Aconitum napellus - HerbWorld

HERBALPEDIA 

ACONITE 

5-7 lobes; the lobes differ greatly in size and in 

shape from linear to broadly elliptical. Flowers 

are dark-blue, the posterior petal-like sepal as a 

helmet-shaped hood; arranged in a moderately 

dense inflorescence at the apex of the stem. 

Flowers June-September. The leaves can be 

mistaken for wild parsley 

Aconitum napellus 

(a-kon-EYE-tum nap-ELL-us) 

Family: Ranunculaceae 

Names: queen mother of poisons, blue rocket, 

monkshood, wolf’s bane, black sea root, friar’s 

mantle, helmet flower, friar’s cap; Tojad 

(Polish) 

Description: Perennial plant with conical 

tuberous taproot-like stock which is renewed 

annually lateral to the decaying parent tuber. 

Stems are stout up to 5 feet high, bearing leaves 

that are deeply incised almost to the base into 

Cultivation: Aconite prefers rich cool soil, are 

tolerant of shade, but make better plants when 

grown in a sunny position. Soil should not dry 

out. Propagation is from seed o by division in 

spring or autumn and once the plants are 

established, they can be left alone. The flower 

spikes reach three feet or so and are strong, 

requiring staking only in the most exposed 

positions. Roots are harvested in the early 

autumn when they are firm and mature. Wear 

gloves when dividing clumps of aconite and be 

even more careful if there are cuts or scratches 

on the hands or arms. The harvested material is 

cleaned and if necessary broken up, then dried 

quickly at 42F to prevent the aconitine being 

hydrolyzed to the almost useless aconine. The 

odor is odorless and has a sweet, and later 

scratchy taste which causes a choking 

sensation. 

History: The Latin name commemorates the 

hill Aconitus, in Pontica, where Hercules 

fought with Cerberus, the many-headed 

watchdog at the gates of the underworld. From 

Cerberus’s foam the plant supposedly sprang 

venomous with poison in all its parts, from 

flower to root. The English names of “helmet 

flower,” “monkshood,” and “old wife’s hood” 

allude to the shape of the blue flower. The 

name “wolf’s bane” belongs to A.lycotonum, a 

species with yellow flowers appearing later in 

the year. The name came because it was used 

as a poison bait for wolves in the 13 th and 14 th

centuries. Herbal history holds that aconite 

was used to poison arrows. In Poland it’s 

called Slippers of the Blessed Mother. 

Aconite’s deadly powers appear to have 

been exploited by women. According to one 

tale, women could build up an immunity to its 

poison by eating minute doses from childhood 

and then pass it on to their sexual partners with 

lethal results. 

Constituents: terpenoid alkaloids (diterpenoid 

compounds: aconitine), organic acids (aconitic 

acid), starch, sugars, resin 

Actions: acts on the central nervous system. 

Has a sedative action in certain neuralgias and 

in sciatica, febrifuge and is effective in 

illnesses of the respiratory trace resulting from 

chills; analgesic, antipyretic, local anesthetic 

Medicinal Uses: Aconite is poisonous in all 

but the smallest doses and is rarely prescribed 

for internal use. More commonly , it is applied 

to unbroken skin to relieve pain from bruises or 

neurological conditions. In Ayurvedic 

medicine, aconite is used to treat neuralgia, 

asthma, and heart weakness. Aconite has been 

added to salves because of its painkilling action 

on neuralgia, lumbago, and rheumatism. The 

tincture has been given in one-drop doses for 

heart failure, high fevers, pneumonia, pleurisy 

and tonsillitis. Use only under a professional’s 

supervision. 

Homeopathic Use: Homeopathic chemists use 

the fresh flowering spike, the flowers and the 

roots, which yield aconitine, as a febrifuge and 

to reduce the pulse rate. Used for sciatica, 

neuralgia and chills. It is also used for shock 

(especially after surgery or childbirth), chicken 

pox, measles, mumps, croup, toothache and 

teething. 

Toxicity: A deadly poison at the wrong 

dosage. Ingestion of even 0.2-0.5 grams of the 

root that contains 1% aconitine may cause 

death to an adult. 

Ritual Uses: Properties: funereal herbe, herbe 

of consecration, herbe of immortality, herbe of 

protection, visionary herbe. Aconite is one of 

the herbes used in traditional 20 th witchcraft to 

consecrate the ritual knife. Its primary 

magickal use is in the consecration of magickal 

blades. An infusion provides the practitioner 

with a magickal wash and may be used with 

any ritual tool or sacred space. One of the 

herbes believed part of the legendary flying 

ointment, the symptoms of poisoning by 

aconite could lead the practitioner to 

experience sensations similar to flying. 

Aconite may be integrated into rituals of death 

and dying in a variety of ways ranging from 

tossing it into the fire, using it to aspurge the 

Circle, or through memorial plantings. 

Spiritual Properties: Aconite may be carried 

as a talisman to maximize potential and 

overcome indifference and apathy. It will 

stimulate the fire within and help one to move 

out of fixed conditions. Medicinally, it offers 

freedom from suffering through its treatment of 

feverish pain and its use as a heart anodyne. 

The nature of aconite’s freedom is that of 

unconventional or nonordinary reality. 

Resources: 

Companion Plants, www.companionplants.com 

plants 

Crimson Sage, http://www.crimson-sage.com 

Plants 

Richters, www.richters.com seeds, plants 

References: 

A Compendium of Herbal Magick, Paul 

Beyerl, Phoenix Publishing, 1998; ISBN: 0- 

919345-45-X 

Medicine Grove, Loren Cruden, Destiny 

Books, 1997; ISBN: 0-89281-647-3 

The Spirit of Herbs, Michael Tierrra and 

Candis Cantin, 1993, US Games; ISBN: 0- 

88079-525-5 

HERBALPEDIA is brought to you by The Herb Growing & 

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http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2006. 

All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, 

textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of 

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of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material 

presented.

Aconitum napellus - HerbWorld

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