Botanical Index No. 714

Monkshood

aconitum napellus

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Anesthetic, Antiinflammatory, Antineuralgic, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Arrhythmigenic, Bradycardic, Cardiotonic, Cardiotoxic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Hypotensive, Insecticide, Mydriatic, Narcotic, Paralytic, Pediculicide, Positive Inotropic, Sialagogue, Toxic

Primary Conditions Treated

Immunomodulator Poison Adenopathy Anxiety Arthrosis Cancer Cough Dermatosis Fever Gastrosis Gout Headache High Blood Pressure Inflammation Migraine Mucososis Myalgia Neuralgia Neurosis Pain Paralysis Pericardosis Respirosis Rheumatism Water Retention Wound

General Dosage

0.1 g = average daily dose; 0.6 g = maximum daily dose.

Safety & Contraindications

There are 300 species in the poisonous monkshood genus, many containing the alkaloid aconitine, which imparts its activities to the herb. Aconite was long used in TAM, e.g., A. ferox; and TCM, e.g., A. carmichaelii, appearing later as a medicine in the Western world. Moerman mentions six species in North America, all used as poisons. Only Chinese A. carmichaelii was covered by AHP.

!