Beautiful in appearance, monkshood is considered Europe’s most poisonous plant, along with foxglove, and is a protected plant. In earlier times, it was a popular murder poison because of its highly toxic effects.
Occurrence and cultivation of monkshood.
Blue monkshood (Aconitum napellum) is a circa 50 to 150 cm tall herbaceous plant that belongs to the genus aconite (Aconitum) and the Ranunculaceae. Blue monkshood (Aconitum napellum) is a herbaceous plant about 50 to 150 cm tall, belonging to the genus aconite (Aconitum) and Ranunculaceae. Numerous palmate-looking leaves, pinnate lanceolate in themselves, emerge from a tall, stout stem. The flowers are bright blue, arranged in clusters and look like small helmets. Blue monkshood is known as an ornamental plant in home gardens, but it usually grows more in European mountains and higher elevations of the low mountain range. It blooms from June to October and prefers nutrient-rich soil. The name monkshood comes from the color and shape of its flowers. In addition to the name monkshood, the names aconite, helmet poisonweed, monk’s cap, or capping cap were also in common use. It has all names because of its flower shape. Besides these, there were the names devil’s poison, wolf’s poison and fox’s poison, which indicate the poisonous effect. In earlier times, because of its similarity with celery and horseradish, it was confused and eaten with fatal consequences. From 0.2 g the poisonous effect begins, 1 to 2 g can be fatal.
Mode of action and application
All parts of the plant of monkshood are very poisonous. Even a light touch can cause a [[skin rash (exanthema). Monkshood poisoning is quickly noticeable by numerous symptoms: tingling lips, tongue numbness, nausea, multiple vomiting, colicky diarrhea, profuse sweating with cold sweat, convulsions, ringing in the ears, yellow-green vision, severe convulsions, obstructed breathing, cardiac arrhythmias, and paralysis. If emergency measures are not taken immediately, the poisoning is fatal, depending on the amount ingested. Affected persons remain fully conscious until the end and usually die within 3 hours from central respiratory paralysis or heart failure due to ventricular fibrillation. If poisoning is suspected, the poison control center should be called immediately for information. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, a doctor should be called immediately. Emergency procedures for severe poisoning should only be performed by a physician or paramedics. The physician will determine if a gastroscopy should be performed or if an antidote should be administered. Often, the cardiovascular system must also be stabilized or artificial respiration initiated. In earlier times, the plant was mainly used as a murder poison because of its dangerous effects, including poison darts. In addition, monkshood was used in medicine mainly as a medicinal plant. The parts of the plant collected at the beginning of the flowering period and the rhizome are mainly used in medicine. Monkshood has a positive effect as a remedy, especially in inflammation, chronic pain and anxiety, because the plant ingredients act on the muscles and nervous system. Monkshood is also used therapeutically for heart muscle inflammation and pleurisy. However, because of the difficult dosage and controversial effects of powders, tinctures and ointments, today the pure aconitine is mainly used, among other things in analgesic ointments. In homeopathy, aconite is used mainly for sciatica, bronchitis and pericarditis.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
A positive healing power of aconite is controversial today, because the line between healing effect and deadly poison is narrow and most of the effects on health, except for the proven effect on neuralgic complaints, are not sufficiently proven scientifically. The guiding principle applies: “The dose makes the poison”. Because of the danger of incorrect dosing, the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices has ordered a stricter prescription requirement. All Aconitum species and their derivatives are now subject to prescription. Only ointments and homeopathic medicines are exempt from the prescription requirement.Due to the difficult dosage and insufficiently proven therapeutic efficacy, the use of aconite is no longer recommended today by the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices. It is still mainly used externally as an ointment or in homeopathy in highly diluted potentization. There, its healing power has a positive effect on nerve pain, rheumatism, pleurisy and pericarditis, especially for complaints that occur quickly and strongly, and for fever, colds, bronchitis, sciatica and anxiety. However, one should never dose it oneself because of its poisonous effects, but resort to ready-made medicinal products prescribed or recommended by a doctor. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic teachings use monkshood mainly for external applications to relieve pain, neuralgia, fever and inflammation. When used externally as an ointment, there is less risk of overdose and it can be dosed slightly higher if needed. The alkaloids then cause a slight burning and tingling sensation on the skin, after which the skin becomes numb and thus a desirable pain relief sets in. Occasionally, though rarely, skin redness and rashes may occur with external use. In ornamental gardens, where there are children and animals, one should be aware of the dangerous effects and, if necessary, it is better to do without aconite.
