味辛甘涩,性温无毒,入胃大肠二经。主消谷逐水,宣脏利腑,攻坚行滞,除痰癖,
杀三虫,却伏尸,疗寸白,攻香港脚,解诸蛊。坠药性如铁石,治浓重如奔马,见火无功。
按∶槟榔甘温之品,宜于胃家,沉阴之性,宜于大肠。考诸功验,取其下坠,非取其破
气,广闽多服之者,盖以地暖淫蒸,居民感之,气亦上盛,故服此以降之尔。尖长者,快锐
速效。
雷公云∶凡使存坐稳正坚实不虚者,心坚有锦纹者妙。半白半黑,并心虚者,不入药用。
凡修事即头圆矮毗者为榔,身形尖紫纹者为槟,榔力小,槟力大,欲使先以刀刮去底,细切,
勿经火
味苦辛,性微温无毒,入肺脾二经。主冷热气攻心腹,疏通关格,除胀满,祛壅滞,消
浮肿,酒洗去沙,复以大豆汁洗用。
按∶大腹辛宜泻肺,温宜健脾,然宣泄太过,气虚者勿用,树上多栖鸩乌,污染粪毒,
最能为害,故必多洗,方堪用尔。
味甘辛,性温无毒,入肺脾胃肾四经。主口气腹痛,霍乱反胃,鬼疰蛊毒,及肾气奔豚
气,壮阳暖腰膝,疗冷气,杀酒毒,消 癖,除冷劳。有大如山茱萸者,名母丁香,气味尤
佳。
按∶丁香辛温走肺部,甘温走脾胃。肾者,土所制而金所生也,宜咸入之。果犯寒 ,
投之辄应,倘因火症,为祸勿轻。陈藏器云∶拔去白须,姜汁调涂孔中,重生即黑。
雷公云∶凡使有雌雄,雄颗小,雌颗大,似枣核,方中多使。雌力大,膏煎中用雄。若
用须去了,盖乳子发人背痈也。
槟榔:味辛、甘、涩,性温,无毒。归胃经和大肠经。主要功效为消化食物、驱除水饮、宣通脏腑气机、攻逐坚积、行气导滞、消除痰癖、杀灭三虫(蛔虫、蛲虫、绦虫等)、治疗伏尸(指潜伏体内难以治愈的慢性消耗性疾病)、治疗寸白虫(绦虫)、攻治香港脚(足部肿痛或坏疽)、解除各种蛊毒。其药性沉重如铁石,作用迅猛如奔马,遇火则失效。
按语:槟榔味甘性温,适宜于胃家;其性沉阴,适宜于大肠。考证其功效验证,取其沉降下行之力,而非取其破气之效。广闽地区居民多服用它,大概是因为当地地势低洼、气候湿热蒸腾,人体之气亦容易上盛,所以服用此药以降逆气。形状尖长的槟榔,药效迅速锐利。
雷公说:凡使用槟榔,要保留坐稳端正、质地坚实不虚浮者,中心坚硬且有锦纹者为妙。半白半黑,且中心虚浮者,不入药用。凡是炮制加工时,头部圆矮者为“榔”,身形尖长有紫纹者为“槟”。榔的药力小,槟的药力大。欲使槟榔,先用刀刮去底部,细切,不要经过火炒。
大腹皮:味苦、辛,性微温,无毒。归肺经和脾经。主要功效为治疗冷热气攻冲心腹,疏通关格(指小便不通与呕吐并见的病症),消除胀满,祛除壅滞,消退浮肿。用酒洗去沙土后,再用大豆汁洗涤使用。
按语:大腹皮味辛宜泻肺,性温宜健脾。然而若宣泄太过,气虚者勿用。树上常栖息鸩鸟,污染粪便毒素,最能为害,所以必须多洗,方可使用。
丁香:味甘、辛,性温,无毒。归肺、脾、胃、肾四经。主要功效为治疗口气、腹痛、霍乱反胃、鬼疰蛊毒,以及肾气奔豚气,壮阳暖腰膝,治疗冷气,解酒毒,消除癖块,去除冷劳。有大如山茱萸者,名为母丁香,气味尤其佳好。
按语:丁香辛温走肺经,甘温走脾胃。肾属土所制约而由金所生,宜咸味入之。若因寒邪侵犯,投用丁香辄应有效;倘若因火症,祸患不可轻视。陈藏器说:拔去白色须根,用姜汁调和涂抹孔中,重新生长出来的即为黑色。
雷公说:凡使用丁香有雌雄之分,雄颗小,雌颗大,像枣核一样,方剂中多用雌品。雌品药力大,膏煎中使用雄品。若使用丁香须去掉,因为乳子(未成熟的果实)会引发人背痈。
Areca Nut (Binglang): Flavor is pungent, sweet, and astringent; nature is warm, non-toxic. Enters the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. Primarily resolves food stagnation, expels water retention, promotes the free flow of zang-fu organs, attacks hard accumulations, moves qi and relieves stagnation, eliminates phlegm-rheum, kills three types of parasites (roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms), treats latent corpse disease (chronic debilitating conditions), cures Taenia solium (tapeworm), attacks Hong Kong foot (podagra or gangrene of the foot), and resolves various gu poisons. Its medicinal property is heavy like iron and stone, its action is swift like a galloping horse, and it loses efficacy when exposed to fire.
Commentary: Areca nut is sweet and warm, suitable for the stomach; its sinking-yin nature is suitable for the large intestine. Examining its efficacy, one utilizes its descending property rather than its qi-breaking property. In Guangfu regions, people take it frequently, likely because the low-lying terrain and humid heat cause human qi to rise excessively, so this herb is taken to descend the qi. Those that are pointed and long act swiftly and sharply.
Lei Gong states: When using areca nut, select those that are upright, solid, and not hollow; those with a hard center and brocade-like patterns are excellent. Those that are half-white and half-black, or have a hollow center, are not used medicinally. During processing, those with a round, short head are called "Lang," while those with a pointed body and purple stripes are called "Bing." Lang has weak potency, while Bing has strong potency. To prepare Bing, scrape off the bottom with a knife, slice thinly, and do not expose to fire.
Betel Nut Husk (Dafupi): Flavor is bitter and pungent; nature is slightly warm, non-toxic. Enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. Primarily treats cold and hot qi attacking the heart and abdomen, unblocks Guan Ge (obstruction characterized by vomiting and inability to urinate), removes distension, dispels congestion, reduces edema. Wash with wine to remove sand, then wash again with soybean juice before use.
Commentary: Dafupi's pungency benefits the Lung by draining, and its warmth benefits the Spleen by strengthening. However, if the draining effect is excessive, it should not be used by those with Qi deficiency. The trees often harbor venomous birds (Zhenwu), contaminating them with fecal toxins, which causes harm; therefore, thorough washing is required before use.
Clove (Dingxiang): Flavor is sweet and pungent; nature is warm, non-toxic. Enters the Lung, Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney meridians. Primarily treats bad breath, abdominal pain, cholera with regurgitation, Gui Zhu Gu Du (ghostly infections and poisons), as well as Kidney Qi Ben Tun Qi (Qi rushing upward like a galloping horse), strengthens yang, warms waist and knees, treats cold qi, detoxifies alcohol, eliminates Pi masses (accumulations), and removes cold exhaustion. Those as large as Cornus officinalis fruit are named Mother Clove (Mu Dingxiang), with particularly fine aroma.
Commentary: Clove's pungent-warm nature travels to the Lung meridian, and its sweet-warm nature travels to the Spleen and Stomach meridians. The Kidney is controlled by Earth and generated by Metal, so salty flavor enters it. If caused by cold pathogen, administration yields immediate results; however, if caused by fire syndromes, the disaster is not light. Chen Cangqi states: Remove the white stamens, mix ginger juice, apply to the hole; newly grown ones will be black.
Lei Gong states: There are male and female cloves. Male capsules are small, female capsules are large, resembling jujube pits. Female cloves are mostly used in prescriptions. Female cloves have stronger potency, while male cloves are used in paste decoctions. If using clove buds (Ru Zi), they must be removed, as they can induce back carbuncles in humans.