Understanding the Uses and Dangers of Snow Mountain Artemisia

Snow Mountain Artemisia is both a traditional Chinese medicine and a poisonous herb. It is important to use it with caution and not to use it blindly, as it can have unpredictable consequences. Therefore, it is necessary to have a good understanding of Snow Mountain Artemisia before using it.

【Snow Mountain Artemisia】

Alias: Peng Ana Bu Luo Ma Cha Wa (in Tibetan).

Source: The rhizome of Aconitum coreanum, a plant from the Ranunculaceae family. The rhizome is dug up in September to October, the fibrous roots are removed, washed, sliced, and then dried.

Morphology: Perennial herb, approximately 90 centimeters tall. Rhizome is inverted conical in shape. Stem has short and soft hairs.

Leaves are opposite, petiolate, palmately divided, with lobes resembling feathers or with coarse teeth. The upper surface is green with few short hairs, while the lower surface is light green and nearly hairless.

Inflorescence is racemose, with numerous flowers. Bracts are narrow and elongated, located above the middle of the peduncle. Sepals are petal-like, yellow-green in color, with one sepal forming a helmet shape on the upper side.

Habitat: Distributed in Tibet and other regions.

【Medicinal Value of Snow Mountain Artemisia】

Properties: Warm in nature, bitter and numbing in taste, highly toxic.

Main functions: Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, dispels wind and eliminates dampness.

Treatment Formula:

① For bruises, rheumatic bone pain, toothaches: Take 0.25 grams of Snow Mountain Artemisia (about the size of a rice grain) orally.

② For bruises, snake bites, insect bites: Take 50 grams of Snow Mountain Artemisia and soak it in one kilogram of alcohol for ten days. Apply externally (do not ingest).

【Poisoning from Snow Mountain Artemisia】

Snow Mountain Artemisia is a Tibetan medicine that grows in mountainous areas and shrubs. It is mainly composed of aconitine, which is highly toxic. Excessive consumption can be fatal. Traditional Chinese medicine uses mung beans and honeysuckle to detoxify.

Aconitine has analgesic effects on various types of neuralgia and gout, but due to its high toxicity, it is no longer used in clinical practice.

Chinese medicine and folk practices widely use various types of Artemisia to relieve heat and pain, and to treat rheumatism. However, since Artemisia often contains aconitine, caution must be exercised when using it. The lethal dose of aconitine (oral) is 0.2 milligrams, and the lethal dose is 2.5 milligrams.

【Processing of Snow Mountain Artemisia】

Take Snow Mountain Artemisia and soak it in cold water, changing the water 2-3 times a day, until there is no numbing sensation when tasted. Remove it from the water, then boil it with the effects and functions of licorice and black beans, until the center is no longer white. Finally, remove and dry it.