Plant Aconitum napellus Jupiter's helmet

Anecdotes

The plant Aconitum napellus was considered a magical plant associated with black magic.
According to legend, Jupiter's helmet is feared like the plague by werewolves, vampires and demons. In the past, some bonesetters prescribed aconite to the unfortunate people who believed themselves to have transformed into wolves.
➥Ingested, it causes burning of the mouth, a tingling sensation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, colic, a feeling of numbness of the skin of the face. Causes paralysis and cardiac arrest. It was the plant poison par excellence in antiquity. According to the writings of a disciple of Aristotle, the toxic substance could be dosed in such a way that the poisoned person would only die after two, three, or even six months, by progressive paralysis.

➥Antiquity knew of plants with hallucinogenic or dream-inducing effects. Among them are aconite, belladonna, hemp, foxglove, mandrake, jimsonweed... Aconite was used in the preparation of philters, ointments or magic potions.

➥ In ancient Europe and Asia, Aconite was used to poison the enemy's water supply. In addition, hunters used its juice to poison their spears, arrowheads, and trap bait.

➥ It would heal people bitten by a snake but would poison healthy beings.

➥ Aconite is said to have been born from the saliva vomited by Cerberus, the dog that guarded the Underworld, when during his twelve labors, Herakles had pulled him out, foaming with rage, in order to bring him back to Eurystheus. From this dried saliva a flower was born among the bare rocks and dust: akoniton designates in Greek a plant growing in the rocks.

➥ It appears in Antiquity as having been one of the first plants used in infusion, like hemlock, for the execution of those condemned to death. But it is not only in infusion that it can be fatal.

➥ Starving soldiers found roots similar to turnips in nature, which they ate and died immediately. The same tragedy was to occur again in 1960, with French soldiers abandoned in the Pyrenees for a "survival operation" that had not been preceded by botany instruction. Despite this great toxicity, it has been recognized for its sedative and analgesic properties for less than two centuries.