〔害〕虽为泻肺，利小便，治肿满之要药，然味苦大寒，性峻走而不守，泄肺而易伤胃，
不
宜于脾胃虚弱，及真阴不足者。凡肿满由于脾虚不能制水，水气泛滥，小便不通由于膀胱虚
无
气化者，法所咸忌。犯之，轻病重，重病危，须慎之。敷头疮，药气入脑杀人，有甜苦二种
，苦者力峻，甜者稍缓，更宜大枣辅之，气虚人误服之，祸不旋踵。
〔利〕苦辛寒，入肺、心、脾、膀胱四经，疏肺下气，消痰平喘，而理胀通经利水。
〔修治〕立夏后采实，阴干，以糯米相合，微焙，待米熟，去米捣用，或酒炒。
〔害〕其性轻扬善散，发表最速，若表虚自汗，饮食劳倦杂病；自汗肺虚有热，多痰咳
嗽，
以致鼻塞；痘疮倒靥，不因寒邪所郁，而因热甚；虚人伤风，气虚、发喘，阴虚火炎，以致
眩晕头痛；南方类中风瘫痪，及平日阳虚，腠理不密之人，皆禁用。汗多亡阳，能损人寿，
戒之戒之！春深夏日，以至秋初，法同禁。惟冬月在表，真有寒邪伤营见证者宜之。若非冬
月，或无寒邪，或寒邪在里，或风伤于卫等症，虽发热恶寒，不头痛身痛而拘急，六脉不浮
紧者，皆不可用。虽可汗之症，亦不宜过剂。汗为心液，过汗则心血为之动，或亡阳，或血
溢，而成大患。
中牟产麻黄，地冬不积雪，其性热可知。
〔利〕苦辛温，入心、肺、膀胱、大肠四经。专司冬令寒邪，头疼身热脊强，去营中寒
邪，
泄卫中风热，轻可去实，为发散第一药。麻黄乃太阳经药，兼入肺经，肺主皮毛。葛根乃阳
明经药，兼入脾经，脾主肌肉。二药皆轻扬升发，而所入不同，疮家用生麻黄，与甘草等分
，或配犀角地黄汤，或配竹叶石膏汤，或配大生地，能令人不出汗，使脓水走多，其愈乃速
。误用者，熟地解之，一两解一钱。麻黄根节，能止汗，其性走表，能引诸药至卫，而固腠
理。
〔修治〕今荥阳中牟者为胜，立秋后收茎阴干，其根皮色黄赤近尺者用之，折去节根，
水煎
十余沸，以竹片掠去上沫，沫令人烦。或用醋泡，或蜜炙则和，亦有生用，须煎去沫。
【危害】麻黄虽然具有泻肺、通利小便的功效，是治疗水肿胀满的重要药物，但其味苦且大寒，药性峻猛而游走不定，不能固守。它容易泄耗肺气并损伤胃气，因此不适用于脾胃虚弱以及真阴不足的患者。凡是因脾虚无法制约水湿而导致的水肿胀满，或因膀胱虚衰、气化功能失常导致的小便不通，都属于用药禁忌。如果误用，轻病会加重，重病则危及生命，必须谨慎对待。若将麻黄外敷于头面疮疡，其药气侵入脑部可致人死亡。麻黄有甜、苦两种，苦麻黄药力峻猛，甜麻黄药力稍缓，使用时更应配合大枣以缓和药性。气虚之人若误服，灾祸立刻降临。
【功效】麻黄味苦、辛，性寒，归肺、心、脾、膀胱四经。它能疏通肺气、降逆下气，消除痰液、平定喘息，并能调理胀满、通调经脉、利水消肿。
【炮制】立夏之后采收果实，阴干，与糯米混合，微火烘焙，待米熟后，去掉糯米，捣碎使用；或者用酒炒制。
【危害】麻黄的性质轻扬善散，发汗解表的速度最快。但是，对于表虚自汗者、因饮食劳倦引起的杂病患者、因肺虚有热多痰咳嗽导致鼻塞者、痘疮内陷不起（非寒邪郁闭而是热毒炽盛所致）者、体虚之人患伤风、气虚气喘、阴虚火旺导致眩晕头痛者、南方常见的中风瘫痪患者，以及平日阳气虚弱、腠理不密（毛孔疏松）的人，都严禁使用。麻黄发汗过多会导致亡阳，损害寿命，务必戒慎！从春末夏初到秋初，这些禁忌同样适用。只有在冬季，确属寒邪侵袭营分而有相应证候时，才适宜使用。如果不是冬季，或者没有寒邪，或者寒邪在里，或者风邪伤及卫分等病症，即使出现发热恶寒、不头痛身痛但身体拘急、六脉不浮紧的情况，都不可使用。即使是适合发汗的病症，也不宜过量使用。汗为心之液，发汗过度会导致心血动荡，或导致亡阳，或导致血溢，从而造成严重祸患。中牟出产的麻黄，当地冬天不积雪，可知其药性偏热。
【功效】麻黄味苦、辛，性温，归心、肺、膀胱、大肠四经。专门针对冬季寒邪，治疗头痛、身热、脊背强直，能祛除营分中的寒邪，发散卫分的风热。因其药性轻扬，能以轻剂去除实证，是发散解表的第一要药。麻黄是太阳经的药物，兼入肺经，因为肺主皮毛。葛根是阳明经的药物，兼入脾经，因为脾主肌肉。这两种药都具有轻扬升发的特性，但所入经络不同。外科医生使用生麻黄，与甘草等量配伍，或者配合犀角地黄汤、竹叶石膏汤，或者配合大生地，能使患者不出汗，促使脓水排出增多，从而痊愈迅速。如果误用麻黄，可用熟地黄来解救，一两熟地黄可以解一钱麻黄的毒性。麻黄的根和节段，能止汗，其性质走表，能引导其他药物到达卫分，从而巩固腠理。
【炮制】现在以荥阳中牟产的为佳。立秋后采收茎部，阴干。其中根皮颜色黄赤接近根部尺许处的部分使用，折断去掉节根，用水煎煮十余沸，用竹片撇去上面的泡沫，因为泡沫会让人心烦。或者用醋浸泡，或者用蜜炙烤使其药性平和。也有生用的，但必须煎煮去沫。
[Adverse Effects] Although Tingli (Descurainiae Semen seu Fructus) is a key herb for draining the Lung, promoting urination, and treating edema and fullness, its bitter and greatly cold nature makes it aggressive and wandering without staying put. It drains the Lung but easily damages the Stomach, making it unsuitable for those with Spleen-Stomach deficiency or insufficient True Yin. Conditions of edema and fullness due to Spleen deficiency failing to control water, leading to flooding of water qi, as well as urinary obstruction due to Bladder deficiency and failure of Qi transformation, are all contraindicated. Violating this may turn mild illness severe and severe illness critical; caution is required. Applying it to head sores allows medicinal qi to enter the brain and cause death. There are two types: bitter and sweet. The bitter type has strong power, while the sweet type is milder. It is advisable to assist with Jujube (Ziziphi Spinosae Fructus). If taken by mistake by people with Qi deficiency, disaster follows immediately.
[Efficacy] Bitter, pungent, and cold. Enters the Lung, Heart, Spleen, and Bladder meridians. It disperses Lung Qi, directs Qi downward, eliminates phlegm, calms wheezing, and regulates distension, unblocks collaterals, and promotes diuresis.
[Processing] Harvest the fruit after Start of Summer, dry in the shade. Combine with glutinous rice, lightly roast until the rice is cooked, remove the rice, and pound for use. Alternatively, stir-fry with wine.
[Adverse Effects] Its nature is light, ascending, and good at dispersing; it releases the exterior with the greatest speed. However, it is contraindicated for those with exterior deficiency and spontaneous sweating, miscellaneous diseases due to dietary irregularities and overwork, spontaneous sweating due to Lung deficiency with heat and excessive phlegm causing nasal congestion, acne inversa not caused by cold pathogen stagnation but by intense heat, deficiency persons suffering from wind-strike with Qi deficiency and wheezing, Yin deficiency with flaming fire causing dizziness and headache, stroke paralysis common in the South, and those with daily Yang deficiency and loose interstices (cou li). All these groups must strictly avoid it. Excessive sweating leads to loss of Yang and shortens life; beware! From late spring through summer to early autumn, the same prohibitions apply. Only in winter, when there is true cold pathogen injuring the Ying level with corresponding signs, is it suitable. If not in winter, or if there is no cold pathogen, or if the cold pathogen is in the interior, or if wind injures the Wei level, even if there are fever and aversion to cold, no headache or body pain but stiffness, and six pulses are not floating and tight, it cannot be used. Even for conditions suitable for sweating, overdosing is inappropriate. Sweat is the fluid of the Heart; excessive sweating agitates Heart Blood, potentially leading to loss of Yang or blood extravasation, causing major disasters. Ephedra produced in Zhongmu County does not accumulate snow in winter, indicating its nature is hot.
[Efficacy] Bitter, pungent, and warm. Enters the Heart, Lung, Bladder, and Large Intestine meridians. It specifically targets winter cold pathogen, treating headache, body heat, and spinal rigidity. It expels cold pathogen from the Ying level and disperses wind-heat from the Wei level. Being light, it can resolve excess, making it the primary herb for dispersion. Ephedra (Ephedrae Herba) is an herb of the Taiyang meridian, also entering the Lung meridian; the Lung governs skin and hair. Puerariae Radix (Gegen) is an herb of the Yangming meridian, also entering the Spleen meridian; the Spleen governs muscles. Both herbs are light, ascending, and dispersing, but enter different meridians. Surgeons use raw Ephedra equal parts with Licorice Root (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), or combined with Xijiao Dihuang Tang (Rhinoceros Horn and Rehmannia Decoction), or Zhu Ye Shigao Tang (Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction), or Da Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata). This prevents sweating, promotes pus discharge, and speeds recovery. If misused, Prepared Rehmannia Root (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata) can counteract it: one tael of Prepared Rehmannia resolves one qian of Ephedra. The root and nodes of Ephedra stop sweating; its nature moves to the exterior, guiding other drugs to the Wei level to consolidate the interstices.
[Processing] Those from Xingyang, Zhongmu are superior. Harvest stems after Start of Autumn, dry in the shade. Use the root bark that is yellow-red near the root base. Break off the nodes and roots. Boil in water for more than ten boils, skim off the foam with a bamboo strip, as the foam causes irritability. Alternatively, soak in vinegar or honey-roast to moderate its action. Sometimes used raw, but must be boiled to remove foam.