Aconitum (monkshood/aconite)

Tier 4 — risky / avoid · Lethal arrhythmia · TCM toxin · Cardiac arrest

One of the most toxic plants used in traditional medicine. Contains aconitine which blocks sodium channel inactivation, causing fatal ventricular arrhythmias. Lethal dose in humans is approximately 1–2 mg of purified aconitine. Deaths occur within hours of ingestion. Still used in some TCM preparations (Fu Zi) after extensive processing to reduce toxicity, but unprocessed or improperly processed products are lethal.

Dose: NO safe self-medication dose; processed Fu Zi used only by expert TCM practitioners with extreme caution; raw aconite is lethal