Indian Atees: Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses (Ativisha, Aconitum Heterophyllum)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

The word “Ativisha” is derived from the phrase Atikrantam visham, which means to pacify the effect of poison, though it belongs to the genus of poisonous plants. Indian Atees is described in Vedas as Ativishwa, which means it can cure all the diseases of the world. It is also mentioned in vidhiricha and its decoction is considered as the best drug for pralapa. Charaka considered Ativisha as the best Deepana, pachana, sangrahi, sarvadoshahar Dravya. Sushruta used it in the treatment of vriddhi, updansha, mudhgarbha, vrana, fever and mouth diseases.

Its roots are easily infested by insects, so these are kept in powdered lime to protect it from infestation. Traditionally, it is used as an antidote to poison.

2. Common Names

• Family – Ranunculaceae
• Hindi Name – Atees
• English Name – Indian Atees, Asian Monkshood

3. Vernacular Names

• Bengali – Ataicha
• Gujarati – Ativishni
• Kannada – Ativisha
• Marathi – Ativisha
• Malayalam – Atividayam
• Tamil – Atividayam
• Telugu – Ativasa
• Urdu – Atees
• Punjabi – Atisa

4. Synonyms

• Aruna – Its rhizome is reddish brown in color.
• Atisaaraghni – It is used to alleviate diarrhea.
• Ghunavallabha – Rhizome gets infested by insects easily.
• Pittavallabha – It alleviates disorders of pitta.
• Shishubhaishajya – It is a popular remedy for the disease of children.
• Visha – It is assimilated quickly in the body like poison.
• Vishva – It spreads to the minutes channel in the body.

Explore More Herbs

5. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Lekhniya, Arshoghna
• Sushrut Samhita – Pippalayadi, Vachadi, Mustadi
• Ashtanga Hridya – Pippalayadi, Vachadi, Mustadi
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhyadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Pippalayadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Haritakyadi varga

6. Distribution

It is commonly found in alpine and subalpine zone of Himalayas from Indus to Kumaon at an altitude of 6,000 to 15,000 ft.

This species is endemic to Himalayan region of India, Pakistan, and Nepal. In India, the wild population has been recorded in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

7. Morphology

It is erect herb of 2 to 4 ft height. The stem is green, round, erect, simple or branched, and surrounded with leaves of different shapes and sizes, glabrous below, and crispo-pubescent in the upper part.

Leaves – Simple, alternate, basal leaves have long petiole, orbicular, ovate, cordate in shape. Upper leaves are small, short petiolate, ovate or elongate, dentate margin.

Flowers – Inflorescence terminal raceme or few flowered panicle, bluish or violet-colored petals, uppermost petal boat-shaped, shortly beaked, many stamens, ovary of five carpels.

Fruits – Follicular fruit, soft hairy, linear-oblong, 16 to 18mm long with many black color seeds.

Roots – Biennial, paired with old and roots, and tuberous. New root is cylindrical or conical in shape, 1 to 1.5 inch long, outer surface is thin and whitish gray, internally white and starchy, on fracture four black spots are visible centrally.

8. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Kashya, Katu, Tikta ( pungent, bitter, astringent) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Ushna in nature (hot).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Katu (bitter) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) – Laghu, Ruskha.

9. Chemical Constituent

The constituents of its tuber include the following.

• Diterpene Alkaloids – Atisine, hetsine, heteratisine, atidine and hetidine.
• Lactone Alkaloids – Heterophyllisine, hetrophylline, beta sitosterol, carotene and atisenol.

The other constituent present in the plant is tannic acid, starch, fat, mixture of fatty acids and their glycerides and carbohydrates.

Explore Wholesale Herbs Powder

10. Types

• Vagbhatta – two types – Ativisha, Visa.
• Dhanvantari – two types – Ativisha, Prativisha.
• Raj Nighantu – three types – Shukla, Rakta, Krisna.
• Sodhala Nighantu – Sweta, Rakta, Krishna, Peeta.

11. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 4%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 1%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 6%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 24%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1989)

12. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

Charka attribute appetizer, digestive, absorbent, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, strength promoting, antidote and antipyretic.

• Doshakarma – Kapha pittahara
• Dhatukarma – Balya, vrishya
• Malakarma – Sangrahi

13. Pharmacological Actions

 It has antidiarrheal, expectorant, diuretic, tonic, antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anodyne, anti-flatulent, antiperiodic and carminative activities.

14. Health Benefits

It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, sprue, vomiting, cough, worm infestation, indigestion, loss of appetite, dysuria, abdominal pain, indigestion, fever, and skin disease.

15. Therapeutic Uses

Diarrhea – Daily intake of liquid gruel processed with Indian Atees, Ginger and Amla.

Sprue – The decoction made of Indian Atees, Ginger and Musta are administrated orally to destroy.

Abdominal Disease – Three parts of Ankola mixed with one part of Indian Atees powder is given with rice water to cure all abdominal diseases.

Explore Herbal Teas

16. Official Part Used

Tuberous root, Rhizome

17. General Doses

Powder – 1 to 3g.

18. Formulations

Ativisha avaleha, Ativishadi churna, Pusyanuga churna, Devadaryadi kwatha, Bala taila, Rodhrasava, Chandraprabha vati.

19. Side Effects

Ativisha when given in a dose of 4 to 6g causes symptoms like dryness of mouth, tremors, etc.