Wu Tou Tang
Star乌头汤 (Aconite Main Root Decoction)
Source: Jin Gui Yao Lue (c. 220)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Wu Tou Tang (Aconite Main Root Decoction), from Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue).
Actions: Warm the channels and dispel dampness, dissipate cold, and relieve pain
Indications: Indicated for the treatment of painful bì (cold bì ) syndrome, with intense pain in the limbs or joints, difficulty in flexing and stretching, aversion to cold, preference to heat, thin and white coating, and deep and wiry pulse
Category: Formulas That Dispel Wind and Overcome Dampness.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas: New Century Traditional Chinese Medicine. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 778–779.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zhi Chuan Wu
dose printed as 9-12g; as printed: Aconiti Radix preparata (zhi chuan wu) 9-12g
|
g | — | — | |
|
Ma Huang
as printed: Ephedrae Herba (ma huang) 9g
|
9g | 25% | — | |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: Paeoniae Radix alba (bai shao) 9g
|
9g | 25% | — | |
|
Huang Qi
as printed: Astragali Radix (huang qi) 9g
|
9g | 25% | — | |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Glycyrrhizae Radix preparata (zhi gan cao) 9g
|
9g | 25% | — |
Dui Yao — Core Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations at the heart of this formula, as recorded on the herbs' own pages — each pair has an action neither herb has alone.
Together they strongly warm the channels, scatter cold and relieve pain, dispersing cold-damp lodged in the joints.
Painful cold obstruction with severe joint pain that prevents bending and stretching. Chuan Wu is highly toxic and must be processed and decocted appropriately.
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net neutral (+0.25)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cool 25%, neutral 25%, warm 50%.
Pairs warm and cool. 50% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 25% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Taste
- pungent 13%
- sweet 50%
- sour 13%
- bitter 25%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 75%
- Spleen 75%
- Stomach 25%
- Heart 25%
- Liver 25%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
1 herb without a dose in grams, so left out of every figure above: Zhi Chuan Wu.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Decoct the ingredients with water and honey for oral use
Relationships
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Formula family
Each entry reads as the larger formula written out: “+” adds its other catalogue cores, then the herbs none of them hold. A catalogue formula counts as a core only when at least 80% of its herbs are present, no more than 1 is absent, and the absent herb is not its chief.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
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