Comparative Use of Cang Zhu and Bai Zhu Cang Zhu and Bai Zhu were not distinguished in ancient times. The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing only mentions “Zhu” without differentiating between Cang and Bai. During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Tao Hongjing classified “Zhu” into Bai and Chi types based on their … Read more
Nature: Warm; Taste: Spicy and Bitter; Channels: Spleen, Stomach. Functions: Strengthens the Spleen, dries dampness, relieves depression, dispels filth. Used for excessive dampness obstructing the Spleen, fatigue, preference for lying down, epigastric fullness and abdominal distension, poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, phlegm retention, edema, seasonal colds, wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, foot weakness, and night blindness. … Read more
Cāng zhú (Atractylodes macrocephala) Cāng zhú is irregularly shaped, resembling a string of beads or nodules, slightly curved, occasionally branched, measuring 3 to 10 cm in length and 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The surface is gray-brown, with wrinkles, transverse grooves, and residual fibrous roots, and the top has stem scars or remnants of … Read more
Cang Zhu Cang Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is the dried rhizome of the Asteraceae family plant. It is harvested in spring and autumn, cleaned of soil, dried, and the fibrous roots are removed. The best quality is produced in Jiangsu, Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, particularly from the Maoshan area in … Read more
Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) has a pungent and bitter taste, and a warm nature. It is associated with the Spleen, Stomach, and Liver meridians. Its functions include drying dampness, strengthening the Spleen, dispelling wind, and alleviating cold, as well as improving vision. It is used for symptoms such as abdominal distension, diarrhea, edema, beriberi, rheumatic pain, … Read more
Introduction The efficacy of Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) in treating various conditions originates from the Song Dynasty physician Xu Shuwei. Xu was fond of drinking, which harmed his spleen and stomach. A deficiency in the spleen leads to an inability to transform dampness, while Cang Zhu, being warm and bitter, can awaken the spleen and transform … Read more
TCM Case Studies / Medical Discussions / Reference Articles for Clinical TCM LearningIntroduction: Mr. Tao Yufeng has compiled 24 clinical treatment principles for Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) based on ancient texts, the experiences of historical physicians, and his own clinical insights, which are worth learning and collecting. 1 Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) promotes sweating and is more … Read more
Fighting Epidemics: Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) Has Never Been Absent Written by: Wang Ziyuan, Chief Pharmacist, Pharmacy Department In traditional medicine, “epidemics” refer to severe infectious diseases caused by highly pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. According to the “History of Epidemics in China,” there have been 321 epidemics in China over the past two … Read more
苍术 (Cang Zhu) 苍术 (Cang Zhu) is the dried rhizome of the Asteraceae plant, either Atractylodes macrocephala or Atractylodes lancea. It has the effects of dispelling wind, scattering cold, and alleviating rheumatic pain. It is also known by other names such as 赤术 (Chi Zhu), 山蓟 (Shan Ji), 山精 (Shan Jing), 青术 (Qing Zhu), and … Read more
Daily Herb: Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) Alias: Chi Zhu, Qing Zhu, Xian Zhu. Source: This herb is the dried rhizome of the perennial herbaceous plant Mao Cang Zhu or Bei Cang Zhu from the Asteraceae family. Properties: Pungent, bitter, warm. Meridians: Spleen, Stomach, Liver. Functions: Dries dampness, strengthens the spleen, dispels wind and cold, brightens the … Read more