火逆上气, 咽喉不利, 止逆下气者主之.
麦门冬七升 半夏一升 人参三两 甘草二两 粳米三合 大枣十二
枚 , 右六味 , 以水一斗二升, 煮取六升, 温服一升; 日三服, 夜
一服.
【集注】喻昌曰: 此方治胃中津液干枯, 虚火上炎, 治本之良法也.
夫用降火之药而火反升, 用寒凉之药而热转炽者, 徒知与火热相争,
弗知补正气以生津液, 不惟无益而反害之矣. 凡肺病有胃气则生, 无
胃气则死. 胃气者, 肺之母气也. 本草有知母之名, 谓肺藉其清凉,
知清凉为肺之母也. 又有贝母之名, 谓肺藉其豁痰, 豁痰为肺之母也
.然屡施于火逆上气, 咽喉不利之证, 而屡不应者, 名不称矣. 孰知
仲景妙法, 于麦冬, 人参, 甘草, 大枣, 粳米大补中气以生津液队中
,又增入半夏辛温之味, 以开胃行津而润肺, 岂特用其利咽下气哉!
顾其利咽下气, 非半夏之功, 实善用半夏之功也.
治肺胃虚寒, 咳嗽喘急, 坐卧不安. 并治久年劳嗽
,吐血腥臭.
人参 阿胶 骨皮 知母 乌梅 粟壳 炙草 杏仁 桑皮各等分加
枣子, 煎服.
火气上逆导致气机上冲，咽喉部干燥不适、吞咽不利者，以麦门冬汤为主治方剂。
麦门冬七升，半夏一升，人参三两，甘草二两，粳米三合，大枣十二枚。以上六味药，用水一斗二升，煎煮至剩余六升药液，每次温服一升；每日服用三次，夜间服用一次。
【集注】喻昌评论说：此方是治疗胃中津液枯竭、虚火上炎的根本良法。
那些使用降火药物反而使火势上升，使用寒凉药物反而使热势更炽盛的案例，是因为医者只知道与火热邪气正面抗争，却不懂得补益正气以生津液，这不仅无益，反而有害。
大凡肺病若有胃气支持则生，若无胃气则死。
胃气，即是肺之母气（土生金）。
本草中有“知母”这一名称，意指肺部借助其清凉之性，说明清凉为肺之母（此处喻指滋源之意）；又有“贝母”这一名称，意指肺部借助其豁痰之功，说明豁痰为肺之母。
然而，在屡用这些药物治疗“火逆上气、咽喉不利”的病症时，往往疗效不佳，可谓名不副实。
谁知道张仲景的高明之处，在于利用麦冬、人参、甘草、大枣、粳米在大补中气以生津液的方剂中，又加入半夏辛温之品，以开胃行津并滋润肺脏，这哪里仅仅是利用它来利咽下气呢！
况且其利咽下气的功效，并非半夏本身的功劳，而是善于运用半夏的结果。
本方主治肺胃虚寒引起的咳嗽气喘急促，坐卧不安。同时也治疗多年的劳嗽（慢性消耗性咳嗽），咳吐带有血腥臭味的痰血。
When rebellious fire causes qi to rush upward, resulting in dryness and discomfort in the throat with difficulty in swallowing or speaking, Mai Men Dong Tang (Ophiopogon Decoction) is the primary prescription.
Mai Men Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis) 7 sheng, Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) 1 sheng, Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) 3 liang, Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) 2 liang, Jing Mi (Semen Oryzae Sativae) 3 he, Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae) 12 pieces. The above six herbs are decocted in 12 dou of water until reduced to 6 sheng of liquid. Take 1 sheng warm; three times daily and once at night.
[Collected Annotations] Yu Chang commented: This formula is an excellent method for treating the root cause of dried-up fluids in the stomach and deficient fire flaming upward.
Those cases where fire-lowering drugs cause the fire to rise further, and cold-cooling drugs cause the heat to intensify, occur because practitioners only know how to contend directly with fire and heat, failing to understand the necessity of tonifying righteous qi to generate body fluids. Such approaches are not only ineffective but harmful.
Generally, lung diseases survive if there is Stomach Qi, and perish if Stomach Qi is absent.
Stomach Qi is the mother Qi of the Lung (Earth generates Metal).
In materia medica, the herb Zhi Mu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae) is named thus, implying that the Lung relies on its cooling nature, suggesting that coolness serves as the mother to the Lung (in the sense of nourishing the source); similarly, Bei Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae) is named thus, implying that the Lung relies on its ability to resolve phlegm, suggesting that resolving phlegm serves as the mother to the Lung.
However, when repeatedly applying these herbs to treat conditions of "rebellious fire causing qi rushing upward and throat discomfort," they often fail to produce the desired effect, rendering their names misleading.
Who would have known Zhang Zhongjing's profound skill? He utilizes Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis), Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng), Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae), and Jing Mi (Semen Oryzae Sativae) to greatly tonify Middle Qi and generate fluids. Within this framework, he adds Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae), a pungent and warm herb, to open the stomach, circulate fluids, and moisten the Lungs. Is this merely using it for its ability to benefit the throat and direct qi downward!
Moreover, its efficacy in benefiting the throat and directing qi downward is not due to Ban Xia itself, but rather the skillful application of Ban Xia by the practitioner.
This section treats coughing and wheezing due to deficiency-cold of the Lung and Stomach, accompanied by restlessness in sitting or lying down. It also treats chronic consumption cough (Lao Sou) persisting for many years, characterized by expectoration of bloody sputum with a foul, fishy odor.
Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng), E Jiao (Colla Corii Asini), Gu Pi (Cortex Lycii / Radix et Cortex Lycii - *Note: Text says 'Gu Pi', likely referring to Di Gu Pi*), Zhi Mu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae), Wu Mei (Fructus Mume), Su Qiao (Pericarpium Papaveris), Zhi Cao (Prepared Radix Glycyrrhizae), Xing Ren (Semen Armeniacae Amarum), Sang Pi (Cortex Mori Radicis) in equal parts. Add dates (Zao Zi), decoct and take.
Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng), Ma Huang (Herba Ephedrae), E Jiao (Colla Corii Asini), Wu Wei Zi (Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis), Su Qiao (Pericarpium Papaveris), Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), Ban Xia Qu (Massa Medicata Fermentata cum半夏) each 1 qian, Sang Pi (Cortex Mori Radicis) 2 qian, Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) 3 slices. Decoct in water and take.