Largehead atractylodes rhizome helps relieve indigestion, poor appetite, gastro and abdominal distention, limbs weakness and chronic diarrhea. For symptoms like poor appetite, spiritual fatigue and weakness that due to spleen weakness, it can be used with pilose asiabell root, poria and liquorice root to enhance the spleen as well as qi activities. When there is excessive coldness that leads to abdominal colic, it can be used with dried ginger and aconite root to warm the meridians and promote circulation. A disturbance of intestinal qi that leads to gastro and abdominal distention, it can be used with tangerine peel and immature bitter orange; when there is diarrhea or loose bowels, Chinese yam and hyacinth bean are selected additionally. Persistent diarrhea may be a sign of spleen deficiency that fails to control the bowel movements, the herb can be used with astragalus root, bupleurum root and bugbane rhizome to enhance the spleen functioning.

Excessive dampness and phlegm will cause symptoms like chest stuffiness, coughing, breath shortness, dizziness and palpitations. The herb can be used with cassia twig, poria and liquorice root to relieve the symptoms. When the dampness pathogens accumulate in the head region and block the orifices, there may be serious dizziness or vertigo, the herb is usually used with oriental water-plantain rhizome to expel the dampness out of the body.

Spleen weakness that fails to regulate the distribution of body fluids will lead to general swelling. Largehead atractylodes rhizome can be used with cassia twig, poria, polyporus and oriental water-plantain rhizome to relieve the condition. When general swelling is duo to yang deficiency of spleen and kidney, then other herbs like aconite root, ginger and poria are selected along with the herb.

The herb is usually selected along with astragalus root and ledebouriella root, the herbal combination not only can arrest sweating, but also enhance immune functions so as to reduce the episodes of cold and flu. For severe sweating problems, extra herbs like oyster shell (calcined) and shriveled wheat should be used; when the individuals present with night sweats, it is better to add black soybean peeling and American ginseng.

In TCM, the spleen and stomach are regarded as the source of blood and qi production, clinically it is commonly used with other blood and qi herbs to treat anemia conditions.

Largehead atractylodes rhizome can invigorate spleen and dry the body, it is indicated for limb or joint problems such as rheumatic pain or rheumatoid arthritis. In TCM views, the problems are usually associated with pathologic dampness accumulated in the local meridians. The herb can work with coix seed, flowering quince fruit and fourstamen stephania root for relief. When the joint has cold sign that appears no redness and swelling, aconite root should be added in to warm up the limbs’ meridians.

For threaten abortion that due to qi insufficiency accompanying with internal heat, the herb is used with baical skullcap root for the treatment. For qi stagnation cases, it is used with perilla stem and tangerine peel; in blood deficiency cases, it is used with rehmannia root and angelica root; in serious qi deficiency cases, it is used with Asian ginseng and astragalus root. Irritable fetus may be a sign of kidney deficiency, the herb can be used with mulberry mistletoe and eucommia bark for the treatment, when the pregnant woman appears vaginal bleeding, herbs like ramie root and rehmannia root (charred) are added in.

Generally, largehead atractylodes rhizome is one of the most commonly used herbs in TCM. However, the herb rarely applied as the major ingredient in herbal prescriptions, it usually works with other herbs to achieve a targeted therapeutic effect.