Volume: 2: Issue-4: Oct - Dec -2011 ISSN 0976-4550 PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENT OF ACONITUM SPECIES-A REVIEW Gajalakshmi S, Jeyanthi P, Vijayalakshmi S, Devi Rajeswari V* School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University * sdevirajeswari@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Aconitum species were used as the major component in the Chinese and Bhutanese herbal medicines. The species posses many phytochemical compounds which possess many of the pharmacological activities. Diterpene alkaloids were the main compound with the pharmacological activities such as analgesic and against inflammation. This alkaloid possesses certain toxic hydrolyzed bases which could be detoxified by the intervention of recent technologies. Apart from this, the plant possess many alkaloids, amide alkaloids, flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, diterpenoid and norditerpenoid compounds which possess medicinal values. The above mentioned compounds of potent importance were isolated and characterized by the chromatographic separation techniques and their structures were usually elucidated by the spectroscopic studies especially with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance techniques. These compounds were the central target of the medicinal chemist as they possess both medicinal and toxic nature. The measures to be taken in such a way that the medicinal compounds of the plant should be isolated and formulated without the toxic nature. This review encompasses the total phytochemical compounds that have been isolated from various species of the plant genus Aconitum. Keywords: Aconitine,Ematemesis, Flavonol glycosides, Diterpenoid alkaloids, Hypaconitine. INTRODUCTION Aconitum is proved to be an essential component in the formulations of Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine. They possess various pharmacological properties such as cardio tonic effect, blood pressure elevation, analgesic, anesthetics, and anti-inflammatory effect [1]. There are about 100 species of the plant genus, Aconitum that belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. Even though, some of the species are highly toxic they possess variety of medicinal importance. In Bhutan, there were around 19 Aconitum species and three species of this genus are included in more than 25 varied multi-ingredient products of Bhutanese traditional medicines which were known as ‘g.so-ba-rig-pa’ [2]. In Chinese herbal medicine, the plants tubers and roots are generally preferred for the treatment of various diseases, such as collapse, syncope, rheumatic fever, painful joints, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, edema, bronchial asthma, various tumors, and some endocrinal disorders like irregular menstruation. But, still the cardio- and neurotoxicity of the drug is found to be potentially lethal and it is said that the improper use of Aconitum in China, India, Japan and some other countries have resulted in a severe risk as they cause severe intoxications. The State Food and Drug Administration of China (SFDA) has put up a regulation, which says that, only the processed, detoxified tubers and roots of Aconitum are permitted to administer orally. They are used in clinical decoctions and considered as raw materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing as there were around 70 techniques which are useful for the processing of Aconitum roots for their medicinal use [5]. International Journal of Applied Biology and Pharmaceutical Technology Page: 121 Available online at www.ijabpt.com