The efficacy, function and edible method of Atractylodes macrocephala

When it comes to the efficacy, functions and edible methods of Atractylodes, most people generally don’t know them. The main reason for this is that most people generally don’t know about Atractylodes, which leads to their ignorance and lack of understanding of the efficacy, functions and edible methods of Atractylodes. In fact, there is a reason why people don’t know much about Atractylodes macrocephala. The main reason is that Atractylodes macrocephala should strictly be considered a traditional Chinese medicinal material.

It is precisely because Atractylodes macrocephala is a kind of Chinese medicinal material that so many people are unfamiliar with it. In fact, most Chinese medicine practitioners know about Atractylodes macrocephala, and are also very familiar with its effects, functions and edible methods, because Atractylodes macrocephala is often used in their medical history. So, let’s talk about the effects, functions and eating methods of Atractylodes macrocephala.

Effects of Atractylodes macrocephala

Atractylodes is the root of the Atractylodes macrocephala plant of the Asteraceae family. It is bitter, sweet and warm in nature. It enters the spleen and stomach meridians. Strengthens the spleen and replenishes Qi, dries dampness and promotes diuresis, stops sweating, and stabilizes 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.

The role of Atractylodes macrocephala

Atractylodes 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 appetite, quenches thirst, and stabilizes pregnancy."

1. Impact on the digestive system

Adjusting gastrointestinal motility: The effect of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction on the activity of isolated rabbit intestine is related to the functional state of the intestine. Under normal circumstances, it has an excitatory effect. When the intestine is in an excited state due to the action of acetylcholine, Atractylodes macrocephala has an inhibitory effect. When the intestine is in an inhibitory state due to the action of adrenaline, Atractylodes macrocephala has an excitatory effect. Both can restore intestinal activity to a level close to normal. Using the pigment dextran blue 2000 as a gastrointestinal marker, it was confirmed that the decoction of Atractylodes macrocephala has a significant effect on promoting gastric emptying and small intestinal propulsion function in mice. Intragastric administration of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction significantly enhanced the movement of charcoal powder colloid in the small intestine of mice. Atropine can significantly inhibit the self-stimulating effect of the intestine. It is speculated that its effect of stimulating intestinal motility is mainly produced by stimulating M-choleline receptors. The water decoction of Atractylodes macrocephala has a stimulating effect on gastrointestinal motility, while the volatile oil of Atractylodes macrocephala has an inhibitory effect. The volatile oil of Atractylodes macrocephala has a strong effect in inhibiting the spontaneous movement of the intestine and antagonizing barium chloride, while the juniper brain in the volatile oil has a strong effect in antagonizing acetylcholine.

Anti-ulcer

Intragastric administration of the acetone extract of Atractylodes macrocephala has a significant inhibitory effect on the gastric mucosal injury induced by hydrochloric acid-ethanol in rats. Administration via the duodenum has an inhibitory effect on the gastric secretion of pylorus-ligated rats, reduces the acidity of gastric juice, and reduces the excretion of gastric acid and pepsin.

Liver protection

Gavage of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction into mice can prevent and treat liver damage caused by carbon tetrachloride, reduce liver glycogen reduction and liver cell degeneration and necrosis, promote liver cell growth, and reduce elevated ALT.

2. Enhance the body's immune function

Atractylodes macrocephala can significantly enhance the ability of leukocytes to phagocytize Staphylococcus aureus. Within a certain concentration range, Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide can activate ConA or PHA alone to promote the transformation of normal mouse lymphocytes and significantly increase the level of IL-2 secretion. Hydrocortisone causes immunosuppression in mice. Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide has a restorative effect on the proliferation function of lymphocytes, improves the survival rate of spleen cells cultured in vitro from immunosuppressed mice, prolongs the life of lymphocytes, corrects the disordered distribution of T cell subsets, and can significantly increase the low IL-2 level.

3. Anti-stress

Atractylodes macrocephala has the effects of resisting fatigue and enhancing adrenal cortex function. Mice fed with Atractylodes macrocephala decoction daily for one month can gain weight, increase physical strength and prolong swimming time. Oral administration of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction can also enhance the physical strength of tumor-bearing (cervical cancer U14) mice and prolong their swimming time.

4. Enhance hematopoietic function

Atractylodes macrocephala has the effect of promoting red blood cell hematopoiesis in mice. Subcutaneous injection of Atractylodes macrocephala decoction for 3 days in mice significantly promoted the production of erythroid hematopoietic progenitor cells.

The edible methods of Atractylodes macrocephala are as follows:

① Treat weakness, emaciation, and indigestion: one catty of Atractylodes (soaked in wine, steamed nine times and dried in the sun), one catty of Cuscuta australis (boiled in wine until silk is produced, then dried in the sun), grind them into powder, make pills with honey, and make them the size of walnuts. Take two or three coins each time. (Supplement to Gangmu)

②Treat spleen deficiency and distension: 2 liang of Atractylodes macrocephala and 4 liang of tangerine peel. Grind into powder, sprinkle into paste and make into pills the size of walnuts. Take 30 pills with costus root soup before each meal. (Kuanzhong Pills from Quansheng Zhimi Fang)

③ Treat abdominal distension, help digestion and strengthen the stomach: 1 liang of Zhishi (fried with bran until yellow), 2 liang of Atractylodes macrocephala. Grind the above ingredients into very fine powder, wrap them with cooked rice in lotus leaves and make them into balls, once the size of mung beans. Take 50 pills each time with white soup, at any time, and adjust the dosage according to the extent of injury. (Jishu Pills from "Secret Treasures of the Orchid Chamber")

Therefore, I believe that through the detailed introduction of the efficacy, functions and edible methods of Atractylodes macrocephala above, everyone should now have a certain degree of understanding and mastery of the efficacy, functions and edible methods of Atractylodes macrocephala. So, in your future life, if you encounter some of the related diseases mentioned in the above article, you might as well try using some Atractylodes macrocephala yourself, it may have unexpected effects.