce, and turbid qi is different. Thus, it can break up miasma qi, stimulate cold in the Spleen and Stomach, intercept malaria, and remove phlegm, serving as a drastic medicine to seize the pathogen. However, when taken by deficient persons, it often induces vomiting.)
Nutmeg (Roudoukou)
Flavor is bitter and pungent; warms the middle and scatters rebellion. Texture is originally aromatic and drying; enters the Stomach to eliminate pathogenic factors, drives out cold stagnation to descend qi and move phlegm, which is favored by the Spleen. Treats deficiency-cold and thickens the intestines to stop diarrhea; particularly suitable for the Kidney. (Nutmeg resembles Greater Galangal Seed in shape, but has thick flesh and wrinkled skin, with mottled patterns inside resembling Areca catechu (Binglang). Flavor is bitter and pungent, nature is warm and non-toxic. It can enter the Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney meridians to guide and unblock all types of cold stagnation. When roasted, it can solidify the Large Intestine and stop diarrhea and dysentery. However, it is contraindicated for those with fire pathogens. As for calming vomiting and descending phlegm qi, these are also appropriate applications.)