Prepared Lateral Root of Common Monkshood
Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata
Zhi Fu Zi

About

Properties in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Extreme hot; pungent; sweet

Part(s) used

Potential toxicity/side effects

Toxic

Functions/effects it is traditionally believed to have

Treatment of collapse with cold limbs and faint pulse, impotence, frigidity, precordial and abdominal pain with cold sensation, vomiting and diarrhea or edema accompanied by aversion to cold and cold extremities, colds in patients with yang deficiency, chronic arthritis due to attack of cold and damp (marked by persistent severe joint pain, fixed in place and accompanied by heaviness sensation and numbness).

Conditions/symptoms it is traditionally used to treat

1. aconitine is a physiologically active component, and becomes aconine after hydrolized. the toxicity of aconine is lower than aconitine.2. the prepared products may dilate the blood vessels of lower limbs and coronary artery, and increase coronary flow.3. aconine and hypaconitine are analgesics and sedatives.4. acclerating the metabolism of lipids and cholesterol.5. ld50 of aconitine is 0.295mg/kg in mice hypodermally and that of the decoction of prepared aconite is 17.42g/kg in mice orally.6. its components, higenamine and coryneine chloride exert a significant cardiotonic effect.