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Knowledge baseHerbs

Zhi Chuan Wu製川烏

Radix Aconiti PreparataPrepared Aconite

  • Very toxic

Also known asProcessed Sichuan Aconite Main Root · Aconite Wutou · Mother Root of the Common Monks' Hood

Category
Herbs that warm the Interior
Nature
hot
Taste
pungent, bitter
Channels entered
Liver, Spleen
Secondary channels
Heart
Dosage
1.5–9 g

Usual doses

Dosage
1.5–9 g
Tincture
0.5–2 ml

Actions & indications

Expels Wind-Dampness, disperses Cold, warms and activates the channels and stops pain
  • Wind-Damp Painful Obstruction (Bi) with
  • Severe sub-cardiac and abdominal pain from Wind-Cold-Dampness
  • Headache
  • Trauma
  • Anesthesia
  • (Can be applied topically)
Reduces swellings, induces ulceration and dispels putrefication
  • Topically for Yin flat abscesses
  • Used when hard abscesses do not soften and ulcerate or do not heal
Treats unconsciousness caused by Phlegm Stagnation
Unprocessed can treat unconsciousness, deviation of the mouth and eyes and a roaring sound of Phlegm in the throat (very rare usage)

Contraindications

  • Not to be used in pregnancy.
  • Contraindicated in Yin Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated in Yang Excess.
  • Contraindicated for pain caused by Heat.
  • Should not be taken in unprepared form.

Incompatibilities

  • Incompatible with Bul. Fritillariae Chuan Bei Mu and Zhe Bei Mu.
  • Incompatible with Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou.
  • Incompatible with Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia.
  • Incompatible with Rz. Bletillae Bai Ji.
  • Incompatible with Rx. Ampelopsis Bai Lian.

Interactions

Anyone with a history of cardiovascular disorders, or taking antiarrhythmic medicines such as quinidine, procainamide (Pronestyl), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), propafenone (Rythmol) or amiodarone (Cordarone), should use this herb with extreme caution.

Combinations

  • Generalized joint pain with restricted range of motion.

  • Wind-Cold-Dampness, or Phlegm-Dampness with Blood Stasis, lingering and stagnating in the channels and collaterals.

  • Warms the channels and collaterals, disperses Cold, expels Wind and Dampness, frees the collaterals and stops pain, treating stubborn, severe painful obstruction from Wind, Dampness and/or Cold.

    • Sheng Nan Xing

    Ground to a powder and applied at Tai Yang for severe headaches.

  • Severe Cold producing pain that pierces straight through the chest from front to back or back to front; angina.

  • As a topical powder for Yin-type flat abscesses.

  • Applied topically for any type of toxic sore.

    • Concentrated Vinegar

    As a wash for non-healing ulcerations; taken internally or applied topically for Coldness and pain in the low back and legs.

  • Applied topically for aching, painful joints and muscles.

  • Muscle spasm and pain with restricted movement from Cold-Dampness or Blood Stagnation.

  • Headache.

  • Crushed, mixed and applied topically at Taiyang for headaches.

Notes

  • Overdose causes numbness of the lips, tongue and extremities, vomiting, facial pallor, irritability, decreased pulse rate and blood pressure, breathing difficulty, and coma.
  • Some sources place it among the “Expel Wind and Dampness” herbs.
  • It also enters and tonifies the Ming Men.
  • Its tincture is used as a surgical anesthetic.
  • It expels Cold, eliminates firm but painless epigastric lumps, warms and nourishes the Zang Fu, treats every type of Wind, breaks up stagnant Qi, and treats abdominal pain from externally-contracted Wind-Cold.
  • It has been shown to inhibit the growth of live, proliferating Stomach cancer cells.
  • Effectiveness has been shown against Stomach, esophageal, Liver, colon and rectal cancers.
  • One major source lists six functions for this herb: removing Cold, relieving epigastric masses, warming and nourishing the viscera, treating varied Wind conditions, relieving Qi Stagnation, and stopping Cold-induced abdominal pain.
  • For polyps, soak five pieces in wine for three days and use the resulting liquid to wash the polyp three to four times daily.
  • Zhi Chuan Wu, Rx. Aconiti Kusnezoffi Preparata Zhi Cao Wu and Sm. Strychni Ma Qian Zi commonly form the base of plasters for musculoskeletal pain, whether from rheumatism or trauma.
  • The processed Sichuan Aconite main root, Zhi Chuan Wu, is the form appropriate for internal use.
  • Dry-fried Sichuan Aconite main root, Chao Chuan Wu, is less toxic but seldom used nowadays.
  • Unprepared Sichuan Aconite main root, Sheng Chuan Wu, should be used externally only.

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