The nature and taste of drugs refer to the properties and flavors of drugs, including cold, hot, warm, cool, spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, etc. These flavors play a crucial role in determining the efficacy and function of drugs. For example, cold drugs are often used to treat heat related diseases, while heat related drugs are used to treat cold related diseases; Spicy medicines have a dispersing effect and are often used to treat superficial symptoms, while sweet medicines have a nourishing effect and are often used to treat deficiency syndromes; Sour tasting drugs have astringent effects, bitter tasting drugs have heat clearing effects, and salty tasting drugs have softening and hardening effects.
药物的性味是指药物具有的性质和味道，包括寒、热、温、凉、辛、甘、酸、苦、咸等。这些性味在药物的功效和作用方面起着重要的决定作用。例如，寒性药物多用于治疗热性疾病，热性药物则用于治疗寒性疾病；辛味药物具有发散作用，多用于治疗表证，甘味药物具有补益作用，多用于治疗虚证；酸味药物具有收敛作用，苦味药物具有清热作用，咸味药物具有软坚作用等。