Aconite is a perennial plant that can be used as a medication and as a poison, notes Drugs.com. The extract from this plant has been used to treat a variety of diseases, including fever, pneumonia, asthma, high blood pressure, headaches and inflammation. Every part of the plant can be toxic if ingested, but the root is the deadliest part of aconite. Doses higher than 60 mg can cause a toxic reaction. Recognizing the symptoms of aconite poisoning can help patients seek the correct medical treatment.
Neurological Symptoms
Aconite poisoning is achieved when the toxic chemicals in the plant stimulate channels within cells, states Chan Ty in the paper titled "Aconite Poisoning." By stimulating these channels, the poison can wreak havoc on the body's normal function. In nerve cells, the poison decreases the effect the nerve can produce. Therefore, common neurological symptoms of aconite poisoning include numbness of the face, a pins and needle sensation around the mouth, and muscle weakness in the four limbs. The symptoms can be mild at first, but rapidly progress. If the condition goes untreated, the poison can lead to death via paralysis of the muscles used in respiration.
Cardiovascular Symptoms
Aconite poisoning attacks the heart and vessels around the organ, according to the American Cancer Society. Symptoms of the damage to the heart include a very rapid heart rate, chest pain, decreased blood pressure and irregular heart beat. The noxious substances contained within the plant interfere with the normal electrical pacing of the heart. They are able to cause this effect by causing sodium channels within the heart tissue to malfunction. Sodium channels control how the heart cells react to the heart's natural pacemaker. If the sodium channels within the cell are not functioning properly, then the heart will be unable to efficiently pump blood. If not treated the aconite poison can lead to heart failure, asystole, and death. Asystole is the complete absence of a heartbeat.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
When aconite is ingested in breaks down into metabolites, such as aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine. These chemicals can induce powerful contractions in the small intestine, according to Chan Ty. The poison is able to potentiate the effects of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that stimulates the muscles in the digestive system. The symptoms caused by this stimulation include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and generalized abdominal pain.
