【气味】
苦酸微寒无毒。沉也。阴也。
【主治】
通利关节。散留结胸膈痰滞。逐水消胀满。下气止呕逆。泄肺气。除胸痞。疗里急
后重。或曰凡治痞宜用枳壳桔梗汤。而活人书云。当用桔梗枳壳汤于未痞之先。此何以说。
盖枳壳非能治心下之痞也。果知病者误下。气将陷而成痞。故先用此以预杜之。使不致于成
痞。若痞已成而用此。不惟不能消痞。反损胸中之气。先之一字。不可不细心玩味之也。或
又曰。仲景束胎丸。内用枳术之属。详思胎壮则子有力而易生。令服枳壳之药。必致无力气
弱。何以易达其胎也。盖高粱之家。奉养太过。其气必实。必实而用枳壳之属以耗其气。使
之和平。此谓胎前无滞。则产后无虚。用枳壳为对症之剂。若气虚体弱之人。日以参 四物
之剂。峻补气血。犹恐不赡。敢以枳壳为达生之妙剂乎。当于前贤立方之意外深求其理。
为能神而明之也。
【气味】
苦寒无毒。浮而升微降。阴中阳也。（凡用取其至陈者。去穣核。以小麦麸炒焦。
去麸用。气虚者忌之。）
【主治】
利五脏。除寒热结。破胀实。解伤寒结胸。去胃中湿热。盖枳实泻痰。能冲墙倒壁
。故仲景治心下坚大如盘。水饮所作。以枳实白术汤。谓非枳实之大寒。不能滑窍而破气也
。又云脾无积血。则心下不痞。洁古制枳术丸以调脾胃。非枳实能调脾也。泄气而除内热。
令痞自消。则脾胃自得其天。而无壅积之患也。
【主治】
疏通关节。消散胸膈间停留的痰湿结滞。驱逐水饮，消除胀满。降气止呕逆。宣泄肺气。消除胸中痞塞感。治疗里急后重（腹痛窘迫，时时欲泻，肛门重坠，便出不爽）。有人说凡是治疗痞证应当使用枳壳桔梗汤，而《活人书》说应当在痞证形成之前使用桔梗枳壳汤。这是什么道理呢？大概是因为枳壳并不能直接治疗心下的痞证。如果知道病人被误用下法，气机将要下陷而形成痞证，所以预先使用此方来预防它，使其不至于发展成痞证。如果痞证已经形成再使用此药，不仅不能消除痞证，反而会损伤胸中的正气。“先”这个字，不可不仔细玩味体会。又有人说，张仲景的束胎丸中使用了枳实、白术之类的药物。仔细思考，胎儿强壮则分娩时有力且容易生产。如果让孕妇服用枳壳这类药物，必然会导致无力气弱，怎么能容易使胎儿娩出呢？大概是因为富贵人家，供养太过，其人气血必实。在气血实的情况下使用枳壳这类药物来耗散其气，使之平和。这叫做“胎前无滞，则产后无虚”。使用枳壳是对症的药剂。如果是气虚体弱的人，每天服用人参、四物汤等药剂峻补气血，还担心不够，怎么敢把枳壳当作顺产的神妙药剂呢？应当在古代贤人创立方剂的意图之外深入探求其中的道理，才能神妙地理解它。
【气味】
味苦，性寒，无毒。药性浮升而微降。属于阴中之阳。（凡是用枳实，要选取陈久的，去掉瓤和核，用小麦麸皮炒焦，去掉麸皮使用。气虚者忌用。）
【主治】
通利五脏。消除寒热结聚。破除胀满结实。解除伤寒导致的结胸证。去除胃中的湿热。大概因为枳实能泻除痰饮，力量强大如冲墙倒壁。所以张仲景治疗心下坚硬大如盘状，由水饮所致之证，使用枳实白术汤。说是如果不是枳实的大寒之性，就不能滑利窍道而破气。又说脾没有积血，心下就不会痞塞。洁古（张元素）制作枳术丸来调理脾胃，并不是说枳实本身能调脾，而是通过泄气来清除内热，使痞证自然消除，这样脾胃就能恢复其自然状态，而没有壅积的祸患了。
[Flavor and Properties]
Bitter, sour, slightly cold, non-toxic. It sinks and belongs to Yin.
[Indications]
It unblocks the joints. It dissipates phlegm stagnation retained in the chest and diaphragm. It expels water and reduces distension. It directs Qi downward and stops vomiting and rebellious Qi. It drains Lung Qi. It removes chest fullness (plugging sensation). It treats tenesmus (urgent desire to defecate with a heavy feeling in the anus but difficult passage). Some say that for treating plugging sensations (Pi syndrome), Zhike Jiegeng Decoction should be used. However, *The Book of Vitality* states that Jiegeng Zhike Decoction should be used before the plugging sensation forms. What is the explanation for this? Essentially, Zhike (Exocarpium Citri Grandis) cannot treat plugging sensations in the epigastrium. If one knows that the patient has been incorrectly treated with purgatives, causing Qi to sink and form a plugging sensation, then this formula is used first to prevent it from forming. If the plugging sensation has already formed and this herb is used, not only will it fail to resolve the plugging, but it will also damage the Qi in the chest. The word "before" must be carefully pondered. Others say that in Zhang Zhongjing's Shutai Wan (Fetus-Restraining Pill), herbs such as Zhishi (Fructus Aurantii Immaturus) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma) are used. Upon careful consideration, if the fetus is strong, there is sufficient force for easy delivery. If pregnant women take Zhike, it will inevitably lead to weakness and lack of Qi, making delivery difficult. Generally, people from wealthy families who enjoy excessive nourishment have excess Qi. In cases of excess, using Zhike or similar herbs to drain the Qi brings it to a balanced state. This is referred to as "no stagnation during pregnancy leads to no deficiency after childbirth." Thus, Zhike is an appropriate remedy. However, for individuals with Qi deficiency and weak constitutions, even daily administration of Shenqi Siwu Decoction (Ginseng and Four Substances Decoction) to vigorously tonify Qi and Blood might not be sufficient; how could one dare to use Zhike as a miraculous agent for smooth delivery? One must seek the underlying principles beyond the explicit intentions of ancient sages when prescribing formulas to truly understand them profoundly.
[Flavor and Properties]
Bitter, cold, non-toxic. It floats and rises, with slight descending action. It is Yang within Yin. (When used, select aged specimens. Remove the pith and seeds. Stir-fry with wheat bran until scorched, then remove the bran. Contraindicated in Qi deficiency.)
[Indications]
It benefits the five Zang organs. It resolves cold-heat knotting. It breaks up distension and solidity. It resolves Jie Xiong syndrome (chest binding syndrome) caused by Cold Damage. It eliminates damp-heat in the Stomach. Since Zhishi can purge phlegm with great power, capable of breaking down walls, Zhang Zhongjing used Zhishi Baizhu Tang (Aurantium and Atractylodes Macrocephala Decoction) to treat hardness and large swelling in the epigastrium caused by fluid retention. He stated that without the severe cold nature of Zhishi, it could not lubricate the orifices and break up Qi stagnation. It is also said that if the Spleen lacks accumulated blood, the epigastrium will not feel plugged. Jiegu (Zhang Yuansu) formulated Zhizhu Wan (Aurantium and Atractylodes Macrocephala Pill) to regulate the Spleen and Stomach. This does not mean Zhishi itself regulates the Spleen; rather, by draining Qi and clearing internal heat, the plugging resolves naturally, allowing the Spleen and Stomach to regain their natural harmony and avoid obstruction.