\r甘草\pj18.bmp\r
味甘，气平。生寒炙温，可升可降。阴中阳也。无毒。产陕西川谷，逢秋后采根。因
味甘甜，故名甘草。忌猪肉，恶远志。反甘遂、海藻及大戟、芫花。入太阴、少阴、厥阴足
经，用白术、干漆、苦参引使。生泻火，炙温中。梢去尿管涩痛，节消痈疽 肿。
子除胸热，三者宜生。
身选壮大横纹，刮皮生炙随用。悬痈单服即散，（凡毒生阴囊后、肛门前，
横纹者五钱，酒煎服下即散。）
咽痛旋咽能除。同桔梗，治肺痿脓血齐来；同生姜，止下痢亦白杂至。小儿初生，加黄连煎
汤，拭口有益；饮馔中毒，
伴黑豆煮汁，
肌，长肌肉，健脾胃，补三
焦。止渴除烦，养血下气。解百药毒免害，和诸药性杜争。后人尊之，称为国老。又因性缓，
能解诸急。故热药用之缓
其热，寒药用之缓其寒。如附子理中，用者恐僭诸上；调胃承气，用者恐速于下。是皆缓之，
非谓和也。小柴胡汤有柴
胡、黄芩之寒，人参、半夏之温，内加同煎，此却调和相协，非谓缓焉。凤髓丹中又为补剂，
虽缓肾湿，实益元阳。
经云∶以甘补之，以甘缓之，以甘泻之，悉可征矣。中满证恐甘能作胀，切禁莫加；下
焦药因性缓难达，务宜少用。凡诸呕吐，亦忌煎尝。久服轻身，延年耐老。
（谟）按∶五味之用，苦直行而泻，辛横行而散，甘上行而发，酸束而收敛，咸止而软
坚。甘草味之极甘，当云上
发可也。《本草》反言下气何耶？盖甘味有升降浮沉，可上可下，可内
补有泻。居中之道，具尽故尔。
味甘，气平。生用性寒，炙用性温，作用趋势既可上升也可下降。属于阴中有阳的药物。无毒。产于陕西的山谷地区，在秋后采集根部。因为味道甘甜，所以名叫甘草。忌与猪肉同食，畏远志。与甘遂、海藻以及大戟、芫花相反（配伍禁忌）。入足太阴脾经、足少阴肾经、足厥阴肝经，使用白术、干漆、苦参作为引经药。生甘草能泻火，炙甘草能温中。甘草梢能去除尿道涩痛，甘草节能消除痈疽肿胀。甘草子能清除胸中热邪，这三部分宜生用。
甘草身选粗壮且横纹明显的，刮皮或生用、炙用随需选用。悬痈（生于阴囊后方、肛门前方的毒疮）单服即散。（凡是毒疮生在阴囊后、肛门前，取有横纹的甘草五钱，用酒煎服即散。）咽痛时迅速吞咽即可消除。与桔梗同用，治疗肺痿脓血并出；与生姜同用，止住下痢，即使大便中夹杂白色黏液也能治愈。小儿初生，加黄连煎汤擦拭口腔有益；饮食中毒，伴黑豆煮汁服用。能长肌肉，健脾胃，补三焦。止渴除烦，养血下气。解百药之毒以免受害，调和诸药药性防止冲突。后人尊崇它，称为“国老”。又因其药性缓和，能解除各种急症。所以热药用它来减缓其热性，寒药用它来减缓其寒性。如附子理中汤，使用者担心药力僭越上行；调胃承气汤，使用者担心药力下行过快。这些都是利用其缓性的体现，并非指调和之意。小柴胡汤中有柴胡、黄芩的寒性，人参、半夏的温性，内部加入甘草同煎，这才是真正的调和相协，并非指减缓。凤髓丹中又作为补剂，虽然能缓解肾湿，实则益助元阳。
经文说：用甘味来补益，用甘味来缓急，用甘味来泻实，都可以验证了。中满证恐怕甘味会导致腹胀，务必禁止添加；下焦用药因药性迟缓难以到达病所，务必少量使用。凡是有呕吐症状的，也忌讳煎煮品尝。长期服用可轻身延年，抗衰老。
（陈嘉谟）按语：五味的功用，苦味直行而泻，辛味横行而散，甘味上行而发，酸味收敛，咸味软坚。甘草是味道极甘的药物，应当说是上行的。《本草》反而说它下气，为什么呢？大概甘味也有升降浮沉的变化，可上可下，可内补亦可泻。居于中焦之道，具备这些特性，所以如此。
Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae)
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Neutral. Raw use is cold, processed (roasted with honey) use is warm; its action can ascend and descend. It belongs to Yin containing Yang. Non-toxic. Produced in the valleys of Shaanxi province; roots are harvested after autumn. Named "Gancao" because of its sweet taste. Contraindicated with pork; adverse reaction with Yuanzhi (Radix Polygalae). Incompatible with Gansui (Radix Euphorbiae Kansui), Haizao (Thallus Sargassii), Daji (Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis), and Yuanhua (Flos Genkwa). Enters the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Used with Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), Ganqi (Resina Xanthorrhoeae), and Kushen (Cortex Phellodendri) as guiding herbs. Raw Gancao clears heat and purges fire; roasted Gancao warms the middle jiao. Gancao shao (tip) relieves painful dysuria; Gancao jie (node) dissipates carbuncles and sores. Gancao zi (seed) removes chest heat; these three parts should be used raw.
Select robust Gancao stems with prominent transverse rings for use. The skin may be scraped off depending on whether raw or processed form is needed. For Xuanyong (a toxic swelling occurring behind the scrotum and anterior to the anus), single administration causes it to disperse. (For any toxin arising behind the scrotum and anterior to the anus, take 5 qian of Gancao with transverse rings, decoct in wine, and ingest to disperse.) For sore throat, rapid swallowing provides immediate relief. Combined with Jiegeng (Radix Platycodonis), it treats Feiwei (lung atrophy) with simultaneous expectoration of pus and blood; combined with Shengjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens), it stops dysentery even when white mucus is mixed in stool. For newborn infants, adding Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) to decoct a soup for wiping the mouth is beneficial; for food poisoning, decocting with Heidou (Semen Phaseoli Vulgaris Nigrum) helps. It promotes flesh growth, strengthens the spleen and stomach, tonifies the Triple Burner. It stops thirst, removes irritability, nourishes blood, and directs Qi downward. It resolves the toxicity of all medicines to prevent harm and harmonizes the properties of various herbs to prevent conflict. Later generations revered it, calling it "Guolao" (State Elder). Furthermore, due to its mild nature, it can resolve various acute conditions. Thus, when used with hot medicines, it moderates their heat; when used with cold medicines, it moderates their coldness. For example, in Fuzi Lizhong Tang (Aconite Decoction to Regulate the Middle), users fear the medicinal force might overact upwards; in Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulate the Stomach and Purge the Bowels Decoction), users fear the action might be too rapid downwards. These cases utilize its moderating property, not merely its harmonizing property. In Xiaochaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction), there are the cold properties of Chaihu (Radix Bupleuri) and Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), and the warm properties of Renshen (Radix Ginseng) and Banxia (Rhizoma Pinelliae); adding Gancao for simultaneous decoction achieves true harmony and coordination, which is distinct from mere moderation. In Fengsui Dan (Phoenix Marrow Pill), it serves as a tonic; although it alleviates dampness in the kidney, it essentially benefits the Primordial Yang.
The Classics state: Use sweet to tonify, use sweet to moderate urgency, use sweet to purge excess; this can all be verified. In cases of fullness in the middle jiao, one must fear that sweet flavor may cause distension; thus, it is strictly prohibited to add it. For medicines targeting the lower jiao, because their nature is slow and difficult to reach the destination, they should be used in small amounts. For all types of vomiting, decoction and tasting are also contraindicated. Long-term consumption lightens the body, prolongs life, and delays aging.
(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: The functions of the five flavors are: Bitter goes straight down to purge; Pungent moves horizontally to disperse; Sweet ascends to release; Sour binds and converges; Saline stops and softens hardness. Gancao has the most extreme sweet taste, so it should be described as ascending. Why does the Materia Medica say it directs Qi downward? This is because the sweet flavor possesses ascending, descending, floating, and sinking properties; it can act upward or downward, internally tonifying or purging. Occupying the central position, it embodies all these principles, hence such descriptions.