Kidney deficiency treated with TCM herb aconite

What is aconite(Monkshood, Fu Zi)?
From the perspective of TCM (Traditional Chinese medicine), aconite herb refers to the processed daughter root of Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. or Aconitum carmichaelii syn. A. fischeri, in the family Ranunculaceae. It has some other common names, including Radix Lateralis Aconiti, Helmet Flower, Aconit, Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata, Aconiti Tuber, Prepared daughter root of Common Monkshood, Aconitum napellus, Radix Aconiti Praeparata, Monkshood Tuber, Aconitum Angustifolium, Prepared Aconite Root, Aconitum kusnezoffi, Prepared Common Monkshood Daughter Root, Wolfsbane, and so on. And the tuberous mother root is known as Wutou (With lateral root) or Tian Xiong (only root tuber without daughter root). It is generally acknowledged they are slightly different in efficacy due to they come from different medicinal parts. Because different processing medium adopted and techniques applied, the raw aconite, called Ni Fu Zi, can be made into three different varieties – Hei Shun Pian (the processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx), Yan Fuzi (Salted Prepared Aconite Root), and Bai Fu Pian (white aconite daughter root).

Aconite plant is a perennial herb, 60 to 120cm in height. 2 tuberous roots are usually adhesive, from fusiform to obovate, and with dark brown skin. Cultivated species comes with corpulent branch root in diameter of 5cm. Stems are erect or slightly inclined, glabrous in the lower part and covered with scattered appressed pubescence in the upper part. Leaves are alternate, leathery, and with a handle. Inflorescence is racemose panicles, with appressed pubescence on rachis. Follicles are oblong, with transverse veins and pointed persistent style. It flowers from June to July and fruits from July to August.

Main chemical constituents include aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine, talalisamine, higeramine or demethylcoclaurine, coryneine chloride, isodelphinine, benzoyl mesaconitine, neoline, fuziline, beiwutine, karakoline, deoxyaconitine, fuzitine, songorine, uracil, jiangyouaconitine, neojiangyouaconitine, salsolinol, and so on.

Aconite benefits
Nowadays it is commonly used in homeopathic remedies for the purpose of strengthening adrenals and kidneys. And it can be consumed in many ways, like aconite supplement, tincture, essential oil, ointment, pills, powder, tablets, tea, extract, and more. Since aconite is known as "the queen of poisons" in ancient Greeks, why people still risk their lives to turn to this deadly poison for health benefits? Here is the aconite mechanism of action.

Modern pharmacological actions of aconite
1. Cardiotonic effect. Its decoction and other water-soluble parts showed strong cardiotonic effect to the heart to frogs, toads, and warm-blooded animal no matter they are in normal or failure states;

2. Ventricular fibrillation prevention. Its normal butyl alcohol extraction, ethanol extract and aqueous extract have a preventive effect to chloroform-induced ventricular fibrillation in mice;

3. Anti-inflammatory effect. It can significantly inhibit rat voix pedis swelling induced by egg whites, carrageenan, formaldehyde, and more. What’s more, it can still inhibit acetic acid induced excessive capillary permeability, formation of granuloma, and adjuvant-induced arthritis;

4. Analgesic activity. Mesaconitine, aconitine and hypaconitine have analgesic effects;

5. Anti-aging effects. Recent studies showed that it can enhance the antioxidant capacity, and thus slow down aging.