Aconite root

Aconite roots marketed in India are apt to be from mixed species and botanical verification of such material is desirable. 

Line the basket of a percolator with filter paper and fill with powdered aconite root until it is half full. 

Aconite root tuber Aconite root tuber... 

Toxicity. Aconitine affects both the heart and the central nervous system and is one of the most potent and quick-acting poisons. It is well absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract and death may occur within a few minutes. The estimated minimum lethal dose is 2 mg of aconitine, 5 ml of aconite tincture (25% v/v) or 1 g of aconite root, although recovery after ingestion of 10 mg of aconitine has been reported. 

Ext, Aconitl Fuldum (fluldextract of aconite root) Used In treating rheumatism, gout, and neuralgia. Also used as a basis for other aconite preparations (abstracts, plasters, extracts, liniments, etc.)... 

Aconite roots can produce serious heart failure. Among the other symptoms of aconite poisoning are numbing of mouth and tongue, gastrointestinal disturbances,... 

Aconitine (C33H43NO12) is found in various parts of Aconitum Napellus. It is particularly abundant in the tuberous root of this plant. If sections of aconite root are treated on a glass shde with solution of potassium permanganate, a red precipitate of aconitine permanganate will appear in the cells containing this alkaloid. 

Take 12 troy ounces aconite root in fine powder moisten with 6 fluid ounces alcohol pack it firmly in a cylindrical precolator, and gradually poor alcohol upon it until 2 pinto of tinctnro arc obtained. (27. S, Ph.)... 

Mix together 1 fluid ounce chloroform, 2 fluid drachms oil of cajeput, 1J ounces camphor, 12 grains veratriue, and 1 fluid ounces tincture of aconite root. 

Keznedy for Xncontinezice of Urine. Put 4 drf)ps tincturo of aconite root In a tumbler of w.atcr. Dose, a tea-spoonful every hour until relieved. 

Fluid Extruct of Acouite LeuTeM574 Fluid Kxtract of Yellow-Bark. 4577 Fluid Extract of Aconite-root.4575 Fluid Measures, GraU. ated. ..5957... 

In a later study, researchers demonstrated the negative inotropic effects of (+)-R-coclaurine (d-coclaurine) (17) and (+)-S-reticulin (d-reticulene) (18) as well as their antagonistic actions to higenamine (23), the cardiotonic principle of aconite root Aconitum sp.) [45]. In essence, (+)-R-coclaurine and (+)-S-reticulin act as muscle relaxants and to prevent muscle contractions induced by higenamine. 

Crude extracts from peony root, licorice root, Atractylodes lance a rhizome, and aconite root are traditionally prescribed in medicine clinically to relieve muscle pain and to cure tremors in neuromyopathy. Different kampo preparations include crude extracts from (1) peony and licorice roots (Shakuyaku-kanzo-to), (2) peony, licorice, and aconite roots (Shaku-kan-bushi-to), (3) peony, licorice, ginger roots, cassia cortex, and jujube fruit (Keishi-to), and (4) peony, licorice, aconite, ginger root, Atractylodes lancea rhizome, cassia cortex, and jujube fruit (Keishi-ka-jutubu-to). The main bioactive compounds derived from peony root, licorice root. 

Atractylodes lancea rhizome and aconite root are paeoniflorin, glycyrrhizin, P-eudesmol, and aconitine, respectively. Each compound plays a complementary role, having different mechanisms of action. Their mechanisms in combined (blend) effects of paired or triplet combinations of these compounds have been investigated, and the rationality of the traditional combined medicines has been elucidated. The neuromuscular blocking actions have been compared by using skeletal muscle in vitro and in situ, and in normal and diseased states. 

Macerate the aconite root for forty-eight hours in fifteen fluid ounces of the spirit in a closed vessel, and agitate occasionally transfer to a percolator, and, when the fluid ceases to pass, continue the percolation with the remaining five ounces of spirit then subject the contents of the percolator to pressure, filter the product, mix the liquids, and add sufficient rectified spirit to make one pint. 

Both prepared and unprepared Sichuan aconite are available commercially. Sichuan aconite contains aconitine, a toxic alkaloid that affects the heart and the central nervous system (Bensky et al. 2004). Due to aconitine content, the unprepared root is highly toxic and is the primary herb associated with serious adverse events in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Hong Kong (Chan 2002 Chan et al. 1994a, 1994c Poon et al. 2006). Processing of Sichuan aconite root greatly reduces the content of aconitine (Chen and Chen 2004). The prepared root, that has been processed to reduce toxicity, is the subject of this entry. 

A review of case reports of poisoning from various species of aconite indicated that the risk of poisoning is higher with inadequately processed aconite root, improperly prepared extracts (i.e., patients not boiling root as long as directed when making decoctions), large doses, and alcohol-based extracts (Lin et al. 2004). 

The LD50 of prepared Sichuan aconite is 161 g/kg from oral administration and 3.5 g/kg from intravenous administration (Chen and Chen 2004). The LD50 of unprepared Sichuan aconite in mice is 5.49 g/kg from oral administration and 0.49 g/kg from intravenous administration (Chen and Chen 2004). The LD50 of orally administered Sichuan aconite root is approximately 10 g/kg in rats and over 10 g/kg in mice (Minematsu et al. 1996). 

T. Kosuge and M. Yokota, Studies on cardiac principles of aconite root, Chem.Pharm.Bull. 24 (1976), 176-178. 

C35H49O19N (C33H51O12N) MW, 787 (789) Present in aconite roots. Amorph. M.p. 128-30°. 

Song J-Z, Han Q-B, Qiao C-F, But PP-H, Xu H-X (2010) Development and validation of a rapid capillary zone electrophoresis method for the determination of aconite alkaloids in Aconite roots. Phytochem Anal 21 137-143. doi 10.1002/pca.ll68... 

Higenamine was isolated as an optically inert racemic mixture from several plant materials Aconite root, Asia-saari radix, Annona squamosa, Gnetum parvifo-Uum, and as a (R)-(+)-enantiomer from the embryo of... 

Kosuge T, Yokota M. Studies on cardiac principle of Aconite root. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 1976 24(1) 176-178. 

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