Properties: Pungent, bitter, hot, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Liver, Kidney and Spleen
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Disperses Cold, scours out Wind, overcomes Dampness and stops pain
Almost exclusively used topically
Gu Parasites /
chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
- Reduces swellings and treats abscesses and lesions
Yin sores
Stubborn sores that do not ulcerate
Ulcerated sores that do not heal
Suggested Daily Dosage: 1.5-3g in decoction, or applied externally.
Cautions: The raw products should be used cautiously and decocted for a long time to detoxify prior to adding the other ingredients. It is antagonistic to Ban Xia, Gua Lou, Bei Mu, Bai Lian and Bai Ji.
This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA. It is generally substituted with various Yang tonics depending on the presentation although none can imitate its powerful cardiovascular effects making them ineffective substitutes for rescuing devastated Yang. External use is permitted at 1.3% or below.
Notes:
Unani and Ayurveda use Aconitum heterophyllum.
Appears in 4 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
