Jungar aconite: treatment with aconite, preparation and use of tincture

Botanical description of aconite Dzungarian

Aconite, or in other words a wrestler, belongs to the buttercup family. This is a tall (up to 2 m) perennial bush, blooming with beautiful purple flowers of a bizarre shape. Biologists call such flowers “zygomorphic”, because of them, aconite does not look like most buttercups, it rather resembles lupine, which belongs to legumes.

Aconite grows wild throughout the northern hemisphere. About three hundred species of this poisonous plant are known to science, of which 75 species grow in Russia alone. Despite their wide distribution, some species of aconite are considered rare and protected. For example, the species Aconite noveboracense is listed in the Red Book. The favorite habitat of aconite is the rich soils of river banks, roadsides of country roads, high mountain meadows.

Interesting facts about aconite

Aconite is one of the most mystical and legendary plants. Its name can be found on the pages of ancient legends, Scandinavian epics and witchcraft tomes.

There are interesting historical facts about this plant:

• In ancient Roman gardens, aconite was cultivated for decorative purposes; lush purple thickets adorned even the imperial palace. But in 117 Trajan suspected a connection between the numerous cases of poisoning of his servants and aconite bushes, and forbade the cultivation of this plant;

• Aconite was used by the ancient Greeks as a poison to kill criminals condemned to death. Therefore, the plant has a sad reputation, similar to the glory of hemlock (hemlock), with which the philosopher Socrates, accused of political conspiracy, was poisoned;

• On the island of Chios, in the Ionian Sea, there was a cruel custom according to which members of society who did not benefit because of their illness or old age were obliged to drink aconite poison and go to another world;

• Plutarch described in his writings an episode of aconite poisoning of the soldiers of Emperor Mark Antony. According to the sage, the unfortunate warriors fell into unconsciousness and wandered in circles, picking up every stone in their path, as if they were looking for something extremely important. Then they vomited bile, and a painful death followed;

• In the east of India, the poison “bik” is well known, which the locals have used for centuries to moisten arrowheads and spears before hunting a large animal. The Digaroa tribes still grind aconite roots for this purpose;

• During the time of the Holy Inquisition in medieval Europe, the presence of aconite in the house was the reason for accusing the women living in it of witchcraft. The “witch” was tried and burned at the stake right in the town square.

History of the use of aconite in medicine

The first scientific information about aconite as a medicinal plant can be gleaned from the Tibetan treatise “Tetrabook”. Most notably, the monks who wrote the Zhud-shi in the seventh century AD used aconite primarily to treat tumors, and to a lesser extent to eradicate infections.

Pliny the Elder, author of the Natural History, mentions aconite as a remedy for eye diseases. The scientist cites numerous facts of healing patients from glaucoma and blindness with the help of aconite juice, but warns of the poisonousness of this plant and calls it “vegetable arsenic”.

The Viennese doctor Anton Shterk (1731-1803) paid the closest attention to aconite as an anticancer agent. This is the first doctor to conduct documented scientific research on a poisonous plant. Sterk tried to experimentally establish the dose of aconite that is optimal for the treatment of malignant tumors, and the maximum allowable for humans.

In 1869, the authoritative London edition of The Lancet published a large article on the homeopathic treatment of cancer. The main hero of the medical publication was precisely aconite, which was considered the most powerful remedy against malignant neoplasms of any localization. The authors cited several cases of recovery of cancer patients who took aconite tincture.

Somewhat earlier, in 1838, the Russian magazine Sovremennik published a letter from Vladimir Dahl to a friend, Dr. Odoevsky, entitled “On Homeopathy”. The famous author of the explanatory dictionary and researcher of rural life, Dal, tells how, with the help of aconite, he managed to cure a Bashkir from severe pneumonia. According to the author, on the third day the patient stood up, sat in the saddle and sang songs. It is also known that Vladimir Dal, who exclusively trusted the healing properties of aconite, treated his son with croup with this plant.

The first Soviet doctor who paid close attention to aconite was T.V. Zakaurtseva, oncologist with 35 years of experience. Between 1953 and 1988, she conducted research on the healing properties of aconite, and the result was a unique method of treating cancer. First, Zakaurtseva subjected the patient to long-term therapy with aconite tincture, and then, when the tumor decreased in size and localized, she performed surgical removal. To consolidate the effect and insure against metastases, the course of treatment with tincture was repeated. In this way, she managed to cure several dozen patients, including those in the second and third stages of cancer.

In 1946, two types of aconite were officially included in the Soviet State Pharmacopoeia: Karakol and Dzungarian. Although aconite currently does not have an official medicinal status in Russia, its “pale mouth” species is used in the production of the drug allapinin, which is used to treat arrhythmias. And Dzungarian aconite is actively used by herbalists for the treatment of cancer and many other diseases.

Other uses for aconite

Western European flower growers and landscape designers cultivate several slightly poisonous species of aconite for decorative purposes: Aconite variegatum, Aconite lycoctonum, Aconite napellus, Aconite stoerckeanum and Aconite cammarum, better known as “bicolor”. All these are graceful low (1-1,2 m) shrubs with lush pyramidal inflorescences, consisting of many beautiful purple, blue, white-blue and yellow flowers. Garden species of aconite, as well as wild ones, are very unpretentious in their care and are not subject to the destructive action of pests, since they are, although slightly, poisonous.

Aconite growing in the meadows can act as a honey plant, but the bees are reluctant to land on it, and only if there are no other flowering plants nearby. Beekeepers recommend eradicating aconite thickets near apiaries, as there are numerous cases of poisoning and death of bees that collect nectar and aconite cuttings.

The chemical composition of aconite

The stems, leaves, flowers and roots of aconite contain two types of alkaloids:

• Atizin;

• Aconitine.

The first type of volatile alkaloids is not poisonous, it is a 5-7 ring-shaped molecular structure, which decomposes into arucanine and organic acid as a result of hydrolysis. In fact, atizine alkaloids are mono- and diesters of benzoic and acetic acids. They are contained in aconite in very small quantities, and cause its beneficial effect on the human cardiovascular system.

The second type of alkaloids, named after the plant itself, is much more interesting. These alkaloids are hypoaconitine, mezaconitine, isaconitine, and aconitine proper. They do not dissolve at all in water, weakly in ether, excellently in chloroform. Upon hydrolysis, they decompose into benzoic and acetic acids, hypoaconine, mezaconine or aconine, respectively. The highest concentration of aconitine alkaloids is in the tubers of the plant: for example, in Dzhungarian aconite it can reach 4%.

In addition to the poisonous alkaloid, aconite roots contain:

• Sugar;

• Daukosterin;

• Pseudoaconitine;

• Mesoinosidole;

• Saponins;

• Flavones;

• resins;

• Coumarin;

• Starch;

• Organic acids (citric, benzoic, transaconitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, palmitic).

The aerial part of aconite also contains:

• Tannins;

• About two dozen micro and macro elements;

• Inositol;

• Flavonoids;

• Vitamin C.

The toxicity of aconite depends on its species, soil type, and collection time. Less poisonous bushes grow in swampy and flooded areas. Harvested in spring and autumn, aconite tubers are more toxic, but have a weaker effect on the heart than those harvested in winter.

It should be understood that it is plants containing aconitine and its subtypes that are poisonous. Atizine alkaloids do not pose a danger to humans, but in nature there are very few types of aconite that contain only these non-toxic substances. The vast majority of plants are poisonous to one degree or another.

You can check this experimentally: if you rub your finger with aconite juice, the skin will first begin to itch and burn, and then lose sensitivity for a while. The stronger the effect, the more poisonous the plant. The alkaloid aconitine first irritates the nerve endings, and then sharply paralyzes them. In principle, it is not recommended to conduct such experiments, and it is completely dangerous to use rubbed roots for them.

The effect of aconite on the human body

According to the method of influencing the human nervous system, aconitine is similar to curare poison. That is why when a dangerous dose of this alkaloid enters the body, death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory center. For therapeutic purposes, only scanty doses of aconitine are used, and the therapeutic effect occurs only after the gradual accumulation of the alkaloid in the blood.

A meager amount of aconitine normalizes heart rate and respiration, activates cellular metabolism, prevents the reproduction of infections and inhibits the growth of neoplasms. And in large quantities, this alkaloid leads to paralysis of the heart muscle, suffocation and death, so the main task of the homeopath is the correct choice of dosage.

Immediately after ingestion of water with aconite tincture dissolved in it, a person has increased salivation. This is due to the fact that the poisonous alkaloid irritates the parasympathetic nerve when absorbed through the oral mucosa. Also, in the first hours after taking, even in a healthy person, the body temperature decreases slightly.

A pronounced therapeutic effect can only be achieved with regular use of the alkaloid. The substance must accumulate in the body and provoke an immune response. Only then the protective forces are activated, and the person will begin to fight the disease. When treating, it must be borne in mind that a decoction of aconite acts two times weaker than an alcoholic infusion.

Jungar aconite is used in modern homeopathy to treat the following diseases:

• Anemia and loss of strength;

• Hormonal dysfunctions, infertility, impotence;

• Diabetes mellitus, toxic goiter;

• Deafness, cataracts, glaucoma, blindness;

• Benign neoplasms (myomas, adenomas, fibromas, polyps and cysts);

• Gallstone and kidney stones;

• Arrhythmias, angina pectoris, hypertension;

• Ulcers, gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence;

• Bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, pleurisy;

• Trigeminal neuralgia, migraine, depression, insomnia, paralysis, Parkinson’s disease;

• Psychosis, schizophrenia, epilepsy, seizures and tics;

• Rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, sciatica, gout, osteochondrosis, bruises, dislocations, fractures;

• Venereal diseases, syphilis, anthrax;

• Psoriasis, erysipelas, vitiligo, eczema, neurodermatitis;

• As an external antiseptic – for pediculosis and scabies;

• As an antidote – in case of poisoning by poisonous plants and mushrooms;

• As an antitumor agent – in the treatment of any type of cancer.

How to prepare aconite tincture?

The availability of raw materials and the simplicity of technology speak in favor of self-preparation of the medicine. In addition, if you make the tincture yourself, you will be absolutely sure of its quality and accurately aware of the concentration. A drug purchased from a private herbalist may be ineffective or, conversely, too potent.

Collection and procurement of raw materials

If you are unsure of your botanical knowledge, carefully read the photos of aconite so as not to confuse it with lupine, for example. Or ask the locals if the plant you saw in a nearby field is aconite. People are probably well aware of the poisonous herbs growing in the pasture.

In homeopathy, stems, palmate leaves, pubescent upper shoots, flowers, seeds and rhizomes of aconite are used. If we are talking about Dzungarian aconite, it is the tubers of the plant that are harvested. It is advisable to collect green parts in May, before flowering, and underground parts in early autumn, immediately after wilting and fruiting.

Flowers and leaves of aconite, at the slightest damage, secrete poisonous juice, so the collection must be done with gloves. Avoid contact of fingers with the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth. Tubers can be dug up without gloves, but at home, when processing raw materials, you still have to protect your hands.

The tubers of Dzhungarian aconite reach 8 centimeters in length and 3 in width. They are black or dark brown in color, and look like a turnip root, from which branched shoots extend, and usually in one direction. Every year, aconite seems to be walking underground, and above each process of the root system, a dried stalk is clearly visible, extending vertically upwards. The collected rhizomes must be thoroughly washed, grated on a coarse grater and immediately sealed tightly in a glass jar with a screw cap, since the alkaloid aconitine is volatile.

Recipe number 1 for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

For 500 ml of good vodka, you will need 10 grams of aconite flowers or seeds. Close the jar tightly and store the medicine in a dark, cool place for at least two weeks, shaking the contents occasionally. You need to take such a tincture according to the classic “slide” scheme, starting with 5 drops per day and daily increasing the dosage by one drop to 30, and then also gradually reducing it to 5 drops.

You need to drink the medicine on an empty stomach, in the morning, 30-40 minutes before meals, dissolving the tincture in a glass of clean water. With severe arrhythmia and arterial hypertension, some homeopaths prescribe this dosage for taking not one, but three times a day.

Recipe number 2 for external use

The method of preparation is exactly the same, but for 500 ml of vodka take 50 g of grated Jungar aconite root. The tincture turns out to be highly concentrated, and it is used only externally, for disinfecting wounds, eliminating parasites (lice, scabies) and relieving pain in osteochondrosis, sprains, fractures, dislocations, sciatica, and drafty muscles.

With the help of such a tincture, it is good to do vigorous rubbing of the back and joints, to apply warming compresses for colds, if the patient does not have a fever.

Prescription #3 for Cancer Treatment

To prepare a tincture for 1 course of cancer treatment, you need to take 100 ml of medical alcohol and 3 grams of grated Jungar aconite root. Keep the medicine for three weeks in a tightly closed glass jar, in a shady and cool place, and then strain.

You need to take the tincture according to the “slide” scheme, starting with one drop a day and gradually rising to 20, and then going back down to one drop. If during the process the patient felt unwell, nausea, heart palpitations, then it is necessary to start reducing the dosage by one drop daily, even if the course has not yet reached its peak.

Usually prescribed three full courses with breaks of one month. In the third and fourth stages of cancer, a higher “slide” may be needed – up to 30 drops per day. In any case, an individual approach and consultation of an experienced homeopath is necessary.

Efficacy of Jungar aconite in the treatment of cancer

Aconite has been tested by many years of practice of oncologists around the world, and its effectiveness has been scientifically proven. The mechanism of action of aconitine on the body is absolutely transparent and clear, so qualified doctors do not deny the possible practical benefits of such treatment. Moreover, taking aconite tincture can be considered as an alternative to chemotherapy, if the latter is not possible.

Treatment of cancer with aconite has several advantages over official methods:

• Aconite prevents the appearance of new metastases and inhibits the growth of existing ones, and in some cases even leads to a decrease in tumor size;

• With careful and reasonable use, aconite tincture does not cause side effects and degenerative changes in the body, unlike chemotherapy;

• Aconitin helps cancer patients return to normal life: relieves pain, neutralizes depression and insomnia.

Jungar aconite tincture is about 40 times more toxic than other popular anti-cancer drugs – hemlock and celandine tinctures. If we are talking about the treatment of advanced forms of cancer, then aconite is preferable, although you can try to alternate medicines with short breaks. There are cases when with the help of Dzungarian aconite it was possible to extend the life of a patient with cancer of the 4th stage by 1,5-2 years, despite the fact that doctors gave a person 2 months at the most.

Regarding the scheme for taking the tincture, a clarification should be made: most phytotherapists recommend taking a break between courses for as many days as the number of drops was the maximum dosage. That is, if the patient, due to poor health, stopped the “slide” on 15 drops, he needs to rest for 15 days after returning to one drop.

What to do in case of aconite poisoning?

For a fatal outcome, it is enough for a person to eat only 1 gram of freshly crushed aconite root. It is difficult to imagine the circumstances under which this could happen, but it is advisable to describe the picture of aconite poisoning.

When aconitine alkaloid enters the body by oral route, the following symptoms are observed over time:

• Severe burning, pain, swelling of the tongue and oral mucosa;

• Increased salivation, sweating, frequent urination;

• Tachycardia, redness of the face, dilated pupils, darkening of the eyes;

• Headache, trembling of limbs, convulsions, vomiting;

• Choking, fainting and cardiac arrest.

If in the first minutes it became known what exactly the cause of the poisoning was, you need to give the victim an emetic, or make him drink 2 liters of clean water, and then induce vomiting. If time is lost, before the ambulance arrives, you can give the person a glass of water with a teaspoon of vinegar or a glass of dry wine.

Contraindications to the use of aconite

Aconite tincture is a potent poisonous substance, so the decision to prescribe such a treatment should be well considered.

You cannot buy such a tincture on the Internet for the sake of an experiment and try to cure with it a certain disease that you have diagnosed yourself. In case of any ailment, an examination by a qualified doctor is required.

Treatment with aconite is contraindicated:

• Pregnant women;

• breastfeeding mothers;

• Children under 18;

• Allergy sufferers who suffered anaphylactic shock;

• People with hypotension and severe liver dysfunction.

Phytotherapist’s consultation Khalisat Suleymanova on the use of hemlock, aconite and celandine