$6.95 USA Shipping • 90-Day Hassle-Free Returns

Home » Cang Zhu – (Black) Atractylodes – Rhizoma Atractylodis

Cang Zhu – (Black) Atractylodes – Rhizoma Atractylodis

Cang Zhu

English Name: black (or grey) atractylodes, sword-like atractylodes

Pharmaceutical Name: Rhizoma Atractylodis

Medica Category: Aromatic Damp-Dissolving Herbs

Properties: Cang Zhu enters the Spleen and Stomach channels; it is acrid and bitter in nature and warm and aromatic in temperature.

What is Cang Zhu?:

The Chinese Herb Cang Zhu is the dried root and rhizome of Atractylodes lancea, a perennial woodland flowering plant found throughout Central China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Cang Zhu:

Cang Zhu is aromatic and drying in nature; its function is to dry accumulated dampness in the Spleen when its transforming and transporting functions are compromised due to phlegm obstruction. Clinical presentations of this include: epigastric fullness and distension, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a feeling of heaviness and lassitude throughout the body, and a greasy tongue coat.

Cang Zhu induces perspiration and expels wind-dampness (with cold), characterized by low-grade fever (with the absence of perspiration), chills, headache, body aches, and nasal obstruction (stuffy nose).

Cang Zhu dispels wind and dampness to treat bi zheng (painful obstruction syndrome) with redness, swelling, and pain in the knees/difficulty walking.

Cang Zhu is used traditionally to improve night blindness and poor vision (taken with/as food).  

Latest Blog Posts

  • Give Your Brain a Boost with Chinese Herbal Medicine
    Give Your Brain a Boost with Chinese Herbal Medicine

    Inspired Chinese Medicine Tips for Supporting & Healing Our Minds Has the past year left you in a brain fog? If so, you’re not alone. The stressful and rapidly changing events of 2020 have been enough to put even the most level-headed and focused person into a state of stupor. Stress is normal. But over…

  • Top Chinese Herbs for Boosting Immunity During Cold and Flu Season

    As the temperatures drop in autumn, we enter the dreaded cold and flu season. From missing work or social events to simply feeling miserable, these illnesses can disrupt our daily lives.  But what if there was a way to not only prevent these seasonal illnesses but also recover faster if you do catch something? That’s…

  • October is Depression Awareness Month – Best Chinese Herbs for Depression
    October is Depression Awareness Month – Best Chinese Herbs for Depression

    It’s human nature to experience a spectrum of different emotions and moods, including feeling down or depressed. But if that depressed feeling occurs for no reason, is persistent, or significantly affects your daily quality of life, it’s time to seek some support. Whether you’re looking for a natural way to manage your depression or enhance…