沙参∶味淡微甘，性凉。色白，质松，中空，故能入肺，清热滋阴，补益肺气，兼能宣通肺郁，故《神农
本草经》谓其主血积，肺气平而血之上逆者自消也。人之魂藏于肝，魄藏于肺，沙参能清补肺脏以定魄，更能
使肺金之气化清肃下行，镇戢肝木以安魂，魂魄安定，惊恐自化，故《神农本草经》又谓主惊气也。
徐灵胎曰∶“肺主气，故肺家之药气胜者为多。但气胜之品必偏于燥，而能滋肺者又腻滞而不清虚，惟沙
参为肺家气分中理血药，色白体轻，疏通而不燥，润泽而不滞，血阻于肺者，非此不能清也。”
沙参以体质轻松，中心空者为佳，然必生于沙碛之上，土性
松活，始能如此。渤海之滨，沙碛绵亘，纯系蚌壳细末，毫无土质，其上所长沙参，粗如拇指，中空大于藕孔。
其味且甘于他处沙参，因其处若三四尺深即出甜水，是以所长之沙参，其味独甘，鲜嚼服之，大能解渴，故以
治消渴尤良。其叶光泽如镜，七月抽茎开白花，纯禀金气，肺热作嗽者，用之甚效，洵良药也。
【附案】近族曾孙女××，自动失乳，身形羸弱，自六七岁时恒发咳嗽，后至十一二岁嗽浸增剧，概服治
嗽药不效。愚俾用生怀山药细末熬粥，调以白糖令适口，送服生鸡内金细末二三分，或西药百布圣二瓦，当点
心服之，年余未间断。劳嗽虽见愈，而终不能除根。诊其脉，肺胃似皆有热，遂俾用北沙参轧为细末，每服
二钱，日两次。服至旬余，咳嗽全愈。然恐其沙参久服或失于凉，改用沙参三两、甘草二两，共轧细，亦每服
二钱，以善其后。
沙参：味道淡而微甜，性质凉。颜色白，质地疏松，中心空心，因此能够入肺经，具有清热滋阴、补益肺气的作用，同时还能宣通肺部的郁滞，所以《神农本草经》说它能主治血积（血液瘀滞形成的肿块），因为肺气平和后，上逆的血液自然消散。人的魂藏于肝，魄藏于肺，沙参能清补肺脏以安定魄，更能使肺金之气化清肃下行，制约肝木以安定魂，魂魄安定，惊恐自然化解，所以《神农本草经》又说它主治惊气（因受惊吓所致的气机紊乱）。
徐灵胎说：“肺主气，所以治肺的药物中气分药居多。但气分药大多偏燥，而能滋润肺脏的药又往往腻滞而不清虚，只有沙参是肺经气分中的理血药，色白体轻，疏通而不燥烈，润泽而不凝滞，血瘀阻于肺部的，不用此药不能清除。”
沙参以体质轻松、中心空心的为佳，但必须生长在沙地之上，土壤性质松活，才能长成这样。渤海之滨，沙地连绵不断，完全是蚌壳细末，毫无土质，上面生长的沙参，粗如拇指，空心部分比藕孔还大。它的味道比其他地方的沙参更甘甜，因为那里三四尺深就有甜水涌出，所以产在那里沙参，味道特别甘，新鲜咀嚼服用，非常解渴，因此用它治疗消渴（糖尿病或口渴多饮症状）尤其好。它的叶子光泽如镜，七月抽茎开出白花，完全禀受金气，肺热引起的咳嗽，用它非常有效，确实是良药。
【附案】近族曾孙女××，自幼断奶，身形瘦弱，从六七岁时常发咳嗽，到了十一二岁咳嗽逐渐加重，一般服用治嗽药均无效。我让她用生怀山药细末熬粥，调入白糖使其适口，送服生鸡内金细末二三钱，或者西药百布圣二瓦，当作点心服用，一年未间断。劳嗽（慢性咳嗽）虽然见好，但最终未能除根。诊其脉象，肺胃似乎都有热，于是让她用北沙参轧成细末，每次服用二钱，每日两次。服用十几天后，咳嗽完全痊愈。然而担心她长期服用沙参可能过于寒凉，改用沙参三两、甘草二两，共同轧细，也是每次服用二钱，用来善后调理。
Sha Shen (Adenophorae Radix): Flavor is faint and slightly sweet, nature is cool. Color is white, texture is loose, center is hollow, thus it can enter the Lung meridian, clear heat and nourish yin, tonify Lung qi, and simultaneously diffuse Lung stagnation. Therefore, *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states it primarily treats blood accumulations (blood stasis masses), as when Lung qi becomes peaceful, upward-rebellious blood dissipates naturally. The Hun (Ethereal Soul) resides in the Liver, and the Po (Corporeal Soul) resides in the Lung. Sha Shen can clear and tonify the Lung to stabilize the Po, and further cause the Qi transformation of Metal (Lung) to descend clearly and severely, suppressing Wood (Liver) to calm the Hun. With Hun and Po stabilized, fright and anxiety transform naturally; thus, *Shennong Bencao Jing* also states it treats "Jing Qi" (Qi disorder due to fright).
Xu Lingtai said: "The Lung governs Qi, hence most drugs for the Lung are Qi-regulating. However, drugs that strongly move Qi tend to be drying, while those that moisten the Lung tend to be cloying and obstructive rather than clear and empty. Only Sha Shen serves as a blood-regulating drug within the Qi aspect of the Lung. Being white and light, it unblocks without being drying, and moistens without being stagnant. For blood obstruction in the Lung, nothing else can clear it like this."
Sha Shen is best when its constitution is light and its center is hollow, but it must grow on sandy terrain where the soil nature is loose and active to achieve this. Along the coast of Bohai Bay, sands stretch continuously, composed purely of fine shell fragments with no earth quality. The Sha Shen grown there is as thick as a thumb, with a hollow center larger than lotus root holes. Its taste is sweeter than Sha Shen from other places because sweet water emerges at depths of three or four chi; consequently, the Sha Shen produced there has a uniquely sweet flavor. Freshly chewed and taken, it greatly quenches thirst, making it especially effective for treating Xiao Ke (Wasting-Thirst syndrome/diabetes mellitus). Its leaves are glossy like a mirror, sending up stems and blooming white flowers in the seventh month, fully imbued with Metal Qi. For cough caused by Lung heat, it is very effective, truly a good medicine.
[Attached Case] A great-granddaughter of my close clan, ××, lost breast milk automatically [weaned early], her body was emaciated. From age six or seven, she frequently suffered from cough, which intensified by age eleven or twelve. General cough medicines were ineffective. I instructed her to use fine powder of raw Huai Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) boiled into porridge, adjusted with white sugar for palatability, and taken with two or three fen of fine powder of raw Ji Nei Jin (Gallus Gallus Domesticus Var. domestica Gizzard Lining), or two wa of the Western medicine "Bubusheng" [Pepsin], consumed as a snack, without interruption for over a year. Although the Lao Sou (consumptive cough) showed improvement, it could not be eradicated completely. Palpating her pulse, both Lung and Stomach seemed to have heat. Thus, I instructed her to use Bei Sha Shen (Adenophorae Radix) ground into fine powder, taking two qian each time, twice daily. After more than ten days, the cough was completely cured. However, fearing that long-term use of Sha Shen might be too cooling, I changed the prescription to three liang of Sha Shen and two liang of Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), ground together finely, also taking two qian each time, to conclude the treatment and restore health.