Atractylodes, also known as Chizhu (赤术), Majizhi (马蓟), Qingzhu (青术), and Xianzhu (仙术), is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It has a bitter and pungent flavor and is warm in nature. It belongs to the Spleen (脾) and Stomach (胃) meridians. Its main components include atractylon, atractylone, and a variety of vitamins. The pharmacological effects of Atractylodes include diuresis, sweating, sedation, appetite enhancement, and blood sugar reduction. The herb is derived from the rhizomes of the perennial herbaceous plants Atractylodes macrocephala (茅苍术) and Atractylodes lancea (北苍术). It is warm in nature, pungent in flavor, and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians, exhibiting the ability to dry dampness, strengthen the Spleen, and dispel wind and dampness. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is classified as a damp-dispelling herb. Traditionally, it is used to treat conditions such as dampness obstructing the middle Jiao, rheumatic pain, abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Effects of Atractylodes Atractylodes has the following properties: it is pungent and bitter, warm in nature, and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It is used to treat conditions of excessive dampness obstructing the Spleen, fatigue, abdominal distension, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, phlegm retention, edema, seasonal colds, and rheumatic pain. 1. **Drying Dampness and Strengthening the Spleen**: It is primarily used for the syndrome of dampness obstructing the Spleen. 1) It dries dampness in the middle Jiao, alleviating symptoms such as poor appetite and nausea with a greasy tongue coating. 2) In cases of Spleen deficiency with excessive dampness, it can help with excessive vaginal discharge in women. 2. **Dispelling Wind and Dampness**: It can treat external wind-damp conditions. 1) For external wind-cold, symptoms include headache, fever, and chills without sweating. 2) For external damp-heat, symptoms include fever, chest tightness, and body aches with a greasy tongue coating. 3) For rheumatic pain, it can alleviate joint swelling and weakness. Additionally, it is used for night blindness, having a function to improve vision. 3. **Dispelling Wind and Dampness**: It can also treat night blindness, having a function to improve vision.
Contraindications of Atractylodes 1. Contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and internal heat, or those with Qi deficiency and excessive sweating. 2. Avoid using with Fangfeng (防风) and Diyi (地榆). 3. Avoid peaches, plums, sparrow meat, mustard greens, and green fish. 4. Use with caution in cases of blood deficiency and emotional distress, as it may consume Qi and blood, dry body fluids, and exacerbate feelings of fullness. 5. For conditions associated with Yin deficiency and blood loss, insufficient essence, internal heat, dry mouth, coughing with phlegm, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, throat obstruction, and constipation, it is contraindicated. Those with liver and kidney Qi stagnation should also avoid it.Functions of Atractylodes 1. **Regulating Gastrointestinal Motility**: Atractylodes decoction and its alcohol extract can significantly relieve acetylcholine-induced intestinal spasms in rabbits within a certain dosage range, and it has a counteracting effect on adrenaline-induced intestinal motility inhibition. The alcohol extract can also counteract acetylcholine and barium chloride-induced gastric smooth muscle spasms in rats, while having a mild excitatory effect on normal gastric smooth muscle. Atractylodes acetone extract, β-eudesmol, and atractylon have a significant counteracting effect on contractions induced by acetylcholine, Ca2+, and electrical stimulation in rats. The acetone extract of Atractylodes significantly promotes charcoal propulsion in mice. In a model of “Spleen deficiency diarrhea” induced by senna leaf decoction, Atractylodes decoction has a significant counteracting effect.
2. **Anti-Ulcer Effects**: Atractylodes has strong anti-ulcer properties. Experiments have shown that both Atractylodes macrocephala and Atractylodes lancea have a strong inhibitory effect on pyloric ligation ulcers, pyloric ligation-aspirin ulcers, and stress-induced ulcers. Both types of Atractylodes can significantly inhibit ulcer formation, gastric juice volume, total acidity, total digestive capacity, and gastric mucosal damage. The mechanism of Atractylodes’ anti-ulcer effect is believed to involve two main aspects: 1) Inhibition of gastric acid secretion: The volatile oil in Atractylodes lancea can inhibit the release of steroid hormones, reducing the stimulation of gastric acid secretion by these hormones. The β-eudesmol contained in Atractylodes macrocephala has an anti-H2 receptor effect, which can inhibit gastric acid secretion and counteract the stimulating effect of corticosteroids on gastric acid secretion. 2) Enhancement of gastric mucosal protection: Atractylodes lancea can increase blood flow to gastric mucosal tissues, and the aminoethyl glycoside extracted from Atractylodes has a promoting effect on gastric mucosal repair. Atractylodes (A. japonica) can also significantly increase the content of aminoethyl glycoside in gastric juice and mucosa, thereby enhancing gastric mucosal protection. 3. **Liver Protection**: Atractylodes, along with β-eudesmol, atractylon, and other components, has a significant preventive effect on liver cell damage induced by CCl4 and D-amino-galactose. Additionally, Atractylodes decoction significantly promotes protein synthesis in mouse liver. 4. **Antibacterial Effects**: Atractylodes extract can eliminate the R plasmid of drug-resistant Shigella flexneri, reducing the development of bacterial resistance. Soaking Atractylodes in 95% ethanol for 10 hours, then burning it on the floor of a prepared sterile operating room, significantly reduces the number of airborne colonies compared to before disinfection. However, early in vitro studies did not find significant antibacterial effects of Atractylodes water decoction. 5. **Effects on Blood Sugar**: Early reports indicated that Atractylodes extract (6g/kg) could lower blood sugar levels in rabbits. [Used for diabetes case analysis] Atractylodes has a role in alleviating hypoglycemic symptoms, and many classical texts record its effects on “not feeling hungry,” which is beneficial for diabetes recovery. 6. **Sedative Effects**: At high doses, it exhibits central inhibitory effects.
Compatibility of Atractylodes 1. Combine with Yuan Shen (元参) to balance the moistening properties of Yuan Shen with the drying properties of Atractylodes, thus strengthening the Spleen, nourishing the kidneys, and expelling dampness. 2. Combine with Hou Po (厚朴) to promote digestion and disperse phlegm-dampness, especially suitable for those with dampness, stagnation, and accumulation. 3. Combine with Fangfeng (防风): Fried Atractylodes has a weak dispersing property, focusing on drying dampness and strengthening the Spleen, while Fangfeng dispels wind and dries dampness, as “wind can overcome dampness,” specifically treating excessive dampness and diarrhea; raw Atractylodes has a strong dispersing property, combined with Fangfeng to dispel wind and induce sweating, treating rheumatic pain, effectively drying and dispersing both wind and dampness. 4. Combine with Shi Gao (石膏): One is warm and the other is cold, balancing rigidity and softness, drying dampness and clearing heat without harming the body’s vital energy, effectively treating dampness-heat transformation. Symptoms such as summer heat, damp heat, thirst, heaviness, and short urination are most suitable. 5. Combine with Huang Bai (黄柏): Enhances the drying power, as Huang Bai and Atractylodes work together to warm and clear heat without damaging Yang. The combination significantly enhances the ability to clear heat and dry dampness, commonly used for lower Jiao damp-heat conditions such as red, swollen, and painful knees, weakness, or damp-heat vaginal discharge, and damp sores with symptoms like short, red urination and a greasy yellow tongue coating. 6. Combine with Xiang Fu (香附): To soothe the liver and regulate the Spleen, treating symptoms of liver and Spleen Qi stagnation. 7. Combine with black sesame: One is drying and the other is moistening, complementing each other, strengthening the Spleen and moistening dryness, effectively treating symptoms of esophageal obstruction and Spleen deficiency with a thin, greasy tongue coating. 8. Combine with Shen Qu (神曲): Enhances the ability to promote digestion and strengthen the Spleen, treating food stagnation, damp obstruction of the Spleen and Stomach, chest fullness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a white greasy tongue coating. 9. Combine with Chuan Jiao (川椒): Increases the warming and anti-diarrheal effects, treating chronic diarrhea with significant cold-dampness, and a thick, greasy white tongue coating. 10. Used for damp obstruction of the Spleen and Stomach, abdominal fullness, cold dampness with white discharge, damp-heat diseases, knee swelling and pain, weakness, treating damp obstruction of the Spleen and Stomach, with symptoms of abdominal fullness, loss of appetite, fatigue, and a thick, greasy white tongue coating, often combined with Hou Po, Chen Pi, etc.; for cold dampness with white discharge, it can be combined with Bai Zhi; for damp-heat discharge, it can be combined with Zhi Mu, Ku Shen, and Mu Tou; for damp-heat conditions with knee swelling and weakness, it can be combined with Huang Bai, Niu Xi, and Yi Yi Ren; for damp-heat diseases, it can be combined with Shi Gao, Zhi Mu, etc. 11. Used for rheumatic pain, joint pain, combined with Qiang Huo and Du Huo. 12. Used for wind-cold exterior conditions, combined with Qiang Huo, Xi Xin, and Fang Feng. 13. Used for night blindness, with symptoms of blurred vision, combined with pig liver or lamb liver, and Shi Jue Ming.
New Clinical Applications of Atractylodes 1. **Treatment of Vulvar Itching**: A mixture of Atractylodes, Bai Jizhi (白蒺藜), Ren Shen (人参), Dang Gui (当归), He Fen (蛤粉), She Chuang Zi (蛇床子), Bing Pian (冰片), etc., prepared in a specific ratio into a powder, is applied to the affected area after cleaning. Apply 1-4 times per day, reducing frequency as itching subsides. Not to be used on broken skin. Each treatment course lasts 7 days. 2. **Treatment of Acute Gout**: A mixture of Atractylodes, Jiu Huang Bai (酒黄柏), Sheng Yi Yi Ren (生薏苡仁), Chuan Niu Xi (川牛膝), Fang Ji (防己), Jin Gang Teng (金刚藤), Ze Xie (泽泻), Ren Dong Teng (忍冬藤), Qing Feng Teng (青风藤), Hai Tong Pi (海桐皮), Chuan Xiong (川芎), Hong Hua (红花), Jiu Di Long (酒地龙), Fang Feng, Du Huo, Hua Shi (滑石), Chi Xiao Dou (赤小豆), and Sheng Gan Cao (生甘草) is decocted and taken once daily. During treatment, avoid alcohol, drink plenty of water, and limit activity. In a study of 17 cases, 13 showed relief, 3 improved, and 1 was ineffective, with a total effective rate of 94.1%. 3. **Treatment of Night Blindness**: According to “Modern Practical Chinese Medicine”, a decoction of Atractylodes with additional ingredients was used to treat 12 cases. Method: 30g of Atractylodes, 15g each of Shi Jue Ming and Ye Ming Sha, and 100g of pig liver (divided into 2 doses) were decocted in 500ml of water to yield 200ml of medicinal liquid, which was consumed with the liver in the morning and evening. Generally, 2-6 doses show efficacy. Results: All 12 cases were cured. 4. **Treatment of Primary Hyperlipidemia**: A decoction called “Jiang Zhi Tong Mai Tang” was used to treat 34 cases, significantly reducing Tc, rTG, and LDb, while increasing HDI. Method: 15g each of He Shou Wu (制首乌), Gou Qi Zi (枸杞子), Ze Xie, He Ye (荷叶), Jue Ming Zi (决明子), Sheng Huang Qi (生黄芪), 10g each of Atractylodes and Bai Zhu (白术), 6g of Chen Pi (陈皮), and 5g of Da Huang (大黄) (omit Da Huang for those with loose stools) were decocted once daily and divided into 2 doses. Results: 18 cases showed significant efficacy, 12 effective, and 4 ineffective, with a total effective rate of 88.2%.
5. **Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis**: A phlegm-damp dispelling method was used to treat 48 cases. Method: 10g of Hong Hua (红花), 15g each of Atractylodes, Fu Ling (茯苓), Ban Xia (半夏), Dang Gui, and 12g each of Bai Jie Zi (白芥子), Chuan Xiong, Chen Pi, Dan Shen (丹参), Niu Xi, Fang Ji, and Bai Zhu. For those with kidney Yin deficiency, add 12g each of Shu Di (熟地) and Shan Zhu Yu (山茱萸); for those with Yang deficiency, add 12g of Ba Jitian (巴戟天) and 15g of Xian Ling Pi (仙灵脾); for those with Qi deficiency, add 15g of Dang Shen (党参) and 20g of Huang Qi; for those with blood deficiency, add 15g each of Gou Qi Zi and Bai Shao (白芍); for those with damp-heat, add 15g of Yi Yi Ren and 12g of Ge Ban (革薜); for those with wind-cold, add 15g of Wei Ling Xian (威灵仙) and 12g of Qin Jiao (秦艽); for those with significant knee swelling, add 15g of Ze Lan (泽兰); for those with severe pain, add 9g of Bai Hua She (白花蛇). Decoction is taken once daily, divided into 2 doses, with 200ml per dose. The residue is wrapped in cloth and applied hot to the knee. Results: Of the 48 cases treated, 17 were cured, 14 showed significant improvement, 13 were effective, and 4 were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 91.7%. The effects and functions include drying dampness and strengthening the Spleen; Atractylodes is aromatic and drying, capable of transforming dampness and dispelling wind-dampness, thus drying dampness and strengthening the Spleen. For any condition caused by dampness, whether exterior or interior, it can be applied, such as damp obstruction of the Spleen and Stomach, cold dampness causing vomiting and diarrhea, which can be treated with Ping Wei San (平胃散). For wind-cold-damp bi-syndrome and wind-damp exterior conditions, Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang (九味羌活汤) can be used. The combination can also be used to treat heat bi-syndrome or damp-heat conditions, such as Er Miao San (二妙散). Atractylodes also has a vision-improving function, which can treat night blindness, either used alone or cooked with pig liver or lamb liver.Usage: Internal use: 5-10g. This herb is pungent, warm, and drying, so it is contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and internal heat, or those with Qi deficiency and excessive sweating. Nutritional and delicious porridge: Atractylodes and pig liver porridge. Ingredients: 100g of pig liver, 9g of Atractylodes, and 150g of millet. Method: Dry the Atractylodes and grind it into powder, cut the pig liver into two connected pieces, fill it with the powder, tie it with thread, and cook it with millet and an appropriate amount of water in a sand pot until done. Efficacy: Nourishes the liver and improves vision. Usage: Eat the liver and drink the porridge once daily for a week. Application: Suitable for those with blurred vision.
Atractylodes Culinary Dish: Atractylodes and Yun Ling Stewed Pig Liver. In autumn, when encountering dampness, it is essential to dry dampness. During this period, the climate is unstable, and the autumn feeling can easily cause blurred vision. The combination of Atractylodes and Yun Ling stewed with pig liver can strengthen the Spleen, dry dampness, and can also be used for damp stagnation in the middle Jiao, as well as for blurred vision or night blindness. In TCM, the “middle Jiao” refers to the Spleen and Stomach, the entire digestive system. Damp stagnation in the middle Jiao indicates that the digestive function of the Spleen and Stomach is hindered by dampness, leading to damp-heat, indigestion, or loose stools. Atractylodes is a well-known damp-drying herb that can strengthen the Spleen, dry dampness, resolve depression, and eliminate filth, effectively treating excessive dampness obstructing the Spleen. Yun Ling is also a herb that strengthens the Spleen, promotes diuresis, and calms the mind. Ingredients: 20g of Atractylodes, 40g of Yun Ling, 300g of pig liver, 100g of lean pork, and 3 slices of ginger. Cooking: Wash and soak the herbs; wash and slice the pig liver and lean pork. Place all ingredients with ginger in a stewing pot, add 1250ml of cold boiled water (about 5 bowls), add a little oil, cover, and steam for about 3 hours. When consuming, add an appropriate amount of salt. This quantity serves 3-4 people, and the pig liver and lean pork can be removed and mixed with soy sauce for serving. Efficacy: Atractylodes alone can treat gastric prolapse. Take 15-20g of Atractylodes daily, decocting or soaking in boiling water, decocting twice or brewing 2-3 cups. When taking, sip slowly as if tasting tea, and continue for 1-3 months. This formula has the effect of uplifting Yang and drying dampness, used for treating Spleen deficiency and Qi sinking leading to gastric prolapse. Factors such as irregular diet, internal injury from emotions, excessive fatigue, and congenital weakness, as well as postpartum abdominal wall relaxation, can lead to Spleen and Stomach dysfunction, causing Qi mechanism to be abnormal and resulting in gastric prolapse. Atractylodes, with its pungent and bitter flavor, warm and drying nature, can effectively dry dampness and strengthen the Spleen, uplifting the Yang Qi in the stomach, resolving phlegm and water retention, and alleviating fullness, showing good efficacy for Spleen deficiency and Qi sinking gastric prolapse. If there is insufficient gastric Yin, and the patient has Yin deficiency with heat, thirst, preference for drinking, constipation, excessive sweating, red tongue with little fluid, it is not advisable to use Atractylodes alone; it can be combined with Mai Dong (麦冬), Yu Zhu (玉竹), and Shi Hu (石斛) to nourish Yin and generate fluids. Atractylodes is warm and drying, easily harming Yin, so it is suitable for use in cases of dampness obstruction, with a thick greasy tongue coating, such as in cases of Yin deficiency with heat, dry constipation, and excessive sweating. TCM recommends: Atractylodes skillfully treats night blindness. Modern pharmacological studies show that the chemical components of Atractylodes include mainly atractylon and atractylone volatile oils, carotenoids, and vitamin B. Atractylodes is rich in carotenoids, which can be converted into vitamin A in the human intestine with the help of bile salts, thus being applied to treat night blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency, showing excellent results. Take 500g of Atractylodes, place it in a sand pot with water, and simmer slowly to extract a concentrated juice. Filter the medicinal liquid, add water, and continue to simmer until the residue is tasteless, then discard the residue. Combine the filtered juice and simmer slowly to evaporate some water, concentrating it into a thin paste, then add 200g of honey and mix well. Take 1 tablespoon with warm water on an empty stomach twice daily, generally showing effects in 2-3 weeks. Alternatively, 30g of Atractylodes, 15g each of Shi Jue Ming and Ye Ming Sha, boiled in about 500ml of water to yield 200ml, can be consumed with about 50g of pig liver, twice a week, generally showing effects in 1-2 weeks. Boiling Atractylodes and Ai Ye (艾叶) for home disinfection: Symptoms: Home air disinfection, preventing respiratory infections. Old folk remedy: Soak an appropriate amount of Atractylodes and Ai Ye in about half a jin of clean water, place it in an electric rice cooker for 30 minutes, then turn on the rice cooker in the room to be disinfected, close the doors and windows, and continue heating for 1 hour to allow the steam to disinfect.