Atrophy, flaccidity treated with TCM red atractylodes

What is red atractylodes (Cang Zhu)? This plant, a perennial erect herb found mostly in Korea, Russia, and China, is a member of the Asteraceae (Compositae). Medicinally there are three different species commonly used – Atractylis lancea (Thunb.). DC., Atractylodes chinesis (DC.) koidz., and Atractylodes japonica Koidz.ez Kitam. And the medicinal part is the rhizome.

Rhizoma Atractylis lancea Thunb.
It is irregularly nodular or slightly cylindrical beaded, crooked sometimes, typically branched once, 3 to 10cm long, and 1 to 2cm in diameter. The surface is from yellowish brown to gray brown, with fine lengthwise wrinkles and few residue fibrous roots, often with shallow transverse grooves at node, round stem scars between nodes, residue caudex at one end, occasionally with stem scars, and some with white flocculent crystalloid. The texture is hard but fragile. The cross section is slightly uneven, almost white or yellowish white, and sporadically with many orange-yellow or brownish red oil spots. And it has a very rich and nice fragrance and slightly sweet but bitter and pungent taste.

Rhizoma atractylis chinensis DC.
Most of them are knobbly bulk, or some nodular cylinder, often crooked and with short branches, 4 to 10cm long, and 0.7 to 4cm in diameter. The surface is dark brown and with oil spots, but no crystallization even placing for a long time. And it has a light aroma and bitter and pungent taste.

Rhizoma atractylodes japonica
Most are nodular cylinders, 4 to 12cm long, 1 to 2.5cm in diameter, and with dark brown surface. The texture is light and with fibroid cross section. And it has a stronger sweet smell and pungent and slightly bitter taste.

What is it used for?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is acrid, bitter, and warm in nature and covers meridians of spleen, stomach, and liver.

Main functions are to dry damp and strengthen spleen, expel pathogenic wind and cold, and improve eye sight. Main uses and indications are abdominal fullness and distention, Diarrhea, Edema, beriberi, atrophy and flaccidity, arthralgia due to wind and dampness, common cold due to wind-cold, night blindness, dampness obstructing spleen-stomach, lassitude, loss of appetite, vomiting, and phlegm and retained fluid, etc. Usual dosage is 3 to 9 grams in decoction.