Use of Bai Zhu (atractylodes rhizomes) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Remove impurities, soak in water, wash, slice and dry.
Dosage: 3 - 9 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Tonifies the Spleen Qi. Fortifies the Spleen Yang and dispels Damp through urination. Tonifies Qi and stops sweating. Calms restless fetus when due to Deficiency of Spleen Qi.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Bai Zhu may be prescribed by TCM doctors*:
Loss of appetite
Abdominal colic
Abdominal bloating
Diarrhea
Palpitations
Edema
Night sweats
Miscarriage
Contraindications*: This herb should not be used by those with Yin Deficiency with Heat signs or with extreme thirst.
Common TCM formulas in which Bai Zhu is used*
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Yue Ju Wan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Yue Ju Wan, Bai Zhu releases Qi-Stagnation and clears Dampness and Phlegm. It also helps relieve the symptoms of focal distention in the chest and copious sputum.
Read more about Yue Ju Wan
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Gui Pi Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Gui Pi Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness.
Read more about Gui Pi Tang
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang, Bai Zhu nourishes the Qi of the back and umbilicus
Read more about Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Gu Ben Zhi Beng Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Gu Ben Zhi Beng Tang, Bai Zhu tonifies and raise Qi.
Read more about Gu Ben Zhi Beng Tang
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Shen Ling Bai Zhu San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness.
Read more about Shen Ling Bai Zhu San
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Si Jun Zi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Si Jun Zi Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness.
Read more about Si Jun Zi Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Liu Jun Zi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Liu Jun Zi Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness.
Read more about Liu Jun Zi Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, Bai Zhu is sweet and warm and tonify the Qi of the Middle Burner.
Read more about Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang, Bai Zhu reinforces the actions of the main ingredients in treating Phlegm.
Its sweet warmth tonifies the Spleen, its bitterness dries Dampness, and its aromatic quality supports the transportive and transformative functions of the Spleen.
It promotes water metabolism, yet also generates Body Fluids and thereby addresses the Fluids disharmony that is at the heart of the pattern treated by this formula.
Read more about Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Zhen Wu Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Zhen Wu Tang, Bai Zhu works together with Poria-Cocos mushroom (Fu Ling), another deputy herb here, to strengthen the Spleen and promote urination.
Read more about Zhen Wu Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Fu Zi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Fu Zi Tang, Bai Zhu works together with Poria (Fu Ling), the other deputy herb here, to strengthen the Spleen, promote urination, and provide a route for the Dampness to exit the body.
Read more about Fu Zi Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang, Bai Zhu helps Ginseng tonify the Qi.
Read more about Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Ba Zhen Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ba Zhen Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dry Dampness. Therefore it helps the main ingredient Ren Shen (Ginseng) in fortifying the Spleen and Lungs Qi.
Read more about Ba Zhen Tang
Bai Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Ju Yuan Jian. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ju Yuan Jian, Bai Zhu is sweet and warm and tonify the Qi of the Middle Burner.
Read more about Ju Yuan Jian
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Wu Ling San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Wu Ling San, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen Qi, thereby helping it transform and transport Fluids (one of its key roles) and thus helping resolve Dampness.
Read more about Wu Ling San
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Gui Zhi Shao Yao Zhi Mu Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Gui Zhi Shao Yao Zhi Mu Tang, Bai Zhu works with Cinnamon twigs (the key herb here) to unblock the flow of Yang Qi and leach out Dampness.
Read more about Gui Zhi Shao Yao Zhi Mu Tang
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the transforming and transporting functions of the Spleen and dries Dampness. Together with Gui Zhi (Cinnamon twigs), it tonifies the Spleen Yang more strongly so that the excessive Dampness is resolved more easily.
Read more about Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and transforms Dampness.
Read more about Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Li Zhong Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Li Zhong Wan, Bai Zhu aids Ginseng in tonifying the Spleen and Stomach and also strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness.
Read more about Li Zhong Wan
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Zhi Shi Dao Zhi Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Zhi Shi Dao Zhi Wan, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and augments the Qi to balance the draining action of the other ingredients and protect the normal Qi
Read more about Zhi Shi Dao Zhi Wan
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Wei Ling Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Wei Ling Tang, Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen Qi, thereby helping it transform and transport Fluids (one of its key roles) and thus helping resolve Dampness.
Read more about Wei Ling Tang
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Da Fang Feng Tang, Bai Zhu tonifies the Spleen so as to support the generating of the Blood and Qi. It is also one of the four ingredients of the formula Si Jun Zi Tang that is commonly used for Qi and Blood tonifying.
Read more about Da Fang Feng Tang
In Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Bai Zhu works together with Poria mushrooms (Fu Ling) to strengthen the Spleen. Indeed, as described in the famous TCM treaty Essentials from the Golden Cabinet: "When one sees a Liver disorder, one knows that the Liver will transmit it to the Spleen. Therefore, one should first treat the Spleen." Strengthening the Spleen, since it "rules transformation and transportation", has a direct positive impact on Blood-Deficiency.
Read more about Jia Wei Xiao Yao San
In Xiao Yao San, Bai Zhu works together with Poria mushrooms (Fu Ling) to strengthen the Spleen. Indeed, as described in the famous TCM treaty Essentials from the Golden Cabinet: "When one sees a Liver disorder, one knows that the Liver will transmit it to the Spleen. Therefore, one should first treat the Spleen." Strengthening the Spleen, since it "rules transformation and transportation", has a direct positive impact on Blood-Deficiency.
Read more about Xiao Yao San
Key TCM concepts behind Bai Zhu's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Bai Zhu belongs to the 'Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency' category. Tonic herbs are used for patterns of Deficiency, when one lacks one of the 'Four Treasures' (Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang). Qi tonics are typically sweet and they tend to enter the Spleen and Lungs because these Organs are most involved with the production of Qi.
Furthermore Bai Zhu is Warm in nature. This means that Bai Zhu tends to help people who have too much 'Cold' in their body, although with less effect than a plant that would be Hot in nature. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much Cold in their body are said to either have a Yin Excess (because Yin is Cold in nature) or a Yang Deficiency (Yang is Hot in Nature). Depending on your condition Bai Zhu can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Bai Zhu also tastes Bitter and Sweet. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Bitter ingredients like Bai Zhu tends to have a cleansing action on the body by clearing Heat, drying Dampness and promoting elimination via urination or bowel movements. On the other hand Sweet ingredients tend to slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body. They also have a tonic effect because they replenish Qi and Blood.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Bai Zhu is thought to target the Spleen and the Stomach. In TCM the Spleen assists with digestion, Blood coagulation and Fluids metabolism in the body. The Stomach on the other hand is responsible for receiving and ripening ingested food and fluids. It is also tasked with descending the digested elements downwards to the Small Intestine.
Research on Bai Zhu
Xiaozhang Recipe (consisting of large head atractylodes rhizome) in combination of lamivudine could improve the liver function of chronic viral hepatitis B patients with compensated liver cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid.1
Sources:
1. Zhou ZH, Li M, Huang LY. (2011). Study of xiaozhang recipe combined with lamivudine in treatment of 84 chronic viral hepatitis B patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, 31(9):1220-3.
