Aconite is a plant. The root is used as medicine. However, aconite contains some poisonous chemicals. In Hong Kong, aconite is the most common cause of severe poisoning from herbs. In Asia, toxicity is usually related to the use of aconite in traditional medicines. In western countries, aconite poisoning is usually associated with consuming the plant.
Despite serious concerns about safety, some people take aconite by mouth for facial paralysis, joint pain, gout, finger numbness, cold hands and feet, inflammation, painful breathing and fluid in the space surrounding the lungs (pleurisy), certain heart problems (pericarditis sicca), fever, skin diseases, and hair loss. Aconite is also used as a disinfectant, to treat wounds, and to promote sweating.
Some people apply aconite to the skin in liniment as a “counterirritant” for treating facial pain, joint pain, and leg pain (sciatica).
Nowadays it is commonly used in homeopathic remedies for the purpose of strengthening adrenals and kidneys. And it can be consumed in many ways, like aconite supplement, tincture, essential oil, ointment, pills, powder, tablets, tea, extract, and more. Since aconite is known as “the queen of poisons” in ancient Greeks, why people still risk their lives to turn to this deadly poison for health benefits? Here is the aconite mechanism of action.
Modern pharmacological actions of aconite
1. Cardiotonic effect. Its decoction and other water-soluble parts showed strong cardiotonic effect to the heart to frogs, toads, and warm-blooded animal no matter they are in normal or failure states;
2. Ventricular fibrillation prevention. Its normal butyl alcohol extraction, ethanol extract and aqueous extract have a preventive effect to chloroform-induced ventricular fibrillation in mice;
3. Anti-inflammatory effect. It can significantly inhibit rat voix pedis swelling induced by egg whites, carrageenan, formaldehyde, and more. What’s more, it can still inhibit acetic acid induced excessive capillary permeability, formation of granuloma, and adjuvant-induced arthritis;
4. Analgesic activity. Mesaconitine, aconitine and hypaconitine have analgesic effects;
5. Anti-aging effects. Recent studies showed that it can enhance the antioxidant capacity, and thus slow down aging.
