Aconitum napellus or Aconite which is poisonous in nature known to have many health benefits. It works as a pain reliever, reduces anxiety, helps in insomnia, boosts immunity, cleanses the body.
This herb has been used widely used in Homeopathy medicines. Before start using this, you should learn its dosage, precautions involved while consuming this.
What Is Aconite?
Widely known as “Queen of poisons” Aconitum napellus or Aconite is, on the contrary, a very effective medicine for multiple acute problems. We will discuss its efficacy in this article but, before that, we will talk about its origin first.
Origin Of Aconite
Aconitum Napellus is commonly known as Aconite, Monk’s Hood, wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mouse bane, women’s bane, devil’s helmet and the blue rocket is basically a Polychrest(Multiple uses) Homeopathic remedy.
It is a Genus of more than 200 flowering perennial plants, belonging to family Ranunculaceae. These are chiefly found in mountainous areas of Northern Hemisphere, in damp forests and are extremely poisonous.
The roots of Aconite have deadly poisonous alkaloids like aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine which are extracted and used to make arrow poisons.
Health Benefits Of Aconite
The health benefits of aconite include its ability to annihilate pain, lower sensitivity, ease labor stress, reduce inflammation, calm anxiety, and tension, combat fever, cure conjunctivitis, prevent and treat sudden flu symptoms, lower blood pressure, improve immunity and detoxify the body.
Let’s get into the details of its Health benefits now:-
1. A Popular Pain Reliever
Slightest touch to Aconite’s flowers can make your fingers numb! It has analgesic properties right from its crude state which is why it acts as a very effective pain reliever as a homeopathic remedy. Acute sudden headaches or dysmenorrhea( painful menses), Aconite gives immediate relief.
2. Amazing Anti-Inflammatory
Apart from being an analgesic, it has anti-inflammatory effects as well. It is used to treat the chronic but mostly acute exacerbation of gout and arthritis. It provides immediate relief to the inflammation.
3. Lessens Labor Pain
Aconite is being an analgesic and with its anti-inflammatory actions helps women going through painful labor. It makes the birth process a bit easy. The analgesic action helps in relieving pain and anti-anxiety properties certainly calm down the expecting mother.
4. Deals With Anxiety And Stress
Great fear, anxiety, worry and stress whatever it is, Aconite acts as the best stress reliever. Aconite is very effective in eliminating physical and mental “restlessness”.
Lower Potency and the small dosage of Aconite acts wonderfully in soothing the person suffering from chronic tension and anxiety.
Intake of Aconite reduces stress hormones in the body and acts as an anti-anxiety which helps a person in fighting with his or her constant state of worry however trivial.
5. An Antipyretic
Most valuable febrifuge it is. Especially if the fever is associated with physical and mental restlessness along with acute flu symptoms Aconite breaks the fever immediately and helps you in attaining normal health condition soon. It is always the first remedy in homeopathy in acute inflammatory fevers.
6. Immunity Booster
Aconite not only combats fever and treats or prevents flu symptoms it boosts up immunity also. This homeopathic remedy is prepared from the plant with no use of chemicals and substances has no adverse effects rather it improves one’s immunity also making someone less susceptible to frequent flu attacks.
7. Detoxifies Your Body
Aconite’s organic compounds help in detoxifying the body by eliminating all the toxins by urine, excess fat, salt, and water from the body which lowers the stress of Kidneys and overall improving general health conditions.
8. Helps In Insomnia
Lost sleep or disturbed sleep due to stress and anxiety? Aconite is again the best help here. With its combined properties of analgesic and anti-anxiety, it will help you in relaxing your mind and body and help in sleeping peacefully. It helps in dealing with nightmares, nocturnal ravings and restlessness.
The organic compounds present in Aconite acts on CNS (central nervous system) resulting in calming the anxious state of mind which eventually leads to sleep.
Aconite As Miraculous Homeopathy Remedy
Despite being highly toxic, this plant is used as a homeopathic remedy as it bears many inherent medicinal values. For which it has to go through a procedure of Potentization( the process of making of remedy more potent by serial dilution).
Preparations
Actually, the whole Herb is used to prepare the medicines except roots.
- The whole plant (excluding the root) is collected when the flowers in full bloom and pounded to a pulp.
- The juice from the pulp is pressed and mixed with alcohol.
- The mixture is then strained and diluted.
- The final homeopathic remedy is created after the diluted mixture is repeatedly succussed( pounded against a hard surface to break down and mix the substance)
Now that this Toxic plant turns into a remedy we will highlight the remedial actions of Aconite.
Homeopathic Uses Of Aconite
The father of Homeopathy Dr. Hahnemann quoted: “whenever Aconite is chosen homeopathically, you must, above all, observe the moral symptoms, and be careful that it closely resembles them; the anguish of mind and body; the restlessness; the disquiet not to be allayed.”
A state of fear, anxiety, anguishes of mind and body. Physical and mental restlessness and fright call for “Aconite”.
Aconite has a great effect on Mind. Have you ever felt that cold sweat before facing a crowd? Have you ever thought twice before crossing a street? Well! Aconite is a very effective medicine for fears, anxiety, and restlessness.
1. Fever 0f Sudden Onset
A sudden onset of fever with extreme restlessness is troubling you? Aconite is highly effective in this condition
2. Treating Flu
If you feel the onset of flu with slight sneezing and cough, Aconite immediately eliminates the symptoms. It acts really well in dry, croupy cough from sudden exposure to dry wind.
3. Pain Reliever
Any acute pain accompanied with restlessness again calls for Aconite. It has anti-inflammatory action and acts as a pain reliever.
4. Treating Suppressed Menses
Young Plethoric girls who have missed their periods or have scanty menses due to fear or anxiety. Aconite is a huge help.
Recommended Dosage
Aconite is highly toxic in its crude form as it contains an alkaloid called Aconitine mainly. Even slightest touch to the flowers of the plant makes the skin numb and if ingested can cause death.
The alkaloids are basically classified as cardiotoxins and neurotoxins. Hence it is highly unsafe to consume it. As little as 2mg or 1 mg of the plant can lead to death from paralysis of cardiac muscles or respiratory center.
But the same toxic plant when becomes a homeopathic remedy it becomes a rapid worker in treating few ailments about which we had already discussed earlier.
The mother tincture is made from the root of the plant which helps in treating neuralgias. Mostly Aconite is best used in its 30th potency for all the sensory affections and inflammatory conditions.
The doses must be frequently repeated in acute diseases.
Whether Safe In Pregnancy Or Lactation!
It is absolutely safe to take during pregnancy or lactation as it has no ill effects. In fact, a pregnant woman is highly recommended to take this remedy in her acute cold, coryza and fever conditions which will safely treat her and certainly boost up her immunity as well.
Side Effects/Adverse Effects Of Aconite
1. In Its Crude Form
Aconite plant is highly toxic. Touch or consumption is not recommended. Touching the flowers or leaves lead to numbness in fingers and consumption can be fatal. Side effects like nausea, vomiting, excessive perspiration, paralysis, cardiac arrest and ultimately death
2. As A Remedy
On the contrary, Aconite as a homeopathic remedy has no side effects at all. It is absolutely safe to take when indicated. But always consult your healthcare provider for proper dosage and repetitions.
3. Interactions
Vinegar in large doses is antidotal to its poisonous effects. Acids, wine, coffee, lemonade and acid fruits modify its actions.
Final Talk
Aconite is generally indicated in acute or recent cases occurring in young persons, especially people who lead a sedentary life and who easily affected by atmospheric changes.
It helps in reducing anxiety, lowering the high fever, relieving pain, preventing and treating acute cold and respiratory infections eliminate inflammation and to prevent suppressed menses in young plethoric girls.
But it’s always safe to consult with your healthcare provider or a homeopath before taking this remedy for any problems discussed in the article.
