Aconitine
/əˈkɒnɪtiːn/noun
A highly poisonous alkaloid found chiefly in plants of the genus Aconitum, including monkshood.
Did you know?Aconitine acts on voltage-gated sodium channels, and historical accounts describe monkshood preparations as poisons for hunting, warfare, and suspected murder.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ak-
“A scholarly proposed root meaning “sharp” or “pointed,” possibly connected with the plant’s name, though the link is uncertain.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀκόνιτον (akóniton)
“Aconite or monkshood; the precise formation and original sense are disputed.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
aconītum
“Aconite, a poisonous plant.”
16th Century
New Latin
aconitinum
“The alkaloid substance obtained from Aconitum plants.”
19th Century
English
aconitine
“The established English name for the intensely poisonous alkaloid.”
Modern English
English
aconitine
“A potent neurotoxic and cardiotoxic alkaloid occurring naturally in monkshood and related plants.”