Atractylodes Macrocephala (also spelled Atractylodis) is known in Chinese herbal medicine as Bai Zhu.  Baizhu has traditionally been used as an important ingredient of several Chinese herbal medicines, which have been used for abdominal pain and gastroenterological diseases for thousands of years.

Kudzu Recovery, 750 mg, 120 Tabs
Planetary Formulas
Botanical Support for Alcohol Cessation
Herbal Supplement

Kudzu Recovery features the roots and flowers of kudzu (Pueraria lobata), which have long been used in Chinese herbal medicine to help lessen the desire for alcohol. Researchers have identified two constituents in kudzu responsible for this activity, puerarin, daidzein and daidzin, which in animal research have been found to cause a similar effect. These are combined with coptis, a primary cleansing and liver-supporting herb from Chinese herbalism, and other key botanicals to support botanicals historically used to reduce cravings.


Kudzu Supplement Facts
Amount Per 2 tablets:
Proprietary Blend: 1.5 g*
Kudzu root, Kudzu flower, Hovenia fruit, Coptis root, Poria Cocos sclerotium, Grifola sclerotium, Atractylodes root, Codonopsis root, Saussurea root, Shen Qu-Massa Fermentata extract, Green Citrus peel, Cardamom fruit and Ginger root.

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Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter.Twice a month we email a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics -- including atractylodes -- and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

For a list of herbs used in Chinese medicine, see Chinese Herbs. For a list of other herbs.

Atractylodes Macrocephala Research Update
Reactive oxygen species mediation of Baizhu-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Feb 10;97(1):21-9.
Huang HL, Chen CC, Yeh CY, Huang RL.
Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Despite its popularity in herbal therapies, little is known about the anticancer effect of Baizhu. In this study, the anticancer potential of Baizhu on human hepatoma and leukemia cell lines was evaluated. Baizhu methanol extract induced apoptosis in human lymphoma Jurkat T cells, leukemia U937, and HL-60 cells. This was confirmed by several methods, including hypodiploid cells detection using flow cytometry, the examination of apoptotic bodies containing cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and hypodiploid cell population inhibition using the broad spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD. Finally, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), were found to be elevated after treatment of these cells with Baizhu extracts. Antioxidant N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) pretreatment almost completely inhibited Baizhu-induced apoptosis, suggesting that ROS are the key mediators for Baizhu-induced apoptosis. All these data indicate that Baizhu is a possible anti-tumor agent that induces apoptosis of human leukemia cells through ROS generation.

[Studies on physico-chemical properties and hypoglycemic activity of complex polysaccharide AMP-B from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz]
Yao Xue Xue Bao. 2003 Jun;38(6):438-41.
To isolate a complex polysaccharide (AMP-B) from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz and study its physico-chemical properties and hypoglycemic activity. The root of Atractylodes macrocephala K. was extracted with water and precipitated with ethanol, dialyzed against water and freeze-dried to get the crude polysaccharides. AMP-B showed significant hypoglycemic effect on the experimental hyperglycemias rats induced by alloxan.

[Gastrointestinal inhibitory effects of sesquiterpene lactones from Atractylodes macrocephala]
Zhong Yao Cai. 1999 Dec;22(12):636-40.
Atractylenolide I (8,9-dehydroasterolide, B), 4,15-epoxy-8 beta-hydroxyasterolide (C) and atractylenolide III (8 beta-hydroasterolide, D) from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, 28.0, 56.0 mumol/L, inhibited the spontaneous movement of rat isolated ileum. Their activities are related to the inhibition of cholinergic system and Ca2+.

Antagonistic effects of 3 sesquiterpene lactones from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz on rat uterine contraction in vitro.
Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2000 Jan;21(1):91-6.
To study the effects of three sesquiterpene lactones: atractylenolide I (8,9-dehydroasterolide, B), 4,15-epoxy-8 beta-hydroxyasterolide (C), and atractylenolide III (8 beta-hydroasterolide, D) from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, on rat isolated uterus smooth muscle. B, C, and D inhibit the movement of uterus smooth muscle, and the mechanism is related to the inhibition of cholinergic system as well as Ca2+ movement.