Aconite (fu zi)
Aconitum carmichaelii · 附子
Herbs & Roots. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Fu zi, Monkshood, Chinese aconite
Pinyin: Fù Zǐ
Spanish: Acónito
Highly toxic, can be fatalA highly toxic root from a monkshood plant. Only trained practitioners use processed forms in Chinese medicine.
Did you know? Aconite is also called monkshood and wolfsbane, and its poison has been known in Europe and Asia for thousands of years.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Heart health. Chinese clinics use processed roots and some injections for heart weakness and shock. The toxicity is high, and human proof is limited.Traditional proof
- Pain & headaches. Used for deep pain in tradition, including some topical plasters. Human proof is limited.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Chinese medicine uses processed fu zi to warm the body, support circulation in cold states, and ease deep pain. Raw roots are never used this way.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Heart tonic, Analgesic, Circulatory. Energy: warming.
- Chinese medicine
- 附子 Warm the interior. Nature: hot. Flavour: pungent, sweet. Enters the Heart, Kidney and Spleen channels.
How people take it
No safe home dose exists. Processed roots are used in clinic only, in small amounts that a trained practitioner sets and monitors.
Decoction and topical.
Where to get it
Grown in China and sold as dried roots and processed slices. Wild aconite can be mistaken for other plants, and raw roots cause many poisonings, so do not gather or buy them.
Be careful
Contains aconitine and related alkaloids that affect the heart and nerves. Poisoning can cause numbness, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, and death. Herbal wines caused many reported poisonings in China. Avoid entirely unless a trained practitioner prescribes processed root. Never use raw root.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; heart disease; heart rhythm problems.
Mixing with other things
- Don't mixHeart rhythm medicine (digoxin, amiodarone)
Can cause dangerous heart rhythms. Do not mix with heart medicines.
The honest take
Aconite is one of the most dangerous herbs in common use. Processing lowers its toxins, but poisonings and deaths still happen. Clinic use exists in China, but there is no safe way to use raw aconite at home.