PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS MONKSHOOD/521

opposite, short-petioled, red-glandular punctate and orbicular

elliptical.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to all of Europe and the

Caucasus and has been introduced into America and Japan.

Production: Moneywort is the complete plant of Lysimachia

nummularia. The whole flowering plant, including the root,

is collected, cleaned and dried in the shade.

Other Names: Creeping Jenny, Creeping Joan, Herb Two-

pence, Meadow Runagates, Running Jenny, Serpentaria,

String of Sovereigns, Twopenny Grass, Wandering Jenny,

Wandering Tailor

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Flavonoids: including among others glycosides of myricet-

ins, kempferols and quercetins, including rutin, hyperosides

Tannins

Triterpene saponins

The constituents of the drug have not been fully investigated.

EFFECTS

Moneywort is mildly astringent and expectorant. Extracts of

the aerial plant parts are said to be antibacterial in vitro;

however, scientific results are not available.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Moneywort is used externally as a vulnerary

and for acute and chronic eczema. It is used internally for

diarrhea and excessive salivation, and as an expectorant for

coughs.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards- or side effects are known jn conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages.

DOSAGE

Preparation: To make a tea, pour 250 ml boiling water over

2 heaping teaspoonfuls drug and leave to draw for 5 minutes.

For a wound poultice, dilute the tea preparation with the

same amount of chamomile tea.

Daily Dosage: For the treatment of coughs, drink 1 cup of

tea, 2 to 3 times daily with honey if desired.

LITERATURE

Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Hrsg.), Hagers

Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. AufL, Bde 4-6

(Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-

1994.

Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,
Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.

Pram N et al., PA 38:494. 1083.

Monkshood

Aconitum napellus

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: Deadly poison.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are 50 to 160 cm long and

form violet, bluish or reddish upright racemes. The calyx has

5 petal-like sepals. The upper sepal is convex and helmet-

shaped. There are 2 petals with nectar-releasing spurs under

the upper sepal. There are numerous glabrous or ciliate

stamens. There are 3 glabrous ovaries with 10 to 14 ovules.

The fruit is a 16 to 20 mm long by 5 mm thick follicle. The

seeds are glossy black and triangular with narrow wings on

the edges.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Aconitum napellus is a 0.5 to 1.5 m

high shrub with a tuberous, thickened, fleshy root and an

erect, rigid, undivided stem. The racem axis and petioles are

glabrous or hairy. The leaves are dark green, glossy above

and lighter beneath. They are palmate and 5 to 7-pinnatasect

The sections of the leaf are rhomboid in outline and deeply

indented with oblong tips.

Characteristics: The "plant is extremely poisonous.

Habitat: Aconitum napellus is common to the Alps and the

Carpathians and is to be found in all the mountainous regions

of Europe. The plant is found as far as Sweden in the north,

as far as England and Portugal in the west, as far as the

Pyrenees in the south and as far as the Carpathians in the

east.

Production: Monkshood tuber consists of the fresh or dried

tubers and roots of Aconitum napellus- harvested in autumn

after flowering. Monkshood herb consists of the dried herb

of Aconitum napellus collected at the beginning of the

flowering season. The collected roots are quickly dried at

40° C.

Not to be Confused With: Other blue-flowering Aconitum

species.

Other names: Aconite, Wolfsbane, Blue Rocket, Friar's Cap,

Mousebane

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Nor-diterpene alkaloids: including aconitine, mesaconitine,

hypaconitine, N-desethyl aconitine, oxoaconitine

EFFECTS

The efficacy of the drug is based on the di-ester alkaloids

aconitin, mesaconitin and hypaconitin. Aconitin raises mem-

brane permeability for sodium ions and retards repolariza-

tion. Aconitin is initially stimulating, and then causes

paralysis in the motor and sensitive nerve ends, and in the