My Psychedelic Plants #1 • Aconitum •

Hello my Steemian friends and welcome to my new blog about psychoactive plants. First of all I do not grow any of this plants in my backyard or somewhere else and this blog is not an instruction to consume some of this plants, but only to inform. If you consume something for the first time please begin with a low dosage. It's better to take too little than too much. You can always use more next time because if you take too much, the result can be uncomfortable or even dangerous until the death.

In the first episode I will present you Aconitum, better known as monkshood, wolfsbane, blue rocket, devilshelmet.

History
Some species of Aconitum was already used as an arrow poison in antique Europe, Asia and North America. In antique China, the most important source of arrow poison was the root of Aconitum carmichaelii.

"Arrows are prepared with the juice of aconite. The very quickly kill that which they hit." - Avicenna Canon Medic

Psychoactive Material

• Root
• Herbage

Preparation and Dosage
In Ayurvedic medicine the tubers of one species of Aconitum the Aconitum ferox(Indian aconite, Himalayan monkshood) are soaked in the milk or urine of sacred cows to "purify" them. This method removes the toxins from the root. Then its ground into a paste for external use to treat neuralgia. For tantric and psychoactive purposes the root of Aconitum is dried, minced and smoked, normally with ganja, and the leaves of Aconitum can be smoked too.

Aconitum is one of the most poisonous plants and can very easily be lethal! Only 3 to 6 mg of aconitine, which is about few grams of dried or even fresh material from the plant, can be lethal for adults. Taken orally only 0,2 mg of aconite can create toxic symptoms.

Ritual Use
In antiquity, Aconitum was definitive used as a ritual poison. For example in India an extreme sect known as the Aghoris follow the "left handed" path, which suggest sexuality and drugs as essential methods for expanding consciousness. In other shamanic rituals monkshood was also used to transform someone or oneself into a wolf.

Medical Use
Monkshood never attained any great significance in western medicine because of the fear as a potent poison.
In the Ayurvedic medicine it's still used Aconitum for neuralgia, leprosy, painful inflammations, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, digestive problems, fever. Also in Tibetan and Nepalese medicine it's still used for colds, leprosy, cholera and rheumatism.

Ingredients

The whole plant includes aconitine acid and the alkaloid aconitine (Acetylbenzoylaconine). The root have the highest concentration, that's why this is the most dangerous part of the plant. Even in the nectar aconitine has been discovered, it may be possible to produce a psychoactive honey.

Effects
In Ayurvedic medicine, the root is attributed with sweet, sedative, narcotic, anti inflammatory, diuretic, appetite stimulating, anaphrodisiac, calming and antipyretic effects.
The effect of a tantric smoking mixture including aconite are said to be extreme. Even experienced Tantrists insistent warn against its use.

Hope you enjoyed my new blog. See you next time!
Vladi

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