Aconitum Napellus is commonly known as Aconite or Monkshood, Wolf’s- bane. If cinchona was the “Newton’s apple” of the Homoeopathic discovery, Aconite was the remedy which helped in the rise and progress of Homoeopathy. Hahnemann was able to meet most of the conditions which in his day were treated by blood letting.

The generic name derived from “Akone or Akontion” as the plant grows on a stony ground and it is used to poison the arrows to kill wolves. It is found in wet, shady places in mountainous regions at the high altitudes.It is a short acting remedy.

Pharmacology
Aconite has analgesic, antipyretic, sedative, antineuralgic, antirheumatic, antidiarrhoeic, diaphoretic and diuretic properties.

When applied locally, it stimulates the sensory nerves producing tingling followed by depression with numbness and anesthesia.

When taken internally causes tingling and numbness of the lips and the mouth, increases the saliva secretion, causes constricted feeling at the fauces, pain in the epigastria, nausea and vomiting. The heart action initially slows down and becomes rapid and weak; the respiration slows and shallows down. It produces anxiety with cold perspiration.

Characteristic features
· Causation – cold, chill, dry winds, fear, fright, heat of sun, shock, surgical operations, checked perspiration

· Fear, fright, anxiety, anguish of mind and body with physical and mental restlessness

· The sudden, acute and violent invasion of disease with fever call for it.

· Does want to be touched

· Sudden and great sinking of strength

· First remedy in inflammation without suppuration and inflammatory fevers

· Serous and muscular tissues affected markedly with internal burning, tingling, coldness and numbness. Aconite causes only functional disturbance and no evidence that it can produce tissue changes, so it should not be continued after the pathological changes seen.

· Its action is brief and shows no periodicity

· Everything taste bitter, except water (china – everything bitter including water)

· Aconite individual is strong, plethoric who become suddenly ill but recovery is fast. Like a storm it comes and sweeps over and passes away.

· Modalities - < NIGHT, MIDNIGHT, warm room, evening, lying on the affected part, music, from tobacco smoke, dry cold wind, wine and other stimulants, motion, rising up in bed

· > Open air( in catarrhal headaches), rest, bending double, lying on back, uncovering

· Aconite is one of the great PAIN remedy (cham, coffea) Intense pain; screams with pain; cannot bear to be touched or covered; the pains is like knives- stinging, tearing, cutting, stabbing pain; pain associated with extreme restlessness, anxiety and fear

· Fear of aconite
Fear of death, fear to cross the street, fear to go into society, fears something is going to happen, indefinable, unreasonable fear

· There is active hemorrhage in stout, plethoric people; passes almost pure blood.

· Sulphur is the chronic of aconite and follows aconite in acute diseases.

· Aconite is one of the most potent prophylactics before the exact nature of the ailment becomes evident – in coryza, in the first few hours when there is little more than chilliness and scanty, watery discharge or eye affections following the exposure to cold air, active infection developing quickly or due to injury

Reference:
1. Dr. AKC, Kunj – The golden beads- a compilation from leading materia medica – B Jain publishers (P) Ltd
2. E.B. Nash - Leaders in Homoeopathic therapeutics -
B Jain publishers (P) Ltd.
3. Dr. K.S. Gopi – Encyclopedia of medicinal plants used in Homoeopathy – Vol I – AIY publications
4. Harvey Farrington – Homoeopathy and Homoeopathic prescribing – B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd
5. E.A. Farrington – Clinical Materia medica 4th edition B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.