Aconitum ferox Wall. ex Ser.
Family _ Ranunculaceae.
Habitat _ The alpine Himalayas from
Sikkim to Garhwal and Assam.
English _ Indian Aconite, Wolfsbane,
Monkshood.
Ayurvedic _ Vatsanaabha, Visha,
Amrita, Vajraanga, Sthaavaravisha,
Vatsanaagaka, Shrangikavisha,
Garala.
Unani _ Bish, Bishnaag.
Siddha/Tamil _ Vasanaavi, Karunaabhi.
Folk _ Bacchanaag, Bish, Mithaa
Zahar, Telia Visha.
Action _ Narcotic, sedative, antileprotic,
anti-inflammatory. Extremely
poisonous. (Roots possess depressant
activity, but after mitigation in
cow’s milk for 3-5 days ( for better result 7 days ), they exhibit
stimulant activity.)
Key application _ In neuralgia.
(Aconitum napellus L. has been
listed by German Commission E
among unapproved herbs.)
The root contains diterpenoid alkaloids,
which act as a powerful poison
that affects the heart and central nervous
system. Aconitine has a shortlived
cardiotonic action followed by
cardiac depression. Topically, aconitine
has analgesic, anti-inflammatory
and anaesthetic activity.