This product is the rhizome of the perennial herbaceous plant Atractylodes Rhizome (Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC.) or Northern Atractylodes Rhizome (A. chinensis (DC.) Koidz) of the Asteraceae family. The former is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Hubei, Henan, and other regions, with the best quality coming from the Maoshan area in Jiangsu, hence the name Maoshan Atractylodes Rhizome. The latter is mainly produced in Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Liaoning, and other areas. It is harvested in spring and autumn, with soil and residual stems removed, and then dried. It is moistened with water or rice washing water, sliced, and lightly fried until slightly yellow for use.

Atractylodes Rhizome, in the Benjing, is simply referred to as "Zhu" without distinguishing between Cang and Bai. Tao Hong-jing pointed out that Zhu has two types: White Atractylodes Rhizome and Red Zhu, with Red Zhu being Atractylodes Rhizome. The name Atractylodes Rhizome first appeared in the Zhenglei Bencao.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid and bitter, warm. act on spleen and stomach channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Drying dampness and invigorating the spleen, dispelling wind and dampness.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for damp stagnation in the middle energizer pattern. This product is good at drying spleen dampness, and is most suitable for symptoms such as abdominal distension and fullness, nausea, poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of strength, and a white greasy tongue coating caused by dampness overwhelming the middle energizer and dysfunction of the spleen in transportation. It is often combined with Magnolia Bark, Dried Tangerine Peel, and other medicinals, such as Stomach-Calming Powder; if it is a dampness-heat or dampness-warm disease pattern, it is combined with heat-clearing medicinals to resolve dampness and clear heat; if it is phlegm-fluid retention or dampness overflow causing edema, it can also be used.
2. Used for wind-dampness Bi disease. Because it is acrid and dispersing, bitter and drying, and excels at dispelling dampness, it is especially suitable for Bi disease with predominant dampness, often combined with Pubescent Angelica, Gentian, etc.; if it is dampness-heat痹 pain, it is combined with Gypsum, Anemarrhena, etc., and added to White Tiger Decoction Plus Atractylodes, and is also often used with Phelloendron Bark, namely Two Wonderful Herbs Powder, and can also be used for dampness-heat痿辟, lower dampness turbidity leukorrhea, eczema, etc.
3. Used for external contraction of wind-cold with dampness in the exterior pattern. If wind-cold dampness evil attacks the exterior, causing aversion to cold with fever, headache and body pain, without sweating, etc., this product can induce sweating to release the exterior and overcome dampness, often combined with Dahurian Angelica, Asarum, etc., such as Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang Magic Atractylodes Powder.
4. In addition, this product can also improve vision, used for nyctalopia and blurred vision with eye dryness. It can be used alone or cooked with Sheep Liver and pig liver.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats wind-cold-dampness impediment, dead muscles, spasms, and jaundice. When made into a decoction and taken for a long time, it lightens the body, prolongs life, and prevents hunger."
2. Bencao Gangmu: "Treats damp phlegm, persistent fluid retention... as well as spleen dampness flowing downward, turbid leukorrhea, and slippery diarrhea with bloody defecation."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 5-10g.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains volatile oil. The main components in the oil are a mixture of Atractylodes Rhizome alcohol and Atractylodes Rhizome lactone. It also contains small amounts of Atractylodes Rhizome ketone, vitamin A-like substances, vitamin B, and inulin. The volatile oil has a sedative effect at low doses, while simultaneously enhancing spinal reflexes. At high doses, it exhibits an inhibitory effect.