Aconitine, a major Aconitum
alkaloid, is well known for its high toxicity that induces severe arrhythmias leading to death. However,
aconitine has been used as one of the most popular compounds in Shino-Japanese traditional herbal medicine. Little has been reported concerned with the long-term effects of
aconitine. Therefore, the authors investigated the physiological effects of chronic administrations of
aconitine by determining the changes in
body weight and rectal temperature of mice, compared with the concentrations of
aconitine and its metabolites (
benzoylaconine and
aconine) in the liver and kidneys. The concentration ratio of
aconitine to the total Aconitum
alkaloids (from day 0 to 22; 90 min after the last administration) gradually decreased, whereas its metabolites increased until day 22. The
body weight gain in
aconitine-administered group was less than that of the control group until day 22. Transient rectal
hypothermia occurred within 30 min after the last administration of
aconitine. Then the rectal temperature gradually increased to normal level in respect to time. This study might reveal the possibilities that the
drug metabolism of
aconitine increased and the toxicity of
aconitine decreased due to long-term administrations of
aconitine.