Introduction: Mr. Tao Yufeng has compiled 24 clinical treatment references for “Cang Zhu” based on ancient texts, the experiences of medical practitioners throughout history, and his own clinical insights, which are worth learning and collecting. 1 Cang Zhu (Atractylodes) promotes sweating and is more effective than Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes); it supplements and eliminates dampness, … Read more
Click the top left ↑ “Daoist Physician Chen Ming” to follow the public account Atractylodes (Cang Zhu) Atractylodes (Scientific name: Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC.): A perennial herb of the Asteraceae family. The rhizome is horizontal or obliquely ascending, with adventitious roots. The stem is erect, reaching up to 100 cm, solitary or clustered in small … Read more
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
This official WeChat account is managed by the Beijing Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you have not followed us yet, please click the blue “Capital TCM” above to follow. Atractylodes (Cāngzhú) refers to the dried rhizomes of the perennial herbaceous plants Atractylodes lancea and Atractylodes macrocephala. It has a pungent, bitter, and warm nature, … 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
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
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 … Read more