Atractylodes Rhizome – 1 lb (454 g)

Atractylodes Rhizome, known in Chinese as 白术 (Báizhú) and scientifically as Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Atractylodes Rhizome carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Atractylodes Rhizome helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Atractylodes Rhizome provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Atractylodes Rhizome has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Atractylodes Rhizome, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Yu Zhu, Winter Baizhu, and Zhejiang Zhu. It is the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., a plant of the Asteraceae family. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces. It is harvested in winter when the lower leaves turn yellow and the upper leaves become brittle. After digging, the rhizome is cleaned of soil and dried by baking or sun-drying, then the fibrous roots are removed. The baked product is called “Baked Zhu” (烘术), and the sun-dried product is called “Raw Sun-dried Zhu” (生晒术).

[Properties] Bitter and sweet in taste, warm in nature. Enters the spleen and stomach meridians.

[Actions] Strengthens the spleen and augments qi, dries dampness and promotes urination, stops sweating, calms the fetus.

[Applications]
1. Used for spleen and stomach qi deficiency with impaired transportation and transformation, poor appetite, loose stools, weakness of the limbs, and fatigue. Commonly combined with Ginseng, Poria, and Honey-fried Licorice, as in the formula Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction). If spleen deficiency causes poor transportation with food stagnation and qi stagnation leading to epigastric and abdominal distention, it is combined with Immature Bitter Orange, as in Zhi Zhu Wan (Atractylodes and Immature Bitter Orange Pill). For chronic spleen deficiency with internal cold yin, epigastric and abdominal cold pain, cold limbs, vomiting, and diarrhea, it is combined with Ginseng, Dried Ginger, and Honey-fried Licorice, as in Li Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction). For spleen qi sinking with chronic diarrhea and rectal prolapse, as well as uterine prolapse, stomach prolapse, or other visceral prolapse, it is combined with Astragalus, Cimicifuga, and Bupleurum, as in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction).
2. Used for spleen deficiency with impaired transportation causing water retention, difficult urination, edema, fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, blurred vision, and palpitations. For difficult urination and edema, it is combined with Cinnamon Twig, Poria, and Alisma, as in Wu Xu Ling San (Five Deficiency Poria Powder). For pregnancy with spleen deficiency and edema of the face and limbs, it is combined with Poria, Tangerine Peel, Areca Peel, and Fresh Ginger. For middle yang deficiency with phlegm-fluid retention causing fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, blurred vision, palpitations, cough, and shortness of breath, it is combined with Poria, Cinnamon Twig, and Honey-fried Licorice, as in Fu Ling Gui Zhi Bai Zhu Gan Cao Tang (Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes, and Licorice Decoction). For water retention with failure of clear yang to ascend and turbid yin rising causing dizziness and ear-related vertigo, it is combined with Alisma, as in Ze Xie Tang (Alisma Decoction).
3. Used for spontaneous sweating and night sweating. For qi deficiency causing persistent spontaneous sweating, it may be used alone as a decoction or powder. For defensive qi deficiency with weak skin pores or susceptibility to wind invasion causing spontaneous sweating and aversion to wind, it is commonly combined with Astragalus and Siler, as in Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen Powder). It can also treat yin deficiency night sweating; in this case, Baizhu is separately stir-fried with Astragalus, Dendrobium, Oyster Shell, and Wheat Bran, then powdered and taken with millet soup.
4. Used for spleen and stomach qi deficiency causing restless fetus, often combined with Ginseng and Donkey-hide Gelatin. For pregnancy with spleen deficiency and damp turbidity causing morning sickness with vomiting of clear fluids and poor appetite, it is combined with Ginseng, Poria, and Tangerine Peel. For pregnancy with blood deficiency and heat causing restless fetus, it is combined with Angelica, White Peony, and Scutellaria, as in An Tai Wan (Calm the Fetus Pill). For pregnancy with fetal bleeding, it is combined with Mulberry Mistletoe, Poria, and Licorice. Additionally, this herb is used for damp bi syndrome with soreness and heaviness of the limbs, often combined with Stephania, Coix Seed, and Papaya. For bi syndrome dominated by cold dampness, it may be combined with Aconite.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoct 6–12 g; may be used in concentrated paste, pills, or powders. For promoting urination, reducing edema, stabilizing the exterior, stopping sweating, and dispelling dampness, use raw. For strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach, use stir-fried.

[Cautions] This herb is warm and drying in nature; caution is advised in cases of yin deficiency with internal heat and fluid depletion.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The rhizome contains volatile oils including α- and β-atractylon, β-eudesmol, α-curcumene, atractylon ketone, 3β-acetoxyatractylon ketone, selina-4(14),7(11)-dien-8-one, eucalyptol, palmitic acid, atractylol, β-selinene, and others. It also contains sesquiterpene lactones, polyacetylenic alcohols, scopolamine, fructose, glucose, immunologically active mannan polysaccharide Am3, and various amino acids.
2. Pharmacological effects: The acetone extract of Baizhu inhibits gastric juice secretion, raises gastric pH, reduces acidity, and decreases secretion of gastric acid and pepsin, with a tendency to inhibit pepsin activity. It has bidirectional regulatory effects on intestinal motility. Oral administration of Baizhu decoction protects against liver damage by reducing hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis and promoting regeneration. The ethyl acetate extract significantly increases bile secretion. Both decoction and fluid extract produce marked and sustained diuretic effects. It enhances immune function by increasing white blood cell count. The volatile oil enhances specific active immunity against cancer cell antigens. Baizhu’s antitumor effects relate to reducing tumor cell proliferation, decreasing invasiveness, enhancing host antitumor response, and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Baizhu extract shows significant hypoglycemic effects, reducing blood sugar by up to 40%. The aqueous extract inhibits Trichophyton and Nocardia species in vitro. The decoction inhibits Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, meningococcus, and Bacillus subtilis.
3. Clinical reports: 1) Infant diarrhea: Baizhu 20 g, Chicken Gizzard Membrane 12 g (stir-fried yellow and powdered), Apple 1 (baked on tile over fire, peeled and cored, 50 g pulp mashed and mixed with herbs into a paste). Dose: 15 g orally 4 times daily. Among 45 cases treated, 25 cured, 14 improved, 6 ineffective; total effective rate 80%. [Jiangsu Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1988, 9(2):15] 2) Chronic low back pain: Baizhu 30 g, Honey-fried Earthworm 6 g, soaked in 100 ml white wine to cover herbs, covered and boiled then simmered for 30 minutes. Decoction filtered; residue decocted again once; combined decoctions taken twice daily, one dose per day for 2–3 days. Treated 243 cases of chronic low back pain aggravated by cold damp or overwork with satisfactory results. [Intermediate Medical Journal, 1982, (6):57]