Source Common Monkshood Mother Root is the dried parent root tuber of Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. (Fam. Ranunculaceae)
Producing Areas Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi and Hunan, etc.
Properties Spicy, Bitter, Hot, Extremely Toxic
Channels Heart, Liver, Kidney, Spleen
ACTION
- Treats Bi syndrome of wind-cold-dampness manifested in painful joints with stiffness
Used with liquorice root (gancao), ephedra (mahuang), milkvetch root (huangqi), white peony root (baishao) etc. - Relieves general pain, sprains, swollen and painful joints due to wind-dampness
Used with kesnezoff monkshood root (caowu), nux vomica (maqianzi) etc for external application. - Alleviates headaches arising from cold-dampness
May be used alone and stir-fried until lightly brown, then crushed into powder and mixed in wine for external application. It may also be combined with jackinthepulpit tuber (tiannanxing) and ginger etc for external use. - Relieves pain in the abdominal areas
May be combined with prepared common monkshood daughter root (fuzi), dried ginger (ganjiang), etc for use. - For treating apoplexy with numbness and muscular spasm
May be combined with kesnezoff monkshood root (caowu), yellow azalea flower (naoyanghua), ephedra (mahuang), etc and applied with tea or wine.
Usage and Dosage
If used for decoction, it should be decocted first for 30–60 minutes to reduce its toxicity.
1.5–3 g is used in decoction for oral use.
The right amount of powder should be used for external application.
Storage
Keep in a dry place. Prevent from mould and moths.
The crude should not be kept together with other medicinal materials.
Note
Use with caution since it is extremely toxic.
Not used in pregnant women.
Used with caution in the person with sthenic heat syndrome and hyperactivity fire due to yin-deficiency.
It is incompatible with rhizoma pinelliae (banxia), fructus trichosanthis (gualou), radix trichosanthis (tianhuafen), bulbus fritillariae thunbergii (beimu), rhizoma bletillae (baiji), radix ampelopsis (bailian) and inhibits the action of cornu rhinoceri (xijiao).
Description of Quality Herb
The good one is plump, hard and compact with white and powdery broken surface.
Professional Tips
The branch root of Wutou (Aconitum, Carmichaeli debx.) is used as Chuanwu in some areas.