Aconite (fighter): description, collection of raw materials, indications and contraindications. Wolfsbane (wrestler) – Aconitum lycoctonum Worosch. Ranunculaceae family – Ranunculaceae Tincture of aconite from leaves and flowers

Fact
Northern aconite is a Eurasian species, found throughout almost the entire forest zone from Central Europe to China and Japan. In our country, it is widespread both in the European part and in the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia. It grows in broad-leaved, coniferous-deciduous and birch forests, in clearings, clearings, in thickets of bushes, forest ravines. Prefers moderately moist soils rich in nutrients. It can withstand significant shading, but blooms intensively only in forest clearings (so-called “windows”) and on the edges.

Northern, or high, aconite (northern, or high, fighter)- Aconitum septentrionale Koelle (Aconitum excelsum Reichenb.) is a tall perennial herbaceous plant from the buttercup family with a tap root.

The stem is erect, from 60 cm to 2 m high, branched. The leaves have long petioles, which, like the stems, are velvety pubescent with erect hairs. The leaf blades are large, up to 30 cm wide, they are heart-shaped, divided into 3-9 palmate, broadly rhombic lobes with sparse hairs.

The flowers of the plant are dirty purple (sometimes white), irregular, with a conical-cylindrical helmet. They are collected in an apical rather loose racemose inflorescence, branching at the base. The calyx is colored, corolla-shaped, sparsely pubescent with small hairs, 5-leafed. The upper sepal has the shape of a helmet, up to 1.5 cm wide. Only 2 of the petals are developed, but they have also turned into nectaries with a thread-like, spirally curled spur. There are many stamens in each flower, from 3 to 8 of them with undeveloped anthers, that is, staminodes. All flowers have 3 pistils with a superior ovary.

Northern aconite blooms from June to August. The fruits ripen in July - September. The fruit is a multileaflet, consisting of 3 rather large leaflets with numerous triangular seeds. The fallen mature seeds germinate next spring immediately after the snow melts. Seedlings develop very slowly; in the first year of life, only cotyledons are formed; only in the second year does the first true leaf appear. Many years pass before the plant acquires the ability to bloom and bear fruit.

Nevertheless, northern aconite reproduces mainly by seeds. Experts have calculated that up to 1,800 viable seeds ripen on one generative shoot. Vegetative propagation is of less importance. It occurs through particulation - this is the name given to the division of the root system of an adult plant into separate sections (particulates) capable of forming new young plants.

Medicinal value

Both the roots and the above-ground parts of northern aconite contain a significant amount of alkaloids. The plant is poisonous, but despite this, it is used in folk medicine.

Healers of various times and peoples used the whole plant or just the roots.

After digging, the roots are cleared of soil, washed in running water, dried in the sun and finally dried at 40-50 ° C in fire dryers.

Attention! Care must be taken when handling aconite, as all parts of the plant are highly poisonous. After touching the roots, wash your hands thoroughly. If you are poisoned, consult a doctor immediately. Before the doctor arrives, the patient must be given an emetic, wine, and vinegar in small doses. Symptoms of poisoning: severe burning in the mouth, salivation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of hearing, vision, difficulty breathing, slow pulse.

Various types of aconite are quite popular in East Asian countries. They are widely used in Chinese medicine as a pain reliever for pleurisy, neuralgia, rheumatic pain, cancer, as well as for diseases accompanied by convulsions. Externally, preparations from aconite are prescribed for treatment scaly lichen, some skin diseases And scalp, and also when itchy dermatoses. Knowing about the toxicity of this plant, healers subject it to lengthy and complex processing: they soak it, steam it, change the water, boil it again - in a word, it is unlikely that an ignorant person should undertake such complex methods of preparing medicines.

In Tibetan medicine, aconite is considered a medicine (other types are used there). Prescribed in the form of decoctions and powders for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic enterocolitis, as part of medications used for diabetes. Tibetan doctors use aconite powder mixed with other plants to treat anthrax, acute pneumonia, and with decoctions of young shoots and tubers - glandular tuberculosis.

Currently, the drug allapinin from aconite whitemouth has been introduced into medical practice, which turned out to be physiologically active in influencing the rhythm of contractions of the heart muscle. Tablets of this drug are prescribed for extrasystoles, tachycardia and with others heart diseases, accompanied by arrhythmia.

Preparations from the roots of aconite are used as a folk painkiller in the form of tinctures and ointments for neuralgia, rheumatism, colds and other diseases.

People use this plant as anti-cockroach remedy.

Traditional medicine recipes

Astrobotany
According to Sedir, aconite is ruled by Saturn and is healing for people born under the sign of Capricorn.

During treatment rheumatism I can recommend a tincture for rubbing. Pour 100 g of aconite roots into 1 liter of vodka or 1 liter of 60% pharmaceutical alcohol and place in a warm place for 3 days. When the tincture acquires the color of strong tea, it is ready for use: 1 tbsp. Rub a spoon into sore spots. If both arms and legs hurt, you should follow the order of rubbing: 1st day - rubbing the tincture into the right hand; 2nd day - rubbing into the left hand; 3rd day - rubbing into the right leg; 4th day, rubbing into the left leg, etc. For those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, it is recommended to use no more than 1 teaspoon of tincture for rubbing. The tincture should be rubbed dry; the place of rubbing must be wrapped in flannel, and on top of it - with a woolen cloth. It is better to rub in at night and remove the bandages in the morning. After 2 hours, wet a cloth in cold water and, squeezing it tightly, wipe the areas being rubbed with it. This must be done quickly.

Attention! Immediately after rubbing, be sure (!) to wash your hands with soap and a brush.

Djungarian aconite is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the buttercup family. This plant has a horizontal rhizome, and the aconite tubers are large, cone-shaped and fused. Djungarian aconite has a straight, strong and simple stem, its height varies between 70–130 cm, and it can be bare or pubescent. The stem has petiolate leaves, and the lower leaves die off during the flowering period of the plant. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme bearing large zygomorphic flowers, and the calyx consists of five purple leaves. The pedicels of Djungarian aconite have two narrow-linear bracts, and towards the end they thicken. The sepal, located at the very top of the aconite, is bent in the form of an arc, similar to a helmet with a long nose, in which there are two nectarine petals.

The fruit of aconite is called a trefoil, although sometimes only one leaflet ripens. The leaflets have many seeds and curved spouts. The seeds of this plant have transverse wing-shaped wrinkles.

Flowering of Djungarian aconite lasts from July to September, and ripening occurs from August to October.

Aconite can be seen on moist and grassy mountain slopes, and it also grows on the banks of rivers and streams located near the mountains. The plant reproduces vegetatively and using seeds.

Djungarian aconite is also called “fighter”; the plant owes this name to Scandinavian mythology. The wrestler grew up in the place where the god Thor died, who defeated the poisonous snake, but died from its bites. Then the Germans said that Thor fought the wolf with the help of aconite, hence the name of aconite - “wolf-killer”, or “wrestler”.

“Tsar Grass” is another name for Djungarian aconite. It received this name because of the strong poison in its composition. Even in ancient times, aconite was not considered a medicinal plant, but on the contrary, it was called poisonous. It was used as an ointment on arrow and spear tips and even on sword blades.

Collection and preparation of Djungarian aconite

The medicinal raw materials of Dzhugar aconite are the tubers and leaves of the wild plant. This is due to the fact that aconite, which is cultivated, ceases to be poisonous after a couple of years. When collecting aconite, you must wear gloves or mittens on your hands; this is necessary to prevent the poison, which is contained in the stems and tubers of the plant, from entering the human body through the skin of the hand. When collecting aconite, do not touch your eyes, and after harvesting you need to wash your hands using soap.

Tuberous roots are harvested from mid-August to October 1, and it is during this period that they are the most poisonous. The tubers need to be dug out of the ground, the soil removed from them, and washed with cold water. Next, without stopping for a second, you need to dry them in a dryer, where the temperature is not lower than 60 degrees Celsius.

Aconite leaves are collected before and during the flowering of the plant, because during this period they are very poisonous. The leaves need to be collected and dried in the sun. After drying, they are dried under a canopy. If the raw material turns dark green after drying, this means that the drying was correct.

Raw aconite cannot be stored together with non-poisonous plants. It must be packaged in a sealed package and labeled “Poison”! This raw material is stored for a year.

Medicinal properties and uses of Djungarian aconite

Djungarian aconite has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, narcotic and analgesic effects on the body. Preparations made from aconite tubers are used as an analgesic for colds, joint pain and trigeminal neuralgia.

Due to the fact that aconite is toxic, traditional medicine does not use it, but traditional medicine, on the contrary, has found worthy use for this plant. In folk medicine, aconite is used for the following diseases:
– osteochondrosis;
– arthritis;
– gout;
– epilepsy;
– external bruises;
– external sciatica;
– convulsions;
– depression and nervous disorder;
– excessive tearfulness;
– nervous system disorders;
– migraines and headaches;
– paralysis;
– sore throat and acute respiratory infections and many other diseases.

Aconite can be used as a diaphoretic. Aconite is also used by people who have urine retention in the body or blood flowing from the nose. Aconite affects hair growth.

Chemical composition of Djungarian aconite

The chemical composition of this plant has not yet been fully studied. But all scientists claim that all parts of Djungarian aconite contain an alkanoid - aconitine. The tubers contain mesoaconitine, hypoaconitine, benzoilaconine, neopellin, sasaaconitine and sparteine, flavones and saponins and resins, as well as starch and traces of ephedrine.

In addition to these substances, myristic, stearic, palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were found in aconite.

The stems and leaves of the plant contain the alkaloid aconitine, inositol, ascorbic acid, tannins, flavonoids and trace elements in an amount of more than 20 items.

Recipes from Djungarian aconite

For oncological diseases, tincture of Djungarian aconite is used. To prepare it, you need to take 1 teaspoon of powder from the roots of aconite, pour 500 ml of vodka over it and leave for 14 days in a dark room, but shake it daily. After infusion, it is necessary to strain the tincture through double gauze.

Half an hour before meals, take 1 drop of tincture mixed with 50 ml of water, 3 times daily. Every day, add 1 drop per dose, and when you reach 10 drops, you need to drink this amount for 10 days in a row, and then you need to reduce it by 1 drop per dose every day - this way you will reach one drop 3 times a day.

Stop taking the tincture for 1 month. And then continue the treatment again, and so it is necessary to undergo 7 courses of treatment.

The tincture can also help with migraines, toothache, rheumatism, and neuralgia. In order to prepare it, you need to take 20 grams of roots and pour 500 ml of vodka into them, all this must be left to brew for a week. The tincture should have the color of brewed tea. If a person has rheumatism, then he needs to rub this tincture into the problem area at night, and then wrap himself in a flannel cloth.

For neuralgia and migraine, the tincture should be drunk, starting with 1 teaspoon and increasing the dose every day until the dose per dose is 1 tbsp. spoon. Treatment should be carried out for 1 month. If a person suffers from toothache, then aconite tincture will help him. In this case, you need to drop 1 drop of the prepared tincture into the hollow of the tooth, and rub 1 tbsp into the cheek where the tooth hurts. spoon of tincture.

Contraindications to the use of Djungarian aconite

Djungarian aconite is a very poisonous plant, so it must be handled skillfully. Do not increase your dosage under any circumstances! Aconite should not be given to children - accordingly, it must be stored where children cannot reach it. Label the container in which you will store aconite: “Poison.” If you grow Djungarian aconite yourself, and you have a hive with bees nearby, then place the aconite plantings at a great distance from the hive, otherwise the bees will collect poisonous honey.

Aconite or Fighter(Aconitum) - perennial herbaceous plant Ranunculaceae family(popularly known as lady's slipper), wrestler-root, wolf's root, widow's root, wolf-killer, Issyk-Kul root, king-potion, king-grass, black root, black potion, goat death, iron helmet, skullcap, helmet, hood, horse, slipper, buttercup blue, blue-eyed, lumbago-grass, cover-grass.

They have a high (up to 20 cm) stem, finger-shaped leaves, and helmet-shaped flowers. The flowers are sharply irregular, bisexual, collected in racemes. The calyx is corolla-shaped, with 5 sepals; the upper sepal has the appearance of a helmet, under the cover of which there are 2 nectary petals. Blooms in midsummer. The fruit is multi-leafed. Fleshy aconite root consists of two tubers: the main one, which bears the trunk, and a smaller secondary tuber. During flowering, the main tuber degenerates, and the secondary tuber enlarges, accumulating nutrients for the next year.

Distribution of aconite

There are about 300 species of aconite, common in Europe, Asia, and North America. Over 50 species of aconite grow in Russia, Siberia and the Far East. The most common aconites are: bearded, curly, Dzungarian, Karakol, wolf, eastern, antidote, northern (high), white-mouthed, Baikal, white-violet, Amur, Altai, oak, arcuate, variegated, Talas, Tangaut, Korean, hooded, shady, Kirinsky, Chinese, wild, woolly, deceptive, open-flowered. Cammarum, Arends, Jaquin, Carmichel, Fischer, Kuznetsov, Pasco, Sukachev, Shchukin, Chekanovsky. Especially numerous aconite species in Siberia and the Far East. Aconites grow among meadow grasses, in forests and copses, on the edges, in the vicinity of ferns, in ravines and valleys of mountain rivers, usually surrounded by cereal herbs

: meadow fescue, awnless brome, bentgrass, timothy grass. Distributed everywhere.

Aconite is a poisonous plant According to ancient Greek myth, aconite grew from the poisonous saliva of the terrified hellish dog Cerberus, whom Hercules brought from the underworld to earth (the eleventh labor of Hercules). The plant owes its name “wrestler” to Scandinavian mythology: the fighter grew up at the site of the death of the god Thor, who defeated a poisonous snake and died from its bites. The poisonous properties of aconite were known already in ancient times: the Greeks and Chinese made poison for arrows from it, in Nepal they poisoned bait for large predators and drinking water during an enemy attack. The entire plant - from roots to pollen - is extremely poisonous, even the smell is poisonous. Plutarch writes that the soldiers of Mark Antony, poisoned with aconite, lost their memory and vomited bile. According to legend, the famous Khan Timur died from aconite - his skullcap was soaked in the poisonous juice. Hunters still use the plant instead of strychnine to poison wolves. The toxicity of the plant is caused by the content of alkaloids (primarily aconitine), which affect the central nervous system and cause convulsions and paralysis of the respiratory center. Aconite belongs to the most, the lethal dose for humans is 2-4 grams of any part of the plant that contains alkaloids (more than 30 alkaloids have been isolated from aconites). Aconite poisoning makes itself felt within a few minutes with a tingling sensation in the mouth, throat, burning sensation, profuse salivation, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. a feeling of tingling and numbness in various parts of the body: lips, tongue, skin. Burning and pain in the chest. A state of stupor may occur and vision may be impaired. In case of severe poisoning, death can occur within 3-4 hours. The main poisonous compound of these plants is aconitine . A large amount of aconite poison is concentrated in the tuberous roots.

Toxicity to animals

Fighters (wolfsbane) They are also poisonous to all farm animals. During flowering plant pose the greatest danger. Ensiling and drying do not eliminate the toxicity of plants. The toxicity of aconites varies according to developmental phases and depends on soil, climatic and other growing conditions (in the north, aconites are less toxic than in the south).

The content of alkaloids in plants can vary significantly from year to year depending on weather conditions. When poisoned with aconite, animals begin to drool, peristalsis increases, pulse and breathing slow down, and blood pressure and temperature decrease. Diarrhea and yellowness of the mucous membranes are observed. Aggressive behavior is often observed. Aconitine especially upsets the central nervous system, in particular, it disrupts the activity of the respiratory center. The death of the animal occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory system.

Several species of aconite grow in our country, and all of them are very dangerous for farm animals that feed on cereal grasses.

Application in landscaping

All garden forms and hybrids came to us from Siberia and the Far East. Climbing species are especially effective in vertical gardening verandas and gazebos, in single and small group plantings, heather gardens, mixborders. Wolfsbane They are decorative throughout the season thanks to their thick and beautifully cut leaves, but flowering adds charm to them, especially since it is long lasting for aconites, usually stretching for a month or more.

Wolfsbane They look great when planted together: irises, peonies, aquilegias, rudbeckias, astilbes, daylilies are the best planting partners for them. The jagged flowers of many aconite species produce great effect, especially in the middle of a border.

Application in medicine

Aconite has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumor, analgesic, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, antiallergic, antiulcer, and sedative effects.
The medicinal uses of this plant are quite varied; in Tibet he is called the “King of Medicine”. In folk medicine it is used: for rheumatism, osteochondrosis, arthritis, gout, fractures. For vascular diseases: atherosclerosis, hypertension, angina pectoris. For nervous diseases: depression, hysteria, neuroses, migraines, paralysis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy. Perfectly treats gastrointestinal diseases: stomach ulcers, gastritis, cystitis.
Effectively used to improve vision and hearing, for melanoma, convulsions, anemia, pulmonary tuberculosis, diabetes, goiter, impotence, infectious diseases, diphtheria, anthrax, venereal diseases, psoriasis, leprosy, erysipelas, as a wound-healing agent.
Useful for senile decline, abscesses and old ulcers, urinary stones, jaundice, bronchial asthma, promotes hair growth.

Aconite in homeopathy

According to ancient Greek myth, aconite grew from the poisonous saliva of the terrified hellish dog Cerberus, whom Hercules brought from the underworld to earth (the eleventh labor of Hercules). The plant owes its name “wrestler” to Scandinavian mythology: the fighter grew up at the site of the death of the god Thor, who defeated a poisonous snake and died from its bites. The poisonous properties of aconite were known already in ancient times: the Greeks and Chinese made poison for arrows from it, in Nepal they poisoned bait for large predators and drinking water during an enemy attack. The entire plant - from roots to pollen - is extremely poisonous, even the smell is poisonous. Plutarch writes that the soldiers of Mark Antony, poisoned with aconite, lost their memory and vomited bile. According to legend, the famous Khan Timur died from aconite - his skullcap was soaked in the poisonous juice. Hunters still use the plant instead of strychnine to poison wolves. The toxicity of the plant is caused by the content of alkaloids (primarily aconitine), which affect the central nervous system and cause convulsions and paralysis of the respiratory center.- a poisonous plant and it takes a lot of work to turn it into medicine. Due to its high toxicity, aconite is not currently used in Western medicine, but treatment with aconite widely used in homeopathy for various diseases. The preparations can be granules for administration under the tongue, composed of several types of plants, and tincture of aconite used for various painful conditions accompanied by fever with tachycardia, acute tonsillitis, laryngitis, bruises, for anesthesia of the eyeball when removing a foreign body from the eye, rheumatism, syphilis, as a local anesthetic for neuralgia, sciatica and lumbago, pleurodynia. There are techniques that suggest using aconite for the treatment of cancer.

Collection and processing of aconite

For medicinal purposes, tuber roots are used, harvested in the fall, after the leaves have withered. From 4 kg of fresh tubers, 1 kg of dry tubers is obtained.
Traditional medicine also uses grass harvested before flowering. In some areas, grass collected during flowering is used. The tubers are dug up with a shovel, shaken off the ground, washed in cold water and dried under a canopy in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of 60-80 degrees Celsius.
The leaves are dried under a canopy in the shade. The raw material should remain dark green after drying. When collecting, it is necessary to remember that the plant is highly toxic, to prevent “dust” from the leaves and roots from getting into the respiratory tract, and juice from getting into the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, and skin abrasions. After working with aconite, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Raw aconite must be stored separately from non-poisonous herbs, with the obligatory “POISON!” label, out of the reach of children. Shelf life in a closed container is 2 years.

Chemical composition of aconite

All parts of the plant contain alkaloids related to aconitic acid, the main of which is aconitine. When heated with water, acetic acid is split off and the less toxic benzoilaconine is formed. With further hydrolysis, benzoic acid is split off and even less toxic aconine is formed. Tubers contain 0.18-4% of the total alkaloids of the aconitine group: aconitine, mesoaconitine, hypoaconitine, hetaaconitine, sasaaconitine, benzoilaconine. Other alkaloids found: neopelline, napelline, sparteine, traces of ephedrine. In addition to alkaloids, daucosterol was obtained from alkaloid tubers, as well as a significant amount of sugar (9%), mesoinosidol (0.05%), transaconitinic acid, benzoic, fumaric, and citric acids. The presence of myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids has been established. Tubers also contain flavones, saponins, resins, starch, coumarins (0.3%). The leaves and stems, in addition to the alkaloid aconitine, contain inositol, tannins, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, trace elements (over 20 types) and other biologically active compounds.
The chemical composition of aconite is still poorly understood.

Pharmacological properties of aconite

The effect of aconitine and related alkaloids is the initial stimulation of the central nervous system, especially the respiratory center, and peripheral nerves. Excitation of the nervous system is followed by depression and paralysis. Death occurs due to symptoms of respiratory paralysis.
The toxicity of aconite root is directly proportional to the amount of alkaloids it contains, which is significantly reduced during the production of medicinal products. In small doses, aconitine stimulates tissue metabolism.
Aconitine increases heartbeat, increases the force of contraction of the heart muscle, and in large doses inhibits and then stops contraction of the ventricles. Fibrillation occurs as a result of a direct effect on the muscles of the ventricles.
Preparations of aconite roots have a hypotensive effect, reduce the respiratory rate, and increase the strength of heart contractions; in severe cases, arrhythmia occurs, leading to death.
The alkaloids of aconite root act as a depressant on the respiratory center, as a result of which the respiratory rate slows down. When used in large doses, suffocation occurs. The same acaloids initially have a stimulating effect on the sensitive nerve endings of a limited area of the skin, causing itching and a burning sensation, and then paralysis and loss of sensitivity. The inhibitory effect on the cerebral cortex is very vaguely expressed.
When aconite root alkaloids are ingested, irritation of the oral mucosa occurs, which entails reflex secretion of saliva, as it is associated with excitation of the parasympathetic nerve.
Aconite root begins to act only after it accumulates in the body in a certain amount. Therefore, with a single dose, its effect is weakly expressed. The alkaloid aconitine lowers body temperature with elevated and normal temperatures. The mechanism of this action remains unclear.

Symptoms of aconite poisoning

Symptoms of aconite poisoning: nausea, vomiting, numbness of the tongue, lips, cheeks, fingertips and toes, crawling sensation, sensation of hot and cold in the extremities, transient visual disturbances (seeing objects in green light), dry mouth, thirst, headache pain, anxiety, convulsive twitching of the muscles of the face, limbs, loss of consciousness. Decreased blood pressure (especially systolic). In the initial stage there is bradyarrhythmia, extrasystole, then paroxysmal tachycardia, turning into ventricular fibrillation.

Urgent Care

Emergency care There are no specific antidotes (i.e., antidotes) for aconitine. Help is provided by symptomatic means. Treatment begins with gastric lavage through a tube, followed by the introduction of a saline laxative, activated carbon orally, forced diuresis, hemosorption. Intravenous 20-50 ml of 1% novocaine solution, 500 ml of 5% glucose solution. Intramuscularly 10 ml of 25% magnesium sulfate solution. For seizures - diazepam (Seduxen) 5-10 mg intravenously. For heart rhythm disorders - intravenously very slowly 10 ml of a 10% solution of novocainamide (with normal blood pressure!) or 1-2 ml of a 0.06% solution of corglycone. For bradycardia - 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution subcutaneously. Intramuscular cocarboxylase, ATP, vitamins C, B1, B6.

Emergency first aid for aconite poisoning

1. Allow the patient to drink 0.5-1 liter of water and induce vomiting by putting his fingers in his mouth and irritating the root of the tongue. Do this several times until the stomach is completely cleansed of food debris, i.e. to clean water.
2. Give the patient a saline laxative to drink - 30 g of magnesium sulfate in half a glass of water. 3. In the absence of a laxative, give the patient an enema with 1 glass of warm water, to which it is advisable to add one teaspoon of soap shavings from laundry or baby soap to enhance the effect.
4. Give the patient activated charcoal - crush charcoal tablets (at the rate of 20-30 g per dose), stir in water and give to drink.
5. Give the patient to drink 1 diuretic tablet available in the home medicine cabinet (furosemide or hypothiazide or veroshpiron, etc.).
6. Give the patient strong tea or coffee.
7. Warm the patient (with blankets, heating pads).
8. Deliver the patient to a medical facility.

Wolfsbane or aconite is a poisonous plant, its use as a medicine can be dangerous. Before using preparations based on aconite or infusions or decoctions of borax, you should consult a specialist. The wrestler is widespread in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. There are many types, traditional medicine limits their use due to the high risk of poisoning.

Description and characteristics

The genus has many species (about 300) and grows in areas with temperate climates. Aconite (Aconitum) is a perennial poisonous herbaceous plant. It has an erect, sometimes curly stem. The wrestler is quite tall (about 120 cm) and has a powerful root system. The root has the shape of a tuber, small in size, no more than 5 cm in length. The depth of root penetration into the soil is small, about 25-30 cm.

All parts of aconite or borax are completely poisonous. The herb aconite has separate leaves attached to the stem by cuttings. Elongated, dark green leaves are located opposite each other. The flowers of the plant have an irregular shape and vaguely resemble bells. The color is predominantly purple or blue, with yellow or white flowers less common. The corolla-shaped flower has five petals, the top of which forms something like a helmet. Below it are two nectaries. Flowering is long-lasting, the flowers are collected in simple, sometimes racemose inflorescences. The plant blooms from mid-summer to early autumn (July-September).

Aconite bears fruit. The fruits are in the form of multi-seeded leaflets framed by teeth. Inside the fruit are seeds, mostly gray in color. One leaflet contains from 10 to 450 seeds.

The plant has many names. Aconite is popularly called Dzungarian, wolf's root, king grass, Altai fighter.

Composition and beneficial properties

The chemical composition of the plant has not been fully studied. All parts of the wrestler contain alkaloids, among which aconitine predominates. Aconitine group of alkaloids in the composition of the fighter:

aconitine ;
hypoaconitine ;
mesoaconitine ;
sasaakonitine ;
hetaaconitine ;
benzoilaconitine.

Other groups of alkaloids in the composition of the fighter:

ephedrine ;
napelline ;
neopellin ;
sparteine .

Other substances in the composition of aconite:

transaconitic acid ;
daucosterol ;
fruit acids ;
sugar ;
resin ;
saponin ;
coumarin ;
starch ;
flavone .

In therapeutic doses, the wrestler has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system. Infusions and decoctions of aconite are used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug.

Procurement of raw materials

Bioactive substances are contained in all parts of aconite. Only leaves and tubers are used for medicinal purposes. The effectiveness of therapeutic and preventive measures directly depends on the quality and correct procurement of raw materials.

The rhizome of the wrestler is harvested twice a year. In the spring, harvesting begins immediately after the snow melts. Until the onset of heat, the root is dug up, cleared of soil and dried. In summer, collecting and storing raw materials is dangerous. Vapors from essential oils can cause poisoning. In the second half of September, collection is resumed, the dug up roots are washed in cold water. Rhizomes can be dried in two ways:

in an electric dryer (at 50 degrees until completely dry);
naturally (slow drying in the attic under a metal roof).

Before flowering begins, it is necessary to collect leaves. During flowering, aconite emits toxic fumes, so collection must be carried out in a respirator. The leaves are separated from the stems, washed in running water and laid out on newspaper. Newspapers with aconite leaves are left in the sun for 48 hours, then the raw materials are moved to the shade.

Indications and contraindications for use

Indications for the use of Djungarian aconite in folk medicine are very extensive. The plant is used for the following diseases:

gout ;
colds;
insomnia ;
arthritis ;
epilepsy ;
osteochondrosis ;
migraine and headache;
paralysis ;
depression and nervous disorder;
bruises .

Since the plant is poisonous, consultation with a specialist is necessary before use.. Medicines and decoctions based on wrestler should be used with extreme caution. During treatment, increasing the dosage is strictly prohibited. Aconite is contraindicated:

pregnant and lactating women;
small children;
people with cardiovascular diseases;
people with liver pathologies.

In case of overdose, the following symptoms occur:

nausea;
vomit ;
burning in the mouth;
chills ;
itching all over the body;
numbness of the limbs;
labored breathing.

Death can occur within 20 minutes after an overdose. When the first symptoms of poisoning appear, the victim should be immediately taken to the hospital for emergency care.

In medicine, root tubers are used - the so-called “Issyk-Kul root”, and fresh grass as an irritating and distracting remedy for radiculitis, rheumatism and neuralgia. Use is limited to extreme toxicity. Previously, only a tincture of the herb Djungarian aconite was used, which was part of the drug “Akofit”, which was recommended for radiculitis.

The Dzungarian wrestler was included in the VIII State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR (1946).

Currently, this aconite is used only in folk medicine. Tincture of rhizomes is used externally for neuralgia, migraines, and as an analgesic. In homeopathy it is used for headaches. It is actively used in the treatment of doomed cancer patients in the last stages of this disease. Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn wrote about the anti-cancer use of Djungarian aconite in his novel “Cancer Ward.”

Preparation of aconite:

Dried tubers of wild plants and their leaves are used as medicinal raw materials. Root tubers are harvested in the fall, from August 15 to October 1. Dig it out with a shovel, clear it of soil and damaged parts, wash it in cold water and quickly dry it at a temperature of 50–70°C, accompanied by good ventilation. From 4 kg of fresh tubers, 1 kg of dry tubers is obtained. The leaves are collected before the plants bloom or during their flowering, withered in the sun and dried under a canopy. The raw material should remain dark green after drying.

Raw aconite must be stored separately from non-poisonous herbs, with the obligatory “Poison!” label, out of the reach of children. Shelf life in bags or closed containers is 2 years.

Since wild and ornamental species of aconite contain poisonous compounds in their stems and tubers, they must be collected after wearing gloves or mittens. While working with aconite, do not touch your eyes, and upon completion of work, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.

Plants should not be placed near beehives to avoid poisonous honey.

You can plant both cultivated and wild species on your site. They all bloom beautifully and for a long time.

In the East, exceptional importance is attached to the place of growth and time of collection of aconite, the method of making the decoction and the administration of the medicine to patients. Aconites growing on the northern slopes of mountains or in mountain depressions are considered the best for medicinal purposes. According to healers, roots collected in early spring (when their sprouts just appear from the ground) or in the second half of summer, after flowering, are more effective. The roots here are dried in bags, hanging them in the shade, since in the sun they lose their toxicity and along with it their healing properties.

Pharmacological properties of Djungarian aconite:

The pharmacological properties of aconite are determined by its chemical composition.

Aconite has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, narcotic, antitumor, analgesic, antispasmodic effects.

Aconite and, accordingly, preparations from its tubers (tincture) are prescribed in extremely small doses as an analgesic for severe pain (trigeminal neuralgia, rheumatic pain in muscles and joints, colds). This is a very effective medicine, but highly toxic. It can only be used strictly under medical supervision!

Use of aconite in medicine, treatment with aconite:

In 1805, Hahnemann and 16 volunteers from the Austrian Society of Testers conducted experiments with aconitine to study its healing effects. Hahnemann described the effect of aconite in “acute diseases” - measles, scarlet fever, severe pleuritic fevers. The healing power of aconite seemed to him something miraculous. One dose of octylion dilution was sufficient - and another dose would rarely be needed after 36 or 48 hours. “Aconite is the first and main remedy for various inflammations,” he assured.

A report on the medicinal value of aconite appeared in England in the Lancet magazine in 1869. “If homeopathy had done nothing for therapy other than revealing the properties of aconite, then even then it could have remained satisfied...”

Vladimir Dal, who became famous not only as a collector of folklore and compiler of the “Explanatory Dictionary”, but also as a doctor, in a letter to Odoevsky “On Homeopathy” (Sovremennik Magazine. No. XII. 1838) wrote about his use of aconite to treat pneumonia: “The first dose brought significant relief in half an hour, and after two days there was no trace of the disease; the sick Bashkir was already sitting on his horse and singing songs.” When Dahl's son fell ill with croup, he treated him with aconite.

Contradictions in data on the healing properties and safety of small doses of aconite have led to the fact that tinctures from it in official medicine are used only externally, for radiculitis, neuralgia, gout and rheumatism, as an anesthetic.

For fractures and dislocations of bones, bruises (externally), arthritis, articular rheumatism, gout, radiculitis, osteochondrosis, sciatica (externally), cancer of various localizations, including bone tumors, melanoma, epilepsy, convulsions, mental illness, insanity, nervous disorders, melancholy, depression, fear, severe tearfulness, hysteria, overexcitation of the nervous system, neuralgia, especially with trigeminal neuralgia (internally and locally), auditory neuritis, severe headaches, migraines, dizziness, nervous headaches, paralysis, Parkinson's disease , paralytic relaxation of the tongue and bladder, anemia, beriberi disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, including its open forms, pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchial asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, colds, acute respiratory infections, tonsillitis, senile loss of strength, for improved vision and hearing, diabetes, goiter, uterine fibroids, persistent uterine bleeding, impotence, stomach pain, stomach ulcers, gastritis, intestinal and hepatic colic, flatulence, constipation, as an anthelmintic, jaundice, cystitis, dropsy as a diuretic, hypertension, angina pectoris, as an antidote for poisoning, infectious diseases, scarlet fever, diphtheria, anthrax, malaria, venereal diseases, including syphilis, psoriasis, leprosy (internally and locally), erysipelas, ulcers, as a wound-healing agent (externally), scabies, lice (externally) aconite is used in folk medicine.

For abscesses and old ulcers, aconite leaves are used.

Aconite can serve as a diaphoretic.

For urinary stones, urinary retention, jaundice, asthma, nosebleeds, aconite is useful as it promotes hair growth and serves as an antidote for bites of poisonous insects and snakes.

For self-medication (if it is not possible to carry out this treatment from a medical specialist), aconite can be used in severe cases:

– for diseases that often lead to surgery (uterine fibroids, prostate adenoma, goiter and other tumors);

– for diseases that are difficult to respond to generally accepted methods of treatment (paralysis, parkinsonism, epilepsy, etc.);

– for diseases that threaten life itself (oncological diseases).

Cancer is the main indication for self-medication with aconite.

Anyone who decides to treat or treat a disease with aconite must be clearly aware of their professional, ethical capabilities and the limits of this method of treatment. Every cancer patient should be treated in an oncology clinic, where he receives basic treatment (chemotherapeutic, radiation, surgery). Medicinal herbs, including aconite, are an additional treatment method. Personal ones, i.e. personal capabilities depend primarily on the experience of a doctor or healer, which comes with long-term practical work.

Dosage forms, method of administration and dosages of Djungarian aconite preparations:

Effective medicines and forms used in the treatment of many diseases are made from the leaves, roots and tubers of aconite. Let's look at the main ones.

Patients who are faced with the need for treatment with aconite for the first time are offered an effective method.

Tincture of aconite:

Tincture of aconite: pour 1/2 liter of 45% alcohol or strong vodka, 1 tsp. (without top) finely ground aconite roots (fresh or dry), leave for 14 days in a dark place, shaking daily. Strain through 2 layers of gauze. Take, starting with 1 drop per glass (50 ml) of water 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. Add 1 drop daily at each appointment and reach 10 drops 3 times a day. Take the tincture at this dosage for 10 days. Then go to reduce the dose, reducing 1 drop daily at each appointment, and reach the original dose - 1 drop 3 times a day. This is a course of treatment.

The break is taken from 1 to 6 months, depending on the treatment regimen prescribed to the patient. During the break, you can continue treatment with other means: hemlock, milestone, fly agaric.

If the patient is treated only with aconite, then take a break for 1 month. Then repeat the course of treatment. A total of 7 courses of treatment are recommended with an interval of 1 month.

Analgesic tincture of aconite:

Analgesic tincture of aconite: pour 1/2 liter of 40% alcohol or vodka into 20 g of root tubers, leave for 7 days until the tincture acquires the color of strong tea. It is used externally as a painkiller for neuralgia, migraine, and rheumatism. (Rub in at night, wrapping the sore spot in a flannel cloth. In the first days, use 1 tsp, gradually increasing to 1 tbsp. The course of treatment is 3–4 weeks.) Used for toothache as a pain reliever (1 drop in the hollow , rub the tincture into the cheek over the sore tooth).

A tincture of aconite roots was included in the complex preparation “Akofit”, which was used to treat radiculitis and neuralgia. A tincture of the flowering herb Djungarian aconite was part of the complex drug “Anginol”, which was used for various types of sore throat.

Contraindications of Djungarian aconite:

It is not recommended to treat children with aconite yourself!

Aconite is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. In homeopathy, the pharmaceutical fighter is used in a dilution of 1:1000, 1:1000000 or 1:1000000000000. It must be handled with great care, since the poison, upon contact with the plant, can penetrate even through the skin. The most poisonous part of the plant is the tuber roots, especially in the fall, after the tops have withered. The aerial part is especially poisonous before flowering and during flowering. The degree of toxicity of various aconites is influenced by both the type of plant and the place of distribution, growing conditions, the growing season and the part of the plant being harvested. A.P. Chekhov described cases of poisoning of people on Sakhalin who ate the liver of pigs who were poisoned by aconite tuber roots.

The literature describes a case where 3-4 milligrams of aconitine killed an adult. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Dutch doctor Meyer took 50 drops of aconitine nitrate in order to convince the wife of one of his patients that the medicine was not poisonous. An hour and a half later, he showed the first signs of poisoning. Four hours later, a doctor was called to see Dr. Meyer, who found him sitting on the sofa, very pale, with a rapid pulse and constricted pupils. Meyer complained of chest tightness, difficulty swallowing, pain in the mouth and stomach, headache and a feeling of freezing cold. All the measures taken did not help. The feeling of anxiety intensified, the pupils dilated, about forty minutes later attacks of suffocation occurred, and after the third attack (5 hours after taking the medicine), Dr. Meyer died.

European species of aconite are less poisonous. According to some researchers, when European species of aconite are cultivated as an ornamental plant, after 3–4 generations they generally lose their toxic properties. But due to the impossibility of determining at home the quantitative content of alkaloids in a given plant and accordingly assessing the degree of its toxicity, any aconite used must be treated as highly poisonous and strictly follow all the rules for harvesting, drying, storage, preparation of dosage forms and dosage when used . The possibility of poisoning by honey collected by bees from aconite flowers cannot be ruled out. Poisoning occurs most often in cases where the tincture is drunk by mistake or during an attempt to commit suicide. Severe poisoning, including death, is also possible with self-medication. Poisoning with aconite develops quickly, and in severe poisoning, death quickly occurs either from damage to the respiratory center, or immediately from paralysis of the heart muscle.

Lethal doses are about 1 g of plant, 5 ml of tincture, 2 mg of aconitine alkaloid.

Symptoms of aconite poisoning:

Symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, numbness of the tongue, lips, cheeks, fingertips and toes, crawling sensation, sensation of hot and cold in the extremities, transient visual disturbances (seeing objects in green light), dry mouth, thirst, headache , anxiety, convulsive twitching of the muscles of the face, limbs, loss of consciousness. Reduced blood pressure (especially systolic). In the initial stage there is bradyarrhythmia, extrasystole, then paroxysmal tachycardia, turning into ventricular fibrillation.

There are no specific antidotes for aconitine. Help is provided by symptomatic means.

Treatment begins with gastric lavage through a tube, followed by the introduction of a saline laxative, activated carbon orally, forced diuresis, hemosorption. Intravenous 20–50 ml of 1% novocaine solution, 500 ml of 5% glucose solution. Intramuscularly 10 ml of 25% magnesium sulfate solution. For seizures - diazepam (Seduxen) 5-10 mg intravenously. For heart rhythm disorders - intravenously very slowly 10 ml of a 10% solution of novocainamide (with normal blood pressure) or 1-2 ml of a 0.06% solution of corglycone. For bradycardia - 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution subcutaneously. Intramuscular cocarboxylase, ATP, vitamins C, B1, B6.

Emergency first aid:

Emergency first aid is as follows:

– drink 0.5–1 liters of water and induce vomiting by putting your fingers in your mouth and irritating the root of your tongue. Do this several times until the stomach is completely cleansed of food debris, i.e. to clean water. If the patient cannot do this himself, provide him with assistance;

– drink a saline laxative – 30 g of magnesium sulfate in half a glass of water;

- in the absence of a laxative, give the patient an enema with 1 glass of warm water, to which it is advisable to add 1 tsp to enhance the effect. soap shavings from laundry or baby soap;

– crush activated carbon tablets (at the rate of 20–30 g per dose), stir in water and drink;

– drink 1 tablet of a diuretic available in your home medicine cabinet (furosemide, or hypothiazide, or veroshpiron, etc.);

– drink strong tea or coffee;

– keep warm (blankets, heating pads);

- transport the patient to a medical facility.

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