补血润燥，宣，行气搜风
辛温升浮。为少阳（胆）引经，入手、足厥阴（心包、肝）气分，乃血中气药。助清阳
而开诸郁（丹溪曰∶气升则郁自降，为通阴阳血气之使），润肝燥而补肝虚（肝以泻为补，
所谓辛以散之，辛以补之），上行头目，下行血海（冲脉），搜风散瘀，止痛调经。
治风湿在头，血虚头痛（能引血下行，头痛必用之。加各引经药，太阳羌活，阳明白芷
，少阳柴胡，太阴苍术，少阴细辛，厥阴吴茱萸。丹溪曰∶诸经气郁，亦能头痛），腹痛胁
痛，气郁血郁，湿泻血痢，寒痹筋挛，目泪多涕（肝热），风木为病（诸风掉眩，皆属肝木）。
及痈疽疮疡（痈从六腑生，疽从五脏生，皆阴阳相滞而成。气为阳，血为阴，血行脉中，
气行脉外，相并周流。寒湿搏之，则凝滞而行迟，为不及；火热搏之，则沸腾而行速，为太
过；气郁邪入血中，为阴滞于阳；血郁邪入气中，为阳滞于阴，致生恶毒，然百病皆由此起
也。芎、归能和血行气而通阴阳），男妇一切血证。然香窜辛散，能走泄真气，单服久服，
令人暴亡（单服则脏有偏胜，久服则过剂生邪，故有此失。若有配合节制，则不至此矣。昂
按∶芍、地酸寒为阴，芎、归辛温为阳，故四物取其相济以行血药之滞耳。川芎辛散，岂能
生血者乎？治法云∶验胎法，妇人过经三月，用川芎末，空心热汤调服一匙，腹中微动者是
胎，不动者是经闭）。
蜀产为川芎，秦产为西芎，江南为抚芎。以川产大块、里白不油、辛甘者胜，白芷为使
。畏黄连、硝石、滑石。恶黄 、山茱萸。
补血润燥，宣通，行气搜风。
味辛性温，药性升浮。作为少阳胆经的引经药，进入手厥阴心包经和足厥阴肝经的气分，是血中的气药。它能助清阳上升而开通各种郁结（朱丹溪说：气机升发则郁结自然下降，它是通达阴阳气血的使者），滋润肝燥并补益肝虚（肝脏以泻为补，所谓用辛味来疏散它，用辛味来补益它）。药力上行至头目，下行至血海（冲脉），搜剔风邪、消散瘀血，止痛并调理月经。
治疗风湿在头部，以及血虚引起的头痛（川芎能引导血液下行，是治疗头痛必用的药物。配合各经的引经药：太阳经用羌活，阳明经用白芷，少阳经用柴胡，太阴经用苍术，少阴经用细辛，厥阴经用吴茱萸。朱丹溪说：各经气机郁滞，也能引起头痛）。还治疗腹痛、胁痛，气郁和血郁，湿邪导致的腹泻和血痢，寒痹引起的筋脉拘挛，眼睛流泪多涕（因肝热所致），以及风木为病（各种风证引起的动摇眩晕，都归属于肝木）。以及痈疽疮疡（痈生于六腑，疽生于五脏，都是阴阳之气相互阻滞而成。气属阳，血属阴，血行于脉中，气行于脉外，二者相并周流全身。若被寒湿搏结，则凝滞而行迟，属于不及；若被火热搏结，则沸腾而行速，属于太过；气郁导致邪气陷入血中，称为阴滞于阳；血郁导致邪气陷入气中，称为阳滞于阴，从而产生恶毒，然而百病皆由此而起。川芎、当归能调和血液、运行气机而通达阴阳），男女一切血证。
然而其气味香窜辛散，能走泄真气，单独服用或长期服用，会导致人突然死亡（单独服用则脏腑功能偏胜，长期服用则剂量过大产生邪气，所以有此失误。如果有配伍节制，就不会这样了。汪昂按语：白芍、地黄酸寒属阴，川芎、当归辛温属阳，所以四物汤取其相互济助以消除血药的滞涩罢了。川芎辛散，怎么能生血呢？治疗方法中有验胎法：妇人停经三个月，用川芎末，空腹用热开水调服一匙，腹中有轻微动感的则是怀孕，不动的则是闭经）。
四川出产的叫川芎，陕西出产的叫西芎，江南出产的叫抚芎。以四川产的大块、内部色白不油腻、味道辛甘的为优。白芷可作为使药。畏惧黄连、硝石、滑石。厌恶黄檗、山茱萸。
Nourishes blood and moistens dryness, promotes diffusion, moves qi and searches out wind.
Pungent in flavor, warm in nature, ascending and floating. It serves as a guiding herb for the Shaoyang (Gallbladder) meridian, enters the Qi aspect of the Hand-Jueyin (Pericardium) and Foot-Jueyin (Liver) meridians, and is a Qi-moving medicine within the Blood. It assists the clear Yang to rise and opens various stagnations (Zhu Danxi said: When Qi ascends, stagnation naturally descends; it is the agent that facilitates the flow of Yin-Yang, Blood, and Qi). It moistens Liver dryness and tonifies Liver deficiency (The Liver is benefited by purging; this is referred to as dispersing with Pungency and tonifying with Pungency). Its action travels upward to the head and eyes and downward to the Sea of Blood (Chong Mai), searching out wind, dissipating stasis, relieving pain, and regulating menstruation.
It treats wind-dampness in the head and headache due to Blood deficiency (it can guide Blood downward and is essential for treating headaches. Combined with guiding herbs for each meridian: Jinqiang for Taiyang, Baizhi for Yangming, Chaihu for Shaoyang, Cangzhu for Taiyin, Xixin for Shaoyin, and Wuzhuyu for Jueyin. Zhu Danxi said: Qi stagnation in any meridian can also cause headaches). It also treats abdominal pain and hypochondriac pain, Qi stagnation and Blood stagnation, diarrhea due to dampness and bloody dysentery, tendon spasms due to cold-bi, excessive tearing and nasal discharge (due to Liver heat), and diseases caused by Wind-Wood (all wind syndromes characterized by tremors and dizziness belong to Liver-Wood). It is used for carbuncles, ulcers, and sores (Carbuncles arise from the Six Fu organs, ulcers from the Five Zang organs; both result from the mutual obstruction of Yin and Yang. Qi belongs to Yang, Blood to Yin; Blood circulates within the vessels, while Qi circulates outside them, flowing together throughout the body. If obstructed by cold-dampness, coagulation occurs and movement slows, representing insufficiency; if attacked by fire-heat, boiling occurs and movement accelerates, representing excess. Qi stagnation allowing pathogens to enter the Blood is termed Yin obstructing Yang; Blood stagnation allowing pathogens to enter the Qi is termed Yang obstructing Yin, leading to the generation of malignant toxins. However, all diseases originate from this. Xiong and Gui can harmonize Blood, move Qi, and facilitate the communication of Yin and Yang). It treats all blood disorders in men and women.
However, its aromatic and penetrating pungent dispersion can leak and deplete True Qi. Taking it alone or for a long time can cause sudden death (Taking it alone causes imbalance among the Zang organs; taking it for a long time leads to excessive dosage generating pathogenic factors, hence this error. If properly combined and regulated, this would not occur. Wang Ang notes: Shaoyao and Dihu are sour and cold, belonging to Yin; Xiongxiong and Danggui are pungent and warm, belonging to Yang. Thus, Siwu Tang utilizes their mutual assistance to eliminate the stagnation of blood-invigorating herbs. Can Xiongxiong, being pungent and dispersing, truly generate Blood? In treatment methods, there is a technique for verifying pregnancy: For a woman whose menses have been delayed for three months, take one spoonful of Chuanxiong powder mixed with hot water on an empty stomach. If there is slight movement in the abdomen, she is pregnant; if there is no movement, it is amenorrhea).
Produced in Sichuan, it is called Chuanxiong; produced in Qin (Shaanxi), it is called Xixiong; produced in Jiangnan, it is called Fuxiong. The large pieces from Sichuan, which are white inside, not oily, and have a pungent and sweet taste, are superior. Baizhi serves as an envoy herb. It is incompatible with Huanglian, Xiaoshi, and Huashi. It is adverse to Huangbo and Shanzhuyu.