甘温，无毒。入益气药炙用。入解表及托里药生用。肥润而软者良，坚细而枯者
，食之令人胸满。
《本经》主痈疽久败，排脓止痛。大风癞疾，五痔鼠 ，补虚，小儿百病。
发明 黄 甘温，气薄味浓，升少降多，阴中阳也。能补五脏诸虚，入手足太阴，手阳
明少阳。而治脉弦自汗，泻阴火，去肺热，无汗则发，有汗则止。入肺而固表虚自汗，入脾
而托已溃痈疡。《本经》首言痈疽久败，排脓止痛，次言大风癞疾，五痔鼠 ，皆用生者，
以疏卫气之热。性虽温补，而能通调血脉，流行经络，可无拟于壅滞也。其治气虚盗汗、自
汗及皮肤痛，是肌表之药。治咯血，柔脾胃是中州之药。治伤寒尺脉不至，补肾脏元气不足
，及婴儿易感风邪，发热自汗诸病，皆用炙者，以实卫气之虚。乃上中下内外三焦药，即《
本经》补虚之谓。如痘疹，用保元汤治脾肺虚热，当归补血汤治血虚发热，皆为圣药。黄
同人参则益气，同当归则补血，同白术、防风则运脾湿，同防己、防风则祛风湿，同桂枝、
附子则治卫虚亡阳汗不止，为腠理开阖之总司。又黄 性专实卫，温补下元，而当归补血汤
，曷不用地黄之属，反用此三倍于归，其义何居？盖阴血之虚而发热，明系阳从阴亢，自必
峻用阴中之阳药为君，兼当归引入血分，自然阳生阴长，阴邪退听，而亢热除矣。若用纯阴
滋腻，徒资胶滞，热无由而散也，是须黄 固护其营，不使重夺其汗，而阴自守，热自除矣
。昔人言，无汗不得用黄 ，服之令人胸满，此指表实形瘦色苍，胸中气盛者而言。若卫气
虚衰之人感寒，虽用表药，多不能作汗，须用黄 建中之属始得汗解，不可拘于俗见而废圣
法也。唐·许胤宗治柳太后病风不能言，脉沉而口噤，乃造黄 防风汤数斤置于床下，气如
烟雾，一夕便得语也。此义惟玉屏风散得之。黄 性畏防风，然得防风，其功愈大，盖相畏
而相使者也。
味甘，性温，无毒。在用于补气药时采用蜜炙法炮制使用；在用于解表药及托毒排脓药时则生用。质地肥润且柔软的黄芪品质优良，质地坚硬、细小且干枯的黄芪，食用后会导致人胸部胀满。
《神农本草经》记载：主治痈疽久不愈合的溃烂伤口，能排出脓液并止痛。治疗严重的风癞疾病（麻风病等），以及五痔和鼠瘰（颈部淋巴结结核），具有补虚损的功效，也可用于治疗小儿的各种疾病。
【发明】黄芪味甘性温，气味轻薄而滋味浓厚，升散作用少而降泄作用多，属于“阴中阳”之品。它能补益五脏的各种虚损，归入手太阴肺经、手阳明大肠经、手少阳三焦经和足太阴脾经。它可以治疗脉象弦细且自汗出的症状，泻除阴分伏火，清除肺热；对于无汗者能发汗，对于有汗者能止汗。入肺经可固护肌表以治疗因表虚导致的自汗，入脾经可托毒外出以治疗已经溃破的痈疡。《本经》首先提到痈疽久败伤口的排脓止痛，接着提到风癞疾病、五痔鼠瘰，这些情况都使用生黄芪，是为了疏解卫分之热。黄芪性质虽然温补，但能够通调血脉，流通经络，因此不会有壅滞之弊。它治疗气虚引起的盗汗、自汗以及皮肤疼痛，是作用于肌表的药物；治疗咯血，柔养脾胃，是作用于中焦的药物；治疗伤寒症见尺部脉搏摸不到，补益肾脏元气不足，以及婴儿容易感受风邪、发热自汗等各种病症，这些都使用炙黄芪，是为了充实卫气的虚弱。它是作用于上、中、下三焦及内外的药物，这就是《本经》所说的“补虚”的含义。例如在治疗痘疹时，用保元汤治疗脾肺虚热，用当归补血汤治疗血虚发热，黄芪都是至关重要的药物。黄芪与人参同用则益气，与当归同用则补血，与白术、防风同用则运化脾湿，与防己、防风同用则祛除风湿，与桂枝、附子同用则治疗卫气虚弱导致的亡阳大汗不止，它是调节腠理开阖的关键药物。另外，黄芪性质专于固护卫气，温补下元，而在当归补血汤中，为何不用地黄之类的药物，反而使用三倍于当归的黄芪，其中的道理何在？大概是因为阴血亏虚导致的发热，明确是由于阳气依附于阴血而亢盛，必然需要峻烈地使用“阴中之阳”的药物作为君药，兼用当归引导进入血分，自然能达到阳生阴长、阴邪退却、亢盛之热消除的效果。如果使用纯阴滋腻的药物，只会增加胶滞，热邪无法散去。因此必须用黄芪固护营气，不使汗出过多再次损伤正气，那么阴液自然守持，热邪自然消除。古人说：“无汗不得用黄芪，服用后会让人胸部胀满”，这是针对表实、形体消瘦、面色青苍、胸中气盛的人而言的。如果是卫气虚衰之人感受寒邪，即使使用解表药，大多也不能出汗，必须使用黄芪建中汤之类的方剂才能通过出汗而病解，不能拘泥于世俗的看法而废弃圣人的治法。唐代医生许胤宗治疗柳太后患中风不能说话，脉象沉伏且牙关紧闭，于是配制了数斤黄芪防风汤放在床下，让药气如烟雾般弥漫，一晚之后太后就能说话了。这一医理只有玉屏风散深得其中奥妙。黄芪本性畏忌防风，然而得到防风配合，其功效反而更大，这是因为它们之间是“相畏而相使”的关系。
Sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. When used in Qi-tonifying prescriptions, it should be honey-fried (Zhi Huangqi). When used in exterior-releasing or pus-expelling prescriptions, it should be used raw. Those that are plump, moist, and soft are of good quality; those that are hard, thin, and dry may cause chest fullness when consumed.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states: It primarily treats chronic ulcers and sores with long-standing decay, expelling pus and relieving pain. It treats severe wind-related leprosy diseases, the five types of hemorrhoids, and scrofula (shu luo), tonifying deficiency and treating various ailments in children.
[Invention/Commentary] Huangqi is sweet and warm. Its qi is light and its flavor is strong, with less ascending and more descending action, belonging to "Yang within Yin." It can tonify deficiencies of all five zang organs, entering the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian, and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. It treats wiry pulse accompanied by spontaneous sweating, drains yin fire, clears lung heat, induces sweating in cases of anhidrosis, and stops sweating in cases of hyperhidrosis. Entering the Lung, it consolidates the defensive exterior to treat spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency; entering the Spleen, it supports the expulsion of toxins from already ulcerated sores. The *Bencao Jing* first mentions treating chronic ulcers by expelling pus and relieving pain, then mentions wind-leprosy, hemorrhoids, and scrofula; these conditions use raw Huangqi to disperse heat in the Wei (Defensive) Qi. Although its nature is warm and tonifying, it can regulate blood vessels and circulate through meridians, thus avoiding stagnation. Its treatment of qi-deficiency night sweats, spontaneous sweating, and skin pain indicates it acts on the muscle-surface level. Its treatment of hemoptysis and softening/nourishing the Spleen and Stomach indicates it acts on the Middle Jiao. Its treatment of cold damage where the Chi (Cunian) pulse is absent, tonifying insufficient Kidney Yuan Qi, and infant susceptibility to wind pathogens causing fever and spontaneous sweating, all require fried Huangqi to solidify deficient Wei Qi. It is a herb for the Upper, Middle, and Lower Jiao, as well as internal and external aspects, which corresponds to the "tonifying deficiency" mentioned in the *Bencao Jing*. For example, in treating smallpox/rashes, Baoyuan Tang uses it to treat Spleen-Lung deficiency heat, and Danggui Buxue Tang uses it to treat blood-deficiency fever; in both, it is a supreme medicine. Combined with Renshen (Ginseng), it tonifies Qi; combined with Danggui (Angelica Sinensis), it tonifies Blood; combined with Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala) and Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia Divaricata), it transforms Spleen dampness; combined with Fangji (Stephania Tetrandra) and Fangfeng, it dispels wind-dampness; combined with Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Fuzi (Aconite Lateralis Radix Preparata), it treats continuous sweating due to Wei-deficiency and collapse of Yang, serving as the master regulator of pore opening and closing. Furthermore, Huangqi specializes in securing Wei Qi and warming/tonifying the lower origin. In Danggui Buxue Tang, why not use Rehmannia (Dihuang) type herbs, but instead use three times the amount of Huangqi compared to Danggui? The rationale is as follows: Fever caused by Yin-Blood deficiency is clearly due to Yang hyperactivity following Yin. Therefore, one must vigorously use a "Yang within Yin" herb as the sovereign drug, combined with Danggui to guide it into the Blood aspect. Naturally, this promotes Yang generation and Yin growth, causes Yin pathogens to retreat, and eliminates hyperactive heat. If pure Yin, cloying, and sticky herbs were used, they would only contribute to stagnation, and the heat would have no way to dissipate. Thus, Huangqi must be used to protect Ying (Nutritive) Qi, preventing excessive sweating that would further deplete Zheng Qi, allowing Yin to remain secure and heat to resolve spontaneously. Ancients stated: "Huangqi should not be used when there is no sweating, as it causes chest fullness." This refers to individuals with exterior excess, emaciated bodies, dark complexion, and abundant Qi in the chest. However, if a person with deficient Wei Qi contracts cold, even using exterior-releasing herbs often fails to induce sweating. One must use formulas like Huangqi Jianzhong Tang to achieve resolution through sweating. One should not adhere to vulgar views and abandon sage methods. In the Tang Dynasty, physician Xu Yinzong treated Empress Liu who suffered from stroke-like symptoms leaving her unable to speak, with a deep pulse and locked jaw. He prepared several jin of Huangqi Fengfang Decoction and placed it under the bed; the medicinal vapor filled the room like smoke, and she was able to speak after one night. This principle is best exemplified by Yupingfeng San (Jade Windscreen Powder). Although Huangqi naturally fears Fangfeng, their combination increases efficacy, demonstrating a relationship of "mutual fear and mutual assistance" (Xiangwei Xiangshi).