(《别录》上品)
【释名】木粟(《纲目》)、光风草。
时珍曰∶苜蓿,郭璞作牧宿。谓其宿根自生,可饲牧牛马也。又罗愿《尔雅翼》作木粟
,言其米可炊饭也。葛洪《西京杂记》云∶乐游苑多苜蓿。风在其间,常萧萧然。日照其花
有光采。故名怀风,又名光风。茂陵人谓之连枝草。《金光明经》谓之塞鼻力迦。
【集解】弘景曰∶长安中乃有苜蓿园。北人甚重之。江南不甚食之,以无味故也。外国
复有苜蓿草,以疗目,非此类也。
诜曰∶彼处人采其根作土黄 也。
宗 曰∶陕西甚多,用饲牛马,嫩时人兼食之。有宿根,刈讫复生。
时珍曰∶《杂记》言∶苜蓿原出大宛,汉使张骞带归中国。然今处处田野有之,陕、陇
人亦有种者,年年自生。刈苗作蔬,一年可三刈。二月生苗,一科数十茎,茎颇似灰 。一
枝三叶,叶似决明叶,而小如指顶,绿色碧艳。入夏及秋,开细黄花。结小荚圆扁,旋转有
刺,数荚累累,老则黑色。内有米如 米,可为饭,亦可酿酒。罗愿以此为鹤顶草,误矣。
鹤顶,乃红心灰 也。
【气味】苦,平,涩,无毒。
宗 曰∶微甘、淡。诜曰∶凉。少食好。多食令冷气入筋中,即瘦人。
李鹏飞曰∶同蜜食,令人下利。
【主治】安中利人,可久食(《别录》)。
利五脏,轻身健人,洗去脾胃间邪热气,通小肠诸恶热毒,煮和酱食,亦可作羹(孟诜)。
利大小肠(宗 )。干食益人(苏颂)。
根
【气味】寒,无毒。
【主治】热病烦满,目黄赤,小便黄,酒疸,捣取汁服一升,令人吐利即愈(苏恭)。
捣汁煎饮,治沙石淋痛(时珍)。
(被列为《神农本草经》上品)
【释名】木粟(出自《本草纲目》)、光风草。
李时珍说:苜蓿,郭璞写作“牧宿”。意思是它的宿根能自然生长,可以喂养牛马。另外罗愿在《尔雅翼》中写作“木粟”,是说它的籽米可以做饭。葛洪在《西京杂记》中说:乐游苑里有很多苜蓿。风吹过其中,常常发出萧萧的声音。阳光照在花朵上,有光彩。所以名叫怀风,又名光风。茂陵人叫它连枝草。《金光明经》叫它塞鼻力迦。
【集解】陶弘景说:长安城中才有苜蓿园。北方人非常看重它。江南人不太吃它,因为没味道。国外还有一种苜蓿草,用来治疗眼病,不是这一类。
孟诜说:那里的人采集它的根制作土黄(一种黄色染料或颜料)。
苏颂说:陕西非常多,用来喂牛马,嫩的时候人也兼着吃。它有宿根,割完后又会长出来。
李时珍说:《杂记》记载:苜蓿原产于大宛国,汉代使者张骞带回中国。然而现在田野到处都有,陕西、陇右一带的人也有种植的,每年自然生长。收割幼苗当作蔬菜,一年可以收割三次。二月生苗,一丛几十茎,茎很像灰菜(藜)。一枝三片叶,叶子像决明子的叶子,但小得像手指顶,绿色碧绿鲜艳。入夏到秋天,开细小的黄花。结出小而圆的扁荚,旋转带刺,许多荚串在一起,老了变成黑色。里面有米像小米,可以做饭,也可以酿酒。罗愿把它称为鹤顶草,这是错误的。鹤顶,是指红心的灰菜。
【气味】苦,平,涩,无毒。
苏颂说:微甘、淡。孟诜说:凉。少吃好。多吃会让冷气进入筋脉中,使人消瘦。
【主治】安和肠胃利于人体,可以长期食用(出自《神农本草经》)。
通利五脏,使身体轻健,洗去脾胃间的邪热之气,通利小肠的各种恶热毒,煮烂调和酱料食用,也可以做羹汤(孟诜)。
根
【气味】寒,无毒。
(Recorded as a Superior Grade in the *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
[Names] Musu (from *Bencao Gangmu*), Guangfeng Cao.
Li Shizhen stated: "Muxu, Guo Pu wrote as 'Muxiu'. It means its perennial roots grow naturally and can be used to feed cattle and horses. Additionally, Luo Yuan in *Erya Yi* wrote it as 'Musu', stating that its grain can be cooked into rice. Ge Hong in *Xijing Zaji* said: 'There are many Muxu in Leyou Garden. When the wind blows through them, they often make a rustling sound. Sunlight shining on their flowers gives off a luster. Hence named Huaifeng, also known as Guangfeng. People in Maoling call it Lianzhi Cao. The *Jin Guangming Jing* calls it Sabilijia.'"
[Collected Explanations] Tao Hongjing said: "In Chang'an, there are Muxu gardens. Northerners value it highly. People in Jiangnan do not eat it much because it lacks flavor. Foreign lands have another kind of Muxu grass, used to treat eyes, which is not this type."
Meng Shen said: "People there harvest its roots to make earth yellow pigment."
Su Song said: "It is very abundant in Shaanxi, used to feed cattle and horses. When tender, people also eat it. It has perennial roots; after cutting, it grows again."
Li Shizhen said: "*Zaji* records: 'Muxu originally came from Dayuan. Han envoy Zhang Qian brought it back to China.' However, it is now found everywhere in fields. People in Shaanxi and Longyou also plant it; it grows naturally every year. The seedlings are harvested as vegetables; one can harvest three times a year. In February, shoots emerge; one clump has dozens of stems, resembling Chenopodium album (Liguzi). Each branch has three leaves; the leaves resemble those of Cassia obtusifolia (Jueming), but are small as the tip of a finger, with a bright green color. From summer to autumn, it opens small yellow flowers. It bears small, round, flat pods that rotate and have thorns; numerous pods hang together, turning black when old. Inside are grains like millet, which can be made into rice or wine. Luo Yuan called this 'Heding Cao', which is incorrect. Heding refers to Chenopodium album with red hearts."
[Properties and Flavor] Bitter, neutral, astringent, non-toxic.
Su Song said: Slightly sweet, bland. Meng Shen said: Cool. Consuming a little is good. Consuming too much allows cold qi to enter the sinews, causing emaciation.
Li Pengfei said: Eating it with honey causes diarrhea.
[Indications] Calms the middle and benefits people; can be consumed for a long time (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).
Benefits the five zang organs, lightens the body and strengthens the person, washes away pathogenic heat in the spleen and stomach, unblocks various evil hot toxins in the small intestine. Boiled and mixed with sauce for eating, or can be made into soup (Meng Shen).
Unblocks the large and small intestines (Su Song). Dried consumption benefits the person (Su Song).
Roots
[Properties and Flavor] Cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Treats irritability and fullness caused by febrile diseases, yellow and red eyes, yellow urine, jaundice due to alcohol (Jiu Dan). Crush and extract juice, take one sheng, inducing vomiting and diarrhea leads to immediate cure (Su Gong).
Crush and extract juice, decoct and drink to treat lithiasis pain (Li Shizhen).