中国古代的历代医家在医疗实践中逐步探索出中药的性能。而中药治病，就是利用每种药物的不同性能，来恢复和调整我们身体各脏腑的功能，纠正人体内的阴阳失衡。
“气”是指药物的性质。就像一年四季的气候各不相同，中药有四气，又称四性，即寒、热、温、凉。这里所说的“寒热温凉”可不是我们平时所说的温度，而是指药物的性质，是根据人体对药物的反应以及药物的治疗效果而总结出来的。比如有些疾病属于热证，就需要用寒凉性的中药来治疗，如菊花、黄连、百合、薄荷等，这些药具有清热、解毒、泻火等功效；有些疾病属于寒证，就需要温热性的中药来治疗，如人参、当归、防风等，这类药物具有温中、散寒等作用。
“味”是指药物的味道。五味就是药物的五种基本的味道——辛、甘、酸、苦、咸。
辛：辛味药具有发散、行气、活血的作用，适用于外感表证、气滞血瘀、风寒痹症等。如半夏、紫苏、白芷、川芎等。
甘：甘味药具有调和脾胃、补益气血、缓急止痛的作用，适用于机体虚弱等症，并能调和药性。常如人参、党参、甘草、枸杞子等。
酸：酸味药具有收敛、固涩的作用，适用于体虚多汗、久泻肠滑、遗精滑精、尿频失禁等。如五味子、山楂、金樱子、覆盆子等。
苦：苦味药具有清热解毒、燥湿、泻火、通便的作用，适用于热证、湿热、痈肿疮疡等症。如黄连、大黄、苦杏仁等。
咸：咸味药具有软坚散结、泻下通便等作用。如蜈蚣、牡蛎、芒硝等。
Ancient Chinese doctors have gradually found out the properties of Chineseherbalmedicines in their medical practice. Actually, the reason why Chineseherbalmedicine can cure diseases is because the different properties of these medicines can help restore and adjust the functions of our internal organs and correct the imbalance of yin and yang in the body.
“Nature” refers to the properties of the Chineseherbalmedicines. Just like the different climates in four seasons, Chineseherbalmedicines have four kinds of natures, including cold, hot, warm and cool.Of course, these four terms do not refer to the temperature. Instead, theyrefer to thedifferentnature or property of the medicines. They are derived from the human body’s response to the Chineseherbalmedicines and the therapeutic effects of these medicines. For example, some diseases with heat syndromes need to be treated with medicines with cold nature, such asJuhua (ChrysanthemumFlower),Huanglian (Rhizome of ChineseGoldthread),Baihe (LilyBulb),Bohe (Peppermint)and so on. Theseherbal medicineshave the effects of clearing heatand toxicity andpurging fire, etc. Some diseases with cold syndromes need to be treated with medicines with warm or hot nature, such asRenshen(Ginseng),Danggui (ChineseAngelica),Fangfeng(DivaricateSaposhnikoviaRoot), etc. Thesemedicineshavethe functions of warming spleen and stomach for dispelling cold and so on.
“Flavour” refers to the taste of drugs. “Five flavours” means the five basic flavours of Chinese medicines—pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
Pungent: Medicines with pungent flavours have the functions of volatilization, promoting the circulation of qi and invigorating the circulation of blood, etc. They are often used to treat exterior syndrome. Such asBanxia (PinelliaTuber),Zisu (PerillaLeaf), Baizhi (AngelicaDahurica), Chuanxiong (SichuanLovaseRhizome), etc.
Sweet: Medicines with sweet flavour have the functions of regulating spleen and stomach, tonifying qi and blood, and alleviating pain, and they are suitable for the patients withdeficient syndromes, and also can harmonize the properties of other medicines. Such asRenshen (Ginseng),Dangshen (PiloseAsiabellRoot),Gancao (LiquoriceRoot), Gouqizi (WolfberryFruit), etc.
Sour: Medicines with sour flavour have the functions of inducing astringency. They are often used to treat hyperhidrosis, diarrhea, spermatorrhea, urinary incontinence and so on. Such asWuweizi (ChineseMagnolcavineFruit), Shanzha (HawthornFruit), Jinyingzi (CherokeeRoseFruit), Fupenzi (PalmleafRaspberryFruit)and so on.
Bitter: Medicines with bitter flavour have the functions of clearing heat and toxicity, drying dampness, reducing fire and purging stool, and are suitable for heat syndrome, damp-heat, carbuncle, sore, and ulcer, etc. Such asHuanglian (Rhizome of ChineseGoldthread),Dahuang (RhubarbRoot andRhizome),Kuxingren (BitterApricotSeed)etc.
Salty: Medcines with salty flavour have the functions of softening hardness to dissipate stagnation and defecation, etc., such asWugong (Centipede), Muli (Common OysterShell),Mangxiao (Mirabilite)and so on.
转载自《读故事 识本草：中药入门读本》
