Aconitum heterophyllum - Ativisa, Indian Atees

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Ativisa

Aconitum heterophyllum or Ativisa or Ativisha is an Aconite, i.e., it belongs to genus aconite. This plant grows in Northern hemisphere’s mountainous terrain. Ativisa plant is herbaceous and perennial and is one of the poisonous species used in Indian Ayurvedic medicines. However, it is certainly not the most poisonous plant or extract from the plant used in Ayurvedic medicines. The poison in this plant is reduced by specific Ayurvedic processes which may entail boiling Ativisa’s roots in cow’s urine.

Uses

migraines, headaches, vomiting, piles, burning sensation, perspiration problems, burning sensation in the vagina.

Parts Used

Root tubers.

Chemical Composition

Atisine, Aconitine, Atisenol, Atidine, Hetisine, Hetisinone, Banzolheteratisine, Histidine, F-dihydroatisine, Heteratisine and Several diterpene alkaloids such aheterophyllin, heterophyllisin, heterophyllidine, and hetidine.

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	Ativisa
Hindi	Atis
Malayalam	Ativisam
Tamil	Atividyam
Telugu	Ati visa
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	Ativisha
English	Indian Atees

Habit

Herb

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple		The leaves are divided into 3-6 toothed leaflets, with smaller leaflets in between

.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Unisexual	2-4cm long	Yellow	5-20	Flowers Season is June - August

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
	7–10 mm (0.28–0.4 in.) long pome	clearly grooved lengthwise, Lowest hooked hairs aligned towards crown	With hooked hairs		{{{6}}}

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Tuber segment.

How to plant/cultivate

Easily grown in most soils[21][22], preferring a calcareous soil. Thrives in a dry lightly shaded position[16], though it prefers full sun. Plants usually self-sow quite freely when growing in a suitable position[19]. The seeds are contained in burrs that can easily attach themselves to clothing or animal's fur, thus transporting them to a new area where they can germinate and grow.The cultivar 'Sweet scented' is popular in France for making tea because the whole plant is sweet scented and the flowers have a spicy apricot-like fragrance

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tall grasslands, meadows, Borders of forests and fields.

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