What is Aconitum?

Many people don’t know much about Aconitum. In fact, Aconitum is also a traditional Chinese medicine. Its main therapeutic effect is to relieve pain and dispel cold. It has a good effect in removing coldness from meridians and can also achieve a good effect in removing coldness from internal organs. When using Aconitum to treat diseases, you should also understand some of the contraindications of the medication, because Aconitum is a slightly toxic traditional Chinese medicine. Improper use can easily cause numbness throughout the body, nausea and vomiting.

1. Indications:

Aconitum can disperse the cold in the meridians and relieve pain. It is suitable for rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. For example, Aconitum Decoction can treat rheumatism, disperse the cold in the internal organs and relieve pain. It is suitable for heart and abdominal pain caused by cold evil. Aconitum Red Shizhi Pills can treat heart pain, Red Pills can treat abdominal fullness and pain, Da Aconitum Decoction and Aconitum Cinnamon Twig Decoction can treat abdominal pain caused by cold hernia.

2. Efficacy

Except for being used alone as a prescription, Aconitum is often used in combination with other medicines. Some combinations complement each other, such as the Wutou Chishizhi Pills, in which the very pungent and hot Wutou is the main medicine, which can dispel cold and relieve pain. It is used together with the very pungent and hot Fuzi, Sichuan pepper and dried ginger, which can complement each other and enhance the effect of warming the yang, expelling cold and relieving pain. There are also opposite and complementary combinations, such as the Chi Pills for treating abdominal pain caused by cold fluid, in which Wutou and the opposite medicine Pinellia are used together, which are opposite and complementary to enhance the effect of dispelling cold, transforming fluid and relieving adverse effects.

3. Contraindications

Aconitum is divided into Chuanwu and Caowu. Aconitum is more toxic. The toxic dose of Aconitum varies greatly depending on the time of collection, processing and decoction. The dosage of Chuanwu is 3-30 grams, the dosage of Caowu is 3-4.5 grams, and 0.2 mg of aconitine can cause poisoning if taken orally.

Symptoms of Aconite poisoning include numbness of the mouth, tongue and whole body, nausea and vomiting, chest tightness, convulsions, difficulty breathing, decreased blood pressure, no increase in body temperature, heart rhythm disorder, confusion, coma, and even death from circulatory and respiratory failure. The symptoms of poisoning by Aconitum kusnezoffii are basically the same as those by Aconitum carmichaelii The amount of poisoning caused by aconite varies greatly from person to person. Some people are poisoned by taking only 6 grams of Chuanwu, while others are poisoned by taking only 1 gram of Caowu. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the early symptoms of poisoning and treatment should be sought as soon as possible. The clinical use of Aconitum should also be started with a small dose. [7]