White Atractylodes is also known as Mountain Thistle or Mountain Essence. It is the dried rhizome of the Chrysanthemum family plant, White Atractylodes. White Atractylodes is warm in nature and has a bitter-sweet taste. It enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians and has the functions of nourishing the Spleen, benefiting the Stomach, drying dampness, and harmonizing the middle. It is used to treat weak Spleen and Stomach Qi, loss of appetite, fatigue, weak energy, bloating, diarrhea, phlegm retention, edema, jaundice, dampness, difficult urination, dizziness, and spontaneous sweating. It is a commonly used Chinese medicinal herb. In the market, there are counterfeit White Atractylodes made from the root of Chrysanthemum trifurcatum, so it is important to be careful in distinguishing them.
Genuine White Atractylodes
It has a fist-shaped appearance with irregular tuberous protrusions. It is 5-8 cm long and 2-5 cm in diameter. The surface is grayish-yellow to brownish-yellow, and one end often has a short section of woody, hollow aboveground stem, commonly known as "White Atractylodes leg". From one end of the "White Atractylodes leg" to the other end, it gradually thickens and has irregular tuberous protrusions, intermittent longitudinal wrinkles, and root scars. It significantly swells at the base, resembling a "ruyi head" and is commonly known as "cloud head". It is hard in texture and not easily broken. The cross-section of dried White Atractylodes is pale yellowish-white, horny, and has cracks in the center. The cross-section of fresh White Atractylodes has a white skin part and a pale yellow to yellow woody part with scattered oil spots. It has a fragrant smell, a slightly sweet and spicy taste, and a slightly sticky texture when chewed.
Counterfeit Chrysanthemum trifurcatum
The appearance of the root is similar to the genuine White Atractylodes, but it is shorter, about 3-6 cm in length. The surface is grayish-brown or brownish-yellow with intermittent grooves. The top has a stem base and the bottom has fine root scars. The color of the cross-section is significantly different from the genuine White Atractylodes, appearing grayish-brownish-yellow. It has a slight smell, a mild sweet taste, and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It does not have the sticky texture when chewed like the genuine White Atractylodes.
Modern pharmacological studies have shown that White Atractylodes has a significant and long-lasting diuretic effect. Its decoction or infusion has hypoglycemic and anti-coagulation effects. Animal experiments have confirmed that the decoction or water extract of White Atractylodes also has strengthening and antibacterial effects. It has a certain effect on filamentous epidermal fungi and Stellaria nemorum. The decoction also has inhibitory effects on meningococcus. The counterfeit Chrysanthemum trifurcatum does not have the same efficacy as genuine White Atractylodes, and taking it by mistake can delay treatment, so it is important to carefully distinguish between them.
