Atractylode is a plant cultivated mainly in China, Japan and Korea. It has been used for centuries by traditional Chinese medicine because of the virtues of its rhizome (Sheng Bai zhu) on intestinal transit.

In TCM, the effects of Bai zhu target more particularly the Spleen and the Stomach, primordial organs for digestion. Thus, Bai zhu improves digestion and relieves gastrointestinal discomfort by stimulating transit without irritating the intestines.