Introduction:

Once the art of homoeopathic treatment is fully understood, day-today ailments can often be controlled at the outset and complications can be avoided. In the early stages of all ailments, Aconite is at the top of the list. Its full name is Aconitum Napellus, though it is commonly called Aconite.

Aconite is a poison which affects different parts of the body. In the traditional books on medicine, there is some mention of it among other poisons. However, the minutely detailed account of Aconite is based on proving of Aconite done by Dr. Hanneman and other experienced Homoeopaths on themselves.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class : Magnoliopsida

Order : Ranunculales

Family : Ranunculaceae

Genus : Aconitum

Species : A. napellus

Binomial name

Aconitum napellus L.

Synonyms: Wolf's Bane Monk's Blood Monkshood Blue Rocket Friar's Cap Auld Wife's Huid Bachnag

Description:

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1 m tall, with hairless stems and leaves. The leaves are rounded, 5-10 cm diameter, palmately divided into five to seven deeply lobed segments. The flowers are dark purple to bluish-purple, narrow oblong helmet-shaped, 1-2 cm tall.

Microscopical: Root near tip shows diarch radial bundles. Become tetrarch, pentarch and octarch upwards. Cortex narrow, bounded by metaderm (1-4 layers of brown cells)

Habitat Lower mountain slopes of North portion of Eastern Hemisphere. From Himalayas through Europe to Great Britain.

Origin of name

The name Aconitum is derived from Aconis, a city of Bithynia because this plant grows in abundance near the city.

The word Napellus is derived from the word Napes means Turnip, because the root of the plant resembles with turnip.

In the Anglo-Saxon vocabularies it is called thung, which seems to have been a general name for any very poisonous plant.

It was then called Aconite (the English form of its Greek and Latin name), later Wolf's Bane, the direct translation of the Greek Iycotonum, derived from the idea that arrows tipped with the juice, or baits anointed with it, would kill wolves.

In the Middle Ages it became Monkshood and Helmet-flower, from the curious shape of the upper sepal overtopping the rest of the flower, which looks like the hood or cap of a monk. This was the ordinary name in Shakespeare's days.

Nine subspecies are accepted by the Flora Europaea:

Aconitum napellus subsp. napellus. Southwest England. Aconitum napellus subsp. corsicum (Gyer) W.Seitz. Corsica. Aconitum napellus subsp. firmum (Rchb.) Gyer. Central and eastern Europe. Aconitum napellus subsp. fissurae (Nyr.) W.Seitz. Balkans to southwest Russia. Aconitum napellus subsp. hians (Rchb.) Gyer. Central Europe. Aconitum napellus subsp. lusitanicum Rouy. Southwest Europe. Aconitum napellus subsp. superbum (Fritsch) W.Seitz. Western Balkans. Aconitum napellus subsp. tauricum (Wulfen) Gyer. Eastern Alps, southern Carpathians. Aconitum napellus subsp. vulgare (DC.) Rouy & Foucaud. Alps, Pyrenees, northern Spain.

Plants native to Asia and North America formerly listed as A. napellus are now regarded as separate species.

History A. napellus contains several poisonous compounds, including enough cardiac poison

that it was used on spears and arrows for hunting and battle in ancient times. A. napellus has a long history of use as a poison, with cases going back thousands of years. During the ancient Roman period of European history the plant was often used to eliminate criminals and enemies, and by the end of the period it was banned and any one growing A. napellus could have been legally sentenced to death. Aconites have been used more recently in murder plots; they contain the Chemical alkaloids aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine and jesaconitine, which are highly toxic.

Aconite produced from the roots of a number of different species of Aconitum is used ethnomedically in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), to treat "coldness", general debility, and "Yang deficiency." Such use has been shown in some cases to negatively affect the cardiovascular and central nervous systems including documented instances of poisoning and death.

It was supposed to be an antidote against other poisons. Gerard tells us that its power was 'So forcible that the herb only thrown before the scorpion or any other venomous beast, causeth them to be without force or strength to hurt, insomuch that they cannot move or stirre untill the herbe be taken away.' Ben Jonson, in his tragedy Sejanus, says:

'I have heard that Aconite Being timely taken hath a healing might Against the scorpion's stroke.'

Parkinson, speaking of the Yellow Monkshood, calls it:

'The "counter-poison monkeshood" - the roots of which are effectual, not only against the poison of the poisonful Helmet Flower and all others of that kind, but also against the poison of all venomous beasts, the plague or pestilence and other infectious diseases, which raise spots, pockes, or markes in the outward skin, by expelling the poison from within and defending the heart as a most sovereign cordial.'

Prover: Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. A proving of it was published by Hahnemann in the "Materia Medica Pura," vol. II.

Parts used: The whole plant including the roots Time of collection: At the beginning of flowering Preservation: Aconite root is liable to attack by insects, and after being well dried should be

kept in securely closed vessels. Remedy preparation: Class I (Old method) Percolation (New method)

Physiological action: Aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine exert widespread effects on cardiac, neural and

muscle tissue by activitating sodium channels.

Aconitine is absorbed through mucus membranes and the skin. It is a cardiotoxin and interacts with antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives, Digoxin/cardiac glycosides.

Aconite and Belladonna were said to be the ingredients in the witches' 'Flying ointments.' Aconite causes irregular action of the heart, and Belladonna produces delirium. These combined symptoms might give a sensation of 'flying.'

This agent is an antipyretic, diaphoretic and diuretic.

The fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) is especially affected.

Nervous system: When applied locally it stimulates the ends of the sensory nerves, producing tingling. This is soon followed by depression with numbness and anaesthesia.

o When taken internally it produces tingling and numbness of the lips and mouth, and an increased secretion from the salivary glands.

From large doses there results a sense of constriction about the fauces, with pain in the epigastric region, nausea and vomiting.

Constituents:

Aconitine (Acetyl Benza aconine): Highly poisonous alkaloid. It is a neurotoxin that opens TTX-sensitive Na+ channels in the heart and other tissues, and is used for creating

models of cardiac arrhythmia. Previously used as an antipyretic and analgesic.

Aconitic acid (Achilleic acid, Citridinic acid, Pyrocitric acid): An organic acid Benza aconine Aconine Hypaconitine

Jesaconitine Neopellin Neoline

Spheres of action

o Serous membranes o Mucous membranes o Respiratory system o Heart o Peripheral nerves o CNS

3-acetylacoitine Lappaconitine

Heart: The heart's action is at first slowed, but later it becomes rapid and weak.

- The arterioles are contracted.

Respiratory system: The respiratory centers are depressed under large doses, and as a result the respirations are slow and shallow.

It produces an anxious expression of the countenance, while skin is pallid, cold, and covered with perspiration.

Indications:

o A state of fear, anxiety; anguish of mind and body. o Physical and mental restlessness o Fright, is the most characteristic manifestation of Aconite. o Unquenchable thirst for cold water at frequent intervals o Acute, sudden, and violent invasion, with fever, call for it. o The sickness comes on suddenly and the patient thinks that he will not be able to

survive. Great fear of death. Predicts time of death. o Does not want to be touched. o Sudden and great sinking of strength. o First remedy in inflammations, inflammatory fevers. o Serous membranes and muscular tissues affected markedly. o Burning in internal parts; tingling, coldness and numbness. o Influenza. o Tension of arteries; emotional and physical mental tension explain many symptoms. o When prescribing Aconite remember Aconite causes only functional disturbance, no

evidence that it can produce tissue change - its action is brief and shows no periodicity. o Its sphere is in the beginning of an acute disease and not to be continued after

pathological change comes. o This remedy is indicated during the very early stages of inflammation during the state

of Hyperaemia and congestion, and not after exudation has set in. o Aconite is very useful in common diseases like bacterial food poisoning after the

ingestion of stale rotting food, resulting in sudden severe diarrhoea or dysentery. o Blood-mixed dysentery of the rainy season associated with fear is well controlled by

Aconite.

Ailments from:

FEAR Exposure to dry, cold weather Draught of cold air Dry north or west winds Checked perspiration Very hot weather Anxiety Bad news

o He is afraid to go out, or to go where there are many people, or to cross a street; his life is rendered miserable by this all-pervading fearfulness.

o Croupy cough; awaking after first sleep; particularly in young people after exposure to dry west winds.

o Blood-spitting; the blood comes up with an easy hawking, or with but little coughing; after mental excitement or exposure to dry west winds.

o Cough better after 3 A. M. o Cannot keep still; skin dry, hot and burning. o Excitement without cause; everything startles him. o Numbness in left arm; can scarcely move the hand. o Skin dry and burning hot; intense thirst for cold water; redness of face, sometimes

changing to paleness. o After fright with vexation, particulary during catamenia; to prevent suppression of

menses. o On rising, the red face turns deadly pale. o Heat with unquenchable thirst for cold water at frequent intervals; hard, full and

frequent pulse; anxious impatience; unappeasable; beside himself; tossing about with agony.

o After a violent chill, dry heat, with difficult breathing and lancinating pain through chest. o Amenorrhoea in plethoric young girls. o Aconite is usually considered to be the remedy of dry and cold weather because the

diseases related to it are contracted in such weather, though not necessarily so. In general, any sudden, severe illness of any weather associated with intense fear of death should be treated with Aconite.

o In Neuralgias tincture of the root often preferable, one drop doses (poisonous), or again, the 30th according to susceptibility of patient.

Modalities: Amelioration: Open air Aggravation : Warm room, Evening and Night, Lying on affected side, Music, Tobacco-

smoke, Dry cold winds.

Dept. of Homoeopathic Pharmacy Fr.Muller Homoeopathic Medical College

Deralakatte, Mangalore

Relationship:

Adjuvants : Sulphur, Coffea, Arnica, Belladonna, Bryonia, Phosphorus, Spongia

Complements: Abrot, Arn, Ars, Bell, Bry, Cact, Cocc, Canth, Coff, Hep, Ipec, Kali-bro, Merc, Puls, Rhus, Sep, Spig, Spong, Sulph, Sil

Antidotes : Bell, Berb, Coff, Nux vom, Sulphur

Sulphur may be considered a chronic Aconite, which often completes a cure begun with Aconite.

Vinegar in large doses is antidotal to poisonous effects of Aconite.