蠡实为之使。
辛、苦、性温，气雄而散。入足太阳经气分，以理游风。治风湿相搏，本经头痛，骨节
酸疼
，一身尽痛，失音不语，口眼歪斜，目赤肤痒，疽痈血癞。配独活、松节，酒煎，治历节风
痛。君川芎、当归，治头痛脊强而厥。（太阳、少阴、督脉为病。）使细辛，治少阴头痛。（
少阴入顶。）和莱菔子同炒香，只取羌活为末，每服二钱，温酒下，治风水浮肿。
制法与独活同。除风湿，宜重用。表风寒，须轻用。气血虚而遍身痛者禁用。
怪症∶眼睛忽垂至鼻如黑角，涩痛不可忍，或时时大便血出，甚痛，此名肝胀。用羌活
一两
煎服。
今之发热头痛者，动用羌活汤。不知辛散药治风寒则效，若以治时疫毒火炽盛，益增燥
烈，
旋即胃阴干枯而毙。或者疫气舍于膜原，溢于太阳，则达原饮内略加数分亦可。
辛、微苦，微温。入手阳明、足太阴经气分。风邪客于阳明，非升不散。阳气陷于至阴，
非
升不举。消疮痈，解百毒。得葱白、白芷，缓带脉之急。佐干葛、石膏，治胃火齿痛。同葛
根，治脾土火郁。（胃伤寒冷，阳气郁而成火。）同当归、肉苁蓉、怀牛膝，通大便虚燥。
里白外黑，紧实者良，名鬼脸升麻。多用则散，少用则升，蜜炙使不骤升。
柴胡引少阳清气上行，升麻引阳明清气上行。伤寒初病太阳，痘疹见标，下元不足，（升
散
元气益亏。）阴虚火炎，四者禁用。
【羌活】
味辛、苦，性温，气味雄烈而具有发散作用。入足太阳膀胱经的气分，用于治疗游走性的风邪。主治风湿相搏引起的头痛（本经头痛）、骨节酸痛、全身疼痛、失音不语、口眼歪斜、目赤肤痒、疽痈血癞等症。配伍独活、松节，用酒煎服，可治疗历节风痛。以川芎、当归为君药，可治疗头痛、项背强直及厥逆。（涉及太阳、少阴、督脉的病证。）使药配伍细辛，可治疗少阴头痛。（少阴经脉上行至头顶。）与莱菔子同炒香，仅取羌活研末，每次服用二钱，温酒送下，可治疗风水浮肿。
炮制方法与独活相同。祛除风湿时宜重用；解除表风寒时须轻用。气血虚弱且遍身疼痛者禁用。
怪症：眼睛突然下垂至鼻尖如黑角状，涩痛难忍，或时常大便出血，疼痛剧烈，此病名为“肝胀”。使用羌活一两煎服。
现今凡遇发热头痛者，动辄使用羌活汤。不知辛散药物治疗风寒有效，若用于治疗时疫毒火炽盛之证，只会增加燥烈之性，随即导致胃阴干枯而死。或者疫气停留于膜原，溢出于太阳经，则在达原饮中略加数分羌活亦可。
【升麻】
味辛，微苦，微温。入手阳明大肠经、足太阴脾经的气分。风邪客居于阳明经，非升散不能驱除。阳气陷于至阴之下，非升提不能举复。能消除疮痈，解百毒。得葱白、白芷配合，可缓解带脉之急迫。佐以干葛、石膏，可治疗胃火齿痛。同葛根配合，可治疗脾土火郁。（因胃受寒冷损伤，阳气郁结而成火。）同当归、肉苁蓉、怀牛膝配合，可通治大便虚燥。
内面白色外面黑色，质地紧密坚实者为佳，名为“鬼脸升麻”。多用则主散，少用则主升，蜜炙后可使其升提之力不致过猛。
柴胡引导少阳清气上行，升麻引导阳明清气上行。伤寒初起病在太阳经，痘疹见标，下元不足（升散元气会进一步亏损），阴虚火炎，这四种情况禁用。
Lishi (Vicia sativa) serves as the guiding herb for Qianghuo and Shengma.
[Qianghuo]
Pungent, bitter, warm in nature; its aroma is potent and dispersing. Enters the Qi aspect of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian to treat wandering wind pathogens. It treats headaches due to Wind-Dampness binding (Benjing headache), soreness and pain in bone joints, generalized body pain, aphonia, deviation of the mouth and eyes, red eyes with itchy skin, carbuncles, sores, and blood-related skin lesions. Combined with Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) and Songjie (Pinus Massoniana Joint), decocted in wine, it treats Lijie Feng pain (painful joint syndrome). As the sovereign herb combined with Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma) and Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), it treats headache, rigidity of the spine, and jue-ni (cold extremities). (Involves pathologies of the Taiyang, Shaoyin, and Du Mai meridians.) Guided by Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), it treats Shaoyin headache. (Shaoyin meridian ascends to the vertex.) Stir-fried together with Laifuzi (Raphani Semen) until fragrant, taking only the powder of Qianghuo, two qian per dose, taken with warm wine, it treats Fengshui edema (wind-water swelling).
The processing method is the same as that of Duhuo. For dispelling Wind-Dampness, a heavy dose is appropriate; for releasing exterior Wind-Cold, a light dose is required. Contraindicated in cases of Qi and Blood deficiency with generalized body pain.
Strange symptom: Eyes suddenly droop to the nose like black horns, with unbearable astringent pain, or frequent bloody stools with severe pain, this condition is named "Gan Zhang" (Liver Distension). Use one liang of Qianghuo decocted and taken orally.
Currently, whenever fever and headache occur, Qianghuo Tang is often employed indiscriminately. One must not know that pungent-dispersing herbs are effective for Wind-Cold; if used to treat epidemic toxic fire blazing intensely, they will only increase dryness and heat, leading rapidly to the desiccation of Stomach Yin and death. However, if epidemic qi resides in the Membrane Source (Moyuan) and overflows into the Taiyang, adding a few fen of Qianghuo to Zhaoyuan Yin may be acceptable.
[Shengma]
Pungent, slightly bitter, slightly warm. Enters the Qi aspect of the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian and the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian. When wind pathogens lodge in the Yangming meridian, they cannot be dispersed without ascending. When Yang Qi sinks to the extreme Yin level, it cannot be lifted without ascending. It eliminates carbuncles and sores and resolves hundred toxins. Combined with Congbai (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus) and Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), it relieves tension of the Dai Mai (Girdle Vessel). Assisted by Gange (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) and Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), it treats toothache due to Stomach Fire. Combined with Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), it treats Fire Depression in Spleen Earth. (Caused by Cold damaging the Stomach, leading to Yang Qi stagnation transforming into Fire.) Combined with Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Rongzhu (Cistanches Herba), and Huainiuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), it treats constipation due to deficiency-dryness.
Those with a white interior and black exterior, tight and solid, are considered superior and are named "Guilian Shengma" (Ghost-Face Shengma). Heavy use leads to dispersion; light use leads to ascending. Honey-processing prevents sudden excessive ascending action.
Chaihu guides the clear Qi of Shaoyang upward; Shengma guides the clear Qi of Yangming upward. Contraindicated in four conditions: early-stage Shanghan (Cold Damage) affecting the Taiyang meridian, appearance of markers in smallpox/rash diseases, insufficiency of the Lower Yuan (Kidney Essence/Qi) (ascending and dispersing further depletes Yuan Qi), and Yin deficiency with flaming-up of Deficient Fire.