气寒，味苦。苦浓微辛，阴中之阳，降也。无毒。
足太阳经引经药，足少阴经之
《象》云∶治肾水膀胱不足，诸痿厥，脚膝无力，于黄 汤中少加用之，使两膝中气力
涌出，痿即去矣。蜜炒此一味，为细末，治口疮如神。瘫痪必用之药。
《珍》云∶泻膀胱之热，利下窍。
《心》云∶太阳经引经药，泻膀胱经火，补本经及肾不足。苦寒安蛔，疗下焦虚，坚肾
。经曰∶苦以坚之。
《本草》云∶主五脏，肠胃中结热，黄胆，肠痔；止泄痢，女子漏下赤白，阴伤蚀疮，
疗惊气，在皮间肌肤热，赤起，目热赤痛，口疮。久服，通神。
《液》云∶足少阴剂，肾苦燥，故肾停湿也，栀子、黄芩入肺，黄连入心，黄柏入肾，
燥湿所归，各从其类也。《活人书》解毒汤，上下内外通治之。恶干漆。
气寒，味苦、酸、咸，纯阳。无毒。
《象》云∶除寒热，破结实，消痰癖，治心下痞，逆气胁痛。麸炒用。
《心》云∶洁古用去脾经积血。故能去心下痞，脾无积血，则心下不痞。治心下痞，散
气消宿食。苦寒，炙用，破水积，以泄里除气。
《珍》云∶去胃中湿。
《本草》云∶主大风在皮肤中，如麻豆，苦痒。除寒热结，止痢，长肌肉，利五脏，益
气轻身。除胸胁痰癖，逐停水，破结实，消胀满，心下急，痞痛，逆气，胁风痛。安胃气，
止溏泄，明目。生河内川泽，商州者，佳。益气，则佐之以人参、干姜、白术。破气，则佐
之以大黄、牵牛、芒硝。此《本经》所以言益气，而复言消痞也。非白术，不能去湿；非枳
实，不能除痞。壳主高而实主下。高者主气；下者主血。主气者，在胸膈；主血者，在心腹
。仲景治心下坚大如盘，水饮所作，枳实白术汤主之。枳实七枚，术三两，水一斗，煎取三
升，分三服。腹中软即消。
《衍义》云∶枳实、枳壳，一物也。小即性酷而速，大则性详而缓。故仲景治伤寒仓卒
之病，承气汤中用枳实，此其意也。皆取其疏通决泄，破结实之意。他方但导败风壅之气，
可常用者，故用枳壳。故胸中痞，有桔梗枳壳汤；心下痞，有枳实白术汤。高低之分，易老
详定为的也。
【黄柏】
药性气寒，味苦。苦味浓烈而略带辛味，属于阴中之阳，作用趋势为下降。无毒。
《本草象》记载：治疗肾水和膀胱不足引起的各种痿证、厥逆，以及脚膝无力。在黄柏汤中少量加入使用，能使两膝的气力涌出，痿证即可消除。将本品用蜂蜜炒制后研成细末，治疗口疮效果如神。这是治疗瘫痪必须使用的药物。
《本草心》记载：作为太阳经的引经药，清泻膀胱经的火邪，补益本经（膀胱经）及肾脏的不足。苦寒之性能安定蛔虫，治疗下焦虚损，坚固肾气。医经说：苦味能坚固精气。
《本草》记载：主治五脏及肠胃中的结热、黄疸、肠痔；止住泄痢，治疗女子赤白带下漏下，阴部损伤蚀疮；治疗惊气，皮肤间肌肤发热、红肿起疹，眼睛发热赤痛，口疮。长期服用，能通神明。
《汤液本草》记载：属于足少阴肾经的药物。肾怕干燥，所以肾容易停聚湿气。栀子、黄芩入肺经，黄连入心经，黄柏入肾经，燥湿的作用归属，各自遵循同类相从的原则。《活人书》中的解毒汤，上下内外都能通治。忌与干漆同用。
《本草象》记载：去除寒热，破除结实，消除痰癖，治疗心下痞满，气逆胁痛。用麦麸炒制后使用。
《本草心》记载：张洁古用它来去除脾经的积血。因此能消除心下痞满，如果脾中没有积血，心下就不会痞满。治疗心下痞满，疏散气滞，消除宿食。苦寒之性，炙烤后使用，能破除水饮积聚，通过泄里来祛除气滞。
《本草》记载：主治大风病在皮肤中，像麻豆一样，剧烈瘙痒。去除寒热结聚，止住痢疾，促进肌肉生长，通利五脏，益气轻身。去除胸胁部的痰癖，驱逐停滞的水饮，破除结实，消除胀满，缓解心下急迫、痞痛、气逆、胁部风痛。安和胃气，止住溏泄，明目。生长在河内川泽的，商州出产的质量最佳。若要益气，则与人参、干姜、白术配伍。若要破气，则与大黄、牵牛子、芒硝配伍。这就是《神农本草经》既说益气，又说消痞的原因。不是白术，就不能去湿；不是枳实，就不能除痞。枳壳主要作用于上部，枳实主要作用于下部。主气的部位在胸膈；主血的部位在心腹。张仲景治疗心下坚硬大如盘子，由水饮所致，用枳实白术汤主治。枳实七枚，白术三两，用水一斗，煎取三升，分三次服用。腹部变软即消退。
《衍义》记载：枳实和枳壳，是同一种东西。果实小时药性猛烈迅速，果实大时药性温和缓慢。所以张仲景治疗伤寒仓促之急病，在承气汤中使用枳实，就是这个用意。都是取其疏通决泄、破除结实的意思。其他方剂只是引导败坏壅滞之气，可以经常使用的，所以用枳壳。所以胸中痞满，有桔梗枳壳汤；心下痞满，有枳实白术汤。高低部位的区分，易老（张元素）详细考证定为确论。
[Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbo)]
The nature is cold, and the flavor is bitter. The bitterness is strong with a slight pungency; it belongs to yang within yin, and its action is descending. It is non-toxic.
It is a guiding herb for the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and acts on the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian.
*Bencao Xiang* states: It treats insufficiency of kidney water and bladder, various types of flaccidity syndromes (Wei syndrome), jue syndromes, and weakness in the feet and knees. When added in small amounts to Huangbo Decoction, it causes qi and strength to surge in both knees, and the flaccidity will be eliminated. When this single herb is stir-fried with honey and ground into a fine powder, it treats mouth ulcers with miraculous effect. It is an essential herb for treating paralysis.
*Bencao Zhen* states: It drains heat from the bladder and benefits the lower orifices.
*Bencao Xin* states: As a guiding herb for the Taiyang meridian, it drains fire from the Bladder meridian and tonifies insufficiency of the Bladder meridian itself and the Kidneys. Its bitter-cold property calms roundworms, treats deficiency of the Lower Jiao, and consolidates the Kidneys. The medical classics state: "Bitterness consolidates."
*Bencao* states: It primarily treats internal knotting-heat in the five zang organs and intestines/stomach, jaundice, and intestinal hemorrhoids; stops diarrhea and dysentery; treats leukorrhea with red and white discharge in women; heals erosive sores of the genitalia; treats fright qi, heat in the skin and muscles, red eruptions, heat-red-pain in the eyes, and mouth ulcers. Long-term consumption promotes spiritual clarity.
*Tangye Bencao* states: It is a herb for the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney meridian. The Kidney dislikes dryness, thus dampness tends to stagnate in the Kidney. Gardenia (Zhizi) and Scutellaria (Huangqin) enter the Lung meridian; Coptis (Huanglian) enters the Heart meridian; Phellodendron (Huangbo) enters the Kidney meridian. Their actions of drying dampness follow their respective categories. The *Jiuren Shu* (Book of Living People) uses the Jiedu Tang (Detoxification Decoction) to treat conditions internally, externally, above, and below. It is incompatible with Dry Lacquer (Ganqi).
[Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhishi)]
The nature is cold, and the flavors are bitter, sour, and salty; it is purely yang. It is non-toxic.
*Bencao Xiang* states: It eliminates chills and fever, breaks up solid accumulations, dissipates phlegm-stagnation, treats epigastric fullness and stuffiness (Pi), rebellious qi, and hypochondriac pain. Use after stir-frying with wheat bran.
*Bencao Xin* states: Zhang Jiegu used it to remove accumulated blood from the Spleen meridian. Therefore, it can eliminate epigastric stuffiness; if there is no accumulated blood in the Spleen, there will be no epigastric stuffiness. It treats epigastric stuffiness, disperses qi, and eliminates retained food. With its bitter-cold property, when roasted, it breaks water accumulations and drains the interior to remove qi stagnation.
*Bencao Zhen* states: It removes dampness from the Stomach.
*Bencao* states: It primarily treats severe wind pathogens in the skin, resembling millet grains, causing intense itching. It eliminates chills, fever, and knotting; stops dysentery; promotes muscle growth; benefits the five zang organs; tonifies qi and lightens the body; eliminates phlegm-stagnation in the chest and hypochondrium; drives away stagnant water; breaks solid accumulations; reduces distension and fullness; relieves epigastric urgency, stuffiness and pain, rebellious qi, and wind-pain in the hypochondrium. It harmonizes stomach qi, stops loose stools, and brightens the eyes. Those grown in the rivers and marshes of Henei, especially those from Shangzhou, are superior. To tonify qi, it is combined with Ginseng (Renshen), Dried Ginger (Ganjiang), and Atractylodes Macrocephala (Baizhu). To break qi, it is combined with Rhubarb (Dahuang), Morning Glory Seed (Qianniu), and Mirabilite (Mangxiao). This is why the *Shennong Bencao Jing* mentions both tonifying qi and eliminating stuffiness. Without Baizhu, dampness cannot be removed; without Zhishi, stuffiness cannot be eliminated. Zhiqiao (Aurantium Fruit) primarily acts on the upper jiao, while Zhishi primarily acts on the lower jiao. That which governs qi is located in the chest and diaphragm; that which governs blood is located in the heart and abdomen. Zhang Zhongjing treated cases where the epigastrium was hard and large like a plate, caused by fluid retention, using Zhishi Baizhu Tang. Seven pieces of Zhishi and three liang of Baizhu, decocted in ten sheng of water until three sheng remain, taken in three doses. The hardness subsides once the abdomen becomes soft.
*Yanyi* states: Zhishi and Zhiqiao are the same substance. When small, its nature is fierce and rapid; when large, its nature is mild and slow. Therefore, when Zhang Zhongjing treated acute conditions of Cold Damage, he used Zhishi in Chengqi Tang, for this very reason. Both are chosen for their ability to unblock, drain, and break solid accumulations. In other formulas, where the goal is merely to guide away stale, obstructed qi for frequent use, Zhiqiao is employed. Thus, for chest stuffiness, there is Jiegeng Zhiqiao Tang; for epigastric stuffiness, there is Zhishi Baizhu Tang. The distinction between high and low locations was definitively clarified by Yilao (Zhang Yuansu).