Aconitum pendulum

Aconitum pendulum, commonly known as the drooping monkshood, is a striking perennial herb belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Renowned for its unique bell-shaped, violet flowers, this plant is highly toxic. While historically studied for its potent alkaloids, it requires extreme caution due to its dangerous medicinal properties.

  • Scientific name: Aconitum pendulum
  • Family: Ranunculaceae
  • Native range: Asia-Temperate

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ranunculales. Finally, it is a member of the family Ranunculaceae and falls under the genus Aconitum.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Ranunculales WCVP
Family Ranunculaceae WCVP
Genus Aconitum WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Aconitum pendulum, is known by several different common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is referred to as 雪上一支篙 or 一枝箭, while the specific name 铁棒锤 is used in both simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and traditional Chinese (zh-tw) contexts.
Language Common Name Source
zh 铁棒锤 Wikidata
zh-cn 铁棒锤 Wikidata
zh-tw 鐵棒錘 Wikidata
zh 雪上一支篙 Wikidata
zh 一枝箭 Wikidata
zh 铁棒锤茎叶 Wikidata
zh 三转半 Wikidata
zh 雪上一支蒿 Wikidata
zh 雪上一枝蒿 Wikidata
zh 铁牛七 Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across the vast landscapes of China. It can be found growing within the regions of China South-Central and China North-Central. Furthermore, its presence extends into the high-altitude terrains of Qinghai. The distribution also encompasses the specialized environments found throughout Tibet. Collectively, these areas define the primary geographical range for Aconitum pendulum.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
China China North-Central WCVP
China Qinghai WCVP
China Tibet WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Aconitum pendulum, derives its significant medicinal and toxicological properties primarily from its underground structures. The most critical components are the roots and the rhizomes, which serve as the storage organs for the plant's complex alkaloids. These thickened, fleshy parts are often harvested for biochemical study, though they must be handled with extreme caution due to their high toxicity.
Total parts
2
Scientific sources
2
Plant Part Sources Confidence
roots 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rhizomes 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Aconitum pendulum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include aconitine, 14-O-acetylneoline, 3-acetylaconitine, 3-deoxyaconitine.

Total chemicals
4
Scientific sources
6

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
aconitine 3 ★★☆☆☆
14-O-acetylneoline 1 ★☆☆☆☆
3-acetylaconitine 1 ★☆☆☆☆
3-deoxyaconitine 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Aconitum pendulum has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antitumor, Styptic.

Total activities
2
Scientific sources
2

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antitumor 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Styptic 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Aconitum pendulum has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include analgesic, arthralgia, rheumatic diseases, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis.

Total uses
6
Scientific sources
6

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
analgesic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
arthralgia 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rheumatic diseases 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rheumatism 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rheumatoid arthritis 1 ★☆☆☆☆
sprains 1 ★☆☆☆☆