What is Aconite?
Aconite is a plant native to many areas of Europe and Asia, according to the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP) [1]. The plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a dietary supplement for centuries, and even used in mainstream Western medicine until the middle of the 20th century.
Aconite products are still widely available for sale in a variety of forms including roots, pellets, tablets, capsules, and liquid formulas. Aconite is also known as aconiti tuber, aconitum, angustifolium, monkshood, radix aconti, and wolfsbane.
What's the Problem?
Although there are many varieties of aconite which have been used for medical purposes, all of them are toxic and the plant has a long history of being used as a poison. The Roman Emperor Claudius is thought to have been murdered by aconite, and as recently as 2010, a British woman was convicted of poisoning someone with aconite curry.
Aconite Side Effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Paralysis
- Breathing problems
- Heart damage
- Death
- And more
Family of Woman Who Died After Drinking Aconite Tea Sues Herbal Retailer
The family of a 56-year-old woman who died after drinking a toxic aconite-containing tea in San Francisco's Chinatown has filed a lawsuit against the herbal store who sold it, according to NBC Bay Area [2]. Yu-Ping Xie, a lifelong San Francisco resident, died in March 2017 after nearly a month in the hospital following her aconite overdose. Xie purchased the tea leaves at Sun Wing Wo Trading Company, at 1105 Grant Avenue in San Francisco.
