Aconite is one of the most poisonous known herbs. It has been known to be used as a homicidal poison from long time in history. However this is rarely known to be used as suicidal poison. Poisoning with aconite is usually fatal and death commonly occurs due to arrhythmias and cardiotoxicity. We report a case of attempted suicidal poisoning by aconite where patient survived in spite of documente...

Aconite (Aconitum napellus) was one of the most notorious, poisonous plants in ancient world. Its dangerous, lethal power – present leaves, roots, stem, and tuber well known to Greeks Romans from earliest times. Evidence this phenomenon is not only archaeological findings, but also many writings biographies, poems, legal codes, etc. However, precise detailed accounts come treatises written by b...

Aconitine and its related alkaloids are known cardiotoxins with no therapeutic role in modern western medicine. The rootstocks of Aconitum plants, which contain aconite alkaloids, have been common components of Chinese herbal recipes. We have documented life-threatening intoxication in 17 Chinese subjects after accidental herb-induced aconite poisoning. All patients developed symptoms of aconit...

Sodhana, a preliminary treatment is known to reduce toxicity, enhance therapeutic merits of drugs and even impart additional pharmacodynamic properties. The present study - Sodhana Aconite, conducted to establish the effect in toxicity chemical changes and comparative pharmacological activity, show definite reduction in the intense cardiotoxic effect in crude Aconite.

Ayurvedic preparations contain toxic elements like heavy metals and other chemicals exceeding their permissible limits. Ayurvedic method of detoxification of such products involves Shodhana. Hence, in present paper it has been decided to replace Ayurvedic Shodhana process by chemical purification method and to study the benefits and/or drawbacks of the traditional Ayurvedic Shodhana process. Cr...

BACKGROUND Benzoylmesaconine (BMA) is the main Aconitum alkaloid in Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (Fuzi, aconite roots) with potent pharmacological activities, such as analgesia and anti-inflammation. The present study developed a simple and reliable method using BMA as a marker compound for the quality control of processed aconite roots and their products. METHODS After extraction, a hig...

A lectin was isolated from root tubers of winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) by affinity chromatography on fetuin-agarose, and it was partially characterized with respect to its biochemical, physicochemical and carbohydrate-binding properties. The Eranthis hyemalis lectin is a dimeric protein (Mr 62000) composed of two different subunits of Mr 30000 and 32000, held together by disulphide bonds....

Conflicts of interest: No potential conflicts of interests are declared. of the crude drug Fu Zi, otherwise known as RadixAconiti Lateralis Praeparata (1). It contains aconitine-type alkaloids, and has been used to alleviate severe pain and to treat rheumatic diseases from ancient times (2). Many aconite poisoning cases have been reported, most resulting fromoraluse, producing systemic symptoms...