Among the many traditional Chinese medicines, why only ginseng, atractylodes, poria cocos, and licorice are named gentlemen, in fact, the root cause is because of these traditional Chinese medicines. Among the four flavor medicines, ginseng is known as the "king of herbs", Poria cocos is known as the "magic medicine of the four seasons", and licorice is known as the "king of all medicines". However, as one of the four gentlemen, Atractylodes atractylodes also has an irreplaceable and unique role, and for thousands of years, Atractylodes has also been regarded as a miracle medicine in clinical practice. Chen Shiduo, a famous doctor in the Qing Dynasty, praised Atractylodes as "the holy medicine of cultivating soil the day after tomorrow", and Huang Gongxiu, a famous doctor in the Qing Dynasty, called Atractylodes as "the first important medicine for the spleen and qi".
Atractylodes atractylodes is a long-standing traditional Chinese medicine, but as early as in the "Shennong Materia Medica", atractylodes and atractylodes are not separated, but discussed together. For the role of atractylodes, it is mainly divided into "main wind, cold and dampness, dead muscles, spasms, boils, antiperspiration, heat removal, digestion" and other aspects, from the record of "Shennong's Materia Medica", the main effects of Atractylodes atractylodes are concentrated in dispelling wind and dampness, nourishing qi and nourishing blood, regulating the spleen and stomach, drying and dampness, benefiting jin and sweating, clearing heat and removing annoyance, eliminating food and accumulation, etc. The role of atractylodes in these aspects was also inherited during the period of "Famous Doctors", but in addition, it was also mentioned that Atractylodes atractylodes had a wonderful effect of "eliminating phlegm and water, and swelling of feng shui between the skins", which also opened a gap for Atractylodes in diluting water and dampness.
Although in the Shennong Materia Medica and the Catalogue of Famous Doctors, Atractylodes and Atractylodes are not separated, and the distinction between Atractylodes and Atractylodes began with Tao Hongjing in the Liang Dynasty, was clearly stated in the Tang Dynasty Lin Daoren, clarified in the Song Dynasty Kou Zongzao, and developed in the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties [1]. For the wonderful use of atractylodes, the famous doctor Zhang Yuan in the Jin and Yuan dynasties, the role of atractylodes is summarized into nine points, one is warm, the second is to remove dampness in the spleen and stomach, the third is to remove heat in the stomach, the fourth is to strengthen the spleen and stomach, eat and drink, the fifth is to produce fluid with the stomach, the sixth is to stop muscle heat, the seventh is to treat drowsiness in the limbs, sleepiness, unable to open the eyes, do not think about eating, the eighth is to quench thirst, and the ninth is to maintain the fetus. This can be said to be a more comprehensive summary of the clinical use of atractylodes.
Atractylodes atractylodes is a traditional Chinese medicine that can be used alone, and it can exert a better effect when used in combination. Atractylodes atractylodes is compatible with ginseng, poria cocos and licorice, and can be used to treat lack of food and loose stools, limb weakness and fatigue caused by spleen qi deficiency; Atractylodes macrocephalus is compatible with citrus aurantium, which can be used to treat abdominal distension and lack of appetite caused by spleen deficiency and qi stagnation; Atractylodes macrocephalus is compatible with cinnamon branch and poria cocos, and can be used to treat dizziness and palpitations caused by lack of yang, spleen and spleen, phlegm and dampness; Atractylodes atractylodes is compatible with Astragalus, Poria cocos and Zhu Ling, and can be used to treat edema and unfavorable urination caused by spleen deficiency and internal arrest of water and dampness; Atractylodes membranaceus can be used to treat self-sweating caused by qi deficiency; Atractylodes macrocephalus is compatible with ginseng, licorice and cloves, and can be used to treat pregnancy obstruction and fetal restlessness caused by weak spleen qi; Atractylodes atractylodes is compatible with ginseng, Poria cocos and tangerine peel, which can be used to treat pregnancy obstruction caused by spleen deficiency and dampness and turbidity, vomiting and lack of food, and heavy limbs.
For the mystery of the compatibility of atractylodes, "Huiyan of Materia Medica" has a secret that is not passed on, to the effect that it is like this: Atractylodes macrocephalus and ginseng, astragalus can be used to nourish the lungs, atractylodes and wolfberry, rehmannia can be used to tonify the kidney, atractylodes and angelica, peony can be compatible with the liver, atractylodes and longan, sour jujube kernel can be used to replenish the heart, atractylodes and skullcap, Coptis chinensis can relieve stomach fire, atractylodes and tangerine peel, Banxia can awaken the spleen and soil, atractylodes and atractylodes, magnolia bark, can dry dampness and spleen, atractylodes and Tiandong, wheat winter can nourish the lungs, atractylodes and eucommia, Papaya compatibility can treat weak feet in the elderly, atractylodes and malt, citrus aurantium, magnolia bark can treat children's chancre accumulation, atractylodes and skullcap can stabilize the fetus and regulate qi, atractylodes and citrus aurantium can eliminate swelling, atractylodes and ginseng, poria, Huoxiang, Banxia can treat stomach cold deficiency and vomiting, atractylodes and angelica, Chuanxiong, white peony, and rehmannia can nourish blood and regulate menstruation.
Since ancient times, there have been many processing methods such as boiling yellow, soil stir-frying, rice swill soaking, bran frying, etc., but in modern times, the traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces of Atractylodes macrocephalus are mainly divided into three types, namely raw atractylodes, soil fried atractylodes and bran fried atractylodes. Generally speaking, Atractylodes atractylodes is used for raw use, mainly for strengthening the spleen and dampness, diluting water and reducing swelling, and is often used for the treatment of phlegm drinking, edema and rheumatism and pain; Atractylodes macrocephalus is mainly used to help the spleen with the help of soil qi, so that its ability to replenish the spleen and stop diarrhea is better, and it is often used to treat spleen deficiency, lack of food, diarrhea and loose stools;
Although the flavor of atractylodes was inseparable from Atractylodes atractylodes for a long time in ancient times, after the separation of Atractylodes and Atractylodes, they each had their own belongings. Atractylodes atractylodes is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been valued by doctors since ancient times, and has also been widely studied in pharmacological research in modern times. Modern pharmacological studies have found that Atractylodes atractylodes has pharmacological effects such as diuretic, regulating gastrointestinal motility, inhibiting gastric acid and pepsin secretion, inhibiting uterine smooth muscle contraction, regulating peritoneal foramen opening, hepatoprotective, anti-tumor, anti-aging [3], regulating immunity, lowering blood sugar, antibacterial [4], anti-cancer, repairing gastric mucosa, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, improving memory, regulating lipid metabolism, antiplatelet, antibacterial, anti-cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, regulating water metabolism [5], regulating the immune system, antidepressant, regulating the nervous system [6].
The Ming Dynasty physician Miao Xiyong praised Atractylodes as "the medicine that removes wind and paralysis and calms the spleen and stomach"; the Ming Dynasty physician Ni Zhumo evaluated Atractylodes as "the medicine for cultivating the spleen and stomach, dissipating dampness and paralysis, and eliminating food and phlegnate", which is really worthy of being one of the four gentlemen of Chinese medicine. Although the efficacy of Atractylodes atractylodes is mainly concentrated in modern times, such as "strengthening the spleen and invigorating qi, drying dampness and improving water, stopping perspiration, and stabilizing the fetus", it can be said that Atractylodes atractylodes is a panacea for strengthening the spleen and stomach, and removing dampness is a miracle medicine, not only that, but also has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging and anti-depression, regulating gastrointestinal, immune, water, lipids, nerves and other pharmacological effects, which can be called powerful. Although Atractylodes atractylodes has many effects, due to the bitterness of Atractylodes atractylodes and the fact that it is easy to hurt yin, it is not suitable to use Atractylodes alone for conditions such as thirst, yin deficiency and internal heat, qi stagnation and stuffiness.
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