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Wu Tou Tang (烏頭湯) powerfully warms the channels and disperses cold-damp while supporting the qi; for severe cold painful obstruction (cold bi) with fixed, intense joint pain.
English Name
Aconite Main Tuber Decoction
Classical Source
Jin Gui Yao Lue, c. 220 CE
Ingredients
Actions & Functions
- Warms the channels and disperses cold-damp
- Relieves severe painful obstruction and relaxes the sinews
Indications
Severe cold painful obstruction: intense, fixed, sharp joint pain that is much worse with cold and better with warmth, with inability to bend and stretch.
Tongue & Pulse
Tongue: pale with a white coat. Pulse: deep, tight or wiry.
Modifications
Cook the aconite long with honey to reduce toxicity.
Cautions & Contraindications
Contains aconite (Chuan Wu) - use only properly prepared, correct dose, prolonged cooking; contraindicated in pregnancy and heat-type bi.
