The Solanaceae family, also known as Nightshade Remedies, is a fascinating and diverse group of plants that play a significant role in homeopathy. Some of the well-known remedies that are derived from this family and commonly used in daily homeopathic practice include Belladonna, Stramonium, Hyoscyamus, Tabacum, Dulcamara, and Capsicum.
These plants possess powerful medicinal properties, and it’s essential to use them carefully as they can be toxic if used improperly.
The Solanaceae family is a diverse group of trees, shrubs, and herbs, encompassing 90 genera and over 2000 species. Recognized for their rich alkaloid content, Solanaceae Remedies stand out as a fascinating and varied botanical category extensively employed in homeopathy.
- BELLADONNA. (Deadly Nightshade)
- STRAMONIUM (Jimson weed)
- HYOSCYAMUS. (Henbane)
- TABACUM. (Tobacco)
- DULCAMARA. (Bitter-sweet)
- CAPSICUM. (Cayenne Pepper)
These remedies play a crucial role in daily homeopathic practice due to their symptomatic similarities. Belladonna, Stramonium, and Hyoscyamus, in particular, remain frequently utilized in daily Homeopathy practice.
Belladonna, also known as Deadly Nightshade, has been recognized since 1500 A.D. The Venetians referred to it as “herba Bella donna,” acknowledging its cosmetic use by ladies to brighten eyes and flush cheeks.
Stramonium, positioned between the Hyoscyamus and Belladonna, stimulates the sensorium and distorts its functions. Notably, it affects the special senses, causing double vision and oblique perceptions.
Botanically and to some extent therapeutically akin to Belladonna, Hyoscyamus is an intriguing substance toxic to birds, earning the name henbane.
TABACUM, with Nicotine as its primary active ingredient, is a vital component of this group.
Dulcamara, or “Bitter-sweet,” contains solanine in smaller amounts than other group members. Its tincture is derived from tender leaves and twigs.
Capsicum, while possessing fewer narcotic properties than other Solanaceae, exhibits heightened irritant characteristics. Interestingly, only a small amount is required to induce this irritation.
Common Features:
- The first four remedies prominently affect the brain and possess narcotic properties.
- Tabacum also exhibits narcotic properties but acts on other body parts as well.
- Dulcamara is slightly narcotic.
- Capsicum is decidedly irritant or acrid.
- Most of them are obese in body structure (Caps., Bell., Hyos., Lycpr., Stram.), with Capsicum Annuum being particularly important for obesity in children.
Mental Picture:
Cheerful: Hyos., Bell., Stram., Caps., Tab.
- Hyos: Cheerful after urination, alternating with irritability.
- Bell: Cheerful at evening hours, night, while eating, and during perspiration.
- Stram: Cheerfulness alternating with irritability, sadness, and weeping.
- Caps: Cheerful during chill.
- Tab: Cheerful.
Delirium: Bell., Hyos., Stram., Dulc., Atro., Caps., Dat.f., Dat.m., Sol.ni., Tab.
- Bell: Throws about arms, desires to bite, talks about dogs, relieved by eating.
- Hyos: Attacks people with a knife, embraces the stove, and wishes to climb on it.
- Stram: Desires to bite, rabid, loquacious, shy, with sleeplessness.
- Atro: Frightful, endeavors to grasp books, raging, restless, violent.
- Dulc: During fever, sorrowful, with sleeplessness.
- Tab: Murmuring to himself, quiet.
Sensitiveness: Bell, Hyos., Atro., Caps., Mand., Stram., Tab.
- Bell: To light, noise, odors, and pain.
- Hyos: To noise.
- Caps: To all external impressions.
- Mand: To noise and odors.
- Stram: To noise and pain.
- Tab: To music.
Fear: Atro., Atro.s., Bell., Caps., Dulc., Hyos., Stram., Tab.
- Atro: Of misfortune.
- Bell: Alternating with mania, of animals (black), impending death, dogs (black), imaginary things, and escape.
- Caps: Of fresh air, full of fear on waking.
- Dulc: Of evil, vaults, churches, and cellars.
- Hyos: Of being alone, bitten, constant fear.
- Stram: Of being alone, animals, attacked, everything black, dark, delusions, doctors, fire, imaginary things, mirrors, noise of rushing water, tunnels, water.
- Tab: Alone at night, in a crowd, impending disease, falling, murder, narrow place, after nausea, noise, people of solitude, work.
Generalities:
- Convulsions: Atro., Bell., Dulc., Hyos., Mand., Sol.crl., Sol.ni., Solin., Stram., Tab.
- Location varies among remedies
- Aetiology and Aggravation factors differ, e.g., Bell has colic during convulsions, while Hyos has eruptions suppressed.
Specific Remedies in Brief:
Atropa Mandragora:
- Tincture of the plant without the root.
- Great desire for sleep.
- Exaggeration of sounds and enlarged vision.
Atropinum:
- Gastric ulcer, pancreatitis.
- Spectral illusions; sees insects and crawling things.
- Difficulty of speech, vomiting.
Datura Arborea:
- Prepared from tincture of the flowers.
- Strange feeling of pleasant and easy comfort.
- Sensation of floating in the clouds.
Datura Ferox:
- Trituration of seeds or tinctures of unripe fruits.
- Raving madness, dancing with music.
- Dryness of the mouth.
Datura Metel:
- Trituration of seeds.
- Delirium, mania, spasms.
- Excessive timidity, and dilatation of pupils.
Hyoscyaminum:
Paralysis agitans from
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