出秦陇华成诸郡。所在近水地亦有之。苗长尺许。丛生直上。一根一干。无花叶。寸
节中空。茎干糙涩。似麻黄而稍粗。凌冬不凋。四月采之。（核）
茎
味甘微苦。气温。中空而轻。升也。浮也。入足厥阴少阳血分。亦入足太阴经。主治
疾。退翳膜。止泪。消积块。益肝胆。疗肠风血痢。及女子月水不断。崩中赤白。去风湿
痛。大肠脱肛。去节烘过。发汗至易。（丹溪）与麻黄同形同性。故能发汗解肌。升散
风湿。治眼目诸血疾。得牛角 麝香。治休息久痢。得禹余粮当归川芎。治崩中赤
蛾桑耳。治肠风下血。得槐子枳实。治痔疾出血。得谷精草决明子白蒺藜蝉
花。治目疾久病消翳障。得槐角子苍耳子（ 存性）地榆茜根。治肠痔下血
年不止。用木贼枳壳各二两。干姜一两。大黄二钱半。并炒黑存性为末。
血崩血气痛甚。年远不瘥者。木贼散主之。木贼香附各一两。朴硝半两
色黑者酒一盏煎。红赤者水一盏煎。和渣。日二服。脐下痛者。加乳香
忌生冷硬物猪鱼油腻酒面。
〔论〕 木贼中空直上。是阴中透阳。而风升毕达也。凌冬多节。是阳能化阴。而气不
逾节
于水
以血为
也。木
风邪散矣
不能化湿。
还以病于肝
然。此所能
于阳不得阴以化者。又当别从其本而治之。至如止目泪。乃因血之不化以病于风。要不离于
血病耳。
目疾由于怒气。及暑热伤血。暴赤肿痛者。非其所任。（仲淳）
〔修治〕 去节。童便浸一宿。焙干用。
木贼产于秦州、陇州、华州、成州等郡。在靠近水边的地方也有生长。植株高约一尺，丛生成片，直立向上生长。一根茎干，没有花和叶，节间寸许中空，茎干表面粗糙涩手，外形像麻黄但稍粗一些，冬季也不凋谢。四月采收。（李时珍注）
【茎】
味甘，微苦，气温。质地中空而轻，具有升浮之性。归足厥阴肝经、足少阳胆经的血分，也入足太阴脾经。主治目疾，退除眼翳膜，止泪，消除积块，补益肝胆，治疗肠风血痢，以及女子月经淋漓不断、崩漏下赤白浊，去除风湿痛，治疗大肠脱肛。将药材去节后用火烘过，发汗作用极易发挥。（朱丹溪注）木贼与麻黄外形相似、药性相同，因此能发汗解肌，升散风湿，治疗眼目各种血证。配伍牛角、麝香，可治疗休息痢（久治不愈的慢性痢疾）；配伍禹余粮、当归、川芎，可治疗崩中赤白；配伍桑耳，可治疗肠风下血；配伍槐子、枳实，可治疗痔疾出血；配伍谷精草、决明子、白蒺藜、蝉花，可治疗目疾久病导致的消翳障；配伍槐角子、苍耳子（存性）、地榆、茜根，可治疗肠痔下血多年不止。若用木贼、枳壳各二两，干姜一两，大黄二钱半，一同炒黑存性研为末服用，可治血崩、血气疼痛剧烈且病程长久不愈者，以木贼散为主方。木贼、香附各一两，朴硝半两，色黑的用酒一盏煎煮，色红赤的用温水一盏煎煮，连渣同服，每日两次。若脐下疼痛者，加乳香。忌食生冷硬物、猪肉、鱼类、油腻食物、酒类及面食。
〔论〕 木贼中空且直立向上，这是阴中透阳，风气升发直达的表现。经历冬天多节，说明阳气能化生阴质，而气机不逾越节度。因为湿邪不能化生，所以反而致病于肝。然而，这是木贼所能达到的功效。对于阳气得不到阴液来化生的情况，又应当从根本上去治疗。至于停止目泪，是因为血液不能正常化生而受风邪侵袭所致，总离不开血病的范畴。目疾由于怒气，以及暑热伤血导致突然红肿疼痛的，不是木贼所能胜任治疗的。（陈实功/仲淳注）
〔修治〕 去掉节部，用童子尿浸泡一夜，焙干后使用。
*Equiseti Herba* (Mu Zei) is produced in the commanderies of Qinzhou, Longzhou, Huazhou, and Chengzhou. It is also found in areas near water sources. The seedlings grow to about one chi in height, growing in clusters and straight upward. Each plant has a single stem without flowers or leaves, with internodes approximately one cun long and hollow in the center. The stems are rough and涩 (astringent/coarse), resembling *Ephedrae Herba* (Mahuang, 麻黄) but slightly thicker. It does not wither in winter. It is harvested in the fourth month. (Li Shizhen's commentary)
[Stem]
The taste is sweet with a slight bitterness, and the temperature is warm. Its texture is hollow and light, possessing ascending and floating properties. It enters the blood aspect of the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian and Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, and also enters the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. It mainly treats eye diseases, removes corneal opacities (pterygium/membranes), stops tearing, eliminates accumulations, benefits the liver and gallbladder, treats intestinal wind bloody dysentery, as well as continuous menstruation in women, metrorrhagia with red and white discharge, dispels wind-dampness pain, and treats rectal prolapse. After removing the nodes and roasting over fire, it induces sweating easily. (Zhu Danxi's commentary) *Equiseti Herba* resembles *Ephedrae Herba* (Mahuang, 麻黄) in shape and nature; therefore, it can induce sweating and release the muscle layer, ascend and disperse wind-dampness, and treat various blood disorders of the eyes. When combined with *Bovis Cornu* (Niujiao, 牛角) and *Moschus* (Shexiang, 麝香), it treats chronic persistent dysentery (Xixi Ji). When combined with *Haematitum* (Yuyuliang, 禹余粮), *Angelicae Sinensis Radix* (Danggui, 当归), and *Chuanxiong Rhizoma* (Chuanxiong, 川芎), it treats metrorrhagia with red and white discharge. When combined with *Auricula Judaea* (Sanger, 桑耳), it treats intestinal wind bleeding. When combined with *Sophorae Fructus* (Huai Zi, 槐子) and *Immature Bitter Orange* (Zhishi, 枳实), it treats hemorrhoidal bleeding. When combined with *Gigantochloa Balcooa Flower* (Gu Jing Cao, 谷精草), *Cassiae Semen* (Jueming Zi, 决明子), *Tribulus Fruit* (Bajili, 白蒺藜), and *Cicada Molt* (Chan Hua, 蝉花), it treats chronic eye diseases causing opacity and obstruction. When combined with *Sophorae Tonkinensis Fruit* (Huai Jiao Zi, 槐角子), *Xanthii Fructus* (Canger Zi, 苍耳子) [prepared by keeping the nature], *Sanguisorbae Radix* (Diyu, 地榆), and *Rubia Cordifolia Radix* (Qian Gen, 茜根), it treats chronic hemorrhoidal bleeding lasting for years. For severe metrorrhagia and blood qi pain that have persisted for a long time without cure, use *Mu Zei San* (Wood Horsetail Powder) as the main formula: take two liang of *Equiseti Herba* (Mu Zei) and *Immature Bitter Orange* (Zhike, 枳壳), one liang of *Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens* (Ganjiang, 干姜), and half a qian of *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Dahuang, 大黄); stir-fry them until blackened while preserving their nature, then grind into powder. Use *Mu Zei San*: one liang each of *Equiseti Herba* (Mu Zei) and *Cyperi Rhizoma* (Xiangfu, 香附), and half a liang of *Natrii Sulfas* (Puxiao, 朴硝). Decoct with one cup of wine if the material is dark/black, or one cup of water if it is red/cherry-colored. Take the dregs and liquid together, twice daily. If there is pain below the umbilicus, add *Frankincense* (Ruxiang, 乳香). Avoid raw, cold, hard foods, pork, fish, greasy foods, alcohol, and wheat products.
[Discussion]
*Equiseti Herba* is hollow and grows straight upward, indicating yang penetrating through yin, allowing wind to rise and reach everywhere. Having many nodes after enduring winter indicates that yang can transform yin, and the qi does not exceed the nodes. Because dampness cannot be transformed, it returns to cause disease in the liver. However, this is what *Equiseti Herba* can achieve. For conditions where yang fails to be transformed by yin, treatment should address the root cause. As for stopping eye tearing, it is due to blood failing to transform properly and being affected by wind; ultimately, it remains within the category of blood disorders. Eye diseases caused by anger, or sudden redness, swelling, and pain due to summer-heat injuring the blood, are not suitable for treatment with this herb. (Zhong Chun's commentary)
[Processing]
Remove the nodes. Soak in urine from a healthy boy overnight, then dry by baking before use.