Page 263 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

2- Starch granules. 7- A single sclereid with
associated thin-walled
3- Fibrous sclereid from the parenchyma.
stem base. 8- Part of a group of
4- Thick-walled parenchyma. sclereids.
9- A single sclereid with
5- Fragments of bordered associated thickened
pitted vessels. walled parenchyma.

Constituents
Aconite root contain 3 closely allied alkaloids, aconitine, picraconitine and

aconine. There are also very small amount of 5 other alkaloids viz., mesaconitine,
hypaconitine, neopelline, napelline and nealine. Other constituents are starch and
aconitic acid. The total amount of alkaloids present is 0.2-1.5%, and as much as
2.9%. the ether soluble alkaloids, mainly aconitine, usually varies from 0.3-0.6%.
aconitine is acetyl-benzoylaconine and is crystalline and easily soluble in ether.
Picraconitine is benzoylaconine. Both picraconitine and aconine are amorphous and
insoluble in ether and they are both much less toxic than aconitine.

220