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Aconite: Ethnopharmacological Benefits and Toxicity
Published in Megh R. Goyal, Durgesh Nandini Chauhan, Assessment of Medicinal Plants for Human Health, 2020
Yogini S. Jaiswal, Leonard L. Williams
The chemical structures of aconitum alkaloids are shown in Figure 6.1. Based on the various substitution groups at the C8 and C14 positions in the chemical structure of alkaloids, the toxic alkaloids in aconite species can be classified into three groups:25,42,71,91Diester diterpene alkaloids (DDAs): The DDAs comprise of highly toxic alkaloids, which include hypaconitine, aconitine, and mesaconitine. The highly toxic aconitine is referred to as “queen of poisons.”Monoester diterpene alkaloids (MDAs): The MDAs comprise of low toxic constituents that include atisine, delphatine, deltaline, and benzoylaconine. The MDAs are devoid of an acetyl group at the C8 position in their chemical structure.De-esterified diterpenoid alkaloids (DEDAs): The DEDAs are nontoxic compounds, and they are devoid of an acetyl and benzoyl groups at the C8 and C14 positions. Examples of such compounds include lycoctonine and karakoline.
Phytotherapeutic Agents in Epilepsy
Published in Vikas Kumar, Addepalli Veeranjaneyulu, Herbs for Diabetes and Neurological Disease Management, 2018
Several diterpene alkaloids isolated from Aconitum species (Fam. Ranunculaceae) have been investigated for their in vitro antiepileptic activity on rat hippocampal slices. Aconitine and 3-acetylaconitine are the main components of the alkaloidal fraction obtained from Aconitum genus and both display potent antiepileptiform activity.135,136 The benzoyl ester side chain is postulated to be important for their activity. The observed anti-epileptic activity in PTZ, BIC, and penicillin models of epilepsy is postulated to be a result of the blockade of GABAA as well as NMDA receptors. However, aconitine has subsequently demonstrated a pro-convulsant action as well.137Figure 3.4 shows the structures of alkaloids having anti-epileptic activity.
TCM safety and regulations
Published in Raymond Cooper, Chun-Tao Che, Daniel Kam-Wah Mok, Charmaine Wing-Yee Tsang, Chinese and Botanical Medicines, 2017
Raymond Cooper, Chun-Tao Che, Daniel Kam-Wah Mok, Charmaine Wing-Yee Tsang
The toxicity of these Aconitum herbs has been known for a long time. For example, Fuzi has been classified in the “low” category in the “Shen Nong's Classic of Medicinal Herbs” in the Western Han Dynasty (about 200–250 AD) indicating the absence of potential hazards of the material and prolonged use. However, through systematic observations of their effects inside the body, the ancient wisdoms found ways to process the herbs to reduce further the toxicity to safe levels. Thus, the raw herb needs to be soaked for a long period in water, later with salt, and heated to dryness, which lowers the toxic effect before use. Different processing methods include soaking in concentrated mineral salt liquid for several days, then boiling and rinsing with water to make the “half-processed Fuzi.” Further processes to achieve different types of decoction pieces like Baifupian are achieved when the “half-processed Fuzi” is cut into slices, soaked in water and rinsed, steamed and dried. In another approach, Danfupian is accomplished by boiling the “half-processed Fuzi” with Glycyrrhizae radix, black beans, and water until the center is thoroughly cooked and there are no numbness-like feelings on the tongue when tasted. This treatment can significantly lower the aconitum alkaloid content in the herb. Traditionally, when processed Fuzi is used in a formula, it is boiled for 2 h before other herbs are added. The prolonged boiling in the processing and in the preparation of a decoction turns the major toxic components, the diester diterpene alkaloids, into monoester diterpene alkaloids, with significant reduction in overall toxicity.
Cardiotoxicity evaluation and comparison of diterpene alkaloids on zebrafish
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2021
Qiang Ye, Hongmei Liu, Chengxin Fang, Yushi Liu, Xiaomei Liu, Juanru Liu, Cunyan Zhang, Tingmo Zhang, Cheng Peng, Li Guo
Diterpene alkaloids (DAs) including C19- and C20- diterpenoids are of great interest of pharmacy because of their diverse chemical structures and significant pharmacological activities (Pelletier and Page 1986). As the main active components of a range of plants including Aconitum, Delphinium, Consolida, and Spiraea species (Yue et al.2008), DAs with highly-complex structures have been extensively studied to show a broad spectrum of anti-inflammation, antidepressant, anti-arrhythmia, antiplatelet aggregation, and antimalarial properties (Li et al. 2002, Nesterova et al. 2011, Sallam et al. 2013, Ma et al. 2014). In addition, the analgesia and anti-tumor activities of DAs have also been reported recently (Wangchuk et al.2015, Fan et al. 2016).
A comprehensive review of cardiotoxic effects of selected plants
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2021
Akbar Anaeigoudari, Nahid Azdaki, Mohammad Reza Khazdair
Kiss et al. (2017) studied the effects of Aconitum diterpene-alkaloids on the activation of cardiac K+ channels using whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Aconitum alkaloids and Fatty acids had lower effect on G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channel (GIRK) and human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channels compared to lipo-alkaloids. This subject shows that lipo-alkaloids exert selectively on these K + channels than the diterpene alkaloids (Kiss et al.2017).