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Aconitum heterophyllum, Atis བོང་ང་དཀར་པོ

Ativisha, Atis, Atees (Ayurveda)
Athividyam (Siddha)
Atis, Atees (Unani)
Bong nga dkar po, Bong dkar 'White Aconite' (Tibetan)
Yi Ye Wu Tou (TCM)
Royle, J.F., Illustrations of the botany and other branches of the natural
history of the Himalayan Mountains and of the flora of Cashmere, 1839

Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, 1874

 Aconitum heterophyllum root
(Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019)
Botanical name:
Aconitum heterophyllum
Two main varieties of Atis are available on the Indian Market:
  1. Bitter Atis: A. heterophyllum
  2. Sweet Atis: A. palmatum
Aconitum heterophyllum var. bracteatum (syn. A. kashmiricum) is apparently collected with A. heterophyllum, or used as a local substitute.

Kletter (Tibetan Medicine Plants) lists the following species used as alternate sources:
  1. A. fischerii
  2. A. grandiflorum
  3. A. naviculare
  4. A. tanguiticum (Gan Qing Wu Tou, TCM)

Other species reportedly used as 'White Aconite' include A. fanianum, A. creagromorphum, and A. orochryseum.

Parts used:
Root
According to some Tibetan texts, the whole plant is used. However, the specimen (right) from Library of Tibetan Works and Archive Museum in Dharamsala clearly shows only the root. Samples collected in India  likewise consisted of only the root. It is possible the whole plant is used due to its increasing rarity in some regions.

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter
Sample of A. heterophyllum root at
the Library ofTibetan Works & Archives, Dharamsala, India (Adam, 2006)

Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Poison:
-Fever, Bilious Fever, Intermittent and Malarial Fevers,
-acute Infectious diseases
-acute inflammations.
-acute sore Throat, Cough
-various types of Poisoning.
-childhood diseases: Diarrhea, Cough, Fever, Teething disorders
-important medicine in several of the Tibetan Jewel Pills.

2. Clears Heat and Damp:
-Vomiting, Diarrhea and Dysentery, Gastralgia, especially in Children
-‘putrid Phlegm and Bile’
-Indigestion, Poor Appetite and Obesity
-Ascites and Piles (Unani)

3. Tonic (Rasayana):
-aphrodisiac, Impotence, Sexual Debility
-General Debility, chronic disease, Convalescence.
-purifies the blood and regulates Vata.
-loss of Memory.

4. Clears Wind-Damp:
-Rheumatism, Arthritis

5. Kills Worms and Parasites:
-widely used in Giardiasis.
-root prepared boiled in milk is given to children for Worms

6. Contraceptive
-has been regarded as an Anti-fertility drug.

7. Astringent:
-Bleeding Piles, Amenorrhea and Leukorrhea. (Unani)


DOSE:
1–3 grams in Powder; 125–500mg for children
3–5 grams in Decoction

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Cyperus rotundus has been regarded as a substitute (Unani)
2. Chebulic Myrobalan has been suggested as a substitute for Ativisha (Yogaratnakara)
3. Cinchona (as an anti-periodic) (Waring)

NOTE:
Aconites are one of the most poisonous families used in herbal medicines. However, Aconitum heterophyllum is regarded as non-poisonous. In fact, it is very mildly poisonous, but requires no purification as the other Aconites do, and is regularly used in pediatric diseases in Ayurveda. The poisonous Aconites are pungent and numbing to the taste, whereas A. heterophyllum (and related species) are extremely bitter, with no numbing effect. The confusion around the Aconites still leads so-called reputable sources to claim this aconite to be highly toxic.

Main Combinations:
Often combined with Cyperus rotundus

1. Diarrhea:
i. Aconitum heterophyllum with Ginger
ii. Aconitum heterophyllum with Cannabis and Calamus
iii. Chronic Diarrhea, Aconitum heterophyllum with Holarrhena antidysenterica
2. Diarrhea with Fever:
i. Aconitum heterophyllum with Ginger, Cyperus rotundus, Holarrhena as a decoction
ii. Aconitum heterophyllum with Ginger, Cyperus rotundus, Tinospora
3. Bowel Pain, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Aconitum heterophyllum with Long Pepper
4. Irritable Bowel, Aconitum heterophyllum with Ginger and Cyperus rotundus (decoction)
5. Abdominal diseases (Udararoga), Aconitum heterophyllum (1 part) with Alangium (3 parts), taken with Rice water (Tandulodaka)
6. Burning and painful urination, Aconitum heterophyllum with Emblic Myrobalan, Ginger, Tribulus, Solanum xanthocarpum (Kantakari)
7. Worms, Aconitum heterophyllum with Chebulis Myrobalan, Costus, Calamus, Embelia (Tibetan)
8. Children diseases including Cough, Fever, Diarrhea, Vomiting:
i. Aconitum heterophyllum with Ginger, Cyperus rotundus, Licorice
ii. Aconitum heterophyllum with Long Pepper, Cyperus rotundus, Pistacia intergerrima (Ayurveda)
9. Tonic for Children, for disorders due to teething, Aconitum heterophyllum with Triphala (3 Myrobalans), Licorice, Chinese Gall, Ginger, Long Pepper, Red Coral, Saffron (Ayurveda)
10. Cough, Fever, Aconitum heterophyllum with Long Pepper and Chinese Gall; sometimes Cyperus rotundus is added (Ayurveda)
11. Obstinate skin diseases, Aconitum heterophyllum with Emblic Myrobalan, Picrorrhiza, Cyperus rotundus, Sandalwood, Barberry, Calamus, Asparagus, Tinospora, Swertia, Licorice, Fumitory, Cassia fistula, as a medicinal Ghee (Ayurveda)
12. Ulcer, Aconitum heterophyllum with Oroxylum (Syonaka), Solanum xanthocarpum (Kantakari) as a paste over the Ulcer.

Cautions:
1. As this is endangered and very expensive, adulteration is an issue. Be certain that other aconite species have not been substituted. The genuine A. heterophyllum is very bitter without numbing sensation when tasted. 
2. Generally well tolerated in recommended doses.
3. Overdose may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, abdominal spasms and dehydration.

Main Preparations used: