丛生如韭。凌冬青翠。根须连结。有十二枚。十四五枚。此物性之自然。合
者。中心络贯。最多脂液。古人惟用野生者。细皱香美。功力殊胜也。
根
味甘平微苦。气微寒。阳中微阴。降也。入手太阴经气分。兼入手少阴足阴明经。 本
经主心腹结气。伤中伤饱。胃络脉绝。羸瘦短气。 诸本草复脉通心。润经益血。治肺中伏
火。脉气欲绝。疗心肺虚热。及虚劳客热。口干燥渴。止嗽。治肺痿吐脓。愈痿蹶。去心热
。安心气不足。疗血妄行。及经水枯。乳汁不下。强阴益精。定肺气。补五脏。并治热毒大
水面目肢节浮肿。 与地黄阿胶麻仁。同为润经益血复脉通心之剂。与五味枸杞。同为生脉
之剂。（宗 ） 麦冬色白入肺。甘平入脾。多脉理入心。凌冬可入肾。长生可入肝。虽入
五
脉
此
之良。
客热。
甘草三
痰多加
蒺藜黄柏五味。止泄精。 同茯苓车前黄连石斛猪苓泽泻。疗心腹结气。身重目黄。
膏知母竹叶粳米。专疗时气头痛。大渴烦躁。及发狂甚者。须各数两。浓煎。顿饮乃
人因作劳内伤而发者。可量加人参。有肺热则弗入。 同黄连。治消渴。 同青蒿鳖
地黄芍药天冬五味枸杞胡连山药茯苓山萸。蜜丸。治骨蒸劳热。
〔论〕 麦冬味纯甘
而皆谓其入肺。海藏曰。
取寸口之义。即可悟于不
中之太阳而主血脉者。为
阳中少阴之藏。乃真阳化
并于谷气而归肺。是二
肺者。更相合以神其升
本于二阴至肺以为根蒂
热为病。枯渴真阴。致
最为中的。或曰。二冬
者何也。曰。心肾者水火之原。水火不僭。乃得
地。是谓地气。总谓身中之元气。而肺实司之。
阳。而真阳原不能离乎真阴。故虚劳以二冬为治
与麦冬之治虚劳等功。以麦冬润腻味甘。水土合
脉气流经。经气归肺而朝百
盖凡下焦肝肾阴虚以为热者
热者对元阴之虚热而言也。
致阳亢。而复投芩连。则不
之质。回阴燥而透脉枯。
柔腻者第与亢气对。若有
其所禀至阴。然采根宜在
有如斯矣。所以上焦心肺
不相宜。 仲淳云。病患
〔修治〕 通脉。不去心。入丸散。须瓦焙熟。吹冷。再三焙研。又法。捶扁极薄。晒
干。
或
频搅久之。澄清。去酒。晒干收用。
麦门冬丛生如韭菜。在寒冬中依然青翠。根须相互连结。通常有十二枚或十四五枚。这是该植物性状的天然规律。其根部中心脉络贯通。含有最多的脂液。古人只使用野生的麦门冬。其根细皱且香气美好。药效特别显著。
【根】
味甘，平，微苦。气微寒。属于阳中带有微阴的性质。主降。入太阴肺经的气分。兼入手少阴心经和足阳明胃经。《本经》主治心腹结气。伤中伤饱。胃络脉绝。身体消瘦短气。其他本草书籍认为它能复脉通心。润经益血。治疗肺中伏火。脉气欲绝。治疗心肺虚热。以及虚劳客热。口干燥渴。止咳。治疗肺痿吐脓。治愈痿蹶。清除心热。安定不足的心气。治疗血液妄行。以及月经枯竭。乳汁不下。强壮阴精。安定肺气。补益五脏。并治疗热毒引起的大水面目肢节浮肿。与地黄、阿胶、麻仁一起，同为润经益血、复脉通心的方剂。与五味子、枸杞子一起，同为生脉的方剂。（引用自宗奭）
麦门冬色白入肺。甘平入脾。多脉理入心。凌冬可入肾。长生可入肝。虽然入五脏之良药。但需辨证使用。若有客热。可配伍甘草三钱。痰多加蒺藜、黄柏、五味子以止泄精。同茯苓、车前子、黄连、石斛、猪苓、泽泻一起。治疗心腹结气。身重目黄。同知母、竹叶、粳米制成膏。专门治疗时气头痛。大渴烦躁。以及发狂严重者。需要各用数两。浓煎。顿服才有效。如果是因劳累内伤而发的病。可酌情加入人参。如果有肺热则不宜加入。同黄连一起。治疗消渴。同青蒿、鳖甲、地黄、芍药、天冬、五味子、枸杞子、胡黄连、山药、茯苓、山茱萸一起。蜜丸。治疗骨蒸劳热。
〔论〕 麦门冬味道纯甘。大家都说它入肺。海藏（张元素）说。取寸口的意义。就可以领悟到不中之太阳而主血脉者。为阳中少阴之藏。乃真阳化并于谷气而归肺。是二气。肺者。更相合以神其升。本于二阴至肺以为根蒂。热为病。枯渴真阴。导致最为中的。有人说。二冬。与麦门冬治疗虚劳同等功效。因为麦门冬润腻味甘。水土合脉气流经。经气归肺而朝百脉。盖凡下焦肝肾阴虚以为热者。热者对元阴之虚热而言也。导致阳亢。如果再投以芩连。则不利于其质。回阴燥而透脉枯。柔腻者第与亢气对。若有其所禀至阴。然采根宜在。有如斯矣。所以上焦心肺不相宜。仲淳云。病患。
Menshen Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix) grows in clusters like leeks. It remains green and lush throughout the winter. Its rootlets are interconnected, typically numbering twelve or fourteen to fifteen. This is the natural characteristic of this plant. The center of the root has connecting meridians and contains the most lipids. In ancient times, only wild Menshen Dong was used; its roots were fine, wrinkled, fragrant, and excellent, with superior efficacy.
[Root]
The flavor is sweet, neutral, and slightly bitter. The nature is slightly cold. It belongs to the category of Yang containing slight Yin. It directs Qi downward. It enters the Qi level of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin. It also enters the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin and the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming. *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats knotting Qi in the chest and abdomen, injury to the middle and overeating, severance of the stomach collateral vessels, emaciation, and shortness of breath. Other materia medica texts state it restores the pulse and benefits the heart, moistens the meridians and nourishes blood, treats latent fire in the lungs, impending absence of pulse qi, deficiency-heat of the heart and lungs, as well as deficiency-labor and guest-heat, dry mouth and thirst, stops coughing, treats lung abscess with pus expectoration, cures flaccidity and ataxia, clears heart-heat, stabilizes insufficient heart-Qi, treats reckless bleeding, amenorrhea due to blood depletion, and lack of lactation. It strengthens Yin and benefits essence, stabilizes Lung Qi, tonifies the five Zang organs, and treats edema of the face, eyes, limbs, and joints caused by severe heat-toxin. Combined with Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), Ejiao (Asini Corii Colla), and Mahren (Cannabis Semen), it forms a formula for moistening meridians, nourishing blood, restoring the pulse, and benefiting the heart. Combined with Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus) and Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), it forms a formula for generating pulse Qi. (Cited from Zongshi)
Menshen Dong is white and enters the Lungs. Sweet and neutral, it enters the Spleen. With many vascular properties, it enters the Heart. Enduring winter, it enters the Kidneys. Promoting longevity, it enters the Liver. Although it is a good herb entering the five pulses, it must be used with differentiation. If there is guest-heat, combine with three qian of Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma). For excessive phlegm, add Jili (Tribuli Fructus), Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex), and Wuweizi to stop seminal emission. Combined with Fuling (Poria), Cheqian (Plantaginis Semen), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Zhuling (Polyporus), and Zexie (Alismatis Rhizoma), it treats knotting Qi in the chest and abdomen, heaviness of the body, and yellow eyes. Combined with Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Zhuye (Bambusae Folium), and Jingsmi (Oryzae Semen) to make a paste, it specifically treats epidemic headache, extreme thirst, irritability, and severe mania. Each ingredient should be used in several liang, decocted strongly, and taken in one dose. If the disease arises from labor-induced internal injury, Ginseng may be added according to the condition. If there is Lung-heat, it should not be included. Combined with Huanglian, it treats Xiaoke (Wasting-Thirst). Combined with Qinghao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), Biejia (Trionycis Carapax et Plastrum), Dihuang, Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Tiandong (Asparagi Radix), Wuweizi, Gouqi, Hulan (Coptidis Rhizoma - note: likely referring to specific variety or typo in source, usually Huanglian/Hulian), Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), Fuling, and Shanzhuyu (Corni Fructus) made into honey pills, it treats bone-steaming deficiency-heat.
[Discussion] Menshen Dong has a purely sweet flavor. Everyone says it enters the Lungs. Haicang (Zhang Yuansu) said that understanding the meaning of Cun Kou (radial pulse) allows one to comprehend that the Taiyang governing blood vessels is the Shaoyin organ within Yang, which is the transformation of True Yang combining with Grain Qi returning to the Lungs. These two energies cooperate to facilitate ascending. Based on the Two Yin reaching the Lungs as the root, heat becomes a disease, drying up True Yin, causing extreme thirst. Some ask about Er Dong (Winter Melon/Mondo). Regarding the equal efficacy of Er Dong and Menshen Dong in treating deficiency-labor: because Menshen Dong is moist, greasy, and sweet, harmonizing Earth and Water, the pulse Qi flows through the meridians, meridian Qi returns to the Lungs to converge on all vessels. Generally, when lower Jiao Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency generates heat, this heat refers to deficiency-heat of Original Yin. This leads to Yang hyperactivity. If one then administers Qinlian (Huangqin and Huanglian), it is unsuitable for its nature, returning Yin-dryness and penetrating pulse-wither. The soft and greasy nature opposes hyperactive Qi. If possessing extreme Yin endowment, harvesting roots at the appropriate time yields such results. Therefore, it is unsuitable for Upper Jiao Heart and Lungs. Zhongchun said: Patients...
[Processing] To restore the pulse, do not remove the heart. For pills and powders, it must be roasted on tiles until cooked, cooled, and repeatedly roasted and ground. Another method: pound extremely thin, sun-dry. Or stir frequently for a long time, clarify, remove wine, sun-dry and store.