Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Chamba in Himachal Pradesh,
between altitudes of 2,100 m and
3,600 m.
English ◮ Indian Napellus.
Ayurvedic ◮ Visha, Shringika-Visha,
Vatsanaabha (related sp.).
Folk ◮ Mohri, Meethaa Zahar.
Action ◮ Sedative, antirheumatic,
analgesic, antitussive, antidiarrhoeal.
Ayurvedic Formulary of
India, Part I and Part II, equated
A. chasmanthum with Vatsanaabha.
(See A. ferox.) It has the same uses
as A. ferox. The alkaloid content
of the root ranges from 2.98 to
3.11%; includes chasmaconitine and
chasmanthinine.
Napellus, equated with Aconitum
napellus Linn., is indigenous to Central
Europe (named after the Black sea
port Aconis and known as Wolfsbane,
Monkshood). Aconitum of homoeopathic
medicine is an alkaloid obtained
from the roots and stems of A. nepellus.
Used as an analgesic and sedative. It
contains terpenoids up to 1.2%, including
aconitine and aconine.
Toxic constituents of A. napellus
are aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine,
3-acetylacoitine, lappaconitine
(diterpenoid-ester alkaloids), benzaconine,
benzoylaconine.
Aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine
exert widespread effects on
cardiac, neural and muscle tissue by
activitating sodium channels. (Natural
Medicines Comprehensive Database,
2007.)
Aconitine is absorbed through mucus
membranes and the skin. (Francis
Brinker.) It is a cardiotoxin and
Aconitum falconeri Stapf. 13
interacts with antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives,
Digoxin/cardiac glycosides.
(Sharon M. Herr.)
Dosage ◮ Root—10–15 mg powder.
(CCRAS.)
Aconitum deinorrhizum Stapf.
Family ◮ Ranunculaceae.
Habitat ◮ Alpine regions of Chattadhar
and Bhalesh ranges of
Bhadarwah district in Jammu and
Kashmir.
Ayurvedic ◮ Vatsanaabha (related
sp.).
Folk ◮ Bashahr-Mohra, Dudhiyaa
Bish, Safed Bikh.
Action ◮ Roots and leaves are used in
rheumatism, rheumatic fever and
acute headache.
The roots contain 0.9% total alkaloids,
of which 0.51% is pseudoaconitine.
Aconitum falconeri Stapf.
Family ◮ Ranunculaceae.
Habitat ◮ The sub-alpine and alpine
zones of the Garhwal Himalayas.
Ayurvedic ◮ Vatsanaabha (related
sp.).
Folk ◮ Bikh, Bis, Meethaa Telia.
Action ◮ Sedative, carminative,
anti-inflammatory (used for the
treatment of nervous system,
digestive system; rheumatism,
fever).
A