Atractylodes macrocephala. 白术Bái
zhú White
Atractylodes Family:
Asteraceae Macrocephala originates
from macro = big; cephala = head; so, big-headed atractylodes. Atractylodes refers
mainly to Bai zhu. Less frequently used is Atractylodes
lancea- Cang zhu.
There are less-desirable and somewhat weaker substitutes, such as A. chinensis,
A. japonicum, and A. ovata.[3] PART USED: Rhizome FLAVOR: Sweet, bitter. FUNCTIONS GROUP: Replenishing Qi
1. Strengthen Spleen, dry up Dampness. INDICATIONS
1. Poor appetite, abdominal swelling, diarrhea, sputum.
2. Vertigo, edema, fetus motion. PATENT COMBINATIONS
- Deficiency of Qi and Blood: Tonifies Qi and BloodGinseng & Danggui Eight Combination-
Ba zhen wan. - Upward disturbance of Wind-Phlegm: Eliminates Phlegm, subdues
Internal Wind, stgrengthens the Spleen and dries Damp Pinellia
& Gastrodia- Ban xia bai zhu tian ma tang. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency and Collapse middle Heater Qi:Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach Qi and lifts up the sinking Yang Qi of the
Middle JiaoGinseng
& Astragalus- Bu zhong yi qi wan. - Qi deficiency and Qi stagnation: Regulates the Qi in the
Middle Jiao, tonifies the Qi, promotes bowel movement Aquilaria
Combination- Chen xiang hua qi wan. - Liver Blood deficiency with stagnation of Qi and Blood and internal
retention of Dampness: Nourishes Blood, Tonifes
Qi, Regulates the Liver Qi to releive pain, strengthens Spleen to eliminate
DampnessDanggui &
Peonia- Dang gui shao yao san. - Accumulation of Internal Heat and Exterior Wind
Heat: Releases exterior Wind-Heat, drains Heat, promotes bowel movementSiler & Platycodon- Fang
feng tong shen wan. - Deficiency of Spleen Qi and Heart Blood:Tonifies the Qi
and Blood, strengthens the Spleen, nourishes the Heart and calms the ShenGinseng & Longan- Gui pi wan. - Exterior Wind-Cold or Wind-Cold-Dampness with
stagnation of Dampness, or food stagnation in the middle Heater:
Releases Exterior Wind-Cold, activates the Spleen to transform Dampness and
Phlegm, regulates the Qi, harmonizes the middle HeaterAgastache-
Huo xiang zheng qi wan. - Liver Qi stagnation with Heat: Spreads the Liver Qi to
relieve constraint, nourishes the Blood, strengthens the Spleen, clears Heat Bupleurum
& Peony- Jia wei xiao yao san. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with food stagnation:Strengthens
the Spleen and Stomach, Regulates Qi in the Stomach and Intestines, promotes digestion
Ginseng & Citrus- Jian pi wan. - Spleen and Stomach Cold and deficient:
Warms the Middle Jiao to dispel Cold, tonifies the Spleen and Stomach Ginseng
& Ginger- Li zhong wan. - Stagnation of Phlegm-Fluids:Strengthens
the Spleen, Drains Damp, Warms and resolves Retention of Phlegm and FluidAtractylodes & Hoelen- Ling
gui zhu gan tang. - Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency with Phelgm Damp
retention:Tonifies the Qi, strengthens the spleen and Stomach, dries
Dampness, transforms Phlegm, regulates the Qi and harmonizes the Middle Jiao Six
major herbs- Liu jun zi wan. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with retention of Dampness:
Strengthens the Spleen, tonifies the Qi, harmonizes the Stomach and drains DampnessGinseng & Atractylodes- Shen
ling bai zhu san. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency:
Tonifies the Qi, strengthens the Spleen and StomachFour
major herbs- Si jun zi wan. - Low energy:Nourishes
Yin and Tonifies Qi, strengthens Wei Qi and Consolidates the Exterior of the bodyAmerican Ginseng
& Lotus Fruit- Ti shen yang shen wang jiang. - Deficiency of Spleen Qi, Liver Qi stagnation and retention of Dampness:Tonifies the middle Heater,
strengthens the Spleen, regulates the Liver Qi, transforms Dampness and stops
vaginal discharge Atractylodes
& Dioscorea- Wan dai tang. - Spleen deficiency with fluid retention:
Promotes diuresis, drains Dampness, strengthens the Spleen, warms the Yang and
promotes the transforming functions of Qi-Hoelen
five- Wu ling san. - Spleen Qi deficiency and retention of
Phlegm Damp: Tonifes Qi of Spleen and Stomach, Regulates Qi and
harmonises middle Heater, dispels Cold, Dampness and PhlegmSaussurea
& Cardamon- Xiang sha liu jun zi wan. - Deficiency of the Stomach and Spleen with Stagnation of Dampness:Tonifies
the Qi, strengthens the Spleen and Stomach, transforms Phlegm and Dampness, regulates
the Qi and harmonizes the Middle Jiao, alleviates painCyperus
& Cardamon- Xiang sha yang wei wan. - Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiency or Kidney deficiency:Tonifies
the Spleen, Lung and Kidney, aids the Kidney to grab the Qi, transforms Phlegm,
redirects the Lung Qi downward, secures the Lung and the Kidney, and alleviates
coughing and wheezing Astragalus
& Psoralea- Xiao er gu ben ke chuan chong ji. - Stagnation of Liver Qi and hypofunction
of Spleen:Spread the Liver Qi to relieve Liver stagnation, strengthens
the Spleen and nourishes the BloodBupleurum
& Danggui-Xiao yao san- Bupleurum & Danggui Formula - External Wind Cold or
invasion of Damp Heat with Lung Qi deficiency: Releases exterior
Wind-Cold, unblocks the nasal passages, alleviates sinus
pain. Clears Damp Heat in the LungMagnolia
flower- Xin yi san. - Rebellious Liver Qi attacking the Spleen and counterflowering
upward: Calms the Rebellious ascent of Liver Qi, promotes circulation
of Liver Qi and Blood, Extinguishes Liver WindBupleurum combination- Yi gan san - Deficiency of Qi and Weakness
of the Exterior: Tonifies the Qi and secures the Exterior
to arrest sweatingJade
screen combination- Yu ping feng san. - Water retention due to Kidney Yang deficiency:Warms Kidney and Spleen Yang, Tonifies Spleen
Qi, promotes diuresisCodonopsis
combination- Zhen wu tang. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency: Strengthens
Spleen and Stomach, regulates digestive system and stops diarrheaSaussurea & Atractylodes-
Zhi xie bao tong chong ji. - Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with stagnation
of food and Dampness: Strengthens the spleen and Stomach, eliminates
the Damp Retention and improves the digestion Ginseng,
Dioscorea and Coix- Zi sheng wan.
COMPARISONS: Bai zhu and Cang zhu- both are Atractylodes and
fortify the Spleen and dry Dampness.[4] Bai zhu- slightly acrid, bitter but not very stong. Works to tonify and
strengthen Spleen.[3] Cang zhu- flavor more acrid-
more into muscles, more for drying moisture, not very tonifying.[3]
However, Cang zhu is aromatic, bitter, and warm and has a dry and harsh nature.
It upbears yang, dissipates depression, and dries dampness. It has a stronger
upbearing and dissipating action than baizhu, but its ability to fortify the spleen,
supplement qi, and engender blood is weaker.[4] PREPARATIONS:Rhizome 4-9 g.[1]
Liquid extract 45% alcohol.[2]
[1] A Complete English Dictionary of Medicinal
Terms in Chinese Acupuncture and Herbalism 1981- Henry Lu Chinese Foundations
of Natural Health- The Academy of Oriental Heritage, Vancouver, Canada.
[2] Medicated Diet of Traditional Chinese Medicine- Chief Editor- Hou Jinglun.
Associate Editors- Zhao Xin, Li Weidong, Liu Jianxin, Geng Chun-e, Li Guohua,
Li Shaohua. Geijing. Science & Technology Press 1994. ISBN 7-5304-1735-5/R.
309.
[3] itmonline.org Images
1. cnseed.org
2. 431u.com
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the
use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Constituents
Less essential oil than the Cang zhu varieties, with only 0.35-1.35% and with
atractylone as the main component, along with smaller amounts of other lactones
having similar structure.[1] References
[1] itmonline.org
Research
Protective effects of Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide on liver
ischemia-reperfusion injury and its possible mechanism in rats.
Jin C, Zhang PJ, Bao CQ, Gu YL, Xu BH, Li CW, Li JP, Bo P, Liu XN. Abstract
Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide (AMP), a traditional Chinese medicine,
is thought to have protective effects against liver injury. Therefore, this
study was designed to explore the effects of AMP on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion
injury (IRI) and elucidate the possible mechanisms. Ninety-six Sprague-Dawley
rats were randomly divided into four groups with 24 rats per group: a normal
control group, an IRI group, an AMP-treated group (0.4 g/kg/d) and a bifendate-treated
group (100 mg/kg). Rats were treated with AMP or bifendate once daily for seven
days by gastric gavage. The normal control group and the IRI model group received
an equivalent volume of physiological saline. At 1, 6 and 24 h after surgery,
the rats were killed and liver tissue samples were obtained to determine interleukin-1
(IL-1) expression by Western blotting and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression
by immunohistochemistry. Liver morphology was assessed by microscopy and transmission
electron microscopy. Blood samples were obtained to measure liver function (alanine
aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin).
AMP significantly reduced the elevated expression of markers of liver dysfunction
and the hepatic morphologic changes induced by hepatic IRI in rats. AMP also
markedly inhibited IRI-induced lipid peroxidation and altered the activities
of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde levels. Moreover,
pretreatment with AMP suppressed the expression of interleukin-1β and NF-kB
in IRI-treated rats. These results suggest that AMP exerts protective and therapeutic
effects against hepatic IRI in rats, which might be associated with its antioxidant
properties and inhibition of NF-κB activation. More studies are needed to better
understand the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of AMP on hepatic
IRI.
Am J Chin Med. 2011;39(3):489-502. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov