经冬根不死。二月抽苗。清明分株排种。夏秋采取。曝令干。先期灌以粪壤。雨后刈
收。不尔气味亦不辛凉也。产苏吴者茎小叶细。臭如龙脑。称龙脑薄荷。（种子苏州府学人
真）江右者茎肥。蜀汉更肥。俱不及吴产。根茎真似紫苏。但叶不同。薄荷茎燥。紫苏茎和
。
茎叶
高巅及皮肤风
热）能引诸药入营卫。（辛合肺。肺主皮毛。苦合心而从火化。主血脉）手太阴少阴。兼手
会首。驱诸热生风。疗中风。（此下焦元阴虚而元阳失守以为
清利头目咽喉口齿。一切在
上及皮肤风热。又治小儿风涎。
或暖酒和饮。或煎茶生食并
宜。）
方书治风头痛。（此上焦阳中阴虚而化风或阳郁化风者）眩晕发热。咳嗽痰饮。癫痫伤燥热
高爽清明之象。（复）能搜肝气。又主肺盛有余肩背痛。及风
风热上壅。斯为要药。噙
化丸以之为君。主阴虚肺热咳嗽。
治头痛旋晕。心忪烦热。
颈项紧
川芎龙
十五两。桔梗一百两。甘草三十五两 。防风去苗二十五两。细辛五两
搜和。每一两半。分作五十
丸。食后临卧。用腊茶清细嚼。下一丸。
水浸去皮。捣取汁。合和
于银石器内熬
捣和丸。梧子
丸。连翘汤下。
〔论〕薄荷感杪春初夏之气。而得乎火金之味。金胜火劣。故辛多于苦。夫由杪春而初
味得金气之胜。是为火中金气。诚如卢复转夏为秋之说也。本火
而同降折之功。非从治而有
从治之用。第其随所病而疗者。类属
心脉而行呼吸。又云。二阴
（肾也）
然则兹味
乎。（海藏故谓手太阴兼手厥阴药）其值大火之候而金气乃昌者。金固以
脉而行呼吸之义。其金昌于火
候而大禀辛凉者。以金能达火之用。即肾从
太阴厥阴二经药。故止能散
上焦天气之阳。
鼓焰而上行极。
之金。其辛散可以纾阳之拥而上。（漫事降折。则未能治。）其辛凉可以诱阳之依
事疏散。亦未能效。）所谓清
利六阳之会首。祛除诸热之风邪二语。意完而语尽矣。
夫祛除诸热之风邪。非有他道。乃为其能清气耳。（凡下虚而热壅于上以为病者。皆归于气
之不清。）是以癫痫昏冒。由于心脏真阴不得坎水既济而无以育神者。（神为气之主）皆恃此
味本阴以纾阳而清之化之。若但执为治风。执为治热。均未尽其精微也。总之。此味所司者。
气分之清化。如炎 之候。商 动而酷热顿转。此造化元机。在于退热之先。而薄荷适有合
焉者。或谓是物与荆芥同一辛凉治风。不知薄荷并入手太阴厥阴。荆芥则独奏功于足厥阴。
缘荆芥辛温而有凉。薄荷止有辛凉。即其根经冬不死。固知其原禀水气。特因木气以达耳。
然则海藏亦谓其搜肝气者。以所治之功。自及于肝。不同荆芥之有专致焉耳。又薄荷在唐本
草。首主贼风伤寒。而后学多云除风热。大抵值大火之候而生。以辛温言者。从火为主之义
也。言辛凉者。从金为火用之义也。故用此味。须识火为主。而金为火用。如风寒固致其火
之用矣。如风热亦即以善于达火之用。而真气毕畅也。洁古云。可以和寒降之味而不损脾。
卢不远云。可以助寒降之味而散其暑毒。二者兼之。
缪氏。病新瘥者。勿服。以其发汗虚表气也。咳嗽因肺虚寒客者。勿服。以其当补也。
阴虚发热。血虚头痛。非同补血药弗用。小儿身热。由于伤食。及疳积者。弗用。痘疮属气
虚者。初起亦不可用。
〔辨治〕苏州者胜。其茎燥。止用叶。
经冬之后根部不死。二月抽出新苗。清明时节分株排种。夏秋两季采收。晒至干燥。提前用粪肥土壤灌溉。雨后收割。否则气味就不辛凉了。产于苏州、吴地的薄荷茎细叶小，气味像龙脑，称为龙脑薄荷。（种子以苏州府学人种植的为真品）江西产的薄荷茎粗壮。蜀汉产的更粗壮，但都不如苏州产的好。根茎外形很像紫苏，只是叶子不同。薄荷的茎质地燥，紫苏的茎质地和润。
【茎叶功效】
能治疗头顶及皮肤的风热。能引导其他药物进入营卫系统。（辛味入肺，肺主皮毛；苦味入心并随火化，主血脉）。作用于手太阴肺经和手少阴心经，兼治手厥阴心包经。能驱散各种热邪，平息内风，治疗中风。（此处指下焦元阴亏虚而元阳失守所导致的情况）。清利头目、咽喉、口齿。一切在上部及皮肤的风热证，又治疗小儿风痰涎。或者用温酒送服，或者煎茶生食都适宜。
方书中记载治疗风邪头痛。（此处指上焦阳中阴虚而化风，或阳气郁结化风的情况）、眩晕发热、咳嗽痰饮、癫痫伤于燥热的高爽清明之象。（另外）能疏泄肝气。又主治肺气盛有余导致的肩背痛，以及风热上壅，这是关键药物。含化丸剂以此药为君药，主治阴虚肺热咳嗽。治疗头痛眩晕、心悸烦热、颈项拘紧。
川芎十五两，桔梗一百两，甘草三十五两，防风去苗二十五两，细辛五两。捣碎混合制成丸药，梧桐子大小。每服一丸半，分为五十丸。饭后临睡前，用腊茶清细细嚼服下一丸。连翘汤送下。
〔论述〕薄荷感受暮春初夏之气，而获得火与金的滋味。金胜火衰，所以辛味多于苦味。从暮春到初夏，味道得到金气的克制，这就是火中的金气。确实像卢复所说，转夏为秋的说法。本属火性，却具有降折的功效，并非顺从治疗而有顺从治疗的作用。只是它随着病症而治疗，类别属于心脉而行呼吸。又说，二阴（肾也）。然而这种味道……（海藏因此称其为手太阴兼手厥阴药）。正值大火之时而金气昌盛，金固然以脉行呼吸的意义。其金气昌盛于火候而大禀受辛凉性质，是因为金能达到火的作用，即肾从太阴厥阴二经药。所以只能疏散上焦天气之阳。鼓动火焰而上行至极。之金，其辛散可以缓解阳气的郁结而上行。（漫事降折，则未能治。）其辛凉可以诱导阳气依附于事疏散，也未能有效。）所谓清利六阳之会首，祛除诸热之风邪这两句话，意思完整而语言穷尽了。
夫祛除诸热之风邪，没有别的途径，就是因为它能清气罢了。（凡是下虚而热壅于上导致疾病的，都归于气不清）。所以癫痫昏冒，是由于心脏真阴不能得到坎水既济而无法育神。（神为气之主），都依赖这种味道本阴来舒缓阳气而清之化之。如果只执着于治风，执着于治热，都没有穷尽其精微之处。总之，这种味道所主管的是气分的清化。如炎暑之时，商令动而酷热顿转，这是造化的玄机，在于退热之前，而薄荷恰好符合这一点。有人说此物与荆芥同为辛凉治风，不知道薄荷并入手太阴厥阴经，荆芥则独奏功于足厥阴经。因为荆芥辛温而有凉意，薄荷只有辛凉。即使它的根经冬不死，固知其原禀赋水气，特因木气以通达而已。然而海藏也说它能搜肝气，是因为所治之功，自然涉及到肝，不同于荆芥有专一的功效。又薄荷在《唐本草》中，首先主治贼风伤寒，而后学者多说是除风热。大致正值大火之时而生，以辛温言者，是从火为主的意义。言辛凉者，是从金为火用的意义。所以使用这种味道，须识火为主，而金为火用。如风寒固然导致其火之用，如风热也以善于达火之用，而真气毕畅。洁古说：可以和寒降之味而不损脾。卢不远说：可以助寒降之味而散其暑毒。二者兼之。
缪氏认为：病刚痊愈的人，不要服用，因为它发汗虚表气。咳嗽因肺虚寒客者，不要服用，因为它应当补益。阴虚发热，血虚头痛，不配合补血药不用。小儿身热，由于伤食，及疳积者，不用。痘疮属气虚者，初起也不可用。
〔辨治〕苏州产的胜过其他产地。其茎燥，只用叶子。
After winter, the roots do not die. In February, new shoots emerge. At the Qingming Festival, plants are divided and transplanted. Harvested in summer and autumn, then dried by sun exposure. Irrigated with manure-rich soil beforehand. Cut and collected after rain; otherwise, the aroma will not be pungent and cool. Mint produced in Suzhou and Wu regions has thin stems and small leaves, smelling like borneol, known as Borneol Mint (Longnao Bohe). (Seeds from Suzhou Prefecture Academy growers are considered authentic.) Mint from Jiangxi has thick stems. Those from Shu and Han are even thicker but inferior to those from Wu. The roots and stems resemble Perilla (Zisu) closely, differing only in leaves. Mint stems are dry in texture, while Perilla stems are moist.
[Stems and Leaves]
Can treat wind-heat affecting the vertex and skin. Can guide other herbs into the Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) systems. (Pungent flavor enters the Lung, which governs skin and hair; bitter flavor enters the Heart and transforms with Fire, governing blood vessels). Acts on the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian, also involving the Hand-Jueyin Pericardium Meridian. It can dispel various heat pathogens, extinguish internal wind, and treat Wind Stroke (Zhongfeng). (This refers to conditions caused by deficiency of primal Yin in the lower jiao leading to loss of control over primal Yang). It clears and benefits the head, eyes, throat, and teeth. It treats all wind-heat conditions located above or on the skin, and also pediatric phlegm-wind. It may be taken with warm wine, or decocted in tea, or eaten raw.
Medical texts record its use for wind-type headaches. (This refers to wind generated from yin deficiency within yang in the upper jiao, or wind generated from yang stagnation), dizziness, fever, cough with phlegm-fluid retention, epilepsy, and dryness-heat causing a clear and bright mental state. (Additionally,) it can search out and disperse Liver Qi. It also treats shoulder and back pain due to excessive Lung Qi, and wind-heat congestion upward, making it an essential herb. As the sovereign herb in Lozenge Pills (Qin Hua Wan), it treats cough due to yin deficiency and lung heat. It treats headache and dizziness, palpitations, irritability, and neck stiffness.
Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong) 15 liang, Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng) 100 liang, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao) 35 liang, Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng, de-radicle) 25 liang, Asari Radix et Rhizoma (Xixin) 5 liang. Pounded and mixed into pills, size of wu zi (Cocculus orbiculatus seeds). Take one and a half pills per dose, divided into fifty pills. Chew thoroughly after meals and before sleep, swallowing one pill with clear wax-tea water. Administer with Forsythiae Fructus Decoction (Lianqiao Tang).
[Discussion] Mint absorbs the qi of late spring and early summer, obtaining the flavors of Fire and Metal. Metal is superior and Fire is inferior, so the pungent flavor exceeds the bitter flavor. From late spring to early summer, the taste gains the dominance of Metal qi, which is Metal within Fire. This aligns with Lu Fu's theory of transforming Summer into Autumn. Although originating from Fire nature, it possesses the function of descending and restraining, not through "following treatment" (Cong Zhi) but having the utility of following treatment. It treats according to the disease, belonging to the category of Heart vessels governing respiration. It is also said to involve the Two Yin (Kidney). Thus, this herb... (Haizang therefore classified it as a drug for Hand-Taiyin and Hand-Jueyin meridians). When the Great Fire season arrives, Metal qi flourishes. Metal indeed governs respiration via vessels. Its Metal qi flourishing during Fire periods and greatly inheriting pungent-cool properties indicates that Metal can facilitate the function of Fire, i.e., Kidney interacting with Hand-Taiyin and Hand-Jueyin meridians. Therefore, it can only disperse the Yang of the Heavenly Qi in the Upper Jiao. It drums up flames and ascends to the extreme. Of Metal, its pungent dispersion can relieve Yang congestion and ascend. (If merely descending and restraining, it would fail). Its pungent-cool nature can induce Yang to rely on dispersing events, yet also fails to be effective. The phrases "clearing and benefiting the meeting of the Six Yang meridians" and "dispelling wind-pathogens of various heats" are complete in meaning and exhaustive in language.
Dispelling wind-pathogens of various heats has no other way than its ability to clear Qi. (Any disease caused by lower deficiency and heat congestion in the upper jiao belongs to unclear Qi). Thus, epilepsy and coma result from Heart true Yin failing to receive assistance from Kan Water (Kidney Water) to nourish Shen (Spirit). (Shen is the master of Qi). All rely on this herb's yin nature to soothe Yang and clear/transform it. If one merely insists on treating wind or treating heat, one does not fully grasp its subtleties. In short, this herb governs the clearing and transformation of the Qi aspect. Like the scorching heat period where Shang (Autumn) energy moves and intense heat suddenly turns, this is the mystery of creation, lying in retreating heat beforehand, and Mint coincides with this. Some say this herb and Schizonepeta (Jingjie) are both pungent-cool for treating wind, not knowing Mint enters Hand-Taiyin and Hand-Jueyin, while Jingjie works solely on Foot-Jueyin. Because Jingjie is pungent-warm with cooling properties, Mint is purely pungent-cool. Even though its roots survive winter, indicating it originally inherits Water qi, it specifically reaches via Wood qi. However, Haizang also said it searches Liver Qi because its therapeutic effects naturally extend to the Liver, unlike Jingjie which has specific targets. Also, Mint in *Tang Bencao* first treated thief-wind and cold damage, while later scholars mostly said it removes wind-heat. Generally, it grows during the Great Fire season. Speaking of pungent-warm implies taking Fire as primary. Speaking of pungent-cool implies taking Metal as used by Fire. Therefore, using this herb requires understanding Fire as primary and Metal as utilized by Fire. If wind-cold causes the use of Fire, wind-heat also utilizes the ability to reach Fire's function, allowing True Qi to flow freely. Jiegu said: It can harmonize with cold-descending herbs without damaging Spleen. Lu Buyuan said: It can assist cold-descending herbs to dissipate summer-toxicity. Both aspects combined.
Miu stated: Do not take if illness has just resolved, as it induces sweating and empties exterior Qi. Do not take if cough is due to Lung deficiency and cold invasion, as tonification is needed. For yin-deficiency fever and blood-deficiency headache, do not use unless combined with blood-tonifying herbs. Do not use for children with fever due to food injury or malnutrition accumulation. Do not use in the initial stage of chickenpox if attributed to Qi deficiency.
[Differentiation and Treatment] Suzhou-produced mint is superior. Its stems are dry; only leaves should be used.