INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Common English: Atractylodis Rhizome
Ovate Atractylodis
White Atractylodis
Large-headed Atractylodis Rhizome
Herbs that Tonify Qi
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Sweet
(Acrid)
Warm
Spleen
Stomach
3-15g
Tincture: 1-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi

Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with diarrhea, fatigue, a sallow complexion and lack of appetite

Spleen Yang failure to rise

Dries Dampness and promotes water metabolism

Spleen Damp or accumulation of fluids affecting the digestion

Edema and reduced urination due to Spleen Deficiency (failure to transform and transport)

Tan Yin, masses, swelling

Auxiliary for Damp painful obstruction

Stabilizes the Exterior and stops sweating

Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating (Wei Qi Deficiency)

With appropriate herbs, other types of sweating

Calms the fetus

Restless fetus disorder due to Spleen Qi Deficiency

With appropriate herbs, other types of Restless Fetus Disorder

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated in those with Yin Deficiency with Heat signs.
  • Contraindicated in those with extreme thirst due to injured fluids.
  • Contraindicated in those with Qi Stagnation with feelings of distention and oppression.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • This herb may enhance the inhibitory effect of omeprazole.
  • Use with caution for patients who take anticoagulants such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and enoxaprin (Lovenox) or antiplatelet medications such as aspirin, dipyridamole (Persantine), and clopidogrel (Plavix).
  • Concurrent use with diuretics such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furmoside (Lasix), bumetinide (Bumex) and torsemide (Demadex) may lead to increased elimination of water and/or electrolytes.

Rx. Codonopsis
Dang Shen
Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang

Fr. Aurantii Immaturus
Zhi Shi

Poria
Fu Ling
Sm. Coicis
Yi Yi Ren

Deficiency Cold of the Middle Jiao with abdominal pain, distention, vomiting and diarrhea.

Spleen Deficiency and Qi Stagnation with anorexia and epigastric focal distention and fullness.

Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with Dampness.

Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu

Poria
Fu Ling
Ram. Cinnamomi
Gui Zhi

Diarrhea due to Dampness.

Diarrhea due to Summerheat and Dampness.

Damp Cold Painful Obstruction.

Vaginal discharge.

Spleen Deficiency with chest distention and edema.

Polyporus
Zhu Ling
Rz. Alismatis
Ze Xie

Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata
Zhi Fu Zi
Poria
Fu Ling

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi Ban Xia
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma

Edema due to Internal Dampness.

Edema due to Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Phlegm due to Spleen Dampness with Internal Liver Wind.

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Sm. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Rx. Saposhnikoviae
Fang Feng

Hb. Dendrobii
Shi Hu
Concha Ostreae
Mu Li

Unrelenting spontaneous sweat.

Spontaneous sweat with aversion to Wind due to Wei Qi Deficiency.

Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency.

Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Rx. Taxilli
Sang Ji Sheng
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong

Restless fetus with internal Heat.

Unstable pregnancy with Qi Deficiency and Interior Heat.

Restless fetus due to Qi Deficiency.

Restless fetus due to Kidney Deficiency.

Caul. Perillae
Zi Su Geng
Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rz. Cimicifugae
Sheng Ma

Restless fetus disorder with Qi Stagnation leading to distention in the chest and abdomen.

Restless fetus due to Blood Deficiency, often with palpitations.

Improves the transportive function of the Spleen in the treatment of constipation.

Per. Arecae
Da Fu Pi

Hb. Moslae
Xiang Ru

Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang

Strengthens the Spleen, assists transportation, dredges clogged Stagnation, facilitates the removal of pathogenic water and Dampness, and reduces edema for treatment of Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness Obstruction (loss of appetite, epigastric and abdominal fullness and distention, and edema).

Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness accumulating in the skin and floating edema.

General edema from Wind invading the Lungs in a patient with constitutional Spleen Deficiency.

Summerheat affects the Spleen and Stomach with nausea and anorexia.

Eliminates Cold Dampness in the Spleen with a loss of taste, a sticky sensation in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and a thick, white tongue coat.

Bleeding due to Deficiency of Spleen Yang with hemafecia or hematuria.

Frequent diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold.

Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao
Fr. Aurantii Immaturus
Zhi Shi

Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata
Zhi Gan Cao

Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency.

Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency with Qi and Food Stagnation.

Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold.

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Poria
Fu Ling
Sm. Coicis
Yi Yi Ren
Fr. Amomi
Sha Ren

Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao
Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu

Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao
Rz. Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with Dampness.

Clear, watery vaginal discharge due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with Dampness.

Blood Deficiency.

Poria
Fu Ling
Polyporus
Zhu Ling
Rz. Alismatis
Ze Xie

Poria
Fu Ling
Polyporus
Zhu Ling
Rz. Alismatis
Ze Xie
Ram. Cinnamomi
Gui Zhi

Poria
Fu Ling
Rz. Zingiberis Recens
Sheng Jiang

Edema with Spleen Deficiency.

Edema with Spleen Yang Deficiency.

Edema with Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Ram. Cinnamomi
Gui Zhi
Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi Ban Xia
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma
Poria
Fu Ling
Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Concha Ostreae
Mu Li
Rx. Ephedrae
Ma Huang Gen
Sm. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai

Accumulation of Phlegm.

Dizziness and vertigo due to accumulation of Phlegm and Liver Wind.

Spontaneous perspiration.

Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao
Charred Fol. Artemisiae Argyi
Ai Ye

Hb. Dendrobii
Shi Hu
Concha Ostreae
Mu Li
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi

Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Miscarriage with bleeding.

Unstable pregnancy with bleeding.

Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency.

Unstable pregnancy with severe Qi Deficiency.

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao

Hb Taxilli
Sang Ji Sheng
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong
Rx. Dipsaci
Xu Duan
Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao

Caul. Perillae
Zi Su Geng
Fr. Amomi
Sha Ren
Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi

Unstable pregnancy with Blood Deficiency.

Unstable pregnancy with Kidney Deficiency.

Unstable pregnancy with Qi Stagnation.

  1. This is an essential herb for tonifying the Spleen/Stomach when Dampness obstructs the Middle Jiao.
  2. It expels Dampness to augment Qi, harmonizes the Middle to tonify Yang, reduces illness, drives out water, generates fluids to alleviate thirst, stops diarrhea and dysentery, and reduces swelling of the legs and calves due to Dampness.
  3. It has a mild inhibiting effect on the growth of cancer cells.
  4. There are two types of Atractylodis. Cang Zhu is better at easing the middle and creating sweat, while Bai Zhu is better at tonifying the Middle and eliminating Dampness.
  5. Both Bai Zhu and Fr. Jujube Da Zao tonify Qi. Bai Zhu is drying and does not moisten while Da Zao tonifies both Qi and Blood in the Spleen and Stomach.
  6. Unprepared Sun-dried Atractylodis Sheng Shai Zhu raises Spleen Qi. It is moistening within its ability to dry Dampness. It assists the transportive function of Spleen Yang while enriching the Spleen and Stomach Yin and moistening the Intestines.
  7. Fire-dried Atractylodis Hong Zhu is the basic Atractylodis used in most formulas.
  8. Rinsed White Atractylodis Piao Bai Zhu augments the Spleen and stops diarrhea.
  9. Dry-fried White Atractylodis Chao Bai Zhu harmonizes the transportive and transformative functions of the Middle Jiao to treat anorexia, distention, fullness, lethargy, spontaneous sweating and restless fetus.
  10. Earth-fried White Atractylodis Tu Chao Bai Zhu is best for treating diarrhea due to Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness Obstruction.
  11. Scorched White Atractylodis Zhao Bai Zhu is used when the transformative and transportive functions of the Spleen are very weak.