Is Atractylodes macrocephala a thing? What are the functions?

Atractylodes is a very famous Chinese herbal medicine. This botanical herb is widely used in life and has a very powerful medicinal effect. It has a good therapeutic and conditioning effect on certain diseases of the human body. However, Atractylodes is relatively unfamiliar to most people. Let’s take a look at what Atractylodes is. What are the functions?

Atractylodes macrocephala (zhú). Also known as Fuji, Yushu, Dongbaizhu, Xishu, Yangfu, Wushu, Pianshu, Atractylodes, etc., it is a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family and the Atractylodes genus. It likes cool climate and its rhizomes are used as medicine, which has many medicinal functions. It is mainly distributed in mountainous wetlands in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places. Atractylodes macrocephala has the effects of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, drying dampness and promoting diuresis, stopping sweating, and calming the fetus. It is used for spleen deficiency, poor appetite, abdominal distension and diarrhea, phlegm and fluid, dizziness and palpitations, edema, spontaneous sweating, and fetal movement disorder. "Medical Origin" records: "It removes dampness and replenishes dryness, harmonizes the middle and replenishes qi, warms the middle, removes dampness from the spleen and stomach, removes stomach heat, strengthens the spleen and stomach, promotes diet, and stabilizes pregnancy."

1. Diuretic effect: It has obvious and lasting diuretic effect, and is effective on various animals such as rats, rabbits and dogs. Atractylodes not only increases the excretion of water, but also promotes the excretion of electrolytes, especially sodium, and the excretion of sodium is better than the excretion of water. It also does not affect the antidiuretic effect of the posterior pituitary hormone. Therefore, Atractylodes macrocephala increases water excretion not mainly by affecting the active reabsorption of water, but rather is secondary to the reduction in electrolyte reabsorption. It has a mercury-salt-like effect in excreting chlorine and sodium; it also has the acetazolamide-like characteristics of increasing the carbon dioxide capacity and pH value in urine, increasing potassium excretion, and reducing ammonium excretion. There are a few trials on its diuretic effect in humans, but no conclusive confirmation is available.

2. Hypoglycemic effect: When rabbits were gavaged with the decoction or extract, their blood sugar level was slightly reduced. Intragastric administration of the decoction to rats accelerated the assimilation of glucose in the body and thus lowered blood sugar. Oral administration of the decoction to mice has the effect of protecting the liver and preventing the reduction of glycogen caused by carbon tetrachloride.

3. Strengthening effect: Intragastric administration of 1 mol or 6 g/kg of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction can promote weight gain and enhance swimming endurance in mice. Atractylodes macrocephala can enhance the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system, activate the reticuloendothelial system of mice, promote the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophages in mice, and significantly increase the phagocytic percentage of macrophages, phagocytic index and lysosomal digestion average compared with the control group. In cases of leukopenia, Atractylodes macrocephala has the effect of increasing white blood cells. Atractylodes can also increase the lymphocyte transformation rate and natural rosette formation rate, promote cellular immune function, and significantly increase IgG. It shows that Atractylodes macrocephala has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, strengthening the body and improving disease resistance.