Aconiti Radix:

Latin Name: Aconiti radix

Common Name: Monkshood, Fuzi

Aconiti Radix was widely used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of bronchitis and cardiovascular diseases, most notable heart yang imbalances. In addition to this it was also used by the ancient greeks and chinese to make poisoned arrows for hunting, as unprocessed monkshood root is extremely poisonous. It was first recorded in Shennongs Classic of Materia Medica and is found mainly in Southern China in the Sichuan province. It also grows in the mountainous areas of Europe and Asia. A sample of Aconiti Radix can be found in the historical medicinal collection in the Department of Pharmacology of Trinity College Dublin, based in St. James’s University Hospital.

Active ingredient:

Benzoylmesaconine, alkaloids, flavinoids and sterols

Uses/indications:

It was traditionally used to treat shock like conditions in TCM, suspected heart, kidney, or spleen issues, poor circulation and diarrhoea.

Contraindication/ Drug-Drug interactions:

• Pregnancy or Breastfeeding as has possible teratogenic effects

• Unprocessed Aconiti is unsafe and has poisonous effects if consumed or administered transdermally.

  Mechanism of action:

• Modern pharmaceutical studies show that aconiti radix has anti inflammatory, analgesic and antitumor effects and that it may have a place in the modern treatment of hypertension, neuropathic pain and rheumatoid arthritis. Therapeutic use is highly limited and requires detoxification of plant alkaloids. It also has a very narrow therapeutic window. Aconiti alkaloids act on Nav- Sodium channels which prevents inactivation of the channels, causing persistent sodium influx leading to prolonged depolarisation and then a conduction block. This contributes to its analgesic effects. 

  Pharmacokinetics:

• Rarely used due to its narrow therapeutic window. Usually taken orally but can be absorbed transdermally. Therapeutic effect within 2 hours of ingestion, widely distributed around the body, can cross the BBB and possibly the placenta. Primarily metabolised in the liver by the Cytochrome P450 system, and mainly excreted by the kidneys in urine. Activated charcoal is used as a binding agent in possible acontit radix tocitiy.

  Side effects: can cause neurological, teratogenic, cardiac and musculoskeletal effects due to its ability to cross the BBB and placenta, and its effect on Nav sodium channels.

• Dosage/ Administration: can be administered orally or transdermally, has to be thoroughly processed, due to its potential toxic effects.

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