INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae |
| Common English: | Atractylodis Rhizome Ovate Atractylodis White Atractylodis Large-headed Atractylodis Rhizome |
| 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 |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
|
Fr. Aurantii Immaturus |
||
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 |
Rz. Atractylodis |
|
Diarrhea due to Dampness. Diarrhea due to Summerheat and Dampness. |
Damp Cold Painful Obstruction. Vaginal discharge. |
Spleen Deficiency with chest distention and edema. |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
||
Edema due to Internal Dampness. |
Edema due to Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency. |
Phlegm due to Spleen Dampness with Internal Liver Wind. |
Rx. Astragali |
||
Unrelenting spontaneous sweat. |
Spontaneous sweat with aversion to Wind due to Wei Qi Deficiency. |
Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency. |
Rx. Scutellariae |
Rx. Taxilli |
|
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 |
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
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 |
Hb. Moslae |
Rz. Zingiberis |
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. |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rz. Zingiberis |
|
Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency. |
Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency with Qi and Food Stagnation. |
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold. |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rz. Dioscoreae |
Rx. Ginseng |
Diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with Dampness. |
Clear, watery vaginal discharge due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with Dampness. |
Blood Deficiency. |
Poria |
Poria |
|
Edema with Spleen Deficiency. |
Edema with Spleen Yang Deficiency. |
Edema with Kidney Yang Deficiency. |
Ram. Cinnamomi |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Rx. Astragali |
Accumulation of Phlegm. |
Dizziness and vertigo due to accumulation of Phlegm and Liver Wind. |
Spontaneous perspiration. |
Colla Corii Asini |
Hb. Dendrobii |
|
Miscarriage with bleeding. Unstable pregnancy with bleeding. |
Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency. |
Unstable pregnancy with severe Qi Deficiency. |
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata |
Hb Taxilli |
Caul. Perillae |
Unstable pregnancy with Blood Deficiency. |
Unstable pregnancy with Kidney Deficiency. |
Unstable pregnancy with Qi Stagnation. |
- This is an essential herb for tonifying the Spleen/Stomach when Dampness obstructs the Middle Jiao.
- 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.
- It has a mild inhibiting effect on the growth of cancer cells.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Fire-dried Atractylodis Hong Zhu is the basic Atractylodis used in most formulas.
- Rinsed White Atractylodis Piao Bai Zhu augments the Spleen and stops diarrhea.
- 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.
- Earth-fried White Atractylodis Tu Chao Bai Zhu is best for treating diarrhea due to Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness Obstruction.
- Scorched White Atractylodis Zhao Bai Zhu is used when the transformative and transportive functions of the Spleen are very weak.