- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- China
Asia · Herb · № 651
Atractylodes macrocephala
Herb · Asia
White atractylodes (bai zhu)
Atractylodes macrocephala
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the spleen and regulates the stomach; for diarrhoea and fluid retention, and traditionally to help prevent miscarriage.
Safety notes
Not with yin deficiency with thirst. Always discuss complaints during pregnancy with a midwife or doctor. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Chinese materia medica: Not with yin deficiency with heat or great thirst.
Preparation
Dried rhizome; also roasted with wheat bran.
Use in traditions
One of the most important remedies for strengthening the spleen in Chinese medicine.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Chinese food therapy
Attributed effects
Strengthens the spleen, regulates the stomach and reduces fluid retention and diarrhoea.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- sweet, bitter, warm
- Meridians
- spleen, stomach
Attributed effects
Strengthens spleen qi in poor appetite, chronic diarrhoea, vomiting and a distended abdomen, dries dampness in oedema, curbs spontaneous sweating from qi deficiency and calms a restless foetus from spleen deficiency.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 3–9 g a day, usually in a decoction. As wine: steep powdered bai zhu, dang shen, fu ling and licorice in yellow rice wine for ten days.
Combinations
- With dang shen, fu ling and licorice for poor appetite
Caution: Not with yin deficiency with heat or great thirst.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- DecoctionPowder and kitchen
- Formulas
- Ba zhen tangBu zhong yi qi tangDang gui shao yao sanFang feng tong sheng sanFang ji huang qi tangGui pi tangGui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangHuo xiang zheng qi sanJia wei xiao yao sanLi zhong wanLing gui zhu gan tangLiu jun zi tangShen ling bai zhu sanShi quan da bu tangSi jun zi tangTai shan pan shi sanWei ling tangWu ling sanXiao yao sanYi gan sanYi yi ren tangYu ping feng sanZhen wu tang