A recent case in Guangzhou's Baiyun District highlights the dangers of homemade medicinal wines. An elderly man surnamed Zhang nearly lost his life after drinking a folk remedy wine brought by his wife from the countryside, which led to acute and severe aconitine poisoning, causing limb numbness and even shock.
According to experts, many people enjoy using traditional Chinese medicines like Aconitum (乌头) and Aconite root (附子) to soak in wine. Among these, Aconitum, which mainly includes Chuanwu (川乌) and Caowu (草乌), is toxic in its entirety, with the root being the most potent. When used in medicine, it is believed to expel wind, dampness, warm the meridians, and relieve pain. Aconite root, on the other hand, is known for its effects in restoring yang from collapse, warming the yang, dispelling cold, and alleviating pain, and it also contains aconitine. He warned that the raw forms of both Aconitum and Aconite root are extremely toxic and cannot be taken orally. In adverse reactions to traditional Chinese medicine, cases of aconitine poisoning are the most common. As little as 0.2mg of oral aconitine or 5ml of tincture of aconite (a preparation made by steeping crude drugs in alcohol or dissolving chemical substances in alcohol) can trigger toxic reactions. An oral dose of 2-4mg of aconitine or 20ml of the tincture can be fatal. In clinical practice, both Aconitum and Aconite root must be decocted to significantly reduce their toxicity before being used in oral medicine, with strict dosage control by licensed Chinese pharmacists and pharmaceutical institutions.
"If you want to use medicinal wine for health preservation, you must seek guidance from professional Chinese pharmacists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and purchase your medicines from regular pharmacies," the expert advised.