Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle.
Family Ranunculaceae.
Habitat Cultivated at Manali and Rahla in Himachal Pradesh. Also found in northwestern Himalayas at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 m.
English Atis Root, Aconite.
Ayurvedic Ativishaa, Arunaa,
Vishaa, Shuklakandaa, Bhanguraa,
Ghunapriyaa, Ghunavallabhaa,
Kaashmiraa, Shishubhaishajyaa
(indicating its use in paediatrics),
Vishwaa.
Unani Atees.
Siddha/Tamil Athividayam.
Folk Patis.
Action Often regarded as nonpoisosnous, antiperiodic, anti- inflammatory, astringent (used in cough, diarrhoea, dyspepsia), tonic (used after fevers), febrifuge, antispasmodic (used in irritability of stomach and abdominal pains).
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of the dried, tuberous root in emesis and helminthiasis.
The roots yield 0.79% of total alkaloids, of which atisin is 0.4%. Atisine is much less toxic than aconitine and
pseudoaconitine. (The inert character of the plant is well known to the hill people, who often use it as a vegetable.) The plant possesses potent immunostimulant properties.
Dosage Root—0.6—2.08 g. (API Vol. I.)
