Witnessed by: TCM
Aconite (Aconitum carmichaelii), of the Ranunculaceae family. Tall perennial with hooded blue-violet flowers and a paired tuberous root; native range: Sichuan and the mountains of central and western China. Globally recognized as fu zi (附子), prepared lateral root; chuan wu (川乌), main root in Chinese, and prepared aconite, Sichuan aconite, monkshood in English. The part used is prepared daughter (lateral) root. Dark processed slices, horny and translucent, numbing and acrid on the tongue when the toxin remains.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
ACONITE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- aconite
- Scientific name
- Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
Form
- Part used
- prepared daughter (lateral) root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent · sweet
Temperature
- TCM
- hot (toxic)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Heart · Kidney · Spleen
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- restores devastated yang, warms the Kidney and Spleen, disperses cold, relieves pain
Cautions
Contraindications: contraindicated in pregnancy and in yin deficiency with heat; classically incompatible with ban xia, gua lou, bei mu, bai lian, and bai ji
Toxicity: the diterpene alkaloid aconitine is cardiotoxic and neurotoxic; only the properly processed root, prolonged-decocted, is safe
Interactions
- TCM
- cardiac glycosides: aconitine alkaloids add to cardiac and pro-arrhythmic effects, raising the risk of dangerous arrhythmia
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