What Is the Difference Between Wutou (Aconite Root) and Fuzi (Aconite Lateral Root)? A Detailed Explanation of Their Relationship

Wutou and fuzi both come from the same plant: wutou is the main root, and fuzi is the lateral root. They are mainly produced in Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan and other places in China.

I. The Main Value of Wutou

Wutou is an important herb for dispelling cold and relieving pain; it can both dispel cold from the meridians and disperse cold from the zang-fu organs. However, it is highly toxic and should be used with caution.

Indications: Wutou can dispel cold from the meridians and relieve pain, making it suitable for rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, and the like; for example, Wutou Tang treats lijie disease. It can also disperse cold from the zang-fu organs and relieve pain, making it suitable for heart and abdominal pain caused by cold pathogens; Wutou Chishizhi Wan treats heart pain, Chi Wan treats abdominal fullness and pain, and Da Wutou Jian and Wutou Guizhi Tang treat cold hernia abdominal pain.

Apart from being used alone as a formula, wutou is mostly used in combination with other herbs. Some combinations are mutually reinforcing, such as Wutou Chishizhi Wan, in which strongly pungent and strongly hot wutou is the chief herb to expel cold and relieve pain, and is used together with strongly pungent and strongly hot fuzi, Sichuan pepper, and dried ginger, mutually reinforcing one another to strengthen their power to warm yang, expel cold, and relieve pain. There are also combinations of opposites that complement each other, such as in the Chi Wan formula for treating abdominal pain from cold fluids rebelling upward, in which wutou is used together with the opposing herb banxia, so that opposites complement each other to enhance the effects of dispelling cold, transforming fluids, and directing rebellion downward.

II. The Main Value of Fuzi

1. Fuzi can enhance myocardial contractility, accelerate heart rate, increase cardiac output, and increase myocardial oxygen consumption.

2. Fuzi has the effect of dilating blood vessels, increasing blood flow, and improving blood circulation.

3. Fuzi's effect on blood pressure includes both pressor and depressor effects, which are related to its constituents.

4. Fuzi's effect of restoring yang and rescuing patients is mainly based on its cardiotonic and anti-shock effects.

5. Fuzi has a significant effect against bradyarrhythmia.

6. Fuzi decoction has a significant inhibitory effect on acute inflammation models.