TCM Book Club Issue 2571
Daily updates to accompany the growth of TCM practitioners
Due to changes in the public account’s push mechanism, articles may no longer appear in chronological order, and you might not see TCM Book Club articles in your timeline. If you wish to receive articles from the Book Club promptly, you can do the following:
IIntroduction: Salt Aconite (Yán Fùzǐ), Black Aconite Slices (Hēi Shùn Piàn), White Aconite Slices (Bái Fù Piàn), Roasted Aconite Slices (Pào Fù Piàn), and Light Aconite Slices (Dàn Fù Piàn) – do you know how to distinguish them? What are their uses and dosages? As a TCM practitioner, do you have your own experiences? (Editor/Ning Jiajia)
A Brief Discussion on the Uses and Dosages of Aconite
Author/Zhao Liang
Aconite (Fùzǐ) is a processed product of the tuberous root of the Aconitum plant, which belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. Aconitum is a perennial herb that grows in mountainous grasslands or shrublands, distributed in southern Liaoning, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong, and Jiangsu. It is mainly cultivated in Sichuan, harvested from late June to early August, with the mother root, fibrous roots, and soil removed, commonly referred to as “Mud Aconite” (Nì Fùzǐ). The processed forms are as follows. 1. Salt Aconite: Select large, uniform Mud Aconite, wash it, soak it in a solution of edible gall water overnight, then add salt and continue soaking, taking it out to dry in the sun daily, gradually extending the drying time until a large number of crystalline salt particles (salt frost) appear on the surface, and the texture becomes hard, commonly referred to as “Salt Aconite”. 2. Black Aconite Slices: Take Mud Aconite, wash it according to size, soak it in a solution of edible gall water for several days, boil it in the soaking liquid until thoroughly cooked, remove, rinse, cut into slices about 0.5 cm thick, soak in water, dye the slices with a coloring solution to a deep tea color, steam until an oily surface and gloss appear, then dry until semi-dry or continue drying, commonly referred to as “Black Aconite Slices”. 3. White Aconite Slices: Select uniformly sized Mud Aconite, wash it, soak it in a solution of edible gall water for several days, boil it in the soaking liquid until thoroughly cooked, remove, peel, cut into slices about 0.3 cm thick, soak in water, steam until cooked through, dry until semi-dry, then sulfur-fume and dry, commonly referred to as “White Aconite Slices”. 4. Roasted Aconite Slices: Take clean river sand, place it in a roasting container, heat with strong fire until flexible, add clean Aconite slices, stir-fry continuously until puffed and slightly colored, remove, sift out the sand, and cool. 5. Light Aconite Slices: Take clean Salt Aconite, soak in clean water, changing the water 2-3 times daily until the salt is completely leached out, then boil with licorice and black beans until thoroughly cooked, cut open and taste for no numbness on the tongue, remove, discard licorice and black beans, cut into thin slices, dry, and sift out debris. For every 100 kg of Salt Aconite, use 5 kg of licorice and 10 kg of black beans. Having understood the different processed forms of Aconite commonly used in today’s medical market, let us discuss the uses and dosages of Aconite. Generally speaking, Aconite is toxic, and the longer the cooking time, the safer it may be; however, the toxicity of Chinese herbs can sometimes also be a therapeutic effect. As stated in the “Zhou Li – Tian Guan”, “Physicians manage medical orders, gathering toxic medicines for medical affairs”. In clinical practice, Aconite is not necessarily better with longer cooking times; for example, in the formula of Si Ni Tang from the “Shang Han Lun”, one piece of Aconite is used raw, boiled with three sheng of water to yield one sheng and two ge, indicating that the cooking time for Aconite in the “Shang Han Lun” is not very long. From the cooking method, Zhang Zhongjing did not emphasize prolonged cooking for Si Ni Tang; in the Gan Cao and Gan Jiang Tang, three sheng of water is boiled to yield one sheng and five ge, while Si Ni Tang is boiled with three sheng of water to yield one sheng and two ge. This comparison shows that the cooking time for Si Ni Tang is not much longer than that of Gan Cao and Gan Jiang Tang, indicating that with accurate differentiation and corresponding formulas, small doses of Aconite can be used without prior decoction. Currently, hospitals primarily use Black Aconite Slices or Light Aconite Slices, which are already processed and have reduced toxicity; however, if Aconite is used in large quantities, it is still recommended to decoct it first to ensure clinical safety. Next, let us discuss the dosage of Aconite. I do not advocate the large-scale use of Aconite for common diseases unless in emergencies, such as reviving Yang and rescuing from collapse; otherwise, one should not blindly use large doses for warming Yang, such as 100g or 200g of Aconite. As we learn from the “Huang Di Nei Jing”, “Small fire generates Qi, strong fire consumes Qi”, meaning that small doses of warming Yang can replenish Yang Qi, while large doses, although they may yield immediate benefits, will inevitably deplete the body’s Yang Qi over time. Once Aconite is stopped, Yang Qi will be even more deficient. It is like a child’s growth; if parents do everything for them (large doses of warming Yang), they will inevitably achieve nothing when they grow up, while gently guiding them when they stray (small doses of warming Yang) will allow them to become great in the future. Furthermore, every medication has its safe dosage range, with effective doses and toxic doses. Once you understand Chinese culture, you will naturally comprehend that TCM often treats diseases by leveraging circumstances, using four taels to move a thousand pounds, and in urgent and critical conditions, one can initially use heavy doses to revive Yang. Once Yang Qi is restored, do not greedily continue using large doses for warming Yang; instead, follow up with small doses of tonifying formulas to achieve the desired effect. Below, I will share my experiences with the dosage and usage of Aconite in clinical practice. 1. Dosage: In my unit’s pharmacy, we use Black Aconite Slices, and my usual dosage is 5-20g. In rare cases of severe Yang deficiency, I may use up to 30g, such as in some acute left heart failure patients, where 20-30g has shown excellent efficacy.2. Pre-cooking Time: I usually prescribe that patients boil vigorously, then simmer for over an hour, so I rarely require prior decoction for Aconite in my prescriptions.3. Aconite Indications: Coldness in the extremities, joint pain, undigested stools, and bodily functions in decline.4. Aconite Combinations: For treating exterior Yang deficiency, Aconite is combined with Ma Huang; for interior Yang deficiency, Aconite is combined with Gan Jiang.
Recommended Reading
He Shaoqi: A Discussion on Aconite
Come and comment: What to do in case of Aconite poisoning?
|
I Copyright Statement
I Submission Email [email protected] |
The theory of medicinal classification, with a detailed explanation of 60 medicinal herbs. Following the classification method of “Wind rises, Heat floats, Dryness descends, Cold sinks, Dampness transforms”, guiding you to learn and understand the properties and effects of Chinese herbs from the source, forming a complete concept of the circular movement of Chinese medicine.
Clinical practitioner——Teacher Hu Hao teaches you how to use Chinese medicine effectively, employing both internal and external methods to flexibly address common and frequently occurring diseases in various clinical departments, diminishing sectarian disputes, and effectively improving clinical efficacy. Scan to join the learning now!
Click Read the Original to watch more free course content