80 Botanic Drugs 



therapeutics any more than the science of optics 

 may dominate art. Yet the pharmacology of aconite 

 is important. 



I Locally aconite produces numbness, abolishes 

 thermal sensation, diminishes tactile sensation; on 

 mucous membranes there is a paralyzant action 

 and local anesthesia. 



Aconite is rapidly absorbed when swallowed, 

 there being a feeling of burning and nausea, and 

 vomiting and abdominal pain when sufficient dosage 

 is absorbed. The temperature falls; there are weak 

 cardiac contractions, and death follows from re- 

 spiratory failure, with dyspnea and asphyxia and 

 paralysis of the respiratory center. Atropine may 

 retard the fatal result. 



In small doses the rate and contractile force of 

 the heart is diminished, especially in conditions of 

 pyrexia. In larger doses the cardiac muscle is 

 directly poisoned and blood-pressure falls. 



The brain is little affected and the motor centers 

 remain active; however, the medullary centers are 

 affected, with a fall in temperature. 



Sweating is induced, not by direct action, but 

 indirectly, probably by peripheral sensory irritation. 



Aconite causes a depression of the central heat- 

 regulating mechanism; and in pyrexia repeated 

 small doses will do this. 



Oxidation processes are diminished during ad- 

 ministration. Excretion is chiefly in the urine, 

 being found within four hours after administration. 



These are the actions upon man; there are other 

 minor actions noted on the lower animals, and the 

 pharmacology of the isolated alkaloid presents points 

 of variation from the above. 



