有毒 丛生
芋主宽肠胃充肌肤滑中（名医所录）【名】土芝 白芋 青芋 真芋 莲禅芋 莒 紫
芋
【苗】（图经曰）叶如荷叶而长根类山药而圆其种类虽多大抵性效相近蜀川出者形圆而大状
若
蹲鸱谓之芋魁三年不采者谓之莒彼人莳之最盛可以当粮食而度饥年左思三都赋所谓徇蹲鸱之
沃则以为济世阳丸是也江西闽中出者形长而大叶皆相类甚细者如鸡卵生于大魁旁食之尤美不
可过多乃有损也凡食芋并须园圃莳者为佳其野芋生溪涧非人所种者根叶亦相类不堪食也（唐
本注云）此有六种有青芋紫芋真芋白芋连禅芋野芋其青芋毒多初煮要须灰汁易水煮熟乃堪食
尔白芋真芋连禅芋紫芋毒少蒸煮啖之兼肉作羹亦佳蹲鸱之饶盖此谓也野芋有大毒而不可啖
（衍义曰）江浙二川者最大而长京洛者差圆而小惟东西京者佳他处味不及也当心出苗者为芋
头
四边附芋头而生者为芋子八九月以后可食至时掘出置十数日 以好土勾埋至春犹好生则味辛
而涎多过食亦能滞气困脾也【地】（图经曰）钱塘最多闽蜀淮甸尤殖今处处有之（衍义曰）
江
浙川广最佳【时】（生）春生苗（采）八九月以后取根【收】晒干【用】根【色】紫青白【味】
辛【性】平散【气】气之薄者阳中之阴【臭】朽【主】烦热止渴【制】蒸煮熟烂可食【治】
（疗）【日华子云】芋破宿血去死肌○叶止泻及妊孕心烦迷闷胎动不安（陈藏器云）小者开
胃及
肠闭产后煮食破血及饮汁止血渴（孟诜云）紫色者破气作汤浴去身上浮风（补）（陈藏器云）
食之
令人肥白【合治】野芋合醋摩敷虫疮疥癣○姜芋合生姜并鱼煮食下气调中补虚○芋叶合盐研
敷蛇虫咬并痈肿毒及窨敷箭毒【禁】久食令人虚劳无力滞气困脾冬月宜食他时月不可食○野
芋有大毒不可辄食食则杀人【解】中野芋毒惟土浆及粪汁解之
有毒，丛聚生长。
芋头主要功效为宽舒肠胃、充实肌肤、润滑肠道（据《名医别录》记载）。
【苗叶】（《本草图经》记载）叶片形状像荷叶但更长，根部类似山药但呈圆形。其种类虽然繁多，但大致药性和疗效相近。四川产出的芋头形状圆而大，状如蹲伏的鸱鸟，称为“芋魁”；三年未采收的称为“莒”。当地种植芋头非常兴盛，可以当作粮食以度过饥荒之年。左思《三都赋》中所说的“徇蹲鸱之沃则以为济世阳丸”，指的就是这种芋头。江西、福建中部产出的芋头形状长而大，叶子也都相似。其中特别细小的如鸡蛋大小，生长在大的芋魁旁边，食用起来尤其美味，但不宜多吃，否则会有损害。凡是食用芋头，都必须以园圃中种植的为佳；野生的芋头生于溪涧之中，非人工种植，其根叶虽与家种芋头相似，但不可食用。（《新修本草》注云）芋头有六种：青芋、紫芋、真芋、白芋、连禅芋、野芋。其中青芋毒性较大，初次煮食必须用草木灰汁处理，换水煮熟后方可食用。白芋、真芋、连禅芋、紫芋毒性较小，蒸煮后食用，若与肉同煮成羹也很美味。“蹲鸱之饶”大概就是指这些品种。野芋有大毒，不可食用。（《本草衍义》记载）江浙、四川产的芋头最大且长，京洛地区产的稍圆而小，只有东西两京地区的品质最佳，其他地方味道不及。从中心长出的是芋头，四周附着在芋头旁生长的是芋子。八九月以后可以食用，届时挖出放置十几天，用好土覆盖掩埋，到春天依然完好。生吃味道辛辣且黏液多，过量食用也会阻滞气机、困顿脾胃。
【产地】（《本草图经》记载）钱塘最多，闽、蜀、淮甸等地尤为繁盛，如今各地都有。（《本草衍义》记载）江浙、川广地区品质最佳。
【时节】（生长）春季生苗。（采收）八九月以后采挖根部。
【收藏】晒干。
【药用部位】根。
【颜色】紫、青、白。
【气味】辛。
【药性】平，散。
【气味】朽味。
【炮制】蒸熟煮烂后可食用。
【治疗功效】（据《日华子诸家本草》记载）芋头能破除陈旧瘀血，去除死肌。○芋叶可止泻，以及治疗妊娠期间的心烦、迷闷、胎动不安。（据《本草拾遗》陈藏器记载）小的芋头能开胃及通肠闭，产后煮食可破血，饮用其汁液可止血止渴。（据《食疗本草》孟诜记载）紫色的芋头能破气，煮汤洗澡可去除身上的浮风（补益作用）。（据《本草拾遗》陈藏器记载）食用芋头能使人身体肥白。
【配伍治疗】野芋加醋研磨外敷，可治虫疮、疥癣。○姜芋加生姜并鱼一起煮食，可下气调中、补虚。○芋叶加盐研磨外敷，可治蛇虫咬伤及痈肿毒，也可用于包裹敷贴箭毒。
【禁忌】长期食用令人虚劳无力，阻滞气机，困顿脾胃。冬季适宜食用，其他月份不宜食用。○野芋有大毒，不可随意食用，吃了会致死。
Toxic, grows in clusters.
Taro (Colocasia esculenta) primarily functions to widen the stomach and intestines, fill the flesh and skin, and lubricate the bowels (as recorded by Mingyi).
[Names] Earth Ginseng (Tu Zhi), White Taro, Green Taro, True Taro, Lianchan Taro, Ju, Purple Taro.
[Foliage] (According to *Bencao Tujing*): The leaves are like lotus leaves but longer; the root resembles Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita) but is round. Although there are many varieties, their nature and efficacy are generally similar. Those from Sichuan are round and large, resembling a squatting owl, called "Yu Kui" (Taro Corm); those not harvested for three years are called "Ju". Locals cultivate them extensively, using them as staple food to survive famine years. As Luosi said in his *San Du Fu*, "following the fertile land of squatting owls to create life-sustaining balls," this refers to taro. Those from Jiangxi and central Fujian are long and large, with similar leaves. The smallest ones, like chicken eggs, grow beside the large corms and are especially delicious when eaten, but should not be consumed in excess as it may cause harm. All edible taro must be cultivated in gardens; wild taro growing in streams, though its roots and leaves resemble cultivated ones, is inedible. (Note in *Xinxiu Bencao*): There are six types: Green Taro, Purple Taro, True Taro, White Taro, Lianchan Taro, and Wild Taro. Green taro has high toxicity; it must be boiled with ash lye, changed water, and thoroughly cooked before consumption. White, True, Lianchan, and Purple taros have low toxicity; they can be steamed or boiled and eaten, and make good soup when cooked with meat. "Abundance of squatting owls" likely refers to these varieties. Wild taro has high toxicity and is inedible. (According to *Bencao Yanyi*): Those from Jiangzhe and Sichuan are largest and longest; those from Jingluo are slightly rounder and smaller, with only those from the Eastern and Western Capitals being of best quality; others lack flavor. The part growing from the center is the main corm (Yu Tou); those attached around it are side shoots (Yu Zi). They can be eaten after August and September. After digging, leave them for ten days, then bury them in good soil; they remain good until spring. Raw taro is pungent and produces much saliva; excessive consumption can stagnate Qi and impair the Spleen.
[Origin] (According to *Bencao Tujing*): Most abundant in Qiantang, especially prolific in Min, Shu, and Huaidian; now found everywhere. (According to *Bencao Yanyi*): Best quality from Jiangzhe and Chuan-Guang.
[Season] (Growth): Sprouts in Spring. (Harvest): Roots taken after August and September.
[Storage]: Sun-dried.
[Medicinal Part]: Root.
[Color]: Purple, Green, White.
[Taste]: Pungent.
[Nature]: Neutral, dispersing.
[Qi Thickness]: Thin Qi, Yin within Yang.
[Odor]: Rotten.
[Indications]: Restless heat, quenching thirst.
[Processing]: Steamed and boiled until soft for consumption.
[Therapeutic Effects] (According to *Rihua Zi*): Taro breaks old blood and removes dead tissue. ○ Leaves stop diarrhea and treat restlessness, confusion, and restless fetus during pregnancy. (According to Chen Cangqi in *Bencao Shiyi*): Small taro opens the stomach and unblocks intestinal obstruction; boiled after childbirth to break blood; juice stops bleeding and quenches thirst. (According to Meng Shen in *Shiliao Bencao*): Purple taro moves Qi; decoction for bathing removes floating wind from the body (tonifying effect). (According to Chen Cangqi in *Bencao Shiyi*): Eating it makes one fat and white.
[Combined Treatments]: Wild taro mixed with vinegar and applied externally treats insect sores and tinea. ○ Ginger taro cooked with ginger and fish lowers Qi, regulates the middle, and tonifies deficiency. ○ Taro leaves mixed with salt and applied externally treat snake and insect bites, carbuncles, swellings, and poison arrows.
[Contraindications]: Long-term consumption causes deficiency, fatigue, Qi stagnation, and Spleen impairment. Suitable for winter; not suitable for other months. ○ Wild taro has high toxicity; do not eat casually, as it can be fatal.
[Antidote]: Poison from wild taro is resolved only by earth slurry and fecal juice.