益智，味辛，气温，无毒，入肺、脾、肾三经。能补君、相二火，和中焦胃气，逐寒邪，
禁
遗精溺，止呕哕，摄涎唾，调诸气，以安三焦。夜多小便，加盐服之最效，但不可多用，恐
动君相之火也，然能善用之，则取效甚捷。大约入于补脾之内则健脾，入于补肝之内则益肝
，入于补肾之中则滋肾也。
砂仁，味辛、苦，气温，无毒。入脾、肺、膀胱，大小肠。止哕定吐，除霍乱，止恶心，
安
腹痛，温脾胃，治虚劳冷泻，消宿食，止休息痢，安胎颇良，但只可为佐使，以行滞气，所
用不可过多。用之补虚丸绝佳，能辅诸补药，行气血于不滞也。
或问砂仁消食之药，入之补虚之中，似乎不宜，何以绝佳？不知补药味重，非佐之消食
之药
，未免过于滋益，反恐难于开胃。入之砂仁，以苏其脾胃之气，则补药尤能消化，而生精生
气，更易易也。
或问砂仁香能入脾，辛能润肾，虚气不归元，非用此为向导不济，殆胜桂、附热毒之害
多矣
。曰∶此不知砂仁者也。砂仁只入脾，而不入肾，引补肾药入于脾中则可，谓诸补药，必借
砂仁引其由脾以入肾则不可也。《神农本草》并未言其入肾，不过说主虚劳冷泻耳。夫冷泻
有专属于脾者，何谓脾寒俱是肾寒乎。
肉豆蔻，味苦、辛，气温，无毒。一名肉果。入心、脾、大肠经。疗心腹胀疼，止霍乱，
理
脾胃虚寒，能消宿食，专温补心包之火，故又入膻中与胃经也。但能止下寒之泻，而不能止
下热之痢，从前《本草》，多信治血痢有功，而不言其止泻痢。夫泻不同，五更时痛泻五六
次，到日间反不泻，名大瘕泻也。大瘕泻者，肾泻也。肾泻，乃命门无火以生脾土，至五更
亥子之时，正肾气正令之会，肾火衰微，何能生土，所以作泻。故大瘕病，必须补命门之火
，火旺而土自坚矣。肉豆蔻，非补命门之药也，然命门之火上通，心包之火不旺，而命门愈
衰，故欲补命门，必须上补心包也。膻中，即心包，一物而两名之，肉豆蔻补心包火，
补心包，正所以补命门也。况理脾胃寒虚，原其长
技，命门旺，而脾胃又去其虚寒。脾胃得肾气，自足以厘清浊而去水湿，又何至五更之再泻
哉。
或问肉豆蔻开胃消食，子舍而不谈，反言其能止大瘕之泻，亦何舍近而言远乎？曰∶大
瘕之
泻，正所以表肉豆蔻之开胃而消食也。凡人命门之火不旺，则下焦阴寒何能蒸腐水谷。下不
能消，所以泻也。泻久则亡阴，阴亡则肾不能交于心包，而心包亦寒。心包寒，则火不能生
胃，而胃又寒。胃寒，则胃气萧索，又何能消食耶。肉豆蔻，温补命门而通胞，两火相生于
上下，水泻止，而脾胃之气自开，不求其消食而自化。言止肾泻，而开胃消食即在其中，又
何必再言哉。
或问肉豆蔻暖胃而健脾，温肾而止泻，故入之四神丸中，以治脾肾寒虚之作泻，然而有
效、
有不效者，何故？盖肾虚作泻，又有不是命门之寒，故服四神丸，而反多后重之症矣。夫肾
虚未有不寒者，寒则泻。不寒则何以泻，乃饮酒过多，又加色欲，使酒湿入于肾之中，故作
泻也。倘亦以肉豆蔻治之，安能治肾寒者速效哉。
益智，味辛，性温，无毒，归入肺、脾、肾三经。能够补益君火与相火，调和中焦胃气，驱除寒邪，防止遗精和尿失禁，止住呕吐呃逆，收敛涎唾，调理各种气机，从而安定三焦。夜间小便增多者，加盐服用效果最佳，但不可多用，恐怕会扰动君火和相火；然而若能善于使用，则见效非常迅速。大致而言，加入补脾药中则能健脾，加入补肝药中则能益肝，加入补肾药中则能滋肾。
砂仁，味辛、苦，性温，无毒。归入脾、肺、膀胱及大小肠经。能止住呃逆、定吐，消除霍乱，止恶心，安抚腹痛，温暖脾胃，治疗虚劳冷泻，消化积食，止住休息痢，安胎效果很好，但只能作为佐使药，用来行滞气，用量不可过多。用于补虚丸剂中极佳，能辅助各种补药，使气血运行而不滞涩。
有人问：砂仁是消食药，放入补虚药中，似乎不太适宜，为何说效果绝佳？不知道补药味道厚重，如果没有佐以消食药，未免过于滋腻，反而担心难以开胃。加入砂仁，可以苏醒脾胃之气，那么补药就更能被消化，生成精气也就更容易了。
有人问：砂仁香气能入脾，辛味能润肾，虚气不能归元，不用它作为向导不行，大概比桂枝、附子热毒的危害要少得多。回答说：这是不了解砂仁的人说的。砂仁只入脾，不入肾，引导补肾药进入脾中是可以的，如果说各种补药必须借助砂仁引导由脾入肾，那就不对了。《神农本草经》并未说它入肾，只不过说主治虚劳冷泻罢了。冷泻有专门属于脾的，怎么能说脾寒都是肾寒呢。
肉豆蔻，味苦、辛，性温，无毒。又名肉果。归入心、脾、大肠经。治疗心腹胀痛，止霍乱，调理脾胃虚寒，能消化积食，专门温补心包之火，所以又归入膻中与胃经。但只能止下焦寒性的腹泻，而不能止下焦热性的痢疾。以前的《本草》书籍，大多相信它对治血痢有功，却不说它能止泻痢。腹泻有所不同，五更时分疼痛腹泻五六次，到了白天反而不泻，名叫大瘕泻。大瘕泻，就是肾泻。肾泻，是因为命门无火来生脾土，到了五更亥子之时，正是肾气当令的时候，肾火衰微，怎能生土，所以发生腹泻。因此大瘕病，必须补命门之火，火旺了土自然坚固。肉豆蔻，不是补命门的药，然而命门之火上通，如果心包之火不旺，命门就会更加衰微，所以想要补命门，必须上补心包。膻中，就是心包，一物两名，肉豆蔻补心包之火，补心包，正是为了补命门。况且调理脾胃寒虚，原本是它的长处，命门旺盛，而脾胃又去除了虚寒。脾胃得到肾气的帮助，自然足以分清浊而去水湿，又怎么会到五更再次腹泻呢？
有人问：肉豆蔻开胃消食，你舍弃不谈，反而说它能止大瘕之泻，这也是舍近求远吗？回答说：大瘕之泻，正是要表明肉豆蔻能开胃而消食的道理。凡是人的命门之火不旺，下焦阴寒怎能蒸腐水谷。下焦不能消化，所以腹泻。腹泻久了就会亡阴，阴亡则肾不能交于心包，心包也会寒。心包寒，则火不能生胃，胃又会寒。胃寒，则胃气萧索，又怎能消食呢？肉豆蔻，温补命门并通达心包，上下两火相生，水泻停止，而脾胃之气自然开启，不求其消食而食物自化。说止肾泻，而开胃消食就在其中了，又何必再言说呢？
有人问：肉豆蔻暖胃健脾，温肾止泻，所以放入四神丸中，以治疗脾肾寒虚引起的腹泻，然而有的有效，有的无效，什么原因？大概肾虚作泻，又有不是命门寒的情况，所以服用四神丸，反而出现后重症状。肾虚没有不寒的，寒则泻。不寒为什么会泻？那是饮酒过多，又加上色欲过度，使酒湿进入肾中，所以发生腹泻。如果用肉豆蔻来治疗这种情况，怎么能对治肾寒者那样快速见效呢？
Yi Zhi (Alpinia oxyphylla), acrid in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. It enters the Lung, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It can tonify the Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo) and Sovereign Fire (Jun Huo), harmonize the Stomach Qi of the Middle Jiao, expel cold pathogens, prevent spermatorrhea and urinary incontinence, stop vomiting and hiccups, retain saliva, regulate various Qi movements, thereby calming the Three Jiao. For those with frequent urination at night, taking it with salt is most effective, but it should not be used in large doses, lest it disturb the Sovereign and Ministerial Fires; however, if used skillfully, its effects are very rapid. Generally speaking, when combined with Spleen-tonifying herbs, it strengthens the Spleen; when combined with Liver-tonifying herbs, it benefits the Liver; when combined with Kidney-tonifying herbs, it nourishes the Kidney.
Sha Ren (Amomi Fructus Rotundus), acrid and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. It enters the Spleen, Lung, Bladder, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians. It stops hiccups and vomiting, eliminates cholera-like symptoms, relieves nausea, soothes abdominal pain, warms the Spleen and Stomach, treats deficiency-cold diarrhea, resolves retained food, stops chronic dysentery, and has a good effect on calming the fetus. However, it should only be used as an assistant herb to move stagnant Qi, and the dosage should not be excessive. It is excellent for use in deficiency-tonifying pills, as it assists other tonifying herbs in promoting the unobstructed flow of Qi and Blood.
One might ask: Sha Ren is a digestive herb; placing it in deficiency-tonifying formulas seems inappropriate. Why is it said to be excellent? One must understand that tonifying herbs have heavy flavors. Without the aid of digestive herbs, they may be too cloying, potentially hindering the opening of the stomach appetite. Adding Sha Ren revives the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach, allowing tonifying herbs to be digested more effectively, making the generation of Essence and Qi easier.
One might ask: The fragrance of Sha Ren enters the Spleen, and its acridity moistens the Kidney. When deficient Qi fails to return to its origin, it cannot be guided without this herb, arguably causing less harm than the heat toxicity of Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Fu Zi (Aconite Root). The response is: This shows a lack of understanding of Sha Ren. Sha Ren enters only the Spleen, not the Kidney. It can guide Kidney-tonifying herbs into the Spleen, but it is incorrect to claim that all tonifying herbs must rely on Sha Ren to guide them from the Spleen to the Kidney. *Shennong Bencao Jing* does not state that it enters the Kidney; it merely states that it treats deficiency-cold diarrhea. Cold diarrhea can specifically belong to the Spleen; how can one say that all Spleen cold is Kidney cold?
Rou Dou Kou (Myristicae Semen), bitter and acrid in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. Also known as Rou Guo. It enters the Heart, Spleen, and Large Intestine meridians. It treats abdominal distension and pain, stops cholera-like symptoms, regulates Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold, resolves retained food, and specifically warms the fire of the Pericardium (Xin Bao). Therefore, it also enters the Dan Zhong (Chest Center) and Stomach meridians. However, it can only stop diarrhea caused by lower-jiao cold, not dysentery caused by lower-jiao heat. Previous *Bencao* texts often believed it was effective for treating bloody dysentery but did not mention its ability to stop diarrhea and dysentery. Diarrhea varies: pain and diarrhea occurring five or six times during the early morning hours (Wu Geng), but no diarrhea during the day, is called Da Jia Xie (Great Mass Diarrhea). Da Jia Xie is also known as Kidney Diarrhea. Kidney Diarrhea occurs because the Ming Men (Gate of Life) lacks fire to generate Spleen Earth. During the Wu Geng period (Hai and Zi hours), which corresponds to the peak time of Kidney Qi, if Kidney fire is weak, it cannot generate Earth, leading to diarrhea. Therefore, for Da Jia disease, one must tonify the fire of the Ming Men; once the fire is strong, the Earth will naturally become firm. Rou Dou Kou is not a herb that tonifies the Ming Men. However, since the fire of the Ming Men connects upward, if the fire of the Pericardium is not strong, the Ming Men will become even weaker. Thus, to tonify the Ming Men, one must first tonify the Pericardium. Dan Zhong is the Pericardium; it is one substance with two names. By tonifying the fire of the Pericardium, Rou Dou Kou is essentially tonifying the Ming Men. Moreover, regulating Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold is its specialty. When the Ming Men is strong and the Spleen and Stomach are freed from deficiency-cold, the Spleen and Stomach, aided by Kidney Qi, are sufficient to separate the clear from the turbid and eliminate dampness, preventing recurrence of diarrhea at dawn.
One might ask: You omit discussing Rou Dou Kou's ability to open the stomach and digest food, yet instead speak of its ability to stop Da Jia diarrhea. Is this not ignoring the near to discuss the far? The response is: The Da Jia diarrhea precisely illustrates Rou Dou Kou's ability to open the stomach and digest food. If the fire of the Ming Men is not strong, the Yin-cold of the Lower Jiao cannot steam and rot food and water. Since the lower part cannot digest, diarrhea results. Prolonged diarrhea leads to the loss of Yin. When Yin is lost, the Kidney cannot interact with the Pericardium, and the Pericardium becomes cold. When the Pericardium is cold, fire cannot generate the Stomach, and the Stomach becomes cold. When the Stomach is cold, Stomach Qi becomes feeble, and it cannot digest food. Rou Dou Kou warms and tonifies the Ming Men and unblocks the Pericardium. With the mutual generation of fire above and below, watery diarrhea stops, and Spleen and Stomach Qi naturally opens. Digestion occurs spontaneously without seeking it. By stating it stops Kidney diarrhea, the aspect of opening the stomach and digesting food is included; why need further explanation?
One might ask: Rou Dou Kou warms the Stomach and strengthens the Spleen, warms the Kidney and stops diarrhea, so it is included in Si Shen Wan (Four Spirits Pill) to treat diarrhea caused by Spleen and Kidney deficiency-cold. Yet, it is effective in some cases and ineffective in others. What is the reason? Generally, diarrhea due to Kidney deficiency involves cold of the Ming Men. However, there are cases where Kidney deficiency causes diarrhea not due to Ming Men cold. In such cases, taking Si Shen Wan may反而 cause a sensation of heaviness in the rectum (Hou Zhong). While Kidney deficiency invariably involves cold, and cold causes diarrhea, what causes diarrhea when there is no cold? It is due to excessive alcohol consumption combined with sexual excess, causing damp-heat/wetness to enter the Kidney, thus causing diarrhea. If Rou Dou Kou is used to treat this condition, how can it achieve rapid efficacy as it does for Kidney cold?