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Belladonna, Hyoscyamus and StramoniumPharmaceutical drugs or Homeopathic RemediesThe effect of these plants in treating Mental illnessesA comparative study

BySamira Zaidan (Ph.D, MHMA)

Homeopathy is an internationally-recognized and well established branch of Alternative Medicine. Unfortunately, its concept of dealing with disease is not clear in Saudi Medical and Pharmaceutical Societies. Via comparing the use of three well-known poisonous plants in homeopathy and pharmacology, I aim to shed light on the principle of Similia Similibus Curentur, which is the core of Homeopathy, and to demonstrate how homeopathy can help treat mental illnesses using these plants.Key words: Homeopathic remedies; Mental illnesses; Pharmaceutical drugs; Belladonna; Hyoscyamus; Stramonium; Similia Similibus Curentur

Belladonna:

Devil's Cherries. Divale. Black Cherry. Devil's Herb.. Deadly Nightshade.

Belladonna: a name was bestowed on it because its juice was used by the Italian ladies to give their eyes greater brilliancy, the smallest quantity having the effect of dilating the pupils of the eye.

The Belladonna plant grows mostly in waste places, quarries and near old ruins.

The fresh plant, when crushed, exhales a disagreeable odour. Leaves have a bitter taste. The berries are full of a dark, inky juice, and are intensely sweet.

Every part of the plant is extremely poisonous. The root is the most poisonous. Leaves and flowers less so. The berries, except to children, least of all.

A peculiar symptom in those poisoned by Belladonna is: the complete loss of voice, together with frequent bending forward of the trunk and continual movements of the hands and fingers, the pupils of the eye becoming much dilated. Restlessness and mental excitement, irritability.

(Hyoscyamus niger);Henbane; Stinking nightshade; Black henbane.

It is called 'Henbane,' because the seeds were thought to be fatal to poultry.Hyoscyamus is a powerful narcotic, and is dangerously poisonous.

When bruised, Henbane leaves have a nauseously rank, narcotic smell, and an acrid, disagreeable taste.

Henbane: grows in waste grounds and commons.

Henbane: Roots

It is recorded that the whole of the inmates of a monastery were once poisoned by using the roots instead of chicory. The monks partaking of the roots for supper were all more or less affected during the night and following day, being attacked with a sort of delirious frenzy, accompanied in many cases by such hallucinations that the establishment resembled a lunatic asylum.

A woman pulled up a quantity of Henbane roots which she found in a field, supposing them to be parsnips. She boiled them in soup, which was eaten by the family. The whole of the nine persons who had partaken of them suffered severely, being soon seized with disturbed vision, giddiness and sleepiness, followed by delirium and convulsions. Datura stramonium;

Devil's trumpet;Devil's weed;Thorn apple; Stinkweed;Devil's cucumber;Hell's bells,Moonflower;Mad seeds.

It is found in waste places, the roadsides and other places, chiefly near gardens or dwellings.

Where the plant grows abundantly, its vicinity may be detected by the rank odour which it diffuses.

Stramonium: Dimness of sight, dilation of the pupil, twitching and delirium. sometimes amounting to mania. It acts more powerfully on the brain than Belladonna and to produce greater delirium.

These three poisonous plants have got a common factor which is: The place (waste lands). Strong unpleasant odour. Names given to them are connected with devils and disturbed minds, which, in itself is a sign for the sphere of the therapeutic power they offer.Physically, Belladonna, Hyoscyamus and Stramonium look different as plants. The general therapeutic field looks almost the same. To a homeopath they are different, each one of them has got its own individuality. They are like triplets mother only can identify them.

Pharmacololgy disintegrated the plants into separate elements, active ingredients: (Atropine, Hyoscyamine and Hyoscine.) Pharmacology dealt with these active ingredients (individually or collectively) as spare parts to fix physical problems in the body system such as irritable bowel syndrome or for pupil long dilation before eye surgeries etc.

Side effects of Atropine: Blurred vision; constipation; decreased sweating; difficulty sleeping; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth, nose, or skin; headache; loss of appetite; loss of taste; nausea; nervousness.

Severe side effects occur when using Atropine Medicinal Products: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); abdominal bloating or swelling; agitation; changes in heartbeat; confusion; continued or severe diarrhea; delirium; difficulty focusing your eyes; difficulty urinating; exaggerated sense of well-being; excitement; fast/irregular heartbeat; fever; hallucinations; numbness of the hands or feet; severely enlarged pupils; severe or prolonged restlessness; speech disturbance; unusual weakness; vomiting. (drugs.com, 18.5.2011)

24Side effects of Hyoscyamine:Dry mouth; flushing; nausea; vomiting.Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blurred vision; difficulty urinating; dizziness; fast or irregular heartbeat. (drugs.com, 18.5.2011)

Side effects of Scopolamine:Blurred vision; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; flushing.Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); confusion; difficulty urinating; fast or irregular heartbeat; hallucinations; mood or mental changes; severe drowsiness; severe dry mouth; trouble speaking. (drugs.com, 18.5.2011)

Side effects here are connected with the individual active ingredient in the plant. So, we can say that each group of symptoms makes an individual picture for an individual active ingredient.

In general the pharmaceutical drugs are tested on animals. So the concentration is on the objective symptoms.

Pharmaceutical drugs are prescribed to all patients who have got a labelled disease; Any patient who has a disease labelled as Chrohn Disease will be given one of the atropine or hyoscine medicinal products, in a certain dose, to be taken at specific time of the day. Patients are warned of exceeding the dose, otherwise undesired, dangerous side effects will occur. So the pharmaceutical drug is generic.

In Homeopathy, the whole plant is used. Mother tincture is made in 50/50 proportion of Juice of the plant and alcohol. Then the operation of potentisation :dilution and succussion will start to make different potencies (dosages), for different group of symptoms. Soluble substance, such as plants, are then diluted in a proportion of 1:99 of alcohol. Insoluble substances such as minerals and animal extracts are triturated with lactose sugar, in the same proportion. Until 6c potency has been reached then the dilution and succussion operation will occur, as with the plant. Dilution will guarantee the safety of the remedy, succussion will increase the therapeutic power of the remedy (the vibration).These remedies will be tested using different potencies, on human-beings. The side effects of the poisons of these plants on healthy people will form the total picture of the poison. This picture will be used as a template to measure the presented symptoms of an ill person. If there is a similarity between the picture of the poison and the picture of the disease on a sick person, then this remedy will be the most suitable to him/her. If the case is physical, then a low potency will be suitable, if the symptoms are mental, then high potencies will be more suitable. If the energy of the patient is low then low potency repeated is better. If patients energy is high, then a high, single potency will be better. So the remedy and the potency are tailored to the patient.

Figure 1: The potentisation processHomeopathy looks seriously at these mental symptoms which the whole plant produces on individuals. Following the principle Similia Similibus Curentur, ( Law of Similars)Homeopathic Pharmacy produced remedies with different potencies (dosages) to treat Mental illnesses.

These tests on healthy people are called provings. Provers register every symptom they have during the time of the test, whether they are objective or subjective. The prover uses his own language. These notes will be collected from all provers , categorized according to the body organs, registered in Materia Medicas, then finished with the repertories, which will identify all tested remedies and their effect on each organ on the body system.Belladonna: example of mental symptoms:Wild; striking, biting, tearing things. He is in a state of excitability. Mental states take the form of acute mania, when the patient will bite the spoon, will bark like a dog, will do all sorts of violent things, Mania with desire to bite, strike and run away. head was hot, face red. Twitching of facial muscles.Skin dry and hot like fire. Violence of attack and Suddenness of onset. irritability and restlessness.

Hyoscyamus: examples of mental symptoms: Pupils are dilated and insensible. Staring look. With a fixed look he stares at those about him. Silly, smiling, laugh at everything, silly expression. Very talkative, and persists in stripping herself: or uncovering genitals. She/ he jealous, afraid of being poisoned, Does not know her relatives. Alternations of calmness and fury.

Datura Stramonium: example of mental symptoms: Pupils immensely dilated. Hydrophobia... Horror of water and every other liquid. Religious mania; pious looks, praying Converse in different languages. Woke suddenly in night and said there were snakes under and about her; looked wild, screamed and pointed to them. Talks incessantly foolish things with nobody can understand. Fear of dark.

Homeopathic remedies can not be tested chemically . Special devices are needed to prove that there are differences between different potencies and different remedies.

If the law of Homeopathy is The Law of Similars what is the law of pharmacology to produce a pharmaceutical drug?

Remedies in Pictures

These people in the previous pictures are mentally ill. Belladonna, Hyoscyamus and Stramonium, can help them, gently, naturally and successfully, without undesired side effects. Our aim is to help these people and I believe that its a great time for Pharmacology and Homeopathy to collaborate, for well-rounded patient care in Saudi Arabia.

Before I finish I would like to mention this Hadeeth, in Muslim:

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Thank you