wu tou tang

Aconite Decoction

About wu tou tang

Wu Tou Tang, Aconite Decoction, is Zhi Chuan Wu, Ma Huang, Bai Shao, Huang Qi and Zhi Gan Cao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that release Wind from the skin and channels, and records it as warming the channels to disperse Cold and Wind.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
zhi chuan wu	9 g
ma huang	9 g
bai shao	9 g
huang qi	9 g
zhi gan cao	9 g

Actions and indications

Warms the channels and disperses Cold and Wind

Painful obstruction from Wind, Cold and Damp with Cold predominant, long lodged in the channels
Severe pain and coldness of the muscles and joints, with badly restricted bending and stretching
Pain throughout the body, worst in the hands and feet, with heavy muscles
Cold hands and feet and dislike of cold

Reinforces Yang, replenishes Qi and Blood and stops pain

Cold painful obstruction in someone with Qi deficiency: tiredness, loose stools, poor appetite, no thirst, and catching colds easily
Tongue pale with slight tooth marks and a white greasy coat; pulse deep and thin, wiry, tight and slow, or slightly slippery

Modern uses

Osteoarthritis
Arthralgia and panarthralgia
Painful obstruction
Whole body pain
Leg Qi
Scapulohumeral periarthritis
Shoulder pain
Neck pain and stiffness
Upper back pain
Low back pain
Hip pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Brachial plexus neuritis

Symptoms

Absence of thirst
Aversion to cold
Body aches
Cold limbs
Fatigue
Frequent colds
Heavy body
Joint pain
Limited range of motion
Loose stools
Pain
Poor appetite

Modifications

More severe Cold: + zhi fu zi, + gan jiang, + xi xin, + gui zhi
Blood stasis: + tao ren, + hong hua, + chi shao, + chuan shan jia, + zao jiao ci
Carpal tunnel syndrome (combined with Da Huo Luo Dan): + sang zhi, + qiang huo, + si gua luo, + gui zhi, − ma huang
Osteoarthritis: + bai zhu
Osteoarthritis, more severe Damp: + bai zhu, + yi yi ren, + cang zhu
Osteoarthritis, severely cold extremities: + bai zhu, + xi xin
Osteoarthritis with Blood stasis and stabbing pain: + bai zhu, + ru xiang, + mo yao
Osteoarthritis, pain in upper extremities: + bai zhu, + gui zhi
Osteoarthritis, pain in lower extremities: + bai zhu, + du huo
Osteoarthritis, knee pain: + bai zhu, + huai niu xi
Osteoarthritis, shoulder pain: + bai zhu, + jiang huang
Osteoarthritis, pain in spinal column: + bai zhu, + qin jiao

Show all 29 modifications

Osteoarthritis, low back pain: + bai zhu, + du zhong
Enduring osteoarthritis, Kidney and Liver deficiency: + bai zhu, + xu duan, + du zhong, + huai niu xi
Periarthritis of shoulder: + gui zhi, + jiang huang
Chronic periarthritis of shoulder: + gui zhi, + jiang huang, + qiang huo, + dang gui, + dang shen, − zhi chuan wu
Brachial plexus neuritis: + chuan xiong, + dang gui, + chi shao, + xi xian cao, + qiang huo, + hai tong pi, + yu jin
Brachial plexus neuritis, pain radiating to back: + chuan xiong, + dang gui, + chi shao, + xi xian cao, + qiang huo, + hai tong pi, + yu jin, + ge gen, + gou ji, + lu jiao jiao
Brachial plexus neuritis, pain radiating to arm and fingers: + chuan xiong, + dang gui, + chi shao, + xi xian cao, + qiang huo, + hai tong pi, + yu jin, + ji xue teng
Brachial plexus neuritis with Phlegm-Damp blockage and hidden Blood stasis: + chuan xiong, + dang gui, + chi shao, + xi xian cao, + qiang huo, + hai tong pi, + yu jin, + rou gui, + dan nan xing, + hong hua, + tao ren, + jiang can, + quan xie, + wu shao she
Neck pain and stiffness: + gui zhi, + ge gen, + qiang huo
Upper back pain: + gui zhi, + qin jiao, + fang feng, + ge gen, − huang qi
Shoulder pain: + gui zhi, + jiang huang, − zhi cao wu
Chronic shoulder pain, Qi and Blood deficiency: + gui zhi, + jiang huang, + qiang huo, + dang gui, + dang shen, − zhi chuan wu, − zhi cao wu
Hip pain, aversion to Cold: + xi xin
Hip pain spreading down the legs: + chuan niu xi
Hip pain, swollen hip joints: + cang zhu, + mu tong
Hip pain, Cold in lower limbs: + du huo, + rou gui
Severe hip pain: + huang jing

Preparation

Decoction; Zhi Chuan Wu is cooked first with honey to reduce its toxicity before the other herbs are added

Names

Pinyin	wu tou tang
English Name	Aconite Decoction

Classification

Category: Release Wind from Skin and Channels