The leaves and root yield its active ingredient, a potent alkaloid called Aconitine, which was frequently used to poison the tips of hunting darts or javelins. The Greeks hailed it as the Queen of Poisons, and until the 20th century, it was the deadliest toxin known to man.

Aconite is also supposed to have been the poison that formed the cup which Medea prepared for Theseus. It was said to be the invention of Hecate from the foam of Cerberus, and it was a species of Aconite that entered into the poison which the old men of the island of Ceos were condemned to drink when they became infirm and no longer of use to the State. Some species of Aconite were well known to the ancients as deadly poisons. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the northern hemisphere, growing in moisture retentive but well draining soils on mountain meadows. The most common plant in this genus, Aconitum napellus (the common Monkshood) was considered to be of therapeutic and of toxicological importance. It belongs to the Aconitum genus of flowering plant belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Monkshood – Aconitum napellus, Wolfsbane – Aconitum lycoctonum and other speciesĪconite is a powerful plant, used in the past as a medicinal herb, a poison and in potions for incantations. If you would like to read Laura’s first article on the medicinal properties of Mandrake please click here. I hope that we hear more from Laura on this topic area, and submissions from readers would be very welcome as we build up slowly to the 2011 Runciman Lecture which I believe will be on the subject of Byzantine medicine. This article helps us further understand how the ancients, and in particular the Byzantines, used medicinal herbs as medicine and in this case as poisons. However, they are very informative as well and surely cannot harm the beauty of this flower.I am very pleased to be able to bring you a further piece by Laura Diaz-Arnesto, from Uruguay (I have forgiven her and her nation for the huge error of her compatriot linesman in the England v Germany World Cup match 🙂 ). It is believed that the Lepchas, a tribal community of Sikkim, poisoned the water supply of British troops with powdered Aconite during the expedition of 1887.ĭuring World War II, Nazi scientists created aconitine-treated bullets that cause intense suffering. In India, the plant is sacred to Shiva, the God of All Poisons. According to Greek mythology, Aconite dripped from the jaws of Cerberus, the hulking three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to the underworld. The Greeks used this plant as a poison on the arrows when hunting wolves. Lucius Calpurnius Bestia, tribune of the people in 121 BC and consul in 111 BC, killed his wifes in sleep by touching their genitalia with his finger, which were smeared with aconite root extracts. Ancient Romans used this plant as a weapon against the enemy, but also as a method of execution to fulfill the death penalty for convicted criminals. The Greeks and Romans also used this plant as a poison. It is believed that Cleopatra may have killed herself with the help of a poisonous cocktail containing Aconite. The most ancient evidence dates back to the Ancient Egypt. It was used in ancient times as a poison on spears and arrows, while in modern times it was used to poison bullets and shrapnel. In past times, people used Aconite as a weapon to harm other people or animals. Iz has also been used to treat homeopathy, high blood pressure, neuralgia, rheumatism, migraine and general debilitation.Īconite has a long history of use as a poison. The plant has been used for centuries as a medicine to reduce fever associated with colds, pneumonia, laryngitis, croup, and asthma. The ancient Greeks called it the Queen of Poisons. All parts of the plant are highly toxic, especially roots and seeds. Aconite contains chemicals that may improve circulation, but can also seriously harm your body. While the plant has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, consuming can cause all kinds of bad effects. Interesting facts about Aconitum Is Aconite Poisonous?

Wolfsbane flower poison