The Root (rhizome…) of Your Gastrointestinal Health--Atractylodes for IBD, IBS, General GI Health and More
Written by Marc Wasserman Ph.D. L.Ac. Dipl.O.M.
Atractylodes is a pro-digestive herb. It promotes gastrointestinal motility, clears and protects from inflammation and replensishes gut microflora. It is highly concentrated in a variety of pharmacologically active compounds, which have immunosupportive, antiinflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-tumor and anti-aging effects. A lot of anti’s…
There are two varieties of atractylodes used in East Asian medicine: Atractylodes macrocephala （白朮-BaiZhu) and Atractylodes lancea (蒼術-CangZhu).
Atractylodes macrocephala is traditionally classified as “tonifying the spleen and stomach.” Translation: macrocephala is more powerful at promoting healthy gastric function and better nutritive absorbption. Its nourishing nature stimulates our body's healthy development/growth processes, accelerates recovery, and fights fatigue.
Atractylodes lancea is classified as “resolving dampness.” Translation: lancea improves fluid reabsorption (decreasing diarrhea or loose bowel movements) and assists in clearing swelling and dampness from the body for arthritic condition improvement.
Both have pro-digestive properties, atractylodes lancea (cangzhu) has the added impact of clearing dampness and atractylodes macrocephala (baizhu) has a stronger affect on growth and development.
But the two are interchangeable when added into combination formulas to correct digestive motility and nutritive absorption.
Either type of atractylodes is a top of the line option for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) recovery:
Researchers in Korea demonstrated that atractylodes macrocephala was more effective at preventing acute and relapse colitis, than standard treatment sulfasalazine.
And previously, researchers in China, had shown that atractylodes macrocephala restored and accelerated recovery and repair of damage to the intestinal mucosa.
Other groups have shown how atractylodes lancea restores healthy microflora to the gut following injury from antibiotics.
And atractylodes is a helpful tool for upper digestive tract conditions too:
There is good research on the effectiveness in treating gastric ulcers.
And more recent research showed positive outcomes in treatment of diabetic gastroparesis.
But it need not be typecast solely into its digestive tract recovery role.
For recovery from any illness, maximizing healthy digestion is key. By correcting the mechanics, chemistry, and microfloral diversity of our digestive tracts, atractylodes boosts all systems allowing them to operate fully--helping our bodies heal and keeping us protected and growing.
Of the plant-based medicinal options in treating inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), gastroparesis, gastric ulcers, loose stool/diarrhea, gastrointestinal dysbiosis, etc. Or to boost a hypofunctional gastrointestinal system, restore microfloral diveristiy; to heal and maintain a healthy gut—atractylodes is a no-brainer, go to, must have ingredient.
A “root” (rhizome) of healthy digestion...
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