Zhi Chuan Wu制川乌
Aconiti Radix praeparata · Prepared Sichuan Aconite Root · Prepared Monkshood Mother Root
Overview
The processed mother root of cultivated aconite — the parent tuber of the same plant whose daughter roots are dispensed as Fu Zi. Acrid, bitter and hot, it is the classical choice for cold, damp, fixed joint pain that has been settling in for years, and for severe pain from cold gripping the channels; Wu Tou Tang 乌头汤 is built around it. Like its wild relative Cao Wu it is toxic, is used only after processing, must be decocted first and long, and is handled entirely on a practitioner's instruction.
Nature & Flavor
Acrid, bitter · Hot · Very toxicChannels
Heart · Liver · Kidney · SpleenTypical Dosage
1.5–3 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Dispels wind-damp, unblocks the channelsLong-standing joint pain, stiffness and difficulty bending, worse in cold and damp.
- Warms the channels, stops severe painFixed, intense cold pain in the joints, abdomen or chest, and pain persisting from an old injury.
- Applied externally for painIn liniments and plasters for painful joints and traumatic pain; the classical surgical literature also used it topically to numb an area.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Zhi Chuan Wu
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Chronic joint pain and stiffness aggravated by cold and damp
- Severe fixed pain from cold congealing in the channels
- Cold pain in the abdomen or chest
- Traumatic and old-injury pain, often as an external application
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Our dispensary data flags this herb as toxic. Its aconite alkaloids are cardiotoxic and the safety margin is narrow. Only the processed root Zhi Chuan Wu is dispensed, never the raw root; it is decocted alone for 30–60 minutes before the rest of the formula is added. Do not exceed 3 g a day without an explicit instruction to the contrary; the dispensary's hard ceiling is 5 g and that is a limit, not a target. Never take it with alcohol. Numbness or tingling of the lips, tongue or fingertips, nausea, palpitations or an irregular pulse, or light-headedness after a dose are signs of poisoning: stop immediately and seek emergency care. Classical incompatibility — 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.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Contraindicated in pregnancy. Also contraindicated while breastfeeding and in children.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
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.