What are the effects of the traditional Chinese medicine Atractylodes?

Atractylodes was discovered in the Spring and Autumn Period. It mainly selects the roots, which are then washed, dried, and made into traditional Chinese medicine. Atractylodes has many functions and is effective for many diseases. For example, for rheumatism, Atractylodes can dispel wind and cold. The effect will be better when used together with other important herbs. It is also effective for symptoms such as headache and fever. Although Atractylodes has many functions, we also need to understand its specific functions to avoid using the wrong medicine.

1. Used for rheumatic arthralgia

This product is pungent, warm, bitter and dry, can dispel wind, cold and dampness, and can be used for rheumatic arthritis. Because this product is good at removing dampness, it is particularly suitable for patients with arthralgia and dampness. It is often used in combination with anti-rheumatic drugs such as coix seed, angelica dahurica, and notopterygium wilfordii. If the pain is caused by damp-heat, it should be used in combination with heat-clearing drugs such as gypsum and Anemarrhena asphodeloides.

2. Used for wind-cold exterior syndrome

This product is pungent and dispersing, can open the pores, induce sweating and relieve exterior symptoms, eliminate wind and cold evil qi, and is good at overcoming dampness. Therefore, it is mostly used for patients with wind-cold symptoms and dampness with chills, fever, headache, body aches, and no sweating. It is often used in combination with pungent and warm antipyretic drugs such as Qianghuo, Fangfeng, and Baizhi.

3. Atractylodes can improve eyesight and can be used for a variety of eye diseases

It can be used alone or in combination to treat night blindness and blurred vision. For example, "Sheng Hui Fang" describes steaming this product with lamb liver and eating them together.

4. Remove moisture and heat

For symptoms of cold and dampness blocking the spleen, heaviness of the body and cold limbs, bland mouth without thirst, and abdominal tightness and chest distension, it is advisable to use warming medicines such as cinnamon and dried ginger in combination to enhance the warming and dispersing power. If there are sores and rashes due to damp-heat, or swollen and painful athlete's foot due to damp-heat, it should be used in combination with heat-clearing and damp-drying drugs such as Phellodendron chinense, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Akebia to eliminate the dampness and heat.