\r甘菊\pq21a.bmp\r
味甘性寒。平肝疏肺。清上焦之邪热。治目祛风。禀金水之精英。益阴滋肾。（甘菊
其花禀秋金之气而生。故能入肺。凡花皆散。故主疏风。风气通于肝。故又能入肝。治一切
目疾。但甘菊之用。可一言以蔽之曰。疏风而已。然虽系疏风之品。而性味甘寒。与羌麻等
辛燥者不同。故补肝肾药中可相需而用也。考菊花之性。入肝之用为长。以其甘寒能清金壮
水。水壮则木有所生。金清则木有所制。故肝风可熄。肝火能平。一切肝病皆治。各随佐
使之药以为用耳。）
\r益母草\pq21.bmp\r
入肝行血。辛苦微寒。消水逐风。敷围散肿。花能外散兼行表。子则行中带补阴。
（益母草消瘀化水。是其所长。以产母必有瘀浊停留。此物能消之化之。邪去则母受益。故
有益母之名。凡花皆散。故可兼表。凡子皆润。而带甘味。故可兼补。然一本之物。总不越
消水行血。进退而已。无瘀滞者不宜用之。其子名茺蔚子。本经首言能明目。虽云行中有补
。只可用于肝血瘀滞。及血灌瞳神之证。若无瘀滞而欲其补益。则未必耳。祛风者。亦血行
风自灭之意也。）
\r麻黄\pq22.bmp\r
走太阳寒水之经。功先入肺。为发汗轻疏之剂。性则偏温。寒饮稽留。藉味辛而宣散
。痰哮久痼。仗苦力以搜除。（麻黄其苗中空。味辛苦。气味俱薄。升也阳也。专入肺家卫
分。疏散风寒。达表由汗而出。麻黄本肺家卫分药。仲景治寒伤营用麻黄汤者。以内有桂枝
领之入营也。宣肺发表。麻黄之能足以尽之。故一切咳嗽宿哮等疾。凡属肺中有风寒痰饮者
。皆可用之。不必拘拘乎麻黄之但能出汗也。足太阳主一身之表。故入之。大抵寒邪轻而从
口鼻入者。则伤肺。寒邪重而从表入者。则伤经。故虽所伤不同。而其治则一也。麻黄之功
。首先入肺。若肺中有寒痰宿饮之疾。麻黄到肺。只能搜剔肺中痰饮。不能再发汗出表。犹
用兵者。有一战之功。无再战之力也。）
甘菊
味甘，性寒。能平抑肝阳、疏利肺气。清除上焦的邪热。治疗眼疾、祛除风邪。它禀受了金（肺）和水（肾）的精华，滋养阴液、滋润肾脏。（甘菊的花朵禀受秋季金气而生，所以能入肺经。凡是花朵都有发散的特性，所以主要功效是疏风。风气与肝脏相通，所以又能入肝经。治疗各种眼病。但甘菊的作用，可以用一句话概括：就是疏风罢了。然而虽然属于疏风的药物，但其性质甘寒，与羌活、麻黄等辛温燥烈的药物不同。所以在补益肝肾的药物中可以与它们相互需要而配合使用。考察菊花的药性，其入肝经的作用最为显著，因为它的甘寒能够清肃肺金、壮旺肾水。肾水壮盛则肝木有所滋生，肺金清肃则肝木有所制约。所以肝风可以平息，肝火能够平降。各种肝病都能治疗，具体应用随佐使药物的不同而定。）
益母草
入肝经，行血。味辛苦，性微寒。能消除水肿、驱逐风邪。外敷可消散肿毒。花能向外发散兼走表分；子则行血中带补阴之效。（益母草消除瘀血、化除水湿，是它的长处。因为产妇体内常有瘀浊停留，此物能消除并化解它们，邪气去除则母亲受益，所以叫“益母”。凡是花朵都有发散特性，所以可以兼走表分。凡是种子都滋润且带甜味，所以可以兼有补益作用。然而同一株植物，总不离消水行血这两方面的进退变化。没有瘀滞的人不宜使用。它的种子名叫茺蔚子，《神农本草经》首先说它能明目，虽然说行中有补，只适用于肝血瘀滞及血液灌注入瞳神的证候。如果没有瘀滞而想要依靠它来补益，恐怕就不一定有效了。所谓祛风，也是血行则风自灭的意思。）
麻黄
走足太阳膀胱经和寒水之经。功效首先入肺经，是发汗轻扬疏泄的药物。性质偏温。对于寒饮稽留不去的情况，借助其辛味来宣散。对于痰喘哮鸣久治不愈的痼疾，凭借苦力来搜剔清除。（麻黄的茎苗中空，味辛苦，气味都很轻薄，主升、属阳。专门入肺经的卫分，疏散风寒，通过汗液从体表排出。麻黄本是肺经卫分的药物，张仲景治疗寒邪伤营分时用麻黄汤，是因为方中有桂枝带领进入营分。宣通肺气、发表散邪，麻黄的功能足以涵盖这些。所以一切咳嗽、宿疾哮喘等疾病，凡属于肺中有风寒痰饮的，都可以使用，不必拘泥于认为麻黄只能发汗。足太阳膀胱经主管一身之表，所以麻黄能入此经。大抵寒邪轻微而从口鼻侵入的，则伤害肺脏；寒邪严重而从体表侵入的，则伤害经络。所以虽然受伤的部位不同，但治疗原则是一致的。麻黄的功效，首先是入肺。如果肺中有寒痰宿饮的疾病，麻黄到达肺部，只能搜剔清除肺中的痰饮，不能再发汗使邪气出于体表。这就像用兵一样，只有一次战斗的功劳，没有再次作战的力量。）
Chrysanthemum Indicum (Ganju)
Sweet in taste, cold in nature. Calms the Liver and disperses Lung Qi. Clears pathogenic heat from the Upper Jiao. Treats eye disorders and expels Wind. It inherits the essence of Metal (Lung) and Water (Kidney), nourishes Yin and moistens the Kidney. (Chrysanthemum flowers are born with the Qi of Autumn Metal, thus entering the Lung Meridian. All flowers have a dispersing property, hence they primarily disperse Wind. Wind Qi communicates with the Liver, thus it also enters the Liver Meridian to treat all kinds of eye diseases. The use of Chrysanthemum can be summarized in one word: dispersing Wind. Although it is a wind-dispersing herb, its nature is sweet and cold, differing from acrid-warm and drying herbs like Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) and Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba). Therefore, it can be used in conjunction with herbs that tonify the Liver and Kidney. Examining the properties of Chrysanthemum, its action on the Liver is most prominent. Its sweet-cold nature clears Metal and strengthens Water. When Water is strong, Wood is nurtured; when Metal is clear, Wood is restrained. Thus, Liver Wind can be extinguished, and Liver Fire pacified. Various Liver disorders can be treated, depending on the accompanying harmonizing and guiding herbs.)
Leonurus Japonicus (Yimucao)
Enters the Liver Meridian and promotes Blood circulation. Acrid and bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature. Eliminates water retention and drives out Wind. Applied externally to dissipate swelling. The flower disperses outwardly and acts on the Exterior; the seed promotes circulation while supplementing Yin. (The strength of Leonurus lies in eliminating blood stasis and transforming water dampness. Since postpartum women often retain turbid stasis, this herb eliminates and transforms it; once the pathogen is removed, the mother benefits, hence the name "Benefiting Mother." All flowers have dispersing properties, so it can act on the Exterior. All seeds are moistening and sweet, so they can have a tonifying effect. However, for the same plant, the actions revolve around promoting water elimination and blood circulation. It is not suitable for those without blood stasis. Its seed is called Chongweizi. The *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* first states it brightens the eyes. Although it is said to promote while tonifying, it is only applicable to cases of Liver Blood stasis and blood flooding the pupil. If there is no stasis and one seeks tonification, it may not be effective. The term "expelling Wind" implies that when Blood circulates, Wind is extinguished naturally.)
Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang)
Travels through the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and the Cold-Water Meridian. Its efficacy first enters the Lung Meridian. It is a mild and dispersing agent for inducing sweating. Its nature is slightly warm. For retained cold-fluid, it relies on its acrid flavor to diffuse and scatter. For chronic phlegm-wheezing and stubborn asthma, it relies on its bitter power to search and eliminate. (The stem of Ephedra is hollow inside, tastes acrid and bitter, and has light and thin aroma and flavor. It ascends and belongs to Yang. It specifically enters the Wei (Defensive) level of the Lung organ to disperse Cold and Wind and reach the Exterior through sweat. Ephedra is originally an herb for the Lung's Defensive level. Zhang Zhongjing used Mahuang Tang for Cold injuring the Ying (Nutritive) level because Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) leads it into the Ying level. To diffuse Lung Qi and release the Exterior, the functions of Ephedra are sufficient. Therefore, for all coughs and chronic asthma where there is Cold-Phlegm or Fluid-Retention in the Lung, it can be used, without being confined to the notion that Ephedra only induces sweating. The Foot-Taiyang governs the Exterior of the whole body, so Ephedra enters it. Generally, mild Cold pathogens entering via mouth and nose damage the Lung; severe Cold pathogens entering via the Exterior damage the Meridians. Thus, although the sites of injury differ, the treatment principles are the same. The primary function of Ephedra is entering the Lung. If there is a disease of Cold-Phlegm or retained fluid in the Lung, when Ephedra reaches the Lung, it can only search and eliminate the Phlegm-Fluid within the Lung, but cannot induce sweating to expel pathogens from the Exterior. This is like using troops: it has the merit of one battle, but lacks the strength for a second engagement.)