Abstract： The relationship between the drastic nature and toxic reactions of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata and its curative effect is the focus of clinical controversy. Modern pharmacological studies show that the toxicity of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata is mainly related to the content of aconite aconite and hypaconitine， with clear toxicity and lethality. Because of the great difference between the modern pharmacological research and clinical application of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata，the main components and toxicity of it from the perspective of pharmacology cannot guide the clinical use of syndrome differentiation. According to Chinese medicine，Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata can motivate the original qi of the human body，stimulate the yin，yang，qi and blood，and promote the ascending，descending，exiting and entering of qi movement，which is a kind of drastic but good herbs to attack the pathogenic factors. Understanding the "toxicity" of aconite by dialectical thinking of traditional Chinese medicine can provide more guidance for clinical practice.