HERB FORMULAS

WU TOU TANG - 烏頭湯 - ACONITE DECOCTION

English: Aconite Decoction
Also Known As:

HERBS AND ACTIONS

Pharmaceutical Latin
Pin Yin
Dosage
Actions
Rx. Aconiti Preparata Zhi Chuan Wu 9-15g Expels Wind-Dampness, disperses Cold, warms and activates the Channels and stops pain.
With Ma Huang and Bai Shao, for generalized joint pain with restrictions in range of motion.
Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang 6-9g Releases the exterior, induces sweating, promotes urination and disperses Cold.
With Zhi Chuan Wu, for Wind-Cold Bi.
Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao 6-15g Alleviates pain and nourishes Blood.
With Gan Cao, for muscle spasms especially in the calf, due to Blood Deficiency.
Rx. Astragali Huang Qi 6-15g Strengthens the Spleen, tonifies Qi, tonifies Wei Qi, stabilizes the Exterior and nourishes Blood.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao 3-9g Tonifies the Spleen, tonifies Qi, alleviates pain and moderates and harmonizes the properties of the other herbs.

FORMULA ACTIONS

  • Disperses Cold
  • Reinforces Yang
  • Replenishes Qi and Blood
  • Stops pain
  • Warms the channels
  • Disperses Wind

SYNDROMES

  • Wind-Cold-Damp Bi - Cold Predominant
  • Long-term Wind-Cold Dampness invades the channels
  • Cold Bi in patients with Qi Deficiency

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

  • Severe difficulty in flexion and extension
  • Severe pain
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Aversion to Cold
  • Fatigue
  • Loose Stools
  • Severe pain and coldness of muscles and joints
  • Severely restricted motion of joints
  • Cold extremities
  • Whole body pain, especially in the hands and feet
  • Anorexia
  • Heavy feeling in muscles
  • Catches cold easily
  • No thirst
  • T: Pale with slight teethmarks
  • C: Greasy and white
  • P: Deep and thready or Wiry, tight and slow or Slightly slippery

TREATS

CONTRAINDICATIONS AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

NOTES

  • Zhi Chuan Wu should be decocted first for about thirty to sixty minutes with 60g of honey to reduce its toxicity, before adding the other ingredients.

MODIFICATIONS

For more severe Cold: For Blood Stasis:
+ 3g Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi + Sm. Persicae Tao Ren
+ Flos Carthami Hong Hua
+ 6g Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang + Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao
+ 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin + Squama Manitis Chuan Shan Jia
+ 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi + Sp. Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci
For carpal tunnel syndrome:
+ Major Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill
Da Hu Luo Dan
- Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang
+ 9g Ram. Mori Sang Zhi For osteoarthritis:
+ 9g Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii Qiang Huo + 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Fructus Luffae Retinervus Si Gua Luo For osteoarthritis with more severe Dampness:
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For osteoarthritis with severely cold extremities:
 + 18g Sm. Coicis Yi Yi Ren
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
For osteoarthritis with Blood Stasis with pricking pain:
+ 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin + 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
For osteoarthritis with pain in the upper extremities:
+ 6g Olibanum Ru Xiang
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu + 6g Myrrh Mo Yao
For osteoarthritis with pain in the lower extremities:
+ 9g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For osteoarthritis with knee pain: + 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
+ 9g Rx, Achyranthis Bidentatae Niu Xi
For osteoarthritis with shoulder pain:
For osteoarthritis with pain in the spinal column: + 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Rz. Curcumae Longae Jiang Huang
+ 9g Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae Qin Jiao
For osteoarthritis with low back pain:
For enduring osteoarthritis with Kidney and Liver Deficiency: + 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
+ 9g Cx. Eucommiae Du Zhong
For periarthritis of the shoulder:
+ 9g Rx. Dipsaci Xu Duan + 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ 9g Cx. Eucommiae Du Zhong + 6g Rz. Curcumae Longae Jiang Huang
+ 9g Rx, Achyranthis Bidentatae Niu Xi
For chronic periarthritis of the shoulder:
For brachial plexus neuritis: - Rx. Aconiti Preparata Zhi Chuan Wu
+ 12g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong + 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui + 6g Rz. Curcumae Longae Jiang Huang
+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao + 9g Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 12g Hb. Siegesbeckiae Xi Xian Cao + 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui
+ 12g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo + 9g Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen
For brachial plexus neuritis with pain radiating to the back:
+ 12g Cx. Erythrinae Hai Tong Pi
+ 12g Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin + 12g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong
For brachial plexus neuritis with pain radiating to the arm and fingers: + 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui
+ 12g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong + 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao
+ 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui
+ 12g Hb. Siegesbeckiae Xi Xian Cao
+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao
+ 12g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 12g Hb. Siegesbeckiae Xi Xian Cao
+ 12g Cx. Erythrinae Hai Tong Pi
+ 12g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo + 12g Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin
+ Rx Puerariae Ge Gen
+ 12g Cx. Erythrinae Hai Tong Pi + Rz. Cibotii Gou Ji
+ 12g Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin + Colla Cervi Cornus Lu Jiao Jiao
+ Caulis Spatholobi Ji Xue Teng
For brachial plexus neuritis with Phlegm-Damp Obstruction and occult Blood:
For neck pain and stiffness:
+ 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi + 12g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong
+ 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui
+ 12g Rx. Puerariae Ge Gen
+ 9g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao
For upper back pain:
- Rx. Astragali Huang Qi + 12g Hb. Siegesbeckiae Xi Xian Cao
+ 9g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ 9g Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae Qin Jiao + 12g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 9g Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng + 12g Cx. Erythrinae Hai Tong Pi
+ 9gm Rx. Puerariae Ge Gen + 12g Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin
For shoulder pain: + Cx. Cinnamomi Rou Gui
- Rx. Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata Zhi Cao Wu + Arisaema cum Bile Dan Nan Xing
+ Flos Carthami Hong Hua
+ 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi + Sm. Persicae Tao Ren
+ 3g Rz. Curcumae Longae Jiang Huang + Bombyx Batryticatus Jiang Can
+ Scorpio Quan Xie
For chronic shoulder pain with Qi and Blood Deficiency:
 + Zaocys Wu Shao She
For hip pain with aversion to Cold:
- Rx. Aconiti Preparata Zhi Chuan Wu + 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin
- Rx. Aconiti Kusnezoffii Preparata Zhi Cao Wu For hip pain radiating to the legs:
+ 10g Rx. Cyathulae Chuan Niu Xi
+ 6g Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi For hip pain with swollen hip joints:
+ 3g Rz. Curcumae Longae Jiang Huang + 10g Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu
+ 10g Caulis Akebiae Mu Tong
+ 9g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo For hip pain with Cold in the lower limbs:
+ 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
+ 9g Rx Angelicae Sinensis- Dang Gui
+ 5g Cx. Cinnamomi Rou Gui
+ 9g Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen For severe hip pain:
    + 10g Rz. Curcumae Longae Huang Jing