Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Good things to know »  Poisonous plants easily mistaken for harmless ones » Aconite (Ranunculaceae)

Aconite (Ranunculaceae)

Perennial plant that grows to a height of around 1 meter and its stem splits into 3 to 5 parts. From August to November it blooms with a bruise blue flower in the shape of a helmet. It has a triangular pyramid-shaped tuberous root and was used as arrow poison for hunting in the ancient times. Many types of aconite grow in Japan.


Characteristics

Habitat They grow in flatlands as well as on high mountains.
Parts of the plant that may be ingested accidentally. Leaves, stem, etc. It can be mistaken, since it resembles edible young buds and leaves of soft windflower, Cacalia delphiniifolia, Dewdrop cranesbill, etc.
Symptoms Vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis of fingers on limbs, fingers and toes. Serious cases can be fatal.
Venomous constituents Alkaloids such as aconitine, aconine, etc. Whole plant is poisonous.

Aconite
Aconite
Aconite and Cacalia delphiniifolia grow together
Aconite and Cacalia delphiniifolia grow together
A case has been reported where soft windflower and aconite leaves
were ingested accidentally.
A case has been reported where soft
windflower and aconite leaves were ingested accidentally.
Aconite roots
Aconite roots

 

Bureau of Public Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
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