VATSANABH : Overview of Aconitum ferox

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VATSANABH : Overview of Aconitum ferox

Category: Agadtantra (Toxicology) 

Bams 2 nd year

In the realm of Ayurvedic Toxicology (Agadatantra), Vatsanabha holds a dual identity. While it is classified as one of the most potent Sthavara Vishas (stable poisons), it is also a celebrated Mahoushadhi (great medicine) when processed correctly.

Introduction 

  •  Botanical name: Aconitum ferox
  •  Family: Ranunculaceae
  •  Hindi - Bachnag, Meetha Vish, Meetha Teliya
  •  English - Monk's Hood
  •  Sanskrit - Amrita, Vatsanabha, Vatsanaga
  •  Type of poison: Cardiac Poison
  • Synonyms: Visha, Amruta, Garala
Toxic part: All parts of the plants Specially Leaves And Root Tubers.

Rasa Panchaka

  •  Rasa: Madhura
  •  Guna: Laghu, tikshna
  •  Virya: Ushna
  •  Vipaka: Katu


Active principal

All parts of the plants, male and female contain the active material. But its Root Tubers contains maximum concentration. than in flowers & than in leaves.

While all parts of the plant are toxic, the Root Tubers contain the highest concentration of alkaloids.

Primary Alkaloids: Aconitine, Pseudoaconitine, Bikhaconitine, Indaconitine.

Target Systems: These alkaloids act directly on the Central Nervous System and the Cardiac Muscles.

  • Aconitine
  • Pseudoaconitine
  •  Bikhaconitine
  •  Indaconitine
  •  Aconine
  •  Hypaconitine (in smaller amounts)
 These alkaloids act mainly on:

  1. Nervous system
  2. Cardiac muscles

External Features

Vatsanabha is a perennial herb found in the Himalayan ranges.mountainous regions of northern India.

  • Leaves: Oval, 3-6 inches, deeply divided into 3-7 lobes.
  • Flowers: Distinctive small purple flowers.
  • Root: Dark brown/blackish externally; whitish or pale yellow internally when cut. It has a sweet taste but causes immediate tingling.
  • Color:

Externally: Dark brown to blackish-brown

Internally (on cutting): Whitish or pale yellow

  • Odour: Odourless in most specimens
  •  Taste: Sweet
  •  Fruit: 2-3 mm long, capsular, sessile, oblong, beaked, erect

Modern Pharmacology.

  •  Analgesic
  •  Local Anesthetic Action
  •  Anti-inflammatory
  •  Cardio Depressant
  • Antioxidant
  • Antimicrobial
  • Anti-fungal 
  • spleen disorders
  • pyrexia
  • anorexia
  • indigestion

Classification: -

  •  आयुर्वेद - कंद विष, स्थावर विष
  • Modern - Cardiac Depressant

Sign and Symptoms

Acute Poisoning

• Mukhagata vedana: Burning sensation in mouth and throat

• Jihva, Hasta, Pada sparsha vedana: Tingling or numbness in tongue, hands, and feet

• Gastric disturbance: Nausea, vomiting, thirst, abdominal burning

• Moha: Confusion, giddiness, delirium

• Tachycardia, palpitation, hypotension

• Cyanosis in fingers/lips in severe poisoning

• Excessive sweating

Chronic Poisoning

  • Daurbalya: Gradual loss of strength
  •  Moha: Confusion, decreased memory
  •  Agni Mandya: Loss of appetite, indigestion, bloating
  •  Mild irregular heartbeat
  •  Mild shortness of breath on exertion
  •  Fatigue-related hypotension

Treatment of Poisoning:

According to Ayurved

The sap of the Patwan tree, given with sugar, counteracts the poison of Vatsanabha.

Give cow's milk, ghee, and purified borax mixed together.

Give Arjuna bark powder mixed with cow's ghee and honey.

Give goat's milk to drink.

Give musk and the bark of Varuni mixed with Makardhwaj.

According to Modern

Administer gastric lavage with tanic acid, warm water, or potassium permanganate solution (1:1000 dilution).

Use Inj. Atropine 1 mg I/M.

Use Inj. Digitalin 0.25 mg S/C.

Maintain fluid balance.

Other symptomatic treatments.

Fatal Dose

 Root Powder-1gm

 Tincture-20-25 drops

 Extract-250mg

 Alkaloid-4mg

  Fatal Period

   24 hours

External Findings:

Postmortem Appearances:

Pallor: The skin and mucous membranes, especially around the mouth, may appear pale due to circulatory effects.

The remnants of the substance are found in the stomach due to rapid putrefaction of the body

Medico Legal Importance:

  • Accidental poisoning
  • Animal killing
  • Human killing
  • Suicide
  • Abortion

Medicinal Preparations:

Processes to reduce its extreme toxicity, primarily using cow's urine (Gomutra) or cow's/goat's milk (Dugdha) through methods like soaking, steam heating (Swedana), or trituration (Bhavana) for several days, changing the liquid daily and drying the root pieces to transform poisonous compounds into safer medicinal forms for therapeutic use.


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This Blog Post and the information provided for the strictly for educational and academic purposes only. It serves as a study aid for students of Agadtantra (Ayurvedic Toxicology) and Forensic Medicine in Bams 2nd year. 



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