Abstract:
The tubers and roots of
Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) are widely used as heart medicine or analgesic agents for the treatment of coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis and neuropathic pain since ancient times. As a type of natural products mainly extracted from
Aconitum plants,
Aconitum alkaloids have complex chemical structures and exert remarkable biological activity, which are mainly responsible for significant effects of
Aconitum plants. The present review is to summarize the progress of the pharmacological, toxicological, and pharmacokinetic studies of
Aconitum alkaloids, so as to provide evidence for better clinical application. Research data concerning pharmacological, toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies of
Aconitum alkaloids were collected from different scientific databases (PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science) using the phrase
Aconitum alkaloids, as well as generic synonyms.
Aconitum alkaloids are both bioactive compounds and toxic ingredients in
Aconitum plants. They produce a wide range of pharmacological activities, including protecting the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and immune system and anti-cancer effects. Notably,
Aconitum alkaloids also exert strong cardiac toxicity, neurotoxicity and liver toxicity, which are supported by clinical studies. Finally, pharmacokinetic studies indicated that cytochrome P450 proteins (CYPs) and efflux transporters (ETs) are closely related to the low bioavailability of
Aconitum alkaloids and play an important role in their metabolism and detoxification
in vivo.