宣，行气
辛苦而温。三焦气分之药，能升降诸气，泄肺气，疏肝气，和脾气（怒则肝气上，肺气
调，则金能制木而肝平，木不克土而脾和）。
治一切气痛，九种心痛（皆属胃脘，曰寒痛、热痛、气痛、血痛、湿痛、痰痛、食痛、
蛔痛、悸痛。盖君心不易受邪，真心痛者，手足冷过腕节，朝发夕死），呕逆反胃，霍乱泻
痢，后重（同槟榔用。刘河间曰∶痢疾行血则脓血自愈，调气则后重自除）癃闭，痰壅气结，
癖症块，肿毒虫毒，冲脉为病，气逆里急。杀鬼物，御瘴雾，去腋臭，宽大肠，消食安胎
（气逆则胎不安）。过服损真气（丹溪曰∶味辛气升，若阴火冲上者，反助火邪，当用黄柏
知母，少以木香佐之。王好古曰∶《本草》主气劣、气不足，补也；通壅导气，破也；安胎
健脾胃，补也；除痰癖症块，破也，不同如此。汪机曰∶与补药为佐则补，与泻药为君则泻。
李时珍曰∶诸气 郁，皆属于肺，上焦气滞用之者，金郁泄之也；中气不运，皆属于脾，中
焦气滞用之者，脾胃喜芳香也；大肠气滞则后重，膀胱气不化则癃闭，肝气郁则为痛，下焦
气滞用之者，塞者通之也）。
番舶上耒，形如枯骨，味苦粘舌者良，名青木香（今所用者，皆广木香、土木香）。磨
汁用。东垣用黄连制，亦有蒸用，面裹煨用者（煨用实肠止泻）。畏火。
宣，具有行气的作用。
（木香）味辛、苦，性温。它是作用于三焦气分的药物，能够调节全身气的升降，宣泄肺气，疏理肝气，调和脾气。（当人发怒时，肝气会上逆；若肺气得以调畅，则肺金能制约肝木，使肝气平和；肝木不克制脾土，则脾气调和）。
治疗各种气滞引起的疼痛，以及九种心痛（这些心痛都归属于胃脘部位，分为寒痛、热痛、气痛、血痛、湿痛、痰痛、食积痛、蛔虫痛、悸动痛。因为心君不易受邪气侵犯，所谓“真心痛”是指手足冰冷超过腕关节，早晨发病晚上就会死亡），呕吐逆气，反胃，霍乱，腹泻和痢疾，里急后重（可与槟榔同用。刘河间说：痢疾患者，活血则脓血自止，调气则里急后重自除）。
治疗小便不通（癃闭），痰多气结，癖积肿块，肿毒虫毒，冲脉病变引起的气逆腹中拘急。
驱除鬼魅之物，抵御瘴气雾气，去除腋臭，宽利大肠，消食安胎（气机上逆则胎元不安）。
过量服用会损伤真气（朱丹溪说：木香味辛性升，如果是阴火上冲的情况，反而助长火邪，应当使用黄柏、知母，少量加入木香作为佐药。王好古说：《本草》记载木香主治气弱、气不足，这是补法；疏通壅滞、引导气机，这是泻法；安胎、健脾胃，这是补法；消除痰癖、症块，这是泻法，并非如此简单。汪机说：与补药配合做佐使药则是补，与泻药配合做主药则是泻。李时珍说：各种气机郁滞，都属于肺，上焦气滞使用它，是因为“金郁泄之”的道理；中气不运转，都属于脾，中焦气滞使用它，是因为脾胃喜欢芳香的气味；大肠气滞导致里急后重，膀胱气化不利导致小便不通，肝气郁结导致疼痛，下焦气滞使用它，是因为“塞者通之”的道理）。
从海外船运而来，形状像枯骨，味道苦且粘舌的是上品，称为青木香（现在所使用的，都是广木香、土木香）。
磨成汁液使用。李东垣用黄连炮制，也有蒸用的，或用面粉包裹后煨熟的（煨熟使用可以实肠止泻）。
畏火。
Xuan (Dispersing), acts to move Qi.
Pungent, bitter, and warm. It is a herb for the San Jiao (Triple Burner) Qi aspect, capable of regulating the ascending and descending of all Qi, draining Lung Qi, soothing Liver Qi, and harmonizing Spleen Qi. (When one is angry, Liver Qi ascends; if Lung Qi is regulated, Metal can control Wood, thereby calming the Liver; if Wood does not overact on Earth, the Spleen is harmonized).
It treats all types of Qi-stagnation pain, and the nine types of Heart pain (all these pains are located in the epigastrium, categorized as Cold pain, Heat pain, Qi pain, Blood pain, Dampness pain, Phlegm pain, Food stagnation pain, Ascaris pain, and Palpitation pain. Since the Heart Monarch is difficult to be invaded by pathogens, "True Heart Pain" refers to cold extremities extending past the wrists, where onset in the morning leads to death by evening). It treats vomiting and regurgitation, reverse flow of food, cholera, diarrhea and dysentery, tenesmus (used together with Areca Seed, Binglang. Liu Hejian stated: In dysentery, invigorating blood heals pus and blood, while regulating Qi eliminates tenesmus). It treats urinary retention (Longbi), phlegm obstruction with Qi knotting, fixed masses (Pixing), swelling and toxic sores, insect venom, diseases of the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) characterized by Qi rebellion and abdominal urgency. It repels evil spirits, wards off miasma and fog, removes axillary odor, relaxes the Large Intestine, promotes digestion, and calms the fetus (when Qi rebels, the fetus is unsettled).
Overconsumption damages True Qi. (Zhu Danxi said: Its pungent flavor and ascending nature mean that if Yin Fire rushes upward, it will instead assist the Fire pathogen; one should use Anemarrhena Rhizome (Huangbai) and Phellodendron Bark (Zhimu), adding a small amount of Costus Root (Muxiang) as an assistant. Wang Haogu said: The *Bencao* states it treats weak or insufficient Qi, which is tonification; unblocking congestion and guiding Qi is purgation; calming the fetus and strengthening the Spleen and Stomach is tonification; eliminating phlegm and masses is purgation—it is not so simple. Wang Ji said: When used as an assistant with tonifying herbs, it tonifies; when used as the sovereign with purgative herbs, it purges. Li Shizhen said: Various Qi depressions belong to the Lung; using it for Upper Jiao Qi stagnation follows the principle of "draining Metal depression"; mid-Qi failure to transport belongs to the Spleen; using it for Middle Jiao Qi stagnation works because the Spleen and Stomach favor aromatic scents; Large Intestine Qi stagnation causes tenesmus, Bladder Qi failing to transform causes urinary retention, Liver Qi depression causes pain; using it for Lower Jiao Qi stagnation follows the principle of "unblocking obstructions").
Imported via foreign ships, those resembling dried bones, with a bitter taste that sticks to the tongue, are considered superior and are named Qing Muxiang (Green Costus Root). (What is currently used are Guang Muxiang and Tu Muxiang).
Grind into juice for use. Li Dongyuan processed it with Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian); some are steamed, or wrapped in dough and baked (baking solidifies the intestines and stops diarrhea). It fears fire.