Snow Mountain Artemisia is a unique healing herb distributed in Tibet. It is the rhizome of the plant Aconitum gymnandrum of the Ranunculaceae family. It is commonly used to treat injuries, rheumatic swelling, and other conditions. However, as the saying goes, "Every medicine has its poison," and Snow Mountain Artemisia is no exception. Let's learn more about it together!
Image of Snow Mountain Artemisia
【Symptoms of Snow Mountain Artemisia poisoning】
Snow Mountain Artemisia belongs to the Aconitum genus, and its rhizome contains highly toxic aconitine. Plants in the Aconitum genus have highly toxic rhizomes due to the presence of aconitine and other alkaloids. Raw materials should not be taken internally. After professional processing, the toxicity is reduced, but it should still be taken under the guidance of a doctor.
Symptoms of aconitine poisoning include numbness of the lips, tongue, and limbs, drooling, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. It may progress to difficulty breathing, limb convulsions, coma, decreased blood pressure, arrhythmia, and even sudden death.
Symptoms of Snow Mountain Artemisia poisoning include nausea, vomiting, oral burning sensation, throat discomfort, drowsiness, gastrointestinal bleeding, bloating, diarrhea, watery stools, tenesmus, proteinuria, decreased urine output, weakness in the limbs, palpitations, chest tightness, pale complexion, cyanosis of the lips, decreased blood pressure, and weak pulse.
In severe cases, there may be blurred vision, constricted pupils, dizziness, confusion, restlessness, unclear speech, convulsions, and coma, often resulting in respiratory and circulatory failure. Seek medical attention promptly if symptoms of poisoning occur!
【Botanical characteristics of Snow Mountain Artemisia】
Snow Mountain Artemisia is a perennial herb that grows to about 90 centimeters in height. The rhizome is inverted conical. The stem is covered with short soft hairs.
The leaves are opposite, petiolate, palmately divided, with shallow lobes or coarse teeth. The upper surface is green with a few short hairs, and the lower surface is light green and nearly hairless.
Image of Snow Mountain Artemisia
The inflorescence is corymbose, with many flowers; there are 2 small bracts, nearly linear, above the middle of the peduncle; the sepals are 5, petal-like, yellow-green, with one sepal on top forming a helmet shape.
【Effects and functions of Snow Mountain Artemisia】
Snow Mountain Artemisia, also known as Peng Ananbuoluo Machawa in Tibetan, has a bitter and pungent taste, warm properties, and is highly toxic. It belongs to the liver meridian. It is a classic Tibetan medicine originating from Tibet and is widely used in folk medicine for pain relief in injuries.
Snow Mountain Artemisia has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain. It is commonly used for joint and bone pain caused by wind-cold-dampness, blood stasis pain caused by injuries, and insect and snake bites.
It has remarkable and immediate effects on injuries, rheumatic swelling, and various internal and external pain when taken orally or applied externally.
1. Pain conditions
Snow Mountain Artemisia has a dispersing and warming effect, and it is particularly effective in treating various types of pain. It can dispel wind and dampness, promote blood circulation, and relieve pain.
2. Ulcers, swelling, and poisonous insect and snake bites
Snow Mountain Artemisia can counteract poison with poison, promote blood circulation, and relieve pain. It can be applied externally by soaking in alcohol to treat ulcers, swelling, and poisonous insect and snake bites, and bee stings.
For treating injuries, snake bites, and poisonous insect bites: Soak 50 grams of Snow Mountain Artemisia in one kilogram of alcohol for ten days, and apply it externally (strictly forbidden to take internally). (From "Commonly Used Medicinal Herbs in Tibet")
