Traditional Chinese Medicine Encyclopedia: Atractylodes
Pinyin Cānɡ Shù
Alias Chì Shù (Chi Atractylodes, Tao Hongjing), Mǎ Jì (Atractylodes, Shuō Wén Xì Zhuàn), Qīng Shù (Atractylodes, Zhang Gun, Shuǐ Nán Hàn Jì), Xiān Shù (Atractylodes, Gāng Mù).
Source Zhèng Lèi Běn Cǎo
Origin The rhizome of the Asteraceae family plants Nán Cānɡ Shù or Běi Cānɡ Shù. Harvested in spring and autumn, preferably in autumn. After digging up the rhizome, remove the residual stems, fibrous roots, and soil, and dry in the sun.
Plant Characteristics ① Nán Cānɡ Shù
Perennial herb, 30-80 cm tall. The rhizome is thick and irregular. The stem is single, round with longitudinal ridges, slightly branched at the top. Leaves are alternate, leathery and thick; the lower leaves are mostly 3-lobed, with the lobes pointed, the largest lobe is ovate, the base is wedge-shaped, without petioles and slightly clasping the stem; the upper leaves are ovate-lanceolate to elliptical, about 4 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide, without petioles, with spiny serrated edges. The upper surface is dark green, and the underside is slightly white powdery. The head-shaped flower cluster is terminal, about 2 cm in diameter; the involucre is leaf-like with many spiny bracts; the involucral bracts are 6-8 layers, lanceolate, membranous, green on the back, with purple edges and fine hairs; the flower disc is flat, with many flowers, both bisexual and unisexual flowers mostly on different plants; the bisexual flowers have many feathery long crown hairs; the corolla is tubular, white, sometimes slightly reddish-purple, with 5 lobes at the tip, the lobes are linear; the stamens are separate; the ovary is inferior, long cylindrical, densely covered with white soft hairs, the style is long, and the stigma is bifid. The unisexual flowers are generally female, with 5 linear degenerate stamens, the tips slightly curved, the rest of the parts are the same as the bisexual flowers. The achene is elongated, about 5 mm long, covered with brownish-yellow soft hairs. Flowering period is from August to October. Fruiting period is from September to October.
Grows in drier areas on hillsides. Distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hebei, Shandong, and other regions.
② Běi Cānɡ Shù, also known as Shān Cānɡ Shù, Qiāng Tóu Cài, Shān Cì Cài.
Perennial herb, 30-50 cm tall. The rhizome is fleshy and tuberous. Leaves are petiole-less; the lower leaves are spoon-shaped, mostly 3-5 deeply lobed, with blunt tips, wedge-shaped at the base and slightly clasping the stem; the upper leaves are ovate-lanceolate to elliptical, 3-5 shallowly lobed or unlobed, with hard serrated edges. The head-shaped flower cluster is about 1 cm in diameter; the basal leaf-like bracts are lanceolate, with long serrated edges; the involucral bracts are mostly 5-6 layers; the corolla is tubular, white, with 5 lobes at the tip, the lobes are long-ovate; the degenerate stamens have rounded tips and are not curled. The achene is densely covered with upward-facing silver-white hairs. Flowering period is from July to August. Fruiting period is from August to October.
Grows in shrubbery and drier areas on hillsides. Distributed in Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and other regions.
Properties ① Nán Cānɡ Shù
It is the dried rhizome of the plant Nán Cānɡ Shù, cylindrical in shape, with a bead-like appearance, has nodes, is curved and twisted, about 3-10 cm long and 1-1.5 cm in diameter. The surface is gray-brown, with root marks and short fibrous roots, and stem remnants can be seen. The texture is solid, the fracture surface is flat, yellow-white, with distinct brown-red oil glands scattered, commonly known as “朱砂点” (zhū shā diǎn). If the fracture surface is exposed for a while, white mold-like fine needle-like crystals may appear, with a fragrant aroma and a slightly sweet and bitter taste. The best quality is characterized by being large, solid, hairless, with internal朱砂点, and the fracture surface shows white frost when cut open.
Mainly produced in Jiangsu, Hubei, and Henan. Additionally, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi also produce it. The best quality comes from the Maoshan area in Jiangsu, hence called “Máo Shù” or “Máo Shān Cānɡ Shù”; those distributed in Nanjing are also called “Jīng Máo Shù” or “Jīng Cānɡ Shù”. The products from Hubei and Jiangxi are mostly distributed in Hankou, hence also called “Hàn Cānɡ Shù”.
② Běi Cānɡ Shù
It is the dried rhizome of the plant Běi Cānɡ Shù, cylindrical in shape, often branched or tuberous, irregularly curved, about 4-10 cm long and 1.5-3 cm in diameter. The cork layer is mostly removed, and many round stem bases or stem marks can be seen, or there are hairy buds attached, with small root remnants or short roots attached below. The surface is brownish-black and rough. The texture is light, easy to break, and the fracture surface is fibrous and very uneven. The fracture surface is yellow-white, with red-yellow or yellow oil glands scattered, and distinct woody fiber bundles. The aroma is fragrant, and the taste is slightly bitter. The best quality is characterized by being large, solid, hairless, and aromatic. This species is lighter and less oily than Nán Cānɡ Shù, and the fracture surface does not produce white mold-like crystals, and the aroma is also weaker. The quality is inferior to Nán Cānɡ Shù.
Mainly produced in Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang. Additionally, Shandong, Shaanxi, Gansu also produce it. The products from Hebei are mostly distributed in Tianjin, hence called “Jīn Cānɡ Shù”.
Chemical Composition The rhizome of Nán Cānɡ Shù contains volatile oil about 5-9%. The main components of the oil are Atractylon, Atractylodes alcohol, β-eudesmol, etc.
The rhizome of Běi Cānɡ Shù contains volatile oil 1.5%, with the main components being Atractylon, Atractylone, Atractylodes alcohol, and eucalyptol, etc.
The rhizome of Dōng Cānɡ Shù contains volatile oil 1.5%, with the main components being Atractylon, Atractylodes alcohol, β-eudesmol, Atractylodin, and Atractylone.
Pharmacological Effects ① Effects on Blood Sugar
Early reports indicated that the extract of Nán Cānɡ Shù (equivalent to 6 g/kg of crude drug) could lower blood sugar in rabbits, which has not been confirmed. The decoction or alcohol extract at 8 g/kg administered orally or subcutaneously showed a slight tendency to increase blood sugar in normal rabbits. Administering a decoction at 10 g/kg also yielded similar results; however, the same dosage administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits showed a slight increase in blood sugar followed by a decrease below the pre-treatment level, but the difference was not significant. After 10 days of daily administration, blood sugar continuously decreased, with a significant difference (from 401 to 160 mg%). After stopping the medication for 4-17 days, blood sugar did not rise to the pre-treatment level.
② Other Effects
The decoction of Nán Cānɡ Shù at 10-40 g/kg administered orally to rats showed no diuretic effect; however, it had a significant salt-excreting effect (sodium, potassium, chloride). The compound containing Atractylodes – Phaeomycetes Decoction (Atractylodes, Magnolia, Taiwu, Agarwood, Guomuxiang, Fried Barley, and Guopi) showed no effect on isolated rabbit intestines, but stimulated intestinal peristalsis in situ in dogs, both orally and intravenously, and clinically has been effective in treating abdominal distension. A small amount of Atractylodes extract administered intravenously caused a slight increase in blood pressure in rabbits, while a large amount caused a decrease; it had an inhibitory effect on isolated toad hearts; and also had an inhibitory effect on isolated rabbit duodenum; the effect on toad hind limb blood vessels was weak.
Atractylodes and Artemisia smoke disinfection (4 taels for a 6 cubic meter laboratory, fumigated for 2 hours) showed significant sterilization effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, comparable to formaldehyde; and superior to ultraviolet and lactic acid disinfection.
Preparation Cāng Shuǐ: Remove impurities, soak in water until 70-80% translucent, take out, cut into slices after moistening, and dry in the sun. Fried Atractylodes: Take Atractylodes slices, spray with rice wash water to moisten, place in a pot and fry over low heat until slightly yellow; or take cleaned Atractylodes, soak in rice wash water, then take out, steam until thoroughly cooked, cut into slices, and dry.
① Gāng Mù: “Atractylodes is dry in nature, so it is soaked in glutinous rice wash to remove its oil, cut into slices, and baked dry for use; it can also be fried with sesame oil to reduce its dryness.”
② Běn Cǎo Shù Gōu Yuán: “Atractylodes should be thoroughly washed with rice wash, scraped of skin, and steamed with black beans, honey wine, or human milk to moisten it and prevent it from being dry. During the three steaming processes, it must be thoroughly dried and the aroma should be released.”
Taste and Properties Spicy and bitter, warm.
① Běn Cǎo Yǎn Yì: “The aroma and taste are pungent.”
② Zhēn Zhū Náng: “Sweet and spicy.”
③ Jīng Huì Jīng Yào: “Bitter and sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic.”
Meridians Entered Enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians.
① Zhēn Zhū Náng: “Enters the Foot Yangming and Taiyin meridians.”
② Gāng Mù: “Enters the Foot Taiyin, Yangming, Hand Taiyin, and Taiyang meridians.”
③ Běn Cǎo Xīn Biān: “Enters the Foot Yangming and Taiyang meridians.”
④ Běn Cǎo Zài Xīn: “Enters the Spleen and Liver meridians.”
Main Functions and Indications Strengthens the Spleen, dries dampness, relieves depression, and dispels filth. Treats dampness obstructing the Spleen, fatigue and lethargy, epigastric fullness and abdominal distension, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, phlegm retention, edema, seasonal colds, wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, foot weakness, and night blindness.
① Tao Hongjing: “Eliminates evil qi.”
② Liu Wanshu: “Brightens the eyes and warms the water organs.”
③ Zhēn Zhū Náng: “Can strengthen the stomach and calm the Spleen; no other can eliminate all dampness and swelling.”
④ Li Gao: “Eliminates dampness and induces sweating, strengthens the stomach and calms the Spleen; a key medicine for atrophy.”
⑤ Zhu Zhenheng: “Disperses wind and benefits qi, resolves all stagnation.”
⑥ Gāng Mù: “Treats damp phlegm retention, or with blood stasis forming a mass, and Spleen dampness flowing down, turbid discharge, and slippery diarrhea.”
⑦ Yù Qū Yào Jiě: “Dries the earth and benefits water, eliminates phlegm and dampness, promotes blood circulation, opens stagnation, eliminates lumps, regulates acid reflux, dispels miasma, and relieves weakness in the muscles and bones, clears turbid urination.”
⑧ Běn Cǎo Qiú Yuán: “Stops water diarrhea, food stagnation, summer heat diarrhea, and Spleen dampness with blood.”
Dosage and Administration Oral: Decoction, 4.5-9 g; or in pills or powders.
Precautions Contraindicated in those with Yin deficiency and internal heat, and those with Qi deficiency and excessive sweating.
① Běn Cǎo Jīng Jí Zhù: “Use with Fang Feng and Di Yu.”
② Yào Xìng Lùn: “Avoid peaches, plums, sparrow meat, mustard greens, and blue fish.”
③ Yī Xué Rù Mén: “Use cautiously in those with blood deficiency and weakness, and those with emotional distress. Misuse can deplete Qi and blood, dry body fluids, and aggravate internal heat and fullness.”
④ Běn Cǎo Jīng Shū: “For diseases belonging to Yin deficiency, blood deficiency, insufficient essence, internal heat, bone steaming, dry mouth and lips, coughing with phlegm, hemoptysis, epistaxis, throat obstruction, constipation, and stagnation, it should be avoided.”
⑤ Běn Cǎo Zhèng: “Contraindicated in internal heat and Yin deficiency, and those with exterior deficiency and sweating.”
Formulas ① For Spleen and Stomach disharmony, loss of appetite, abdominal fullness and pain, bitter taste, vomiting, and frequent diarrhea: Atractylodes (remove rough skin, soak in rice wash for two days) 5 kg, Magnolia (remove rough skin, process with ginger juice, fry until fragrant), Chen Pi (remove white) 3.2 kg, Licorice (fry) 3 kg. Grind into fine powder. Each dose is 6 g, boiled with 1 cup of water, add 2 slices of fresh ginger and 2 dried dates, simmer until 70% done, remove ginger and dates, take warm before meals; add a pinch of salt, and take with boiling soup as well. (Ping Wei San)
② For Taiyin Spleen meridian dampness, watery diarrhea, slight heaviness and fullness, weakness and lack of strength, loss of appetite, and severe diarrhea: Atractylodes 60 g, Peony 30 g, Huang Qin 15 g. Grind, each dose is 30 g, add a small amount of cinnamon, 1.5 cups of water, boil until 1 cup, take warm. (Cāng Shù Peony Decoction)
③ For summer heat diarrhea, strengthen the Spleen and warm the Stomach, improve appetite, and treat food injury: Shén Qū (fried), Atractylodes (soaked in rice wash overnight, baked dry) in equal parts. Make into pills the size of a phoenix seed. Each dose is 30 pills, taken with rice drink. (Qū Shù Wán)
④ For diarrhea: Atractylodes 60 g, small pepper 30 g (remove seeds, fry). Grind into fine powder, make into pills the size of a phoenix seed. Each dose is 20-30 pills, taken with warm water before meals. For those with chronic dysentery, add cinnamon. (Jiǎn Biàn Dān)
⑤ For stagnant fluid in the diaphragm, forming a mass: Atractylodes 500 g, remove skin, cut, grind, use half a tael of raw sesame oil, 2 cups of water, grind and filter to extract juice, add 15 dates (remove skin and pit), grind into a paste, mix well, make into pills the size of a phoenix seed, dry. Take 50 pills on an empty stomach with salt soup, increase to 100-200 pills. Avoid peaches, plums, and sparrows. (Běn Shì Fāng)
⑥ For Spleen meridian dampness, loss of appetite, damp swelling, weakness in limbs, food injury, excessive drinking, and labor: Fresh white Atractylodes 20 kg, remove rough skin, wash and dry, chop, soak in rice wash overnight, wash, use 1 bucket of creek water, boil the medicine over low heat until half dry, remove dregs, then add 3 kg of stone heather leaves (remove red skin), 1 kg of Huai Muzi, 0.5 kg of Chuan Gui, and 0.4 kg of Licorice, chop, grind, and boil until yellow, filter out dregs, then boil until it becomes a thin paste, add 3 kg of good honey, and boil into a paste. Each dose is 10-15 g, taken on an empty stomach with good wine, or rice soup. For swelling, use white soup; for vomiting, use ginger soup. (Huó Rén Xīn Tǒng Cāng Shù Gāo)
⑦ For damp-warm excessive sweating: Zhī Mǔ 60 g, Licorice (roasted) 30 g, gypsum 500 g, Atractylodes 90 g, and polished rice 90 g. Grind into powder the size of a soybean. Each dose is 15 g, boil with 1.5 cups of water until 80-90% done, remove dregs to take 60 ml of clear juice, take warm. (Lèi Zhèng Huó Rén Shū Bái Hǔ Jiā Cāng Shù Tāng)
⑧ For seasonal epidemics, headache and neck stiffness, fever with chills, body aches, and wind-cold, nasal congestion, heavy voice, cough, and dizziness: Atractylodes (soaked in rice wash overnight, cut, baked) 30 g, Gao Ben (remove soil), fragrant white Atractylodes, Xixin (remove leaves and soil), Qiang Huo (remove reed), Chuan Xiong, Licorice (roasted) each 10 g. Grind into fine powder. Each dose is 9 g, boil with 1 cup of water, add 3 slices of fresh ginger and 3 inches of green onion, boil until 70% done, take warm, regardless of time. If feeling wind-cold and nasal congestion, use green onion tea to take. (Shén Shù Sǎn)
⑨ For colds: Atractylodes 30 g, Xixin 6 g, and Platycladus leaves 9 g. Grind into fine powder, take 4 times a day, each time 4.5 g, dissolve in boiling water, use green onion as a guide, eat raw. (Inner Mongolia, New Medical Method of Chinese Herbal Medicine)
⑩ For body pain due to dampness: Atractylodes, soaked in rice wash, cut, boiled, take concentrated juice to make a paste, take with white soup. (Jiǎn Biàn Dān)
⑾ For joint pain due to damp-heat: Huang Bai (fried), Atractylodes (soaked in rice wash and fried). Grind these two ingredients into powder, mix with boiling water and ginger juice to take. Both have strong energy, for those with strong exterior energy, add a little wine. (Dān Qīng Xīn Fǎ, Er Miào Sǎn, also known as Shì Yī Dè Xiào Fāng Cāng Shù Sǎn)
⑿ To nourish deficiency, brighten the eyes, strengthen bones, and nourish blood: Atractylodes (soaked in rice wash) 120 g, cooked Rehmannia (baked) 60 g. Grind into powder, make into pills the size of a phoenix seed. Each dose is taken with warm wine, 30-50 pills, three times a day. (Pǔ Jì Fāng)
⒀ For gum swelling: Large Atractylodes, cut into two pieces, make a hole in the middle, fill with salt, wrap in wet paper, burn until charred, take out and grind finely, use this to wipe, it will eliminate wind and phlegm. Rinse with salt water. (Pǔ Jì Fāng Cāng Shù Sǎn)
⒁ To control malaria symptoms or for prevention: Atractylodes, Bai Zhi, Chuan Xiong, and Guizhi in equal parts, each use 1 g, wrap in four layers of gauze into a long shape, insert into the nostrils 1-2 hours before the onset of malaria, for 5 hours or 1 day. (Shān Xī Zhōng Cǎo Yào)
Notes Additionally, there are several other plants in some regions that are sometimes used as Atractylodes. ㈠ Dōng Cānɡ Shù, also known as Guān Cānɡ Shù. Perennial herb, up to 70 cm tall. The rhizome is fleshy and tuberous. Leaf stalks are 2.5-3 cm long; the lower leaves are 3-5 lobed, with side lobes long oval, inverted oval, or elliptical, with short pointed tips, and the edges have flat or inwardly curved serrations, with the top lobe larger; the upper leaves are 3-lobed to unlobed. The head-shaped flower cluster is 1-1.5 cm in diameter, with 2 rows of leaf-like bracts, deeply lobed; the involucral bracts are 7-8 layers, with purple tips; the corolla is tubular, white. The achene is elongated, densely covered with upward-facing silver-white hairs, with a feathery crown, gray-brown. Flowering period is from July to August. Fruiting period is from August to September. Distributed in Northeast China. ㈡ Cháo Xiān Cānɡ Shù, the leaves at the top of the stem exceed the top flowers, and the bracts below the head-shaped flower cluster have serrated edges. Distributed in Northeast China. ㈢ Quán Yè Cānɡ Shù, the leaves are unlobed, long oval, with blunt tips, and entire edges. Distributed in North China and Northeast China. ㈣ Chì Fēng Cānɡ Shù, the leaves are 5-7 lobed, with acute tips, and the leaf edges have irregular serrations. Distributed in Northeast Chifeng. ㈤ Liáo Dōng Cānɡ Shù, the leaves are long oval, slightly smaller, with a harder texture, and entire edges; the head-shaped flower cluster has many leaf-like bracts, densely packed. Distributed in the Liaodong Peninsula.
Excerpt Traditional Chinese Medicine Encyclopedia
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Atractylodes
Pinyin Shēnɡ Shù
English Name Rhizome of Swordlike Atractylodes, Rhizome Chinese Atractylodes, Rhizome Japanese Atractylodes, Rhizome Korea Atractylodes, Rhizome of Swordlike Atractylodes, Rhizome of Simplicifolious Atractylode
Alias Shān Jīng, Chì Shù, Mǎ Jì, Qīng Shù, Xiān Shù
Source From Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng.
Origin Medicinal material source: The rhizome of the Asteraceae plants Mǎo Cānɡ Shù, Běi Cānɡ Shù, Guān Cānɡ Shù.
Latin botanical names: 1. Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. [Atractylis lancea Thunb.; Atractylodes ouata (Thunb.) DC.] 2. Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. var. chinensis (Bunge) Kitam. [A.chinensis (DC.) Koidz.; Atractylis chinensis (Bunge) DC.] 3. Atractylodes japonica Koidz. ex Kitam. [A.japonica (Ditag.)]
Harvesting and Storage: After 2-3 years of cultivation, from early September to early November or the following February-March, dig up the rhizome, remove residual stems, shake off the soil, dry in the sun, remove fibrous roots or scorch off the fibrous roots after drying to 90%, then dry completely.
Plant Characteristics 1. Mǎo Cānɡ Shù is a perennial herb. The rhizome runs horizontally, with nodes. The stem has many longitudinal ridges, 30-100 cm tall, unbranched or slightly branched at the top. Leaves are alternate, leathery; leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate to elliptical, 3-8 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, with pointed tips, gradually narrowing at the base, the central lobe is larger, with spiny serrations on the edges, the upper surface is dark green and shiny, the underside is light green, the leaf veins are prominent, without petioles, unlobed, or the lower leaves are often 2-lobed, with pointed lobes, the top lobe is very large, ovate, and the smaller lobes are wedge-shaped, without petioles or with petioles. The head-shaped flower cluster grows at the top of the stem, with 1 row of leaf-like bracts, deeply lobed; the involucre is cylindrical, with 5-8 layers of bracts, ovate to lanceolate, with hairs; there are many flowers, bisexual or unisexual flowers mostly on different plants; the corolla is tubular, white or slightly reddish, about 1 cm long, slightly swollen at the top, with 5 lobes, the lobes are linear; the bisexual flowers have many feathery divided crown hairs; the unisexual flowers are generally female, with 5 linear degenerate stamens, slightly curled at the tips. The achene is inverted oval, covered with dense yellow-white soft hairs. Flowering period is from August to October, and fruiting period is from September to December.
2. Běi Cānɡ Shù differs from Mǎo Cānɡ Shù in that the leaves are wider, ovate or long-ovate, generally 5 deeply lobed, the upper leaves are 3-5 shallowly lobed or unlobed, with irregular serrated edges, usually without petioles; the head-shaped flower cluster is slightly wider, with 5-6 layers of involucral bracts, slightly wider than Mǎo Cānɡ Shù; the degenerate stamens have rounded tips and are not curled. Flowering period is from July to August, and fruiting period is from August to September.
3. Guān Cānɡ Shù differs from the above two species mainly in that the leaves have long petioles, the upper leaves are 3-lobed, the lower leaves are 3-5 lobed, with long oval, inverted oval, or elliptical lobes, gradually narrowing at the base, with flat or inwardly curved serrated edges. Flowering period is from August to September, and fruiting period is from September to October.
Habitat Distribution Ecological environment: 1. Grows in shrubbery and grasslands on hillsides. 2. Grows in low mountain shady slopes, under forests, and in drier areas. 3. Grows on hillsides, forest edges, or among shrubs.
Resource distribution: 1. Distributed in Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, etc., with many cultivated varieties. 2. Distributed in Northeast, North China, and Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Shandong, Henan, etc. 3. Distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, etc.
Cultivation Biological characteristics: Prefers cool climates, drought-resistant, and dislikes waterlogging. The optimal growth temperature is 15-22°C, and seedlings can withstand low temperatures of about -15°C. It is best cultivated in semi-shady, deep, loose, fertile, humus-rich, and well-drained sandy loam.
Cultivation techniques: Propagated by seeds or rhizomes. Seed propagation: In August-October, when the outer covering of the seeds turns yellow-brown, the flower clusters are harvested in batches, dried in a cool place, threshed, and stored in cloth bags for later use. Direct sowing or seedling transplanting methods can be used. Direct sowing is done from mid-March to early April, with holes opened at a spacing of 20 cm × 10 cm, sowing 4-5 seeds per hole, covering with a thin layer of fine soil to cover the seeds, and watering. Seedling transplanting involves broadcasting, covering with a layer of straw, and watering to maintain moisture. The germination rate of seeds is about 50%, and under temperatures of 16-18°C, germination occurs in about 10-15 days. After 1-2 years of cultivation, transplant in early March, with holes opened at a spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm, 6-8 cm deep, and plant 2-3 seedlings per hole. Rhizome propagation: During harvest, dig up the rhizomes, cut off the sprouting rhizomes, and use the rest for medicinal purposes. After drying the cut ends, plant in holes at a spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm, with one piece per hole, covering and compacting the soil.
Field management: During the seedling stage, frequently remove weeds and loosen the soil, apply diluted human manure or ammonium sulfate 1-2 times, apply seedling fertilizer in May, and increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in July-August, applying in furrows around the plants, and hilling to prevent lodging. During the flowering period from June to August, flower buds should be removed to promote rhizome enlargement; during rainy seasons, drainage ditches should be cleared to remove waterlogging to prevent root rot. In October, hill soil to protect seedlings for winter.
Pest and disease control: Diseases include root rot, which occurs in May and June; attention should be paid to drainage, and diseased plants should be immediately removed. Use 50% bactericide powder diluted to 1000 times or 1% lime water for irrigation. Pests include aphids that harm leaves and tender shoots, especially severe in spring and summer; chemical agents can be used, or a 1:1:10 tobacco-lime water can be used for control. Additionally, small earthworms may cause damage.
Identification of Properties (1) Mǎo Cānɡ Shù: The rhizome is irregularly tuberous or slightly cylindrical, sometimes curved, usually branched, 3-10 cm long, 1-2 cm in diameter. The surface is yellow-brown to gray-brown, with fine longitudinal wrinkles and a few residual fibrous roots, and shallow transverse grooves at the nodes, with round stem marks often at one end, occasionally with stem marks, and sometimes white crystalline substances may appear on the surface. The texture is solid, easy to break, the fracture surface is slightly uneven, whitish or yellowish-white, with many orange-yellow or brown-red oil chambers (commonly known as “朱砂点”), and if exposed for a while, white needle-like crystals may appear. The cross-section does not show blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light (254 nm). The aroma is strong, with a slightly sweet and bitter taste.
(2) Běi Cānɡ Shù: The rhizome is often tuberous, sometimes cylindrical, usually curved with short branches, 4-10 cm long, 0.7-4 cm in diameter. The surface is black-brown, with external oil chambers, and does not produce crystals after being placed. The aroma is weaker, with a bitter and spicy taste.
(3) Guān Cānɡ Shù: The rhizome is mostly cylindrical, 4-12 cm long, 1-2.5 cm in diameter, with a deep brown surface. The texture is lighter, with a fibrous fracture surface. The aroma is unique, with a spicy and slightly bitter taste.
The best quality is characterized by being solid, with many朱砂点 on the fracture surface, and a strong aroma.
Microscopic Identification The transverse section of the rhizome: (1) Mǎo Cānɡ Shù has 10-40 layers of cork cells, with 1-2 bands of stone cells arranged in a discontinuous tangential pattern. The cortex is broad with thin-walled tissues, scattered with large oil chambers, with long diameters of 260-945 μm and short diameters of 210-650 μm. The outer vascular bundles are arranged in a ring. The cambium forms a ring. The xylem fibers and vessel groups are arranged in the same interval. The pith is relatively large. The rays and pith are scattered with oil chambers. Thin-walled tissues show fluorescence, while Běi Cānɡ Shù shows bright blue fluorescence.
(3) Thin-layer chromatography: Powder of Mǎo Cānɡ Shù, Běi Cānɡ Shù, and Guān Cānɡ Shù, each 50-100 g, is extracted with a volatile oil extractor. A certain amount of volatile oil is taken, diluted with ethyl acetate to a 10% deep solution, as the test sample. Another mixed solution of Atractylon, Atractylodes alcohol, and eucalyptol is used as a control. The test sample and control solution are spotted on the same silica gel G (Qingdao) thin-layer plate. Use benzene-ethyl acetate-hexane (15:15:70) for development, with a development distance of 20 cm. Take out and dry. Spray with a 10% sulfuric acid solution containing 5% p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde for color development: after spraying, heat at 100°C for 5 minutes. The test sample shows spots of the same color at the corresponding positions as the control. After spraying the color developer, Atractylon immediately shows red, and after heating, it turns purple; Atractylodes alcohol and eucalyptol do not show color after spraying, but after heating, Atractylodes alcohol shows green, while eucalyptol and Atractylon show brown.
Chemical Composition 1. Mǎo Cānɡ Shù: The rhizome contains volatile oil 3.25%-6.92%, including 2-carene, 1,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2,5,5-trimethyl-2H-2,4α-ethanonaphthalene, β-maalinene, chamigrene, caryophyllene, elemene, humulene, selinene, patchoulene, 1,9-aristolodiene, guaiol, elemol, atractylon, selinene-4(14),7(11)-diene-8-one, atractylodin, hinesol, β-eudesmol, etc. The rhizome also contains furfural, 3β-acetoxyatractylone, 3β-hydroxyatractylone, butenolide B, etc. It also contains tryptophan, 3,5-dimethoxy-4-glucosylphenylallylalcohol, and 2-(1,4α-dimethyl-3-glucosyl-2-oxo-2,3,4,4α5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalen-7-yl)-isopropanol glucoside.
Pharmacological Effects
1. Anti-hypoxia effect: Using a potassium cyanide-induced hypoxia model in mice, it was proven that the acetone extract of Atractylodes at 750 mg/kg administered orally significantly increased the survival time of mice and reduced the relative mortality rate. The main active component of Atractylodes for anti-hypoxia is β-eudesmol.
2. Effects on the digestive tract: The volatile oil contained in Atractylodes has carminative and stomach-strengthening effects, and its bitterness also promotes appetite. Experiments have shown that Atractylodes has a significant anti-spasmodic effect against acetylcholine-induced intestinal spasms. It reduces the tension of the small intestine in normal rabbits. It can also restore the amplitude of the inhibitory effect of adrenaline on rabbit intestinal muscles. Additionally, Atractylodes can counteract the effects of hydrochloric acid-induced acute gastritis and pyloric ligation-induced gastric ulcers in rats; the alcohol extract also promotes gastrointestinal motility and has a slight contraction effect on gastric smooth muscle.
3. Cardiovascular effects: Atractylodes has a mild inhibitory effect on toad hearts and a slight dilating effect on toad hind limb blood vessels. A small dose of Atractylodes extract administered intravenously can cause a slight increase in blood pressure in rabbits, while a large dose can cause a decrease.
4. Central inhibition: A small amount of Atractylodes volatile oil has a sedative effect on frogs, while also enhancing spinal reflexes; larger amounts show inhibitory effects, leading to respiratory paralysis and death. The inhibitory components are mainly β-eudesmol and hinesol. Hinesol and β-eudesmol also have anti-convulsant effects against electric shock-induced seizures in mice.
5. Effects on the liver: A water decoction of Atractylodes at 10 g of crude drug/kg administered orally for 7 days can significantly promote liver protein synthesis. The crude drug and its components, including Atractylodes alcohol, Atractylone, and β-eudesmol, have significant protective effects against carbon tetrachloride-induced damage to primary cultured mouse liver cells.
6. Effects on blood sugar: The decoction or alcohol extract of Atractylodes at 8 g/kg administered orally or subcutaneously showed a slight increase in blood sugar in normal rabbits. Administering a decoction at 10 g/kg also yielded similar results; however, the same dosage administered to alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits showed a slight increase in blood sugar followed by a decrease below the pre-treatment level, with a significant difference after 10 days of administration, and blood sugar did not rise to the pre-treatment level after stopping the medication for 7-14 days. Atractylodes glycosides have a blood sugar-lowering effect in mice, rats, rabbits, and dogs, while also reducing muscle glycogen and liver glycogen, inhibiting glycogenesis, lowering oxygen consumption, and increasing blood lactate levels. Its blood sugar-lowering effect may be related to its inhibition of the Pasteur effect in the body. It acts as a competitive inhibitor at the same mitochondrial receptor point as adenine nucleotides, thereby inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation in cells and interfering with energy transfer processes.
7. Effects on the urinary system: Experiments in rats have shown that the decoction of Mǎo Cānɡ Shù does not have a diuretic effect, but significantly increases the excretion of sodium and potassium.
8. Antibacterial and disinfecting effects: Prepared Atractylodes placed in a covered enamel container, soaked in 95% alcohol, with a dosage sufficient to submerge the Atractylodes, soaked for 8-10 hours, then taken out and burned on the floor of the surgical room until it turns to ash. The results showed that the bacterial count decreased significantly after disinfection compared to before disinfection, indicating satisfactory disinfection effects.
Preparation
1. Atractylodes: Remove impurities, soak in water until 70-80% translucent, take out, cut into slices after moistening, and dry in the sun.
2. Fried Atractylodes: Take Atractylodes slices, spray with rice wash water to moisten, place in a pot and fry over low heat until slightly yellow; or take cleaned Atractylodes, soak in rice wash water, then take out, steam until thoroughly cooked, cut into slices, and dry.
3. Charred preparation: Take Atractylodes slices, fry over high heat until the surface is charred black, and the inside is dry and yellow, then take out and dry.
4. Salt preparation: Take Atractylodes, fry over high heat until the outer skin is charred black, add salt water, fry dry and take out. For every 1 jin of Atractylodes, add 5 qian of salt and an appropriate amount of water.
5. Atractylodes is dry in nature, so it is soaked in glutinous rice wash to remove its oil, cut into slices, and baked dry for use; it can also be fried with sesame oil to reduce its dryness.
Taste and Properties Spicy; bitter; warm.
Meridians Entered Enters the Spleen; Stomach; Liver meridians.
Main Functions and Indications Dries dampness and strengthens the Spleen; dispels wind-dampness; brightens the eyes. Main indications include dampness obstructing the Spleen and Stomach; fatigue and lethargy; abdominal fullness and distension; loss of appetite; vomiting and diarrhea; phlegm retention; damp swelling; exterior syndrome with dampness; heavy pain in the head and body; warm bi syndrome; joint pain; and night blindness.
Dosage and Administration Oral: Decoction, 9-27 g; or in pills or powders.
Precautions
2. Běn Cǎo Jīng Jí Zhù: Use with Fang Feng and Di Yu.
3. Yào Xìng Lùn: Avoid peaches, plums, sparrow meat, mustard greens, and blue fish.
4. Yī Xué Rù Mén: Use cautiously in those with blood deficiency and weakness, and those with emotional distress. Misuse can deplete Qi and blood, dry body fluids, and aggravate internal heat and fullness.
5. Běn Cǎo Jīng Shū: For diseases belonging to Yin deficiency, blood deficiency, insufficient essence, internal heat, bone steaming, dry mouth and lips, coughing with phlegm, hemoptysis, epistaxis, throat obstruction, constipation, and stagnation, it should be avoided.
6. Běn Cǎo Zhèng: Contraindicated in internal heat and Yin deficiency, and those with exterior deficiency and sweating.
Formulas
1. Atractylodes Pill (from Zá Bìng Yuán Liú Xī Zhú · Nèi Shāng Wài Gǎn), for abdominal cold and inability to eat. 2. Atractylodes Phlegm-Dispersing Pill (from Wàn Shì Fù Kē), for scanty menstruation, amenorrhea, infertility, obesity, and phlegm fatigue. 3. Atractylodes Nán Míng Dan (from Shì Yī Dè Xiào Fāng), for deficiency of original Yang Qi, Spleen essence not holding, turbid leakage, and lumbar pain. 4. Atractylodes San Huang Powder (from Yáng Kē Quán Shū), for all kinds of toxic conditions. 5. Atractylodes Cāng Lǐng Powder (from Biàn Zhèng Lù), for sudden heart pain, intermittent pain, occurring several times a day, with no dietary restrictions, and restlessness day and night. 6. Atractylodes Bái Chén Decoction (from Zhèng Zhì Huì Bǔ), for damp phlegm descending and turbid stools. 7. Atractylodes Bái Hǔ Decoction (from Zá Bìng Yuán Liú Xī Zhú · Nèi Shāng Wài Gǎn), for autumn cold epidemics, damp-warmth, clear stools, and difficult-to-move swelling. 8. Atractylodes Damp-Removing Decoction (from Zhèng Yīn Mài Zhì), for Taiyang headache. 9. Atractylodes Peony Decoction (from Huó Fǎ Jī Yào), for severe dysentery pain. 10. Ping Wei San (from Jù Fāng), for Spleen and Stomach disharmony, loss of appetite, abdominal fullness and pain, bitter taste, vomiting, and frequent diarrhea. 11. Shén Shù Sǎn (from Jù Fāng), for seasonal epidemics, headache and neck stiffness, fever with chills, body aches, and wind-cold, nasal congestion, heavy voice, cough, and dizziness. 12. Er Miào Sǎn (from Dān Qīng Xīn Fǎ), for joint pain due to damp-heat.
Various Discussions
1. Tao Hongjing: Eliminates evil qi.
2. Liu Wanshu: Brightens the eyes and warms the water organs.
3. Zhēn Zhū Náng: Can strengthen the stomach and calm the Spleen; no other can eliminate all dampness and swelling.
4. Li Gao: Eliminates dampness and induces sweating, strengthens the stomach and calms the Spleen; a key medicine for atrophy.
5. Disperses wind and benefits qi, resolves all stagnation.
6. Gāng Mù: Treats damp phlegm retention, or with blood stasis forming a mass, and Spleen dampness flowing down, turbid discharge, and slippery diarrhea.
7. Yù Qū Yào Jiě: Dries the earth and benefits water, eliminates phlegm and dampness, promotes blood circulation, opens stagnation, eliminates lumps, regulates acid reflux, dispels miasma, and relieves weakness in the muscles and bones, clears turbid urination.
8. Běn Cǎo Qiú Yuán: Stops water diarrhea, food stagnation, summer heat diarrhea, and Spleen dampness with blood.
9. Yī Xué Qǐ Yuán: Atractylodes has the same main functions as Bái Shù, but it has the greatest effect in eliminating upper dampness and inducing sweating, while its power is less in tonifying the middle and eliminating dampness. The main treatment is the same as Bái Shù, but compared to Bái Shù, it has a heavier aroma and a denser body. For damp swelling in the legs and feet, use Bái Shù soaked and scraped off the skin.
10. Li Gao: In Běn Cǎo, it only mentions Shù, without distinguishing between Cāng and Bái, while Cāng Shù has a unique strong upward energy that can eliminate dampness and stabilize the Taiyin, preventing evil qi from entering the Spleen. Because it is soaked in rice wash and fried, it can induce sweating, and its effect is particularly unique; therefore, it cannot be replaced by Bái Shù, as they have different effects. The other main functions are the same.
11. Rén Zhāi Zhí Zhǐ Fāng: For Spleen essence not holding, with turbid leakage and continuous urination, lumbar and back pain, it is advisable to use Atractylodes to consolidate Spleen essence, as essence is produced from grains.
12. Zhu Zhenheng: Atractylodes treats dampness, applicable to all three levels. It can also resolve all stagnation, including phlegm, fire, dampness, food, qi, and blood stagnation, which are all due to abnormal transmission and transformation, leading to failure of ascent and descent, and diseases in the middle Jiao. Therefore, the medicine must be able to ascend and descend; to open it, it must first descend, and to descend, it must first ascend. Thus, Atractylodes is a medicine for the Foot Yangming meridian, with a pungent and strong flavor, which strengthens the stomach and Spleen, and can directly enter various medicines, dispelling the dampness of the Yangming, promoting circulation and astringency, while Xiang Fu is a medicine that quickly dispels qi in the Yin, and is the fastest in descending qi. Therefore, stagnation is dispersed and balanced.
13. Gāng Mù: Zhang Zhongjing dispels all evil qi, using Chì Shù with pig hoof to burn smoke, and Tao Yinjū also said that Shù can eliminate evil qi and avert disasters. Therefore, during epidemics and at the beginning of the year, families often burn Atractylodes to dispel evil qi.
14. Běn Cǎo Tōng Xuán: Atractylodes broadens the middle and induces sweating, its effect surpasses that of Bái Shù, tonifying the middle and eliminating dampness, but its power is not as strong as Bái Shù. Generally, for the soil that is low and monitored, it is advisable to use Bái Shù to cultivate it, while for the soil that is rich and abundant, it is advisable to use Atractylodes to balance it.
15. Běn Cǎo Zhèng Yì: Atractylodes has a warm and dispersive nature, thus it can induce sweating and broaden the middle, regulate the stomach, relieve abdominal distension and pain, treat cholera and vomiting, resolve all stagnation, expel miasma and cold epidemics, disperse wind and relieve headaches, eliminate phlegm and blockages, and reduce swelling and fullness. Its dry nature can treat cold dysentery, cold diarrhea, slippery diarrhea, intestinal wind, and cold damp sores. When boiled with Huang Lian, it is most effective in expelling damp-heat from the lower Jiao. However, only the Maoshan variety is firm and small, with a sweet and mellow flavor, and has more tonifying effects, greatly surpassing other Atractylodes.
16. Yào Pǐn Huà Yì: Atractylodes has a pungent flavor that disperses, warm and dry, which can eliminate dampness, specifically entering the Spleen and Stomach, treating wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, miasma, and skin edema, all of which are due to its pungent and strong dispersing effects. It governs dampness in the three levels; if dampness is in the upper Jiao, it easily produces damp phlegm, which can be dried and phlegm can be eliminated; if dampness is in the middle Jiao, it causes stagnation and diarrhea, which can be resolved by broadening the middle and strengthening the Spleen; if dampness is in the lower Jiao, it causes weakness in the legs and knees, which can be treated with Huang Lian for atrophy, allowing the legs and knees to regain strength. Its pungent and dispersive energy can expel evil and induce sweating, providing great relief. Combined with Liu Shen San, it can alleviate spring and summer damp-heat diseases; when combined with Chai Ge, it can disperse the exterior in the early stages of malaria; if heat diseases have sweating and remain unresolved, it can be added to Bái Hǔ Tāng to resolve it, stopping sweating and cooling the body. Miao Zhongchun used this as a powder to treat Spleen deficiency and abdominal distension.
17. Yù Qū Yào Jiě: Bái Shù is stable and does not move, while Cāng Shù moves and does not stabilize, thus Bái Shù is good for tonifying, while Cāng Shù is good for dispersing. Its effects on digestion and appetite are similar to Bái Shù, but Cāng Shù is unique in its ability to eliminate water and open stagnation.
18. Běn Cǎo Zhèng Yì: Atractylodes has a strong aroma, stronger than Bái Shù, capable of penetrating both upper and lower levels, drying dampness and transforming phlegm, and its fragrance dispels miasma, effectively countering the unwholesome qi of the four seasons; thus, it is often used in epidemic diseases. It is most effective in driving away foul and turbid qi, especially in damp and stagnant environments, making it advisable to burn this material before residing in such places. In cases of dampness obstructing the Spleen Yang, fatigue and lethargy, soft limbs, chest fullness and heaviness, and even membrane swelling with a thick and greasy tongue, only the fragrant and strong Cāng Shù can open and disperse, while phlegm and dampness cannot be transformed without it. During the transition from summer to autumn, when heat and dampness are combined, causing headaches and chest fullness, Cāng Shù, Huò Xiāng, and Pèi Lán leaves should be used to awaken the Spleen, as they are effective. In cases of Spleen dampness, it can lead to membrane swelling, fullness, diarrhea, or lower limb swelling, or damp-heat causing sores, or cold dampness causing pain, but with a thick tongue and no thirst, Cāng Shù is the most essential medicine. Therefore, it is of great use in both internal and external diseases.
Excerpt Chinese Herbal Medicine