☯ TCM Properties
Disperses Cold, scours out Wind, overcomes Dampness and stops pain; Reduces swellings and treats abscesses and lesions
Traditional Chinese Uses
Cao Wu is the processed wild aconite root of Aconitum kusnezoffii (Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata, Zhi Cao Wu). Pungent, bitter and hot, entering the Liver, Spleen, Kidney and Heart channels, it strongly disperses Cold, scours out Wind, overcomes Dampness and stops pain — one of the most powerful analgesics in the pharmacopoeia for severe cold-damp painful obstruction (bi) with fixed, intense joint and muscle pain, chronic arthritis, cold abdominal and epigastric pain, and traumatic injury; topically it reduces swelling in abscesses and lesions.
It is highly toxic (diester diterpenoid alkaloids such as aconitine) and must be used only after proper processing, always decocted long and first, and never raw. It is contraindicated in pregnancy, incompatible with the "eighteen antagonisms" herbs (Ban Xia, Gua Lou, Bei Mu, Bai Lian, Bai Ji), and is practitioner-prescribed only.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb. (Ranunculaceae), Kusnezoff monkshood, is the principal source of Cao Wu, "wild aconite," a perennial herb 70-150 cm tall native to northeastern China, Mongolia, Korea, and the Russian Far East in forest margins and meadows. The plant develops paired tuberous roots, one persistent and one regenerating; the dried lateral or main tuber is the medicinal portion. Stems are erect, glabrous, and sparsely branched above. Leaves are alternate, palmately deeply 3-5 parted into narrow, sharply incised lobes, dark green and glossy above. The striking dark purple to violet-blue flowers are borne in terminal racemes 10-30 cm long in late summer; each flower has the characteristic helmet-shaped upper sepal 1.5-2.5 cm long enclosing two hooked nectary petals and numerous stamens, with a follicle fruit ripening to release flat-winged seeds. The root contains highly toxic diterpenoid alkaloids (aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine). In TCM, processed Cao Wu dispels wind-damp, warms the channels, and powerfully alleviates pain; raw root is strictly prohibited internally.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 3-9g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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