宣，发表，胜湿
辛苦性温，升浮为阳。搜肝泻肺，散头目滞气、经络留湿。
主上部见血（用之为使，亦能治崩），上焦风邪，头痛目眩，脊痛项强，周身尽痛，太
阳（膀胱）经证（徐之才曰∶得葱白，能行周身）。又行脾胃二经，为去风胜湿之要药（凡
风药皆能胜湿。东垣曰∶卒伍卑贱之职，随所引而止，乃风药中润剂。若补脾胃，非此引用
不能行），散目赤、疮疡。若血虚痉急、头痛不因风寒（内伤头痛）、泄泻不因寒湿、火升发
嗽、阴虚盗汗、阳虚自汗者并禁用（同黄 、芍药，又能实表止汗；合黄 、白术，名玉屏
风散，固表圣药。黄 得防风而功益大，取其相畏而相使也）。
黄润者良。上部用身，下部用梢。畏萆 。恶干姜、白蔹、芫花。杀附子毒。
宣，去风寒湿
辛温雄壮，为太阳经（膀胱）风药，寒郁本经、头痛连脑者必用之（凡巅顶痛，宜 本、
防风、酒炒升、柴）。治督脉为病，脊强而厥（督脉并太阳经贯脊）；又能下行去湿，治妇人
疝瘕，阴寒肿痛，腹中急痛（皆太阳寒湿），胃风泄泻（夏英公病泄，医以虚治不效。霍翁
曰∶此风客于胃也，饮以 本汤而愈。盖 本能除风湿耳），粉刺酒 （音查，和白芷作面
脂良）。
根紫色似芎 而轻虚，气香味麻。
【宣散，发表，胜湿】
味辛、苦，性温，药性升浮，属阳。能疏泄肝气、清泻肺热，疏散头部和眼目的滞气，以及经络中停留的湿气。
主治上部出血（作为引经药使用，也能治疗崩漏），上焦的风邪，头痛目眩，脊背疼痛、项部僵硬，全身疼痛，以及太阳经（膀胱经）的病证（徐之才说：配合葱白使用，能通行周身）。又能行于脾胃二经，是祛风胜湿的重要药物（凡是风药都能胜湿。李东垣说：它地位卑微，随所引导的药物而到达病所，是风药中的润剂。如果要补益脾胃，没有它的引导就不能发挥作用），还能消散目赤肿痛、疮疡。如果是血虚引起的筋脉拘急痉挛、非风寒引起的头痛（内伤头痛）、非寒湿引起的泄泻、火气上炎引起的咳嗽、阴虚引起的盗汗、阳虚引起的自汗者，均禁用（与黄芪、芍药同用，又能固表止汗；与黄芪、白术合用，名为玉屏风散，是固表的圣药。黄芪得到防风的配合功效更大，这是利用了它们相互制约又相互促进的关系）。
质地黄润的为佳。治上部疾病用根身，治下部疾病用根梢。畏萆薢。恶干姜、白蔹、芫花。能解附子之毒。
【宣散，去风寒湿】
味辛，性温，药力雄壮，是太阳经（膀胱经）的风药，寒邪郁结在本经、头痛连及脑部的病症必须使用它（凡是巅顶痛，适宜用藁本、防风、酒炒升麻、柴胡）。治疗督脉的病证，脊背强直且厥逆（督脉与太阳经贯穿脊柱）；又能下行祛湿，治疗妇女疝瘕积聚，阴部寒冷肿痛，腹中急痛（都是太阳经寒湿所致），胃风泄泻（夏英公患泄泻，医生按虚证治疗无效。霍翁说：这是风邪客居在胃里，服用藁本汤而痊愈。大概藁本能祛除风湿罢了），粉刺酒渣（音查，配合白芷做面脂很好）。
根部紫色，形状像川芎但质地轻虚，气味香，味道麻。
[Dispersing, Releasing the Exterior, Overcoming Dampness]
Pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, ascending and floating in action, belonging to Yang. It disperses Liver Qi and clears Lung heat, dissipates stagnant Qi in the head and eyes, and removes retained dampness in the meridians.
It primarily treats bleeding from the upper body (used as a guiding herb, it can also treat metrorrhagia), wind-pathogens in the Upper Jiao, headache and vertigo, pain in the spine and stiffness in the neck, generalized body pain, and syndromes of the Taiyang (Bladder) Meridian (Xu Zhicai stated: when combined with scallion white, it can circulate through the entire body). It also enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians, serving as a key herb for dispelling wind and overcoming dampness (All wind-dispelling herbs can overcome dampness. Li Dongyuan said: It holds a humble position, following the guidance of other herbs to reach the site of disease; it is the moistening agent among wind-dispelling herbs. If tonifying the Spleen and Stomach, its guiding function is indispensable). It also dissipates redness of the eyes and sores/ulcers. However, it is strictly contraindicated in cases of spasms and tension due to Blood deficiency, headaches not caused by wind-cold (internal injury headaches), diarrhea not caused by cold-dampness, coughs due to flaming fire rising, night sweats due to Yin deficiency, and spontaneous sweating due to Yang deficiency (When combined with Huangqi [Astragali Radix] and Shaoyao [Paeoniae Radix], it can consolidate the exterior and stop sweating; when combined with Huangqi [Astragali Radix] and Baizhu [Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma], it forms Yupingfeng San [Jade Windscreen Powder], a sacred medicine for consolidating the exterior. Huangqi [Astragali Radix] achieves greater efficacy when paired with Fangfeng, taking advantage of their mutual inhibition and mutual enhancement).
Those that are yellow and moist are superior. Use the root body for treating upper body conditions, and the root tips for treating lower body conditions. It is inhibited by Bibi [Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma]. It is incompatible with Ganjiang [Zingiberis Rhizoma], Bailian [Ilicifolii Rhizoma], and Yuanhua [Genkwa Flos]. It neutralizes the toxicity of Fuzi [Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata].
[Dispersing, Removing Wind-Cold-Dampness]
Pungent and warm in nature, potent in action, it is a wind-dispelling herb for the Taiyang (Bladder) Meridian. It is essential for conditions where cold pathogens stagnate in this meridian, causing headaches radiating to the brain (For headaches at the vertex, Gaoben [Ligustici Chuanxiong Hort. Rhizoma], Fangfeng [Saposhnikoviae Radix], Jiuchao Shengma [Bupleuri Radix processed with wine], and Jiuchao Chaihu [Bupleuri Radix processed with wine] are suitable). It treats diseases of the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), characterized by rigidity of the spine and cold limbs (The Du Mai runs along the spine together with the Taiyang Meridian); it can also descend to remove dampness, treating women's hernia masses (Shan Jia), cold painful swelling in the genital region, and acute abdominal pain (all caused by Cold-Dampness of the Taiyang Meridian), and Wei Feng diarrhea (Xia Yinggong suffered from diarrhea; physicians failed to cure him by treating it as deficiency. Huo Weng said: This is wind lodging in the Stomach. He was cured after drinking Gaoben Decoction. Essentially, Gaoben can eliminate wind-dampness). It is also used for acne rosacea (mixed with Baizhu [Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma] to make facial cream).
The root is purple, resembling Xiong [Ligustici Chuanxiong Hort. Rhizoma] but lighter and more porous. It has a fragrant odor and a numbing taste.