Kusnezoff Monkshood Root … Safety & Interactions
Cao Wu · Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii
Contraindicated / High risk. Use only under practitioner supervision.
Contraindications
- Pregnancy
- Heat syndromes, yin deficiency with heat, or true fluid depletion without cold
- Raw or unsupervised internal use
- Known ventricular arrhythmia or unstable severe cardiac disease
- Concurrent use with Ban Xia, Gua Lou, Tian Hua Fen, Bai Ji, Bai Lian, or Bei Mu species
Cautions
- Cao Wu is a high-risk aconite root whose pain-relieving effects cannot be separated from meaningful cardiotoxic and neurotoxic potential.
- Aconite poisoning can present with mouth numbness, tingling, nausea, vomiting, weakness, hypotension, ventricular ectopy, and malignant arrhythmias; emergency evaluation is required if toxicity is suspected.
- When internal use is considered at all, proper processing and prolonged decoction are essential; decorative, raw, or folk-harvested material should never be self-used.
Drug Interactions
| Drug Class / Substrate | Mechanism | Severity | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac glycosides such as digoxin - additive arrhythmogenic risk. | |||
| Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs - unpredictable electrophysiologic interaction. | |||
| Beta-blockers or other rate-slowing agents - may worsen bradycardia or mask early toxicity. | |||
| QT-prolonging medications - additive risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias. | |||
Pregnancy
Not recommended during pregnancy. Consult a qualified practitioner before any use.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using herbal medicines, especially if you take prescription medications.