Zhi Cao Wu制草乌
Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix praeparata · Prepared Kusnezoff Monkshood Root · Prepared Wild Aconite
Overview
The processed root of wild aconite — the same family as Chuan Wu and Fu Zi, and the most poisonous of the three. Acrid, bitter and hot, it drives cold and damp out of the channels and stops the deep, fixed, cold-aggravated pain of long-standing joint disease better than almost anything else in the materia medica, which is precisely why it is still used despite what it is. Only the processed root is dispensed, it must be decocted first and long, and every part of its use — the amount, the boiling time, the patient — is a practitioner's decision.
Nature & Flavor
Acrid, bitter · Hot · ToxicChannels
Heart · Liver · Kidney · SpleenTypical Dosage
1.5–3 g/day, decocted first for 30–60 minutesActions
3 core actions
- Dispels wind-damp, unblocks painful obstructionLong-standing joint pain and stiffness that worsens in cold, damp weather and eases with warmth.
- Warms the channels, stops severe painIntense, fixed pain from cold gripping the channels: joints, cold abdominal pain, pain left behind by an old injury.
- Applied externally for painGround into liniments and plasters for painful joints. Not swallowing it does not remove the risk — the skin absorbs some, and the same cautions apply.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Zhi Cao Wu
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Chronic, cold-aggravated joint pain and stiffness
- Severe fixed pain from cold obstructing the channels
- Cold abdominal pain with cold limbs
- Painful old injuries, often as an external application
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Our dispensary data flags this herb as toxic, and it carries the strongest warning of anything in this batch. The aconite alkaloids are cardiotoxic and the gap between an effective and a dangerous dose is narrow. Only the processed root Zhi Cao Wu is used, never the raw root; it must be decocted on its own for at least 30–60 minutes before the other herbs go in; and the daily amount must not exceed 3 g. Do not take it with alcohol, which speeds absorption. Numbness or tingling of the lips, tongue or fingertips, nausea, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or light-headedness after a dose are signs of poisoning: stop at once and seek emergency care. Classical incompatibility — it is not combined with Ban Xia 半夏, Gua Lou 瓜蒌, Bei Mu, Bai Lian 白蔹 or Bai Ji. Contraindicated in pregnancy, in children, and in anyone with heart disease. Never self-prescribe it, and never take a product of unknown provenance that contains it.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Contraindicated in pregnancy. Also contraindicated while breastfeeding and in children.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
3. 《中华本草》.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.