Zhi Cao Wu / Cao Wu - 制草乌 - Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata
Common English:	Kusnezoff Monks' Hood Root Processed Wild Aconite Root

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Acrid Bitter	Hot Very Toxic	Liver Spleen Kidney (Heart)	1.5-8g Tincture: 0.5-2ml Cook 30-60 minutes longer than the other herbs. 1.5-3g (Secondary source)

Actions

Indications/Syndromes

Disperses Cold, Overcomes Dampness, Scours out Wind, Stops pain

Almost exclusively used topically

Reduces swellings and treats abscesses and lesions

Yin sores

Stubborn sores that do not ulcerate

Ulcerated sores that do not heal

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency conditions.
Do not use the fresh or unprocessed herb.
Use with other herbs such as Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao or Rz. Zingiberis Recens Sheng Jiang, to minimize toxicity.
Contraindicated for true Heat with false Cold and for Heat disorders.

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Those who have a history of cardiovascular disorders or are taking antiarrhythmic medicines such as quinidine, procainamide (Pronestyl), disopyramide ( (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), propefanone (Rythmol) and amiodarone (Cordarone) should take this herb with extreme caution.

Unprepared Rz. Arisaematis Sheng Nan Xing Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi Cx. Cinnamomi Rou Gui	Unprepared Rx. Aconiti Sheng Chuan Wu Pheretima Di Long Bombyx Batryticatus Bai Jiang Can Ampelopsis Bai Lian	Rx. Aconiti Preparata Zhi Chuan Wu Pheretima Di Long Olibanum Ru Xiang Myrrh Mo Yao
As an alcohol based liniment, applied warm for Cold- Damp painful obstruction.	Topically as a paste for chilblains.	Muscle spasms and pain with difficulty in movement because of Cold-Damp or Blood Stagnation.
Faeces Trogopterori Wu Ling Zhi	Halloysitum Rubrum Chi Shi Zhi	Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi Per. Zanthoxyli Chuan Jiao Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang Halloysitum Rubrum Chi Shi Zhi
Atrophy due to Wind-Dampness.	Shortness of breath and Coldness and pain in the chest and abdomen due to Excess Cold.	Angina. Severe pain in the chest radiating to the back.
Mel Feng Mi	Sm. Strychni Ma Qian Zi	Arisaema cum Bile Dan Nan Xing Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia Rx. Euphorbiae Fischerianae Lang Du
Hernia due to Cold.	Topically in plasters or ointments for Bi syndrome.	Cellulitis with hard swelling.
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum Zhi Tian Nan Xing Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen Rx. Hibisci Fu Rong
Mix with vinegar and apply topically for abscesses and ulcerations.

An overdose produces numbness of the lips, tongue and extremities, vomiting, facial pallor, irritability, a fall in pulse rate and blood pressure, breathing difficulty and coma.
Certain sources place this herb in the "Expel Wind and Dampness" category.
It is both stronger and more toxic than Rx. Aconiti Preparata Zhi Chuan Wu.
Its tincture serves as a local anesthetic.
Aconite toxicity can affect the nervous system (burning and numbness of the tongue and limbs), the digestive system (salivation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain) and the circulation (palpitations, hypotension, shock).
Of the aconite roots it is the one used least often.
It works mainly at the channel level (compare Fu Zi, which acts on both the organs and the channels).