Dark Atractylodes, Cang Zhu 苍术
Cang Zhu (TCM)
Atractylodes lancea(Photo by Tak56) (Wikimedia)
Atractylodes Cang Zhu root(Adam, 2024)
Botanical name:
Atractylodes lancea
Two different varieties are used in TCM:
- A. macrocephalae (White–Bai Zhu)
- A. lancea, A. chinensis (Dark–Cang Zhu) (Here)
Parts used:
Root, rhizome
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter, sweet
Classification:
J. Aromatics that Resolve Dampness
Uses:
1. Dries Damp, Strengthens the Spleen:
-Damp obstructing the digestive system (poor appetite, loose bowels, nausea, fatigue)
-stronger to dry damp but weaker to Tonify than the White.
2. Clears Wind-Damp, Promotes Sweat:
-acute Wind-Cold conditions (Chills, Fever, headache and body aches, nasal congestion)
-Wind-Damp conditions (muscles and joint pain)
3. Dries Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Damp-Heat in the lower body (Damp-Heat in the legs, vaginal discharge, swollen sore joints)
4. Benefit the Eyes:
-Poor vision, Night-blindness
Dose:
The prepared types are used in the same doses as the unprepared root.
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams
Comment:
1. Two separate medicines come under the heading of Atractylodes: White (Bai Zhu) and Dark (Cang Zhu). The White is stronger to increase Qi and tonify the Spleen, for weakness and fatigue. The Dark is stronger to alleviate Damp and also promotes sweat due to its warm and aromatic nature. They are combined for cases with both marked deficiency and damp. In cases where Bai Zhu is required but the person has significant Damp but less debility, Cang Zhu may replace Bai Zhu. In formulas requesting Cang Zhu, Bai Zhu may be used if there is marked debility.
2. Li Shi Zhen said of Bai Zhu and Cang Zhu ‘they have similar therapeutic effects, there is a little difference in their quality’. In older texts such as Shen Nong Ben Cao the two weren’t differentiated.
3. The two Atractylodes are similar to the Inula (Elecampane) and Costus combination often used in Tibet and India. Inula is stronger to tonfy the Qi, Costus is stronger to move Qi and is more drying and aromatic. The two together more strongly strengthen the Spleen, tonfy Qi and clear Damp and Stagnation. The same can be said of the combination of White and Dark Atractylodes.
Preparation:
1. Prepared Dark Atractylodes (Zhi Cang Zhu):
The root is soaked in Rice-rinse water, steamed until black, then sun-dried. This lessens its drying and dispersing effect and stops its diaphoretic effect. It is better for weak patients with excess Damp.
2. Dry-fried Dark Atractylodes (Chao Cang Zhu):
The herb is either dry fried alone until darkened, or else dry-fried with bran or earth until yellowish-brown. This makes it more drying while reducing its drying and dispersing nature. That fried alone is better for Diarrhea; that fried with Bran is better to harmonise the Stomach; dry-frying with earth enhances the Spleen-tonifying effect.
Substitutes:
1. Costus
Main Combinations:
1. Spleen deficiency with excess Damp:
i. Damp obstruction, Edema and Leukorrhea, the two Atractylodes are combined.
ii. with abdominal distention, poor appetite, nausea, Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Magnolia bark (Hou Po), Citrus Chen Pi, fresh Ginger and Jujubes (Da Zao)
2. Sudden-onset Diarrhea in Summer or after eating too much, Atractylodes Cang Zhu and Medicated Leaven (Shen Qu) are formed into pills. (as in Qu Zhu Wan from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang)
3. Heat and Damp in the lower body with pain, swelling and redness of the lower body or skin lesions associated with Wind, Heat and Damp, combine Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Phellodendron Huang Bai.
4. Damp diseases with excess Sweating:
i. Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Astragalus Huang Qi, Poria Fu Ling
ii. Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Gypsum (Shi Gao) and Licorice.
5. External Wind-Cold-Damp:
i. Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Cyperus rotundus Xiang Fu
ii. Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Notopterygium Qiang Huo, Angelica Bai Zhi, Levisticum Gao Ben
6. Distention and pain of the chest, epigastrium or abdomen due to Damp and Qi obstruction, combine Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu).
7. Cataracts, Night blindness, combine Atractylodes Cang Zhu with Black Sesame
Major Formulas:
Ping Wei San
Shang Zhong Xia Tong Yong Tong Feng Wan
Cautions:
1. As they are very drying, they are not suitable for dry and Yin deficient conditions.
2. Dark Atractylodes (Cang Zhu) is not used in cases of profuse sweating.
Main Preparations used:
Research:
(Last updated 9/2018)
1. HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
–Six new compounds from Atractylodes lancea and their hepatoprotective activities.