Aconiti Nagari Radix
Aliases：Cao Wu (literally "Grass Monkshood"), Baoshan Fupian (literally "Baoshan Processed Aconite"), Xiao Hei Niu (literally "Little Black Ox"), Shui Wutou (literally "Water Monkshood"), and Shan Wutou (literally "Mountain Monkshood" — used in western Yunnan). (These are all alternative names for Baoshan Wutou, i.e., Baoshan Monkshood.)
Baoshan Wutou is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is the root tuber of Aconitum nagarum Stapf [A. bullatifolium var. homotrichum W. T. Wang], a plant belonging to the genus Aconitum of the family Ranunculaceae. It grows on mountain grassy slopes or in shrublands at altitudes of 1,800–3,000 m. The root tuber is highly toxic. It is recorded in Quanguo Zhongcaoyao Huibian (Compilation of National Chinese Herbal Medicines).
Efficacy & Actions
Dispels wind and overcomes dampness, unblocks the collaterals and relieves pain; dispels wind and removes dampness, relaxes sinews and unblocks collaterals, reduces inflammation and relieves pain.
Indications
Wind‑cold‑dampness bi‑impediment syndrome, headache, rheumatic arthritis, traumatic injuries, and internal bleeding. For external use, it treats traumatic bleeding.
Modern Pharmacology
Analgesic effect: Subcutaneous injection of bullatine A at 100 mg/kg in mice using the hot‑plate method increased the pain threshold by 47%; when the dose was increased to 140 mg/kg, the effect was more pronounced, increasing the pain threshold by 75%, with the effect lasting approximately 2 hours. Its analgesic index (LD₅₀/minimum analgesic dose) was 7.5. Toxicity: After subcutaneous injection of bullatine A in mice, increased activity, clonic convulsions, loss of righting reflex, respiratory excitation followed by depression, and death due to paralysis were observed. The subcutaneous LD₅₀ in mice is 754 mg/kg. General pharmacological effects of Aconitum: The diterpenoid alkaloids contained in Baoshan Monkshood are the active and toxic constituents of the genus Aconitum. Aconitum plants or their alkaloids have attracted international attention for their analgesic, anti‑inflammatory, anti‑arrhythmic, and cardiotonic effects. Lappaconitine and 3‑acetylaconitine have already been produced as pharmaceutical products.
Ingredients
The root tuber of Baoshan Monkshood contains various alkaloids: Aconitine. Hypaconitine. Mesaconitine. Chuan-wu-base A. Camicharine (also known as chuan-wu-base B). Talatisamine. Bullatine A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
Usage & Dosage
For oral administration: Must be used after proper processing. Decoct in water, 1.5–3 g. Decoct first for 1–2 hours to reduce toxicity. For topical application: In appropriate amounts, grind into powder and mix with a suitable base for application, or decoct in water for washing.
Contraindications
Highly toxic; must be strictly processed before use: The raw product must not be taken orally. For oral use, it must be processed and decocted for 1–2 hours first to reduce toxicity. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Should not be used with Pinellia (Banxia), Trichosanthes (Gualou), Fritillaria (Beimu), Ampelopsis (Bailian), or Bletilla (Baiji) (this is one of the "Eighteen Incompatibilities" in TCM compatibility rules). Primarily for non-traumatic external use: Caowu, Fuzi, and other highly toxic Chinese medicinal materials are mostly used for non-traumatic external application. Poisoning risk: As little as 0.2 mg of aconitine taken orally can cause poisoning, and 3–5 mg can be fatal. Improper processing can lead to arrhythmias, respiratory failure, shock, and even death. Poisoning symptoms include palpitations, cardiac arrhythmias, and may even lead to cardiac paralysis and death. Not a food product: Caowu, Fuzi, and other herbs containing aconitine are highly toxic and are regulated under the national Regulations on the Management of Toxic Medicinal Substances. They are not food and should never be consumed as ordinary food or medicinal food. Must be used under the guidance of a physician; do not take on your own. Yunnan Province reports an average of over 30 aconite poisoning incidents each year, requiring heightened vigilance.
Selected Formulas
For wind-cold-dampness impediment and headache (empirical formula) Take 1.5–3g of Baoshan Wutou (Aconitum nagarum, after proper processing), decoct in water and drink. For rheumatoid arthritis and traumatic injuries (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of Baoshan Wutou tuberous root, process it properly, and use in compound decoctions for oral administration; or grind into powder for external application. For traumatic bleeding (empirical formula) Take Baoshan Wutou, grind into powder, and apply externally to the wound.
Medicinal Parts
Root tuber.
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry place, protected from moisture and insects.
