Aconitum heterophyllum

Other Names : Indian Atees, Atis Root, Aruna, Ghunapriya, Ataich, Visa, Ativisha, Ativish,Atibage, अतीस, Aconitum heterophyllum Wall Pennel, Atividayam, Athividayam, Atividyam, Ativisam, Vajjeturki, Ati Vasa, Ativakhani Kali, Ativish, Atibaje, Kashmeera, Shuklakanda, Bhangura, Vishva, Visha, Ghunapriya, Ghunavallabha, Peetavallabha, Shishubhaishajya, Shrungi, Shophahaa, Mahaushadham, Shyamakanda etc.
A perennial erect herb with greenish-blue flower found wild in alpine and sub-alpine Himalayas. Root tubers are the most commonly used part of this plant for medicinal purpose.

Special Precautions of Aconitum heterophyllum

• Atis can induce severe vomiting, tremors and dryness of mouth if overused.
• It is best to avoid its use during pregnancy and lactation.

Health Benefits and Uses of Aconitum heterophyllum

Atis root is primarily employed in the treatment of fevers including malarial conditions and acute respiratory disturbances. As compared to Aconite, which is an extremely toxic plant, Atis root is lesser toxic. However, it also undergoes the procedure of detoxification before being used in the manufacturing of Ayurvedic medicines. Experimental studies hint at its active anti-malarial and antipyretic activities. Roots contain intensely bitter alkaloid atisine, acotinic acid, tannic acid, and pectinous substances. It has abundant starch, fat, and a mixture of oleic, palmitic, stearic glycerides.

• Ativisha has an anti-toxic effect on the body. It helps to balance all three doshas in the body especially the kapha and pitta.
• Ativisha is a multipurpose herbal solution to all digestive problems such as dissolving and digesting undigested food which turns in to "Ama" in the body leading to many dreadful diseases.
• The herb acts as a carminative that helps in diarrhea by absorbing excess water from the body.
• It is also useful in cough and common cold. Vomiting is also an issue with people when it comes to digestive problems and Atis can also help in that.
• This herb is also helpful in fever especially viral fever, diarrhea, and dysentery etc. It has been used as an ancient folklore medicine for this reason.
• IBS, Piles, Haemorrhoids are also relieved with the use of Atis preparations.
• Atis is a very good herb for general detoxification of the body. It can be taken for clearing out worms that is a common problem in children. The herb can also detoxify the blood and body tissues.

With a pungent flavor Ativisha is nourishing the body. It helps to improve consistency of the breast milk also.

• Atis has aphrodisiac properties which make it very effective for the management of sexual health in both males and females.
• Ativisha literally means one having excessive poison still we use it as an herbal medicine. The reason being, there are many herbs which are normally toxic in nature but if used in the right dosage they can show great medicinal effects on the body. This is why Ativisha is used to fight obesity, rat poisoning and any other kind of foreign invasion in the body in the form of viruses, bacteria or other similar microorganisms.

List of Alkaloids found in the plant

• Atidine, hetisine, heteratisine, Diterpene alkaloids, heterophylline, heterophyllidine heterophyllisine, hetidine, atidine & Atisenol, and a new entatisene diterpenoid lactone from roots.
• F-dishydrçatisine, hetidine, hetisinone, heteratisine, hetisine, benzylleteratisine, beta —sitosterol, carotene and 3— isoatisine from the rhizomes