Materia Medica – A Complete Drug Picture of Belladonna – for homeopathic students
Origin & Meaning of Belladonna
belle dame, beautiful lady
In Venice, Italian ladies used it as a cosmetic to brighten the eyes and flush the cheeks. They used to put drops of its solution into their eyes to widen the pupils and render their eyes larger, darker and more brilliant.
History
It was known to the medical profession as early as 1500 A.D.
In 1532, Tragus calls it Solanum Hortense nigrum in his work.
Arabians used juice of fresh leaves in burns.
It is recorded that the plant was a favorite homicidal weapon among the Lithuanian of the 17th century, thus: “They have also a plant which they call maul de, and when they owe money to someone they find means of introducing it into his drink. Whoever receives this plant into his body must die; the whole pharmacopoeia cannot help him.”
Source
Plant Kingdom
Synonyms
Deadly nightshade
Atropa belladonna
Dwale, from the Danish for delirium
Manicon, from maniacum-madness
Solanum maniacum
Sol. furiosum
Sol. lethale
Atropa lethalis
Family
Solanaceae
Habitat/Geographical Distribution
Central and Southern Europe specially Greece, Italy and Britain, and Asia. In India, it is cultivated in Kashmir.
History – in homoeopathy
During the summer of 1799, the last year of Hahnemann’s stay in Konigslutter, an epidemic of scarlet fever occurred, during which Hahnemann discovered the great value of Belladonna as a prophylactic against this serious disease.
Hahnemann was very successful both in the prevention and treatment of this terrible scourge.
Description/Morphology
Belladonna is a herbacous perennial plant that grows to the height of four to five feet in the sandy/chalky soil and prefers a shady site, beside a high hedge or in the lee of a wood, having thick, fleshy, juicy, branched and spreading roots.
It bears a plethora of dull darkish green leaves with entire margins; these are solitary below, but higher up the stem are found in pairs, though of unequal sizes, one of the pair being larger than the other. Some of the leaves may be as much as 10 inches in length.
Flowers solitary (rarely 2 or 5 together), axillary, pedicellate, drooping, pedicel as long or longer than calyx 5 cleft, corolla bell – shaped, about 2.5 cm long, five lobed, dull reddish purple, tinged with pale green.
Fruit – Berries are large, globose, shiny purple black in color and seem to stare at the passer-by to challenge and entice. In size they resemble a small cherry and indeed have been given such names as devil’s cherries, naughty man’s cherries and “bouton noires.”
The plant presents a remarkable picture of violent growth, springing into intense activity in the early part of the year from its underground root, bearing leaves, flowers and both ripe and unripe berries all at the same time in a furor of growth and attaining in one short season perhaps to the height of a man.
Constituents
Active constituents are alkaloids – atropin and belladonnin, hyoscyamin, etc.
Part(s) Used
Whole Plant, Root, leaves, the larger stalks should be rejected, as they are weak in alkaloids.
Preparation
The juice is extracted from the entire plant before it flowers (precisely when the plant begins to flower) and then mixed with an equal part by weight of alcohol.
Mother Tincture Q
Drug strength 1/10
Belladonna in coarse powder 100 g
Purified Water 567 ml
Strong Alcohol 470 ml
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
Potencies
2x to contain one part tincture, four parts of Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old method: Class I
Proved by
First homeopathic proving was made by Samuel Hahnemann.
There are 53 pages of Belladonna symptoms in the Materia Medica Pura of Hahnemann.
Sources and Authorities
Fragmenta de vir.
Materia Medica Pura
Jahr’s Symptomen Codex
Macfarlan: High Pot. Provings.
Allen’s Encyclopedia
Hering Guiding Symptoms
Hughes’ Drug Pathogenesy
Spheres of action
brain and its membranes
eyes and its mucous membranes
skin and glands
mouth, throat, and mucous membranes
cardiovascular system – heart
lungs
Constitution
adapted to bilious, lymphatic, plethoric persons with red face
persons who are lively and entertaining when well, but violent and often delirious when sick
women and children with light hair and blue eyes
fine complexion and delicate skin
sensitive, nervous, threatened with convulsions
tuberculous patients
Mind
Imagines he sees ghosts, spirits, monsters, hideous faces
various insects, black animals, dogs, wolves,
and dangerous wild animals
Great fear of imaginary things, wants to run away from them
Screaming in fear at imaginary objects
even jumps out of window
Violent delirium
disposition to bite, spit, strike and tear things, and wants to bite and strike the attendants
bite the spoon, barks like a dog
picks up the bed clothes, tears them to pieces and throws them off
breaks into fits of laughter and gnashes the teeth, and doing unusual things
Furious rage and anger, uses absurd language
Anxiety with desire to flee / escape and hide
Characteristics
Rush of blood to head and face
Head hot and painful
Face flushed
Eyes – wild, staring
Pupils – dilated
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
Pains usually in short attacks
come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
Quick sensation and motion
sudden and violent onset
eyes snap and move quickly
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Angel when well, devil when sick
Aggravation
from touch, noise, draught of air, looking at bright, shining objects
after three PM
night, after midnight
while drinking
uncovering the head
worse coldness of head
summer sun
lying down
Amelioration
rest
standing or sitting erect
warm room
covering
Head
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Head – Aggravation
from touch, noise, draught of air, looking at bright, shining objects
after three PM
night, after midnight
while drinking
uncovering the head
worse coldness of head
summer sun
lying down, stooping, change of position
Head – Amelioration
rest
standing or sitting erect
warm room
covering
Convulsions
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
Infants; during teething
sudden and violent onset
eyes snap and move quickly
come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Vertigo
Cause
Onset
Location
Sensation
Modalities
Vertigo – Cause/Aggravation
from touch, noise, draught of air, looking at bright, shining objects
after three PM, night, after midnight
while drinking
uncovering the head
worse coldness of head
summer sun
lying down, stooping, change of position
Aversion to light
sudden and violent onset
Eye – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
eyes snap and move quickly
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
Discharges HOT
Eye – Characteristics
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Mouth
Dry, with or without thirst
Red, strawberry kind
Putrid taste
Submaxillary glands swollen
Throat
Throat
Tonsils
Uvula
Cervical glands
Throat – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Throat – Characteristics
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
Tonsillitis – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
HOT; right sided
Abdominal Colic – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
cause redness of face and eyes
fullness of head and throbbing of carotids
throbbing and pulsating pains. Visible pulsations
Spasmodic
Diarrhea
Summer
Spasmodic pain
Copious, watery
HOT
Typical presentation
Uterine troubles – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Rush of blood to head and face
Uterine troubles …
Menses – copious, bright red with clots
Labour pains
Discharges HOT
Skin
Typical picture
Scarlatina
Measles
Erysipelas
Boils
Skin – Characteristics
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Boils – Characteristics
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Mumps – Characteristics
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
Right sided
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Fever
Cause
Onset
Typical
Constitution, mind
Fever – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
eyes snap and move quickly
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Rush of blood to head and face
Head hot and painful
Face flushed
Eyes – wild, staring
Pupils – dilated
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Fever …
Severe chill – evening
Chill & heat alternate
Heat – violent
Pulse – strong & quick, frequent
Sweat on covered parts & on head
No thirst
Inflammation – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
sudden and violent onset
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Rush of blood to head and face
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Children – Characteristics
Great liability to take cold
sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head
from having the hair cut
riding in a cold wind
heat of sun
Infants; during teething
sudden and violent onset
eyes snap and move quickly
pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly
Rush of blood to head and face
Head hot and painful
Face flushed
Eyes – wild, staring
Pupils – dilated
Boring of head into pillow, rolling side 2 side
Skin:
smooth, shining, redness
dry, hot, burning
imparts a burning sensation to examining hand
redness, burning and heat
All conditions present with prominent head symptoms – pain, red puffed face, throbbing carotids and delirium
Eyes staring, red, blood – shot and pupils first contracted, then greatly dilated
Angel when well, devil when sick
Children – Aggravation
from touch, noise, draught of air, looking at bright, shining objects
after three PM
night, after midnight
while drinking
uncovering the head
worse coldness of head
summer sun
lying down, stooping, change of position
Children – Amelioration
rest
standing or sitting erect
warm room
covering
Relations
Bell. is acute of Calc.
Follows well: Ars., Cham., Hep., Merc.
Followed by: Calc. Hep., Sulph.
Antidotes: Coff., Hyos., Lach.
Antidoted by: Calc.