〔害〕辛香偏燥而散，阴血不足者，禁之。精滑汗多者，忌用。若多用独用，亦耗气血
而为
殃。犯铁器，令人吐逆。恶麻黄，忌饴糖、羊肉、铁器，惟秦艽为使。
〔利〕芳香利窍，辛温达气，宣五脏，开心孔，利九窍，明耳目，发声音，去湿除风，
逐痰
消结，开胃宽中，疗噤口毒痢。口噤虽是脾虚，亦有热闭胸隔所致。用山药、木香皆失，唯
参苓白术散加菖蒲，胸次一开，自然思食。芳香利窍，心开智长，为心脾胃之良药。能佐地
黄、天冬之属，资其宣导。鲜菖蒲汁稍凉，而功胜于干者。
〔修治〕二八月采，生水石间，不沾土，根瘦，节密，一寸九节者佳。去毛微炒。按菖
蒲捣
汁冲用，为斩关夺门之将，于痰火实者宜之。
〔害〕虚寒为病大忌。凡病患血少气虚，脾胃薄弱，血不足以致惊悸不眠，兼烦热躁渴；
及
产后不卧，血虚发热，泄泻腹痛；小儿痘疮，阳虚作泄，行浆后泄泻；老人脾胃虚寒作泻，
虚人天明飧泄，病名肾泄；真阴不足，内热烦躁诸症；法咸忌之。犯之使人危殆。久服黄连
、苦参，反热从火化也。盖炎上作苦，味苦必燥，燥则热矣。且苦寒沉阴，肃杀伐伤生和之
气也。恶菊花、元参、僵蚕、白藓皮。畏款冬、牛膝。忌猪肉，令人泄泻。黄芩、龙骨为使
，胜乌头解巴豆毒。
〔利〕大苦大寒，泻心肝火而燥湿，与官桂同行，能使心肾交于顷刻。
海藏曰∶泻心实泻脾也，实则泻其子，或用甘草以调其苦，或加人参以节制之。
〔修治〕本经心火生用，肝火胆汁炒；上焦火酒炒；中焦火姜炒；下焦火盐水炒，或童
便炒
；食积火土炒；湿热在气分，吴萸汤炒；在血分醋炒。点目，人乳浸亦可。二八月采根曝干
。川中种连色黄，软毛无硬刺，味微苦而薄，服之无效。六七月根紧，始堪采。雅州连细长
弯曲，微黄无毛有硬刺；马湖连色黑细绣花针头硬刺，形如鸡爪，此二种最佳。按黄连苦燥
，血虚有热不可用者，入心恐助心火也。
【危害】石菖蒲气味辛香，性质偏于燥烈且具发散之性，阴血亏虚者禁用。精气滑脱、汗出过多者，忌用。若大量使用或单独使用，也会耗伤气血而带来祸殃。接触铁器，会引起呕吐逆气。与麻黄相恶，忌食饴糖、羊肉及铁器，以秦艽为引经药。
【功效】石菖蒲芳香通窍，辛温行气，宣通五脏，开启心窍，利通九窍，使耳目聪明，发声有力，祛除湿邪和风邪，驱逐痰浊，消散结聚，开胃宽中，治疗噤口痢（因脾胃虚弱或热毒闭阻导致不能进食的痢疾）。口噤虽然多由脾虚引起，也有因热邪闭阻胸膈所致。此时使用山药、木香均不适宜，唯有在参苓白术散中加入石菖蒲，一旦胸膈气机开通，自然产生食欲。石菖蒲芳香利窍，使心神开慧，是调理心、脾、胃的良药。能辅助地黄、天冬等药物，资助其宣通导引之功。鲜石菖蒲汁性稍凉，但疗效优于干品。
【炮制】农历二、八月采收，生长在水边石缝间，不沾染泥土，根细瘦，节紧密，一寸长有九个节的为佳。去除毛须，微炒后使用。按：将石菖蒲捣烂取汁冲服，犹如斩关夺门的将领，适用于痰火实证患者。
【危害】黄连对于虚寒性疾病是大忌。凡是患有血少气虚、脾胃薄弱之症，或因血不足导致惊悸失眠，兼有烦热躁渴；以及产后失眠，血虚发热，泄泻腹痛；小儿痘疮，阳虚导致的泄泻，痘浆行发后的泄泻；老人脾胃虚寒导致的泄泻，体虚之人清晨五更时的飧泄（完谷不化的腹泻），病名肾泄；真阴不足，内热烦躁等各种症状，均应禁忌使用。误用会使病情危重。长期服用黄连、苦参，反而会因为苦味化燥而从火化热。因为炎上之气表现为苦味，味道苦必然燥烈，燥则生热。况且苦寒沉降属阴，具有肃杀之气，会损伤人体生生之和气。黄连与菊花、玄参、僵蚕、白鲜皮相恶。畏惧款冬花、牛膝。忌食猪肉，否则会导致泄泻。黄芩、龙骨可作为引经药，黄连能胜乌头，并解巴豆毒。
【功效】黄连大苦大寒，能清泻心肝之火并燥湿，若与官桂同用，能使心肾相交于顷刻之间。
李东垣（海藏）说：泻心火实际上是在泻脾火，根据“实则泻其子”的原理，或者用甘草来调和其苦寒之性，或者加入人参来制约它。
【炮制】《神农本草经》记载：治心火生用，治肝火用胆汁炒；治上焦火用酒炒；治中焦火用姜汁炒；治下焦火用盐水炒，或用童便炒；治食积火用土炒；湿热在气分，用吴茱萸汤炒；在血分用醋炒。用于点眼，用人乳浸泡也可以。农历二、八月采挖根部，晒干。四川种植的连翘色黄，软毛无硬刺，味道微苦而淡薄，服用无效。六七月时根部紧实，才适合采收。雅州产的黄连细长弯曲，微黄色，无毛但有硬刺；马湖产的黄连色黑，细如绣花针头的硬刺，形状像鸡爪，这两种品质最佳。按：黄连苦燥，血虚有热者不可用，入心恐助长心火。
[Harm] Its pungent and aromatic nature is biased towards dryness and dispersion; it is contraindicated for those with insufficient Yin and Blood. It is taboo for use in cases of seminal emission, sweating, or excessive perspiration. If used in large amounts or exclusively, it may also consume Qi and Blood, causing harm. Contact with iron vessels induces vomiting and reflux. It is antagonistic to Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄) and is taboo when taken with Malt Sugar (Yitang, 饴糖), mutton, and iron vessels; Qinjiao (Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae) serves as its guiding herb.
[Efficacy] Its aromatic quality opens orifices, while its pungent and warm nature promotes the flow of Qi. It disseminates the Five Viscera, opens the heart orifice, benefits the nine orifices, clarifies the ears and eyes, facilitates voice production, expels dampness and wind, drives out phlegm, dissolves accumulations, opens the stomach, broadens the middle jiao, and treats "Jinkou" dysentery (dysentery where the patient cannot eat due to spleen deficiency or heat-toxin obstruction). Although "Jinkou" (lockjaw/inability to open mouth) is often due to Spleen deficiency, it can also be caused by heat closing the chest and diaphragm. Using Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shanyao, 山药) and Aucklandiae Radix (Muxiang, 木香) are both inappropriate; only by adding Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Changpu, 石菖蒲) to Shenling Baizhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder), once the chest qi mechanism opens, appetite will naturally return. Its aromatic property benefits the orifices, opens the mind, and enhances wisdom, making it an excellent medicine for the Heart, Spleen, and Stomach. It can assist Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang, 地黄) and Asparagi Radix (Tian Dong, 天冬), aiding their disseminating and guiding functions. The juice of fresh Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma is slightly cool and more effective than the dried form.
[Processing] Harvested in the second and eighth lunar months, it grows between water and stones without touching soil. The roots are slender with dense nodes; one cun length containing nine nodes is considered superior. Remove the hairs and stir-fry lightly. Note: Crushing Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma to extract juice for oral administration acts like a general breaking through gates and doors, suitable for patients with excess Phlegm-Fire.
[Harm] It is strictly contraindicated for diseases characterized by Deficiency-Cold. It is taboo for patients with little Blood and deficient Qi, weak Spleen and Stomach, palpitations and insomnia due to Blood insufficiency accompanied by vexation, heat, restlessness, and thirst; postpartum insomnia, Fever due to Blood deficiency, diarrhea, and abdominal pain; pediatric smallpox, diarrhea due to Yang deficiency, and diarrhea after the eruption phase; elderly people's diarrhea due to Spleen-Stomach Deficiency-Cold; dawn diarrhea (Sundown diarrhea/complete digestion failure) in deficient individuals, known as Kidney Diarrhea; various symptoms of True Yin insufficiency with internal heat and vexation. All such conditions should avoid it. Violating this leads to critical danger. Long-term use of Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian, 黄连) and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Kushen, 苦参) may transform into Heat from Fire due to the drying nature of bitter flavors. Since fire flares upward manifesting as bitterness, bitter flavors are necessarily drying; dryness generates heat. Moreover, bitter-cold sinks and belongs to Yin, possessing a肃杀 (severe/killing) energy that damages the harmonious life-generating Qi. It is antagonistic to Chrysanthemi Flos (Juhua, 菊花), Scrophulariae Radix (Yuanshen, 元参), Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan, 僵蚕), and Dictamni Cortex (Baixianpi, 白藓皮). It fears Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Kudong, 款冬 - *Note: likely referring to Kuan Dong Hua/Adenophorae Radix contextually or specific incompatibility*) and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi, 牛膝). Pork is taboo as it causes diarrhea. Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin, 黄芩) and Draconis Os (Longgu, 龙骨) serve as guides; it overcomes Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Wutou, 乌头) and resolves Codonopsis/Castoris toxicity (*Note: Text says 'Baidu' which usually refers to Crotonis Fructus/Badou, but text says 'Wutou solves Badou poison', here translated as resolving Castoris/Croton toxicity based on common TCM interactions, specifically Crotonis Fructus*).
[Efficacy] Extremely bitter and cold, it purges Heart and Liver Fire and dries dampness. When administered together with Cassia Twig (Guigui, 官桂), it enables the intersection of Heart and Kidney within moments.
Li Dongyuan (Haicang) stated: Purging the Heart effectively purges the Spleen. According to the principle of "purging the son when excess," one may use Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao, 甘草) to moderate its bitterness, or add Ginseng Radix (Renshen, 人参) to restrain it.
[Processing] According to the *Shennong Ben Cao Jing*: For Heart Fire, use raw; for Liver Fire, stir-fry with bovine bile; for Upper Jiao Fire, stir-fry with wine; for Middle Jiao Fire, stir-fry with ginger juice; for Lower Jiao Fire, stir-fry with salt water or child's urine; for Food Stagnation Fire, stir-fry with earth powder; for Damp-Heat in the Qi Level, stir-fry with Evodiae Fructus decoction; for Damp-Heat in the Blood Level, stir-fry with vinegar. For eye application, soaking in human milk is also acceptable. Harvest roots in the second and eighth lunar months and sun-dry. Sichuan-grown Coptidis Rhizoma is yellow, has soft hairs without hard spines, tastes slightly bitter and thin, and is ineffective. Roots harvested in the sixth and seventh lunar months are tight and suitable for collection. Yazhou Coptidis Rhizoma is slender, curved, slightly yellow, hairless with hard spines; Malihu Coptidis Rhizoma is black, fine, with hard spines like embroidery needle heads, shaped like chicken claws; these two varieties are the best. Note: Due to its bitter and drying nature, Coptidis Rhizoma is unsuitable for those with Blood deficiency and Heat, as entering the Heart may exacerbate Heart Fire.