Bai Zhu: The Premier Herb for Qi Supplementation and Spleen Strengthening

Chinese Medicine Book Club Issue 1882

Daily updates to accompany the growth of TCM practitioners

Introduction: How can Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) help treat constipation? For those who stay up late, drinking a sip of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonifying the Middle and Benefiting Qi Decoction) is equivalent to eating a piece of chocolate? What type of acne can be treated with Bai Zhu? And what is the method of using Bai Zhu with vinegar externally to treat bone spurs? The answers can be found in this article. (Editor/Wang Chao)

Chinese Medicine Also Has Circular Motion – Bai Zhu (Excerpt)

Author/Hu Hao

Hello to all friends and colleagues of Linglan TCM! Today we will learn about a new herb: Bai Zhu.

1. Source

Bai Zhu is a medicinal plant from the Asteraceae family, specifically the dried rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala, primarily produced in Zhejiang and Anhui. It originally grew wild in mountainous or hilly areas, hence it is called Shan Jing (Mountain Essence). Nowadays, it is mainly cultivated, with the primary production area being Yuchan County in Zhejiang, thus it is also known as Yu Zhu.

2. Properties and Flavor

Bai Zhu is generally harvested in winter when the leaves turn yellow, hence it is called Winter Bai Zhu. When harvested, its cross-section is yellowish-white or brownish, with some brown-yellow dotted oil chambers. It has a fragrant aroma, a slightly sweet taste, a bit spicy, and a sticky texture, which are its characteristic properties.

3.1 Treating Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness

(1) Abnormal Bowel Movements

If constipation occurs, Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) alone can treat it. As mentioned earlier, Bai Zhu contains a lot of oil, so it has a certain lubricating effect, aiding in bowel movements. Fresh Bai Zhu should be ground into powder and boiled briefly; do not boil for too long, as the oil will evaporate, making it ineffective for relieving constipation. This is a key point regarding its usage. For treating diarrhea or loose stools, it is generally recommended to use fried Bai Zhu or Tu Chao Bai Zhu (Earth-Fried Bai Zhu).

(2) Eczema

Spleen deficiency can also lead to eczema or damp sores. This can be treated both internally and externally. The dampness is mainly distributed around the waist or lower limbs, and can appear on the Spleen or Stomach meridians. If cold dampness is present in the Spleen, and the person frequently washes their face with cold water, acne may appear on the cheeks, which is a type of Han Shi (Cold Dampness) acne that can also be treated with Bai Zhu. Cold damp acne takes longer to treat than damp-heat acne, as it is a Yin condition. If the patient does not avoid cold and raw foods, they will not recover.

(3) Low Back Pain

These symptoms caused by Spleen deficiency can also lead to cold dampness obstructing the body or external cold dampness invading, resulting in low back pain. A representative formula is Shen Zhuo Tang (Kidney-Strengthening Decoction), also known as Gan Cao Gan Jiang Fu Ling Bai Zhu Tang (Licorice, Dried Ginger, Poria, and Bai Zhu Decoction), which treats the symptom of “heaviness in the lower back like carrying five thousand coins”. Ancient texts record that Bai Zhu can benefit the blood around the navel, which actually refers to the Qi around the navel, indirectly treating blood issues, including cold dampness and water retention around the navel, which will be explained later.

3.2 Treating Qi Deficiency with Heat

Bai Zhu treats Spleen Qi deficiency and sinking, with the representative formula being Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonifying the Middle and Benefiting Qi Decoction). This formula addresses the symptoms of Spleen Qi deficiency leading to sinking, while also considering the underlying condition of Kidney Yin deficiency and the upward movement of empty heat. Kidney Yin deficiency causes heat to rise, leading to Spleen Qi deficiency sinking. The treatment method of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang is to tonify Spleen Qi and raise Yang, while also including a method to drain heat; however, there are no heat-draining herbs in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. A symptom that may arise is Qi deficiency with heat. Note that the maximum dosage of the original formula for Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang is about three qian two fen, which is less than 10 grams.

Qi deficiency with heat is actually quite common in our current clinical practice, especially among those who frequently stay up late and have irregular eating habits. In the morning, if they skip breakfast and feel particularly hungry by noon, they may experience symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, tidal heat, and sweating, which are very similar to the symptoms of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. This is somewhat akin to low blood sugar; drinking a sip of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang is equivalent to eating a piece of chocolate or fruit candy. However, later generations have modified the dosage of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, increasing the dosage, for example, using 30 grams of Huang Qi (Astragalus) and 30 grams of Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala). With this increased dosage, it can treat not only Qi deficiency with heat but also internal organ prolapse.

3.3 Treating Bone Hyperplasia

Strengthening the earth can also indirectly control water, known as the method of Pei Tu Zhi Shui (Strengthening Earth to Control Water), or Dun Tu Li Shui (Mounding Earth to Benefit Water). The previously mentioned Zhen Wu Tang (True Warrior Decoction) and Fu Zi Tang (Aconite Decoction) treat edema, which is caused by evil water. The method of strengthening earth to control water also implies treating excessive or flooding Kidney water. In classical texts, there is a rare condition called “Sui Yi (Marrow Overflow)” (where overflow refers to the outflow of marrow, and marrow refers to bone marrow). This condition can cause teeth to grow excessively long, making it difficult to eat. In such cases, using Bai Zhu alone in decoction can strengthen the Spleen; this condition is characterized by excess Kidney Qi and excessive Kidney water, and we use Spleen earth to control water, which is the intended meaning.

According to records, this method is very effective, although I have not personally encountered this condition in clinical practice. However, a similar condition is bone hyperplasia or bone spurs, which is very common in the lumbar spine, knees, cervical spine, or heels. One method is to grind Bai Zhu into powder, mix it with some vinegar for external application, which is also very effective. It can also be made into a paste for external washing or foot soaking.

A classic method is to grind Bai Zhu into powder, mix it with some vinegar, and apply it to the affected area on the heel, placing it in the shoe. Walk around during the day, and remove it before going to bed, washing the area clean. This method is generally very effective for treatment. This is an indirect function of Bai Zhu. (Editor’s note: Please refer to Linglan Daily | Bai Zhu with Vinegar for Treating Bone Spurs? for comments.)

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I Copyright Statement This article is excerpted from Linglan’s essential course “Chinese Medicine Also Has Circular Motion – Selected Lectures on 60 Chinese Herbs”, compiled by Hu Hao. Edited by Wang Chao. Proofread by Yuan Zhi and Zeng Hui. Copyright belongs to the relevant rights holders. If there are any improper uses, please feel free to contact us. I Submission Email [email protected]

About the Author: Hu Hao, Chief Physician of TCM Internal Medicine, Master’s Degree Supervisor. Currently serves as the Director of the Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy at Xinjiang Medical University, with over twenty years of teaching and clinical experience. Academically advocates for reducing sectarian disputes, emphasizing efficacy in clinical practice. In practice, he stresses “using the ancient for the present and the foreign for the Chinese”.

On October 19, after the launch of Hu Hao’s online course “Chinese Medicine Also Has Circular Motion” on Linglan for 2 months, we randomly distributed a survey among the purchasers, asking: Are you satisfied with the course content and structure? A total of 203 submissions (99 very satisfied, 101 satisfied, 3 dissatisfied)

I will share a few student feedback for your reference (as an experienced editor dealing with content for many years, I strongly recommend it to everyone):

• It’s so worth it! If I had such a good teacher back then, my knowledge of Chinese herbs wouldn’t have been the worst subject.

• I have a new understanding of Chinese herbs, and the summaries after class are also very good.

• This is the best Chinese herbal medicine class I’ve heard in years! Thank you, teacher! I feel that the teacher has a profound theoretical foundation and rich clinical experience!

• Very good course; learning offline is very troublesome, and this course allows for flexible learning time, learning from a famous teacher online.

• Must praise, Teacher Hu Hao is really amazing, has helped me a lot. Thank you to the Chinese Medicine Book Club and Teacher Hu Hao!

• The explanations are clear and insightful, traditional and authentic in thought, and after listening, I feel enlightened and integrated!

• Each Chinese herb discussed is indeed very vivid and easy to understand, really excellent!

• I am a beginner in Chinese herbs, and it is very important for me to have simple explanations. I hope that when discussing Chinese herbs, they can correspond with meridians and acupoints.

• I am very satisfied with Teacher Hu Hao’s teaching: the content is detailed, and the cases are wonderful!

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