How long does it take to boil aconite to make it non-toxic?

After research, it was found that if the traditional Chinese medicine aconite is used correctly, it will not only prevent poisoning, but also save our lives. However, when decocting the medicine, you must pay attention to the control of the cooking time of the traditional Chinese medicine aconite. If the cooking time is too short or too long, toxins may be produced, and the effect will be counterproductive after use. Here I will introduce you to some relevant knowledge about the traditional Chinese medicine aconite.

As long as the medication is used correctly and is suitable for the patient's condition, there is no danger even if the dosage of aconite exceeds that recorded in medical books by dozens of times. There are reports of poisoning reactions after taking a small dose of 10 grams of aconite at a time, and there are also examples of using more than 500 grams within 24 hours during the rescue of critically ill patients without any poisoning reactions.

In fact, there is no absolute proportional relationship between dosage size and whether poisoning will occur. Poisoning or not also involves many other factors, and the dosage ranges recorded in different pharmacopoeias are also different. There is no unified conclusion yet. Mao Wei said.

It is stated that there are four main views in the Chinese medicine community on the dosage of aconite: one is to fear aconite like a tiger or wolf and simply abandon this type of drug; one is to believe that aconite is highly toxic and should be used in small doses. For example, the dosage of aconite in the "Dictionary of Chinese Medicine" is 3 grams to 9 grams; the third view advocates selecting the dosage according to the different conditions of the disease and individual differences, and the commonly used dose is 15 grams to 60 grams; the fourth is the warming yang school advocates the use of ultra-large doses of aconite, especially in the treatment of critical diseases such as heart failure and difficult diseases such as tumors, the dosage used is even larger, and the starting dose is mostly between 45 grams and 75 grams.

One of the reasons for the huge difference in the dosage of aconite is the different understanding of dosage conversion between ancient and modern times. At present, most pharmacopoeias and textbooks believe that one liang in the Eastern Han Dynasty when Zhang Zhongjing lived is equivalent to 3 grams in modern times. However, according to the research of some modern medical historians, one liang at that time should be equivalent to 15.625 grams in modern times, a difference of more than 5 times. Mao Wei explained. Another important reason is the differences in understanding and experience among different academic schools and different doctors.

Aconite is regarded as a life-saving medicine by traditional Chinese medicine

It is reported that aconite is a tuberous root of the Ranunculaceae plant Aconitum. It tastes spicy and sweet, is very hot and poisonous. It is mainly produced in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Yunnan and other places. As early as in the first pharmaceutical monograph in my country, "Shennong Bencao Jing", there were records about its efficacy: it can treat wind-cold, cough, evil spirits, warm the middle, and treat wounds. Because aconite has the effects of restoring yang and rescuing adverse conditions, replenishing fire and aiding yang, dispelling cold, relieving pain and expelling dampness, it is a commonly used medicine for warming the interior and replenishing fire, and is also known as the best medicine for restoring yang and rescuing adverse conditions. Zhang Jingyue, a famous physician in the Ming Dynasty, listed aconite, ginseng, rhubarb and rehmannia as the four essential medicines for curing diseases and saving lives.

In modern clinical practice, aconite is often used to treat shock caused by acute myocardial infarction, hypotension, coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease and a variety of difficult diseases. According to statistics, the frequency of use of aconite in 500 commonly used famous prescriptions is 13.20%. It is one of the commonly used medicines used by doctors of all dynasties to treat critical and severe diseases and difficult and complicated diseases.

Do not add cold water when boiling Chinese medicine containing aconite

It must be clearly pointed out that aconite is a typical representative of toxic Chinese medicine. If used properly, it can save patients, but improper use can cause serious toxic and side effects and even endanger life. Mao Wei said that aconite poisoning is not only related to the dosage. There are many reasons for aconite poisoning, including poor quality of medicinal materials, improper processing methods, long-term excessive use, unreasonable compatibility and inappropriate decoction methods.

We have found in clinical practice that many citizens do not know how to correctly decoct Chinese medicine containing aconite. Mao Wei said. This type of medicine generally requires decocting the aconite for 1 to 2 hours first. There is a trick to mastering the heat: take a piece of decocted aconite, take a bite and chew it slowly. If you don’t feel numbness in your mouth, it means that the heat is right and you can add other medicines. If you still feel numbness in your mouth, you need to continue decocting. Therefore, many experienced Chinese doctors usually write in the upper right corner or behind the prescription that the aconite should be decocted first to remove the numbness.

In addition, decocting traditional Chinese medicine containing aconite generally takes a long time. Some citizens add cold water in the middle of the decoction when they find that the water is dry. This may increase the toxicity of aconite and should be considered a taboo. Mao Wei said that before decocting the medicine, you should fully estimate the amount of water and add enough at one time; if you find that the water is almost dry in the middle, you should turn off the heat first, wait for the medicine to cool down, then add an appropriate amount of cold water, and then start decocting and timing again; even if you add water in the middle, you must add boiling water.

The Chinese medicinal herb aconite is poisonous. Improper use can cause paralysis of the human respiratory center and cardiac arrest. But at the same time, it is known as an important medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. From the medical saint Zhang Zhongjing to modern medical masters, many people have used it to bring patients back to life. However, different pharmacopoeias, textbooks, and schools have very different views on the dosage range of aconite. Will it cause poisoning if the dosage of aconite exceeds the classic dosage prescribed by our ancestors? In addition to the dosage, poor quality of medicinal materials, unreasonable processing and compatibility, and inappropriate decoction methods can all lead to poisoning.