I guess the medicine you mentioned is "Astragalus".

If the purpose of taking medicine is only to invigorate qi, codonopsis pilosula has the strongest effect of invigorating qi among the three herbs.

It is still based on the premise that the purpose of medication is only to replenish qi.

Clinically, although Atractylodes macrocephala also has the effect of benefiting qi, we mainly use it for the purpose of invigorating spleen and drying dampness.

Although Astragalus membranaceus is also a tonic, we pay special attention to its function of invigorating yang, and it is often used with Codonopsis pilosula.

Therefore, among them, Codonopsis pilosula is the first choice for invigorating qi.

Why not use ginseng? Of course, it is because the price of ginseng is too high.

Ginseng and Codonopsis pilosula were not divided in ancient times, and it was not until Materia Medica was revised in Qing Dynasty that they were divided into two groups. Whenever ginseng was used as a prescription in ancient and modern times, Codonopsis pilosula was used instead, but Codonopsis pilosula was mainly used to tonify middle-aged qi, which was not as strong as Ginseng, and its drug power was also weak. Therefore, Codonopsis pilosula was used more for mild syndrome and slow syndrome, and it was still appropriate to use Codonopsis pilosula for deficiency syndrome and acute syndrome.

When it comes to Codonopsis pilosula, wild people call it Taiwan Codonopsis pilosula, and those cultivated in Shanxi are called Lu Codonopsis pilosula. Its efficacy is similar to that of ginseng. It is sweet and flat in nature, good at nourishing spleen and lung qi, and has the effects of benefiting qi, promoting fluid production and enriching blood.

Materia Medica Justice says that Codonopsis pilosula "strengthens the spleen without dryness, nourishes the stomach yin without dampness, moistens the lungs without coldness, nourishes the blood without satiety, inspires the yang, vibrates the qi, and has no disadvantages of rigidity and dryness." Therefore, it can be used for spleen deficiency, anorexia, lung deficiency, asthma and cough, body fluid deficiency and qi and blood deficiency.

Atractylodes macrocephala is warm, invigorating spleen and qi, eliminating dampness and promoting diuresis, stopping sweating and preventing miscarriage.

Indications: deficiency of spleen and weak qi, anorexia, fatigue, stagnation of dampness due to spleen deficiency, edema due to phlegm, spontaneous sweating due to superficial deficiency, and restless fetal movement.

Atractylodes lancea and Atractylodes macrocephala were common in ancient times, but they were not divided in the Classic. Bielu pointed out that there are two kinds of red and white, and Compendium of Materia Medica was divided into two parts at first, which were used separately in later generations.

Both Cang and Bai can dry dampness and strengthen the spleen, but Atractylodes macrocephala can supplement qi, stop sweating and prevent miscarriage, while Atractylodes macrocephala can dry dampness and dispel pathogenic factors. Therefore, people with spleen deficiency and weak qi, antiperspirant and miscarriage prevention often use atractylodes macrocephala; Atractylodes lancea is commonly used for spleen deficiency and dampness, sweating and dispelling evil spirits.

Generally, Atractylodes macrocephala should be used for dampness and diuresis, fried atractylodes for invigorating qi and spleen, and Jiao Atractylodes macrocephala for invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea.

Oh! Sorry, the vernacular is too much. Please forgive me.