How to prevent aconite poisoning? Doing these things well is key
Aconite is also known as Fupian, Yanfupian, Heishunpian, etc. It is strongly pungent and strongly warming, travels through all twelve meridians, and is the primary essential medicine for supporting yang and rescuing from collapse. However, if it is improperly processed or combined, or if the decoction time is insufficient, it can cause poisoning. The latent period of poisoning is from 10 minutes to 3 hours, and there are also cases that occur immediately after taking the medicine or after 3 days. Now let us take a look at how to prevent aconite poisoning!
Symptoms of aconite poisoning
1. First there is numbness of the lips, hands, and feet, after which there appear deviated lips, drooling, muscle spasms and convulsions of the hands and feet, chest tightness, palpitations, heart palpitations, dizziness, blurred vision, and a burning sensation in the throat, larynx, esophagus, and stomach.
2. Subsequently there appear nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, slow pulse, dulled consciousness, difficulty breathing, decreased blood pressure, speech impairment, and incontinence of urine and feces.
3. Then there appear coma, convulsions, and respiratory arrest. In severe cases, death may occur due to circulatory and respiratory failure.
How to prevent aconite poisoning?
1. Accurate syndrome differentiation: Only when the medicine corresponds to the syndrome can it be effective. If the medicine does not match the syndrome, it can only produce harmful effects on the body or even side effects. If syndrome differentiation is unclear and it is used for heat syndrome or deficiency-heat syndrome, even if poisoning does not occur, it will still produce hidden side effects on the body.
2. Limited application: The dosage should conform as much as possible to the provisions of the pharmacopoeia to avoid unnecessary medical disputes. If a large dose is to be used, it should also be started from a small dose. On the basis of accumulated experience, gradually increase the dosage.
3. Detoxification through combination: Reasonable combination can reduce the toxicity or side effects of the medicine. Combining with fresh ginger, dried ginger, licorice, etc. can greatly reduce the toxicity of aconite.
4. Prolonged decoction to reduce toxicity: Decoction of aconite first can significantly reduce its toxicity, while its effects such as strengthening the heart and relieving pain are not affected by the length of decoction time.
5. Avoid incompatible combinations: The ancients clearly stated the “eighteen incompatibilities and nineteen antagonisms.” Although many medical workers currently have doubts about some of the content of the “eighteen incompatibilities and nineteen antagonisms,” caution is still required.
What to do about aconite poisoning?
1. Take raw mung bean powder mixed with cold water: for adults, 2 spoonfuls, about 40 grams; for children, 1 spoonful, about 20 grams.
2. Take honey mixed with cold water: for adults, about 120 grams at a time; for children, about 40 grams.
3. Chew raw white radish slices: about 3 slices at a time, each about 0.5 cm thick, and it may also be taken according to specific circumstances as appropriate.
4. Iced mung bean paste or chilled mung bean paste: one cup, about 200 milliliters, and it may also be taken according to specific circumstances as appropriate.
5. Quickly decoct raw licorice water: it can be taken warm. For adults, use 60 grams of licorice; for children, use 20 grams of licorice.
6. Quickly decoct water with Fangfeng and black beans, which can also be taken warm. For adults, use 30 grams of Fangfeng; for children, use 15 grams of Fangfeng.
7. Take cinnamon powder mixed with water: for mild poisoning, use 30 grams (children use 10 grams), add 200 milliliters of boiling water (70 milliliters for children), keep sealed for 5 minutes, then take it all at once. For severe poisoning, take it 3 to 6 times in succession, each time using no less than 30 grams of cinnamon powder.