【气味】
甘温无毒。可升可降。阳中阴也。入手太阳少阴足太阴阳明少阴厥阴六经。（用乳
汁润之。以制其性。脾病以陈壁土炒过。窃土气以助脾也。）
【主治】
温中去脾胃湿。除脾胃热。强脾胃气。进饮食。和脾胃以生津液。止肌热。治四肢
困倦。目不能开。怠惰嗜卧。不思饮食。止渴安胎。凡中焦不受湿不能下利。必须白术以逐
水益脾。非白术不能去湿。非枳实不能消痞。故枳术丸以之为君。然脾恶湿。湿胜则气不得
施化。津液何由而生。故曰膀胱津液之府。气化则能出焉。用白术以除其湿。则气得周流。
而津液自生矣。
【气味】
辛温无毒。
【主治】
客寒犯胃。和中益气。补肾虚滑沥。三焦命门气弱者宜之。盖心者脾之母。欲使食
化。不必专于和脾。火能生土。当使心药入脾胃药中。益智仁能于土中益火也。然虽脾经本
药。在集香丸则入肺。在四君汤则入脾。在大凤髓丹则入肾。三脏各有子母相顾之义。盖随
所引而相补一脏也。
【气味】
苦温无毒。轻清而浮升。阳也。入手太阴足太阳经。兼走手少阴阳明二经。
【主治】
中风伤寒头痛。发表出汗。通九窍。开毛孔。治咳逆上气。凡六淫有余之邪。客于
阳分皮毛之间。腠理闭拒。荣卫气血不行。谓之表实。非麻黄之轻清。不可以散浊实。但太
阳寒水之经。经脉循背下行。本寒而又受外寒。固宜发汗以泄表实。或饮食劳倦及杂病自汗
表虚之症。用之则汗过亡阳。脱人元气。不可不禁。仲景治伤寒有汗用桂枝。无汗方用麻黄
。伤寒伤风而咳嗽合用麻黄桂枝汤。其用意慎且重也。麻黄虽太阳发散重剂。为发散肺金火
郁之药。其说何也。盖寒伤荣。荣血内涩。不能外通于卫。卫气闭固。津液不行。故无汗发
热而憎寒。其症面赤怫郁。
【气味】
味甘，性温，无毒。药性既能上升也能下降，属于阳中寓阴之品。归入手太阳、手少阴、足太阴、足阳明、足少阴、足厥阴六条经脉。（使用时用乳汁浸润，以制约其燥性；治疗脾病时用陈年墙壁的土炒制，借土气以辅助健脾。）
【主治】
温暖中焦，去除脾胃中的湿气。清除脾胃的热邪。增强脾胃之气，促进饮食摄入。调和脾胃以生津液。停止肌肉发热。治疗四肢困倦乏力，眼睛难以睁开，精神怠惰嗜睡，不想吃东西。止渴并安胎。凡是中焦不受湿邪困扰而不能正常下利的情况，必须用白术来驱逐水湿、补益脾气。如果不是白术就不能去除湿气，如果不是枳实就不能消除痞满，所以枳术丸以白术为君药。然而脾脏厌恶湿气，湿气过重则气机无法运化，津液从何而生？所以说膀胱是津液之府，气化功能正常才能排出尿液。使用白术来去除湿气，那么气机就能周流全身，津液自然就会生成。
【气味】
味辛，性温，无毒。
【主治】
外感寒邪侵犯胃腑。调和胃气，补充元气。治疗肾虚导致的滑精、尿沥。三焦和命门气虚的人适宜服用。因为心是脾的母亲（火生土），想要使食物消化，不必专门只去调和脾胃，火能生土，应当让入心的药物配合入脾胃的药物一起使用。益智仁能够在土中补益火气。虽然它是脾经的本药，但在集香丸中则入肺经，在四君子汤中则入脾经，在大凤髓丹中则入肾经。这三脏各有母子相顾的含义，大概是随着引经药的作用而补益相应的脏腑。
【气味】
味苦，性温，无毒。质地轻清而浮升，属于阳。归入手太阴、足太阳经脉，兼走手少阴、手阳明两条经脉。
【主治】
中风、伤寒引起的头痛。发表发汗。通利九窍。打开毛孔。治疗咳嗽气逆。凡是六淫（风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火）有余的邪气，客居于阳分皮毛之间，腠理闭塞拒邪，营卫气血运行不畅，称为表实证。如果不是麻黄这样轻清的药物，不可以疏散浊实的邪气。但是太阳寒水之经，经脉沿着背部下行，本属寒而又受到外寒侵袭，本来适宜发汗以泄除表实。或者是由于饮食劳倦及杂病导致的自汗、表虚的症状，如果使用麻黄，则会汗出过多导致亡阳，耗脱人的元气，不可不谨慎。张仲景治疗伤寒，有汗的用桂枝汤，无汗的才用麻黄汤。伤寒或伤风伴有咳嗽的，合用麻黄桂枝汤，其中的用意慎重且重要。麻黄虽然是太阳经发散的重剂，也是发散肺金火郁结的药物，这是什么道理呢？大概是因为寒邪伤了营血，营血内部涩滞，不能向外通达于卫气，卫气闭固，津液不行，所以出现无汗、发热而憎寒的症状，症见面色红赤、郁结不适。
[Flavor and Nature]
Sweet, warm, non-toxic. Capable of ascending and descending; it is Yin within Yang. Enters the Hand-Taiyang, Hand-Shaoyin, Foot-Taiyin, Foot-Yangming, Foot-Shaoyin, and Foot-Jueyin meridians. (Processed with milk to moderate its nature. For spleen diseases, stir-fried with soil from old walls to borrow the Qi of earth to assist the spleen.)
[Indications]
Warms the middle jiao and removes dampness from the spleen and stomach. Clears heat from the spleen and stomach. Strengthens the Qi of the spleen and stomach, promotes food intake, harmonizes the spleen and stomach to generate body fluids, stops muscle fever, treats fatigue of the four limbs, inability to open the eyes, lethargy and desire to sleep, and loss of appetite. Stops thirst and calms the fetus. In cases where the middle jiao is not affected by dampness but cannot descend properly, Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) must be used to expel water and benefit the spleen. Without Baizhu, dampness cannot be removed; without Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus), stagnation cannot be resolved. Therefore, in Zhizhu Wan (Bitter Orange and Atractylodes Macrocephala Pill), it serves as the sovereign herb. However, the spleen dislikes dampness; when dampness prevails, Qi cannot transform and distribute, so how can body fluids be generated? It is said that the Bladder is the mansion of body fluids, and only through Qi transformation can they be excreted. Using Baizhu to remove dampness allows Qi to circulate freely, and body fluids will naturally be produced.
[Flavor and Nature]
Pungent, warm, non-toxic.
[Indications]
Treats external cold invading the stomach. Harmonizes the middle and benefits Qi. Treats kidney deficiency leading to slippery discharge (such as spermatorrhea or dribbling urine). Suitable for those with weak Qi in the Sanjiao and Mingmen. Since the Heart is the mother of the Spleen (Fire generates Earth), to facilitate digestion, one need not focus solely on harmonizing the spleen. Fire generates Earth, so heart-targeting herbs should be combined with spleen/stomach-targeting herbs. Yizhiren (Alpinia Oxyphylla Fruit) benefits Fire within Earth. Although it is a primary herb for the Spleen meridian, in Jixiang Wan (Gathering Fragrance Pill) it enters the Lung meridian, in Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) it enters the Spleen meridian, and in Dafengsui Dan (Great Phoenix Marrow Pill) it enters the Kidney meridian. These three organs have mutual support relationships based on the mother-son cycle. Essentially, it supplements the respective organ according to the guiding properties of the formula.
[Flavor and Nature]
Bitter, warm, non-toxic. Light, clear, and ascending; it is Yang. Enters the Hand-Taiyin and Foot-Taiyang meridians, and also travels through the Hand-Shaoyin and Hand-Yangming meridians.
[Indications]
Treats headache caused by wind-stroke or cold damage. Releases the exterior and induces sweating. Opens the nine orifices and pores. Treats cough and rebellious Qi. When excess pathogens of the Six Evils (Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) lodge between the skin and hair in the Yang divisions, causing closed and resistant couli (pores/skin texture) with blocked Ying and Wei Qi and Blood circulation, this is called Exterior Excess Syndrome. Only the light and clear nature of Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba) can disperse turbid excess. The Taiyang Cold Water meridian runs down along the back; since it is inherently cold and receives external cold, inducing sweat to vent the exterior excess is appropriate. However, for spontaneous sweating due to dietary irregularities, overwork, or miscellaneous diseases presenting as Exterior Deficiency syndrome, using Mahuang will cause excessive sweating leading to collapse of Yang and depletion of Yuan Qi, which must be strictly avoided. Zhang Zhongjing treated cold damage: if there is sweating, use Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction); if there is no sweating, use Mahuang. For cold damage or wind-strike accompanied by cough, Mahuang-Guizhi Tang (Ephedra and Cinnamon Twig Decoction) is used together, demonstrating cautious and significant intent. Although Mahuang is a heavy agent for releasing the Taiyang exterior, it is also a herb for dispersing Fire stagnation in the Metal (Lung). Why is this? Generally, Cold injures Ying Blood, causing internal stagnation that prevents outward communication with Wei Qi. Wei Qi becomes closed and solid, body fluids do not flow, resulting in anhidrosis, fever, and aversion to cold. Symptoms include facial redness and oppression.