Greenlife Chinese herb database - Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu)

Greenlife Chinese herb database - Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu)

English Name

Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome

Chinese Name

Picture

Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae

Origin

Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome is the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (Fam. Compositae).

Nature and Affinity

It is sweet and bitter in taste and warm in nature. Its therapeutic action is related to the channels of the spleen and stomach.

Main Active Ingredient

Precaution

Storage

Preserve in a cool and dry place, protected from moth.

	DESCRIPTION
	In irregularly plump masses, 3~13 cm long, 1.5~7 cm in diameter. Externally grayish-yellow or greyish-brown, with warty protrudings, interrupted longitudinal wrinkles and glooves, and scars of fibrous rootlets; remains of stems and bud scars attached to the apex. Texture hard, uneasily broken, fracture uneven, yellowish-white to brownish, scattered with brownish-yellow dotted oil cavities. The material dried by baking appearing horny and relatively deep coloured or cracked. Odour, aromatic; taste, sweetish and slightly pungent, viscous on chewing.
	ACTION
	To invigorate the function of the spleen and replenish qi, to eliminant damp by causing diuresis, to arrest excessive perspiration, and to prevent miscarriage. Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (processed with terra) To invigorat the function of the spleen and regulate the function of the stomach, and to prevent miscarriage.
	INDICATIONS
	Hypofunction of the spleen with anorexia, abdominal distension and diarrhea; dizziness and palpitation due to retention of phlegm and fluid; edema; spontaneous sweating; threatened abortion. Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (processed with terra) Hypofunction of the spleen with anorexia and diarrhea; threatened abortion.
	REFERENTIAL ADVICE
	1. Invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen. As an important medicine to invigorate qi and strengthen the spleen, it is used in inappetence and diarrhoea, abdominal distention, lassitude and asthenia and other symptoms caused by insufficiency of the spleen-qi resulting in dysfunction of the spleen in transport. 2. Eliminating dampness to alleviate water retention. It is used in syndromes as phlegm retention and edema due to retention of water within the body resulting from dysfunction of the spleen in water transport and caused by insufficiency of the spleen-qi. Bighead atractylodes rhizome is an effective medicine in treating phlegm retention and edema, sticking itself out both in reinforcing qi to strengthen the spleen and in eliminating dampness to alleviate water retention. 3. Suppressing sweating and preventing abortion. It is used in spontaneous perspiration due to lowered superficial resistance against diseases and threatened abortion brought on by deficiency of the spleen-qi. It is advisable to use the raw rhizome in eliminating dampness and water retention and the soil-stir-roasted rhizome to inforce the spleen and alleviate diarrhoea. The bran-stir-roasted is suitable for replenishing qi and strengthening the spleen to relieve dryness.
	TIPS
	The drug is sedative to restless foetus.