Belladonna

Introduction of Belladonna

Common name:

• Atropa belladonna, Deadly nightshade. [5] 

Synonyms:

• Common Dwale [5]

Family / Group / Class / Order: 

• Solanaceae family 
• Vegetable Kingdom [5]

Habit and habitat / Description: 

• Belladonna plant is found in central and southern Europe, specially Greece, Italy and Britain. Also cultivated in Kashmir. This plant grows in shady places. 
• It is a large bushy, perennial herb. 
• The leaves are alternate below and in pairs above, one bigger than the other 
• The flowers are axillary, stalked, solitary and drooping. 
• Stem is 1 to 1.6 metres high. 
• It is erect, cylindrical and smooth. 
• Flowers are reddish-purple in colour; flowers are bell shaped and appear from May to August.  
• The roots are thick, juicy and pale brown in colour. [5] 

Name of prover:

• Dr. Samuel Hahnemann [1]

Introduction and history: 

• Belladonna is a well-known homeopathic polychrest acute remedy. 
• It is known to the world since 1500 AD. 
• The word ‘atropa’ is derived from a Greek word ‘atropos’ meaning inflexible, the name of the Greek god who cuts the thread of life and probably alludes to the poisonous effects of the drug. 
• The word ‘belladonna’ is a combination of two Latin words ‘bella’ and ‘donna’. 
• ‘Bella’ means beautiful and ‘donna’ means lady that is, beautiful lady. 
• The Italian ladies of olden days used this plant as a cosmetic to brighten their eyes and flush their cheeks due to its alkaloidal properties. 
• Its mydriatic properties were first recorded in 1802. 
• The analgesic property was not recognized till 1860. 
• Dr Hahnemann introduced this drug to homeopathic practice. It causes turmoil in the brain.[5] 

Parts used:

• The whole plant when it begins to flower is used in the preparation of the mother tincture. [5]

Active principles: 

• The active principles are atropine and hyoscyamine. 
•  The other less important being belladonnine, scopolamine and apoatropine.  
• The leaves also contain a fluorescent substance, beta methyl aesculetin. [5]  

Preparation:

HOMEO., Mother tincture from the entire fresh plant; and dilutions. U. S.P. Belladonna Folia, Belladonna Radix, and the Fluidextract of both of these.[3] 

Constitution of Belladonna

Belladonna is best suited to those having a lymphatic constitution with fine complexion and a delicate skin. Bilious plethoric people with a red face; local plethora. 

Physical make up :

• Red face, with throbbing of carotids

Temperament :

• Nervous, lymphatic and bilious

Diathesis :

• Tubercular 

Relation with heat & cold :

• Very chilly patient 

Miasm :

• Psora 

Clinical conditions of Belladonna

In Homeopathy Belladonna medicine use by Homeopathic Doctors in treatment of following Disease Conditions

• Abscess, Boil: It is indicated when the abscess or boil has a red tip 
• Epistaxis: Epistaxis or Bleeding from the nose. Even a small injury in the Little’s area can cause bleeding. Bright red bleeding comes under control with Belladonna 30, 2 pills 4 times a day. 
• Fever, Convulsions: High fever with convulsion of children. One dose of Belladonna 1M cures the same day 
• Tonsillitis: Right-sided tonsillitis where the tonsils appear fiery red, with sudden shooting of temperature and red lips, Belladonna 30 works wonderfully 

Sites of action / Pharmacodynamics

• Brain, nerve centers, mucous membranes, blood vessels, glands, eyes, right side, throat, tonsils, heart, cardiovascular system, etc. [5] 

Causation (Causes / Ailments from)

• Yet Master Kent said plethoric, vigorous, intellectual or brainy people have complaints suddenly. [1] 
• Exposure to sun, heat of sun, from suppression of catarrhal flow, riding in cold wind, cold bathing, from a haircut, etc. [5] 

Physiological action

• C. N. S.: Motor and sensory paralysis.  
• Circulation:  Stimulates the cardio-inhibitory centers Contracts the capillaries. 
• Temperature: Elevated from one to three degrees. 
• Pneumogastric Nerve: Respiratory center stimulates. 
• Muscles of hollow viscera: Paralysis. 
• Kidneys: Congestion. 
• Urinary bladder: Sphincter paralysed. 
• Generative organs: Congestion, Arrested secretion. 
• Glands: Inflammation, Arrested secretion. 
• Skin:  Erysipelatous inflammation, Copious perspiration. 
• Eye: Inflammation, Mydriasis. 
• Mucous membranes: Secretions entirely arrested. [1] 

Patho-physiological changes / Pathogenesis

• Acts through the cerebrospinal nervous system upon the circulation, respiratory and nervous systems, producing, intense cerebral and nervous excitement, redness and congestion of the skin, throbbing carotids, headache and delirium. [4] 

Characteristic mental symptoms (psychology) of Belladonna

• It is one of Nash’s Trios of Delirious remedies; violent delirium, disposition to bite, spit, strike and tear things.  
• Imagines he sees ghosts, hideous faces, various insects and black animals, like wolves, dogs, wild animal, etc. 
• Excitement and violence run through the remedy.  
• Furious rage, anger, loud laughing and grinding of teeth. 
• There is complete loss of consciousness, constant desire to come out of bed. 
• Anxiety with a desire to flee.  

Fear

• of imaginary things, wants to run away from them.  
• Desire to escape or to hide; uses absurd languages.  
• Great excitement, delirium with picking at the bed-clothes and tearing or throwing them off. 
• Great fear of unusual and imaginary things, strange delusion with loss of consciousness. 

Absent-minded

• and forgetful, impaired memory, forgets in a moment what he was about to do. 
• At one time merry, again sad. Would spit and bite at those around. Thinks himself suddenly rich. [5] 

Guiding Symptoms of Belladonna

1 Generalities of Belladonna

• There is severe chill in the evening mostly on arms with heat of head. [1] 

Spheres of Action

• Belladonna acts upon nerve centres producing twitching, convulsions and pain.  
•  Its action upon the brain causes furious excitement and perversion of special senses.  
• Circulation in blood vessels and capillaries becomes active causing congestion, throbbing, and dilatation of arteries.  
•  Mucous membranes become dry.  
•  Its effects are sudden and violent.  

•  Burning Heat, Bright Redness and Dryness are very marked. 

   
•  HOT; body, part, discharges etc.  
•  Redness occurs, in streaks.  
•  Severe Neuralgic Pain, that comes and goes suddenly. 
• Discharges are hot and scanty.  
• Spasms; Shocks; Jerks and Twitching.  
•  Constrictions occur in parts of the body like throat, vagina etc. or in whole body.  

Sensitive

• to LIGHT, NOISE; JARRING.

• Epileptic attacks are followed by nausea and vomiting.  
•  Convulsions commence in the arm.  
• Spasms are followed by prolonged unconsciousness.  
• Throws body forwards and backwards; chorea.  
• Acts as a prophylactic in scarlet fever.  
•  Exophthalmic goitre, with extreme thyroid toxaemia. [6] 

2 Head of Belladonna

• Headache, relieved by wrapping up the head, and by pressure. [1] 
• Throbbing, Hammering, Headache worse temples, worse motion. 
• Better letting hair down; laying the hand on head; bending head backwards. 
• Feeling in the brain like swashing of water.  
• It rises and falls in waves.  
• Cold sensation in head at the middle of the forehead. 
• Vertigo worse stooping and rising from stooping.  
• Hydrocephalus, with boring of head in the pillows. 
• Hairs split, are dry and come out.  
• Rolls head. Pulls her hair. Meningitis.  
• Sunstroke.  
• Pains go downward from head.  
• Head sensitive to drafts and cold, or washing hair.  [6] 

3 Eye of Belladonna

• Pupils Dilated. 
• Eyes, sparkling, prominent, staring. Red conjunctiva. 
• Fiery, red, vivid hallucinations; even on closing the eyes.  
• Attacks of blindness, then yellow vision. 
• Sees red flashes before vision.[6] 
• Photophobia.  
• Diplopia.
• Triplopia.  
• Moon light blindness.  
• Sensation as if eyes were half closed.  
• Eyelids; feel sore, congested and swollen.  
• Exophthalmos.  
• Lachrymation like brine.  
• Lines appear crooked when reading [7] 

4 Ears of Belladonna

• Pain causes delirium; child cries out in sleep.  
• Otitis media.  
• Autophony  
• Hearing one’s voice in the ear.  
• Haematoma.  
• Noises in ears.[7] 

5 Nose of Belladonna

• Red; swollen.  
• Imaginary odours; odour of tobacco intolerable.  
• Bleeding from nose, with flushed face [7] 

6 Face of Belladonna

• Fiery; RED; turgid and hot; or becomes pale and red alternately. 
• Semi lateral swelling of the face. 
• Spasmodic distortion of mouth. 
• Convulsive motions of muscles of face. 
• Facial neuralgia, with twitching of muscles and flushed face. 
• Lower jaw, as if drawn backwards.  [6] 

7 Mouth of Belladonna

• DRY., HOT., Tongue; red, hot, swollen.  
• Edges of tongue red.  
• Strawberry tongue.  
• Red streak in middle of tongue, wider at tip.  
• Grinding of the teeth.  
• Tongue hands out of the mouth (children).  
• Forepart of the tongue cold and dry.  
• Toothache amel. biting.  
• Chewing motions of the mouth as though chewing or sucking.  
• Stammering speech.  
• Lock-jaw.  
• Hot breath.[7] 

8 Throat of Belladonna

• DRY and HOT. 
• Tonsils enlarged. 
• Tonsillitis worse right side. 
• Urging to swallow, with choking. 
• Throat feels constricted. 
• Swallowing difficult; Drinks in sips 
• Must take a drink to swallow solid food. 
• When swallowing, bends head forward and lifts up knees. 
• Clutches at, during epilepsy.[6] 

9 Stomach of Belladonna

• Desire for lemonade or lemons (which agree).  
• Distaste for meat, acids, coffee, milk, beer.  
• Vomits everything, with paleness and weakness.  
• Great thirst for cold water.  
• Dread of drinking.  
• Spasmodic hiccough, with sweat and convulsions.  
• Pain in stomach extending to shoulder and throat agg. pressure.[7] 

10 Abdomen of Belladonna

• Pressing downwards as if the contents of abdomen would issue from the vulva. Relieved by standing & sitting erect. [1] 
• Distended, hot agg. touch of bedclothes.  
• Cutting pain in epigastrium amel. bending backwards.  
• Transverse colon distends and protrudes, like a pad, during abdominal colic.  
• Cramp and colic, as if a hand has clutched some part. – Acute pain in liver region, extending to shoulder and neck agg. lying on it. 
• Clawing pain around the navel.  
• Downward forcing in abdomen as if all the viscera would protrude through genitals. 
• Acute prolapsus ani.  

Stools;

• green, dysenteric or contain chalky lumps.  
• Involuntary stools.  
• Piles, with back pain as if breaking.  
• Pain in splenic region agg. sneezing, coughing, touch. [7] 

11 Rectum & Anus of Belladonna

• Tenesmus; constant straining, alternating with painful contractions of anus. 
• Constipation. [8] 

12 Stool of Belladonna

• Stool sometimes bloody. 
• Diarrhoea, greenish, sometimes involuntary. [8] 

13 Urinary Organ of Belladonna

• Involuntary urination, on lying down; or when standing, or at night; when sleepy, during day. Retention of urine; with paralysis of bladder; post-partum.  
• Fiery red urine; frequent and profuse urination.  
• Haematuria without pathological conditions.  
• Sensation in bladder as if a worm were turning in, without desire to micturate. [7] 

14 Sexual Organ of Belladonna

Male: 

• Testicles; hard, drawn up, inflamed.  
• Sweat on genitals.  
• Soft painless tumour on glans.  

Female  

• Menses; bright, red, with clots, too early, too profuse, hot, gushing, offensive.  
• Metritis.  
• Rigidity of the os.  
• Violent bearing down towards genitals, as if everything would fall out, amel. standing and sitting erect agg. lying down.  
• Mastitis: pain throbbing, redness, streaks radiate from the nipples.  
• Breast; heavy, hard and red.  
• Lochia; diminished, hot offensive.  
• Useful in confinement of women who have their children late in life.  
• Leucorrhoea, with colic.  
• Labour pains come and go suddenly; or ceasing [7] 

15 Respiratory System of Belladonna

• Attack of cough ends in sneezing. [1] 
• Tickling, short, dry cough worse night.  
• Larynx very painful, feels as if foreign body were in it, with cough. 
• Cough worse fine dust in air.  
• Child cries before cough.  
• Cough worse yawning.  
• High piping voice.  
• Barking cough or voice.  
• Whooping cough, with pain in stomach before attack; with haemoptysis. 
• Cheyne‐Stokes respiration.  
• Moaning at every breath. Difficult, short quick respiration.  
• Asthma in hot damp weather. [6]

16 Heart & Pulse of Belladonna

• Throbbing in carotid and temporal arteries. 
• Pulse full, hard, tense. Violent palpitation, with laboured breathing. 
• Bubbling at the region of the heart. [6] 

17 Neck & Back of Belladonna

• Stiff neck and shoulder (right).  
• Swelling of glands in the nape of the neck.  
• Back feels broken.  
• Lumbago, with pain in hips and thighs. 

18 Extremities of Belladonna

• Pains relieved by lying on painful side; and by absolute rest. [1] 
• Jerks or spasms in limbs.  
• Joints, swollen, red, shining; with red streaks radiating.  

• Heaviness and paralytic feeling in limbs.  
• Cold extremities.  
• Involuntary limping.  
• Phlegmasia alba dolens.  
• Trembling of limbs.  
• Weakness and tottering gait.  
• Lies or sits with feet crossed, cannot uncross them. [7] 

19 Skin

• Bright, Red, glossy.  
• Dry and hot.  
• Alternate paleness and redness of skin.  
• Intense dermatitis.  
• Scarlatina.  
• Erysipelas.  
• Boils, returning every spring. 

20 Sleep of Belladonna

• Sleepy but cannot sleep. [1] 
• Moans and tosses about in sleep.
• Jerks During Sleep.
• Frightful dreams of quarrels, fire, robbers, assassins.
• Sees frightful visions on closing eyes.
• Sleeps with hands under the head.
• Heavy sleep with hot skin [7] 

21 Fever

• Generally, the patient is not thirsty, esp. in fever. [1] 
• High fever with comparative absence of toxaemia.  
• Internal coldness, with external pungent, burning, steaming heat HOT HEAD, with cold limbs. 
• Skin hot; but moist and dry alternately. 
• No thirst with fever. [6] 

Important characteristic features of Belladonna

Fever:  

• It is a very useful remedy for fever. 

Causations

• Fever is due to exposure to cold winds, draught of air, summer, by uncovering the head, from a haircut. Fever starts with severe chill in the evening. 
• Symptoms come suddenly and violently. 
• Chill and heat often alternate. Extremities are usually cold, sudden rise of temperature with violent delirium, headache, throbbing carotids with a red face and increased pulse. 
• Generally, dryness of the mouth but there is no thirst.  
• Chill not relieved by heat. Temperature rises at 3 pm.  
• Eyes red and glistening, skin is hot and burning. 
• The fever is worse at night. 
• Along with delirium there is confusion of mind, anxiety with furious and violent mania, convulsions in teething children with high fever. 
• Restlessness in sleep. Patient is sleepy but cannot sleep. [5]

Headache: 

• Belladonna is the first remedy that comes to mind in headache.  

Causations

• Headache is due to a haircut, exposure to cold, by the heat of the sun, from suppression of catarrhal flow and congestion.  
• Headache starts suddenly and violently on the right side in the region of the forehead. 
• Headache is periodical, nervous and congestive. 
• Throbbing pain in the brain.  
• Jerking headache as if a weight were in the occiput.  
• Violent shooting pains in the head driving the patient almost wild.  
• There is aggravation from bending the head forward.  

Vertigo

• with falling to the left side or backwards. 
• Pain worse from light, noise, jar, lying down and in the afternoon, better by pressure and in semierect position; boring of head into the pillow. 
•  Redness of face and eyes with burning due to congestion. [5] 

Tonsillitis: 

• It stands at the head of the list of remedies in tonsillitis or quinsy.  
• There is redness and inflammation of the throat.  
• Swelling starts from the right tonsil and then goes to the left side.  
• There is difficulty in swallowing fluids when the patient attempts to drink; the moment water touches the faces, it is ejected; the tonsils rapidly suppurate and sharp pains shoot through to the tonsils. 
• There is also high temperature and restless sleep.  
• Glands of the neck externally involved.  
• They become hard and very sensitive. 
• Mouth and throat are dry without thirst. 
• Uvula is red, swollen, very painful with burning. 
• Constant urging and desire to swallow. 
• Sensation of a lump in the throat. Hypertrophy of mucous membranes. [5]

Violent congestion and inflammation:  

• Congestion of the brain and meninges, indicated by violent headache, pressure and delirium together with a flushed face, throbbing carotids and bounding pulse. 
• Bounding pulse is the chief characteristic symptom. 
• In all local congestions and inflammations, as they are about to localize, or after localization has taken place; Belladonna works before pus is formed. 
• It is an excellent remedy in the first stage of boils and abscesses, and will often promote resolution and prevent suppuration.[5] 

Keynotes / Physical particular: 

• Sudden violent onset.  
• Red face, with throbbing of carotids.  
• Violent delirium, wants to bite, spit, strike, tear things.  
• Sleepy but cannot sleep.  
• Pains come suddenly go suddenly.  
• The transverse colon protrudes like a pad. 

Confirmatory: 

• Sudden violent onset of conditions.  
• Bright redness, burning heat, dryness.  
• Congestion of face with throbbing carotids.  
• Pains are throbbing, sharp, cutting, shooting.  
• Sensitive to light, noise, jarring.  
• Generally, < 3 p.m.  
• Condition associated with violent delirium. 

Nucleus symptoms: 

• Useful in all forms of disorders which are congestive, intense, often characterized by throbbing pains or pulsation. 
• Women and children with light hair, blue eyes, fine complexion, delicate skin, sensitive, nervous, threatened, with convulsions, tuberculous patient. 
• Intelligent, plethoric persons, who are jovial and entertaining when well, but violent and delirious when sick. 
• He is acutely alive and crazed by a flood of subjective visual impressions and fantastic illusions. 
• Hot, red skin, flushed face, glaring eyes, throbbing carotids, pulse full, bounding, globular, like buckshot striking the finger, excited mental state, hyperaesthesia of all senses, delirium, restless sleep, convulsive movements, dryness of mouth, throat, with aversion to water, neuralgic pains that come and go suddenly. 

PQRS: 

• Headache, relieved by wrapping up the head & pressure. 
• Pains relieved by lying on painful side and rest. 
• The patient is not thirsty, esp. in fever. 
• Attack of cough ends in sneezing. 
• Severe chill in the evening on arms with heat of head. 
• Sleepy but Cannot Sleep 

Therapeutic Value of Belladonna

• Abdominal affections, Abscesses, Aphonia, Apoplexy, Appendicitis, Boils, Carbuncles, Conjunctivitis, Convulsions, Cough, Delirium, Diphtheria, Disorders of pregnancy. 
• Dysentery, Eclampsia, Encephalitis, Epilepsy, Erysipelas, Facial paralysis, Fever, Gall stone colic, Glandular affections, Haemorrhage, Headache, Heart troubles, Hyperaemia, Insomnia, Jaundice, Laryngitis, Loss of voice, Lung affections. 
• Measles, Meningitis, Menstrual disorders, Myelitis, Nocturnal enuresis, Otitis media, Plague, Pleurisy, Rheumatism, Scarlet fever, Septicaemia, Skin affections, Spasms, Tonsillitis, Vertigo, Whooping cough, etc. [5] 

Modalities of Belladonna

Aggravation:

• From cold winds, heat of sun, draft of air, light, noise, touch, motion, strong smell, uncovering the head, lying on painful side, after 3 pm, after midnight, bending the head forward, stooping, looking at bright shining objects, while drinking, etc. 

Amelioration:

• From standing or sitting erect, rest, in a warm room, covering the head, etc. [5] 

Remedy Relationship of Belladonna

Complimentary

• Calc. 

Follows Well

• Ac.mur, Acon, Ars, Cact, Calc, Cham, Carb-v, Chin, Con, Curare, Hep, Hyos, Lach, Merc, Mosch, Merc-i-r, Nux, Puls, Rhus, Sep, Sil, Stramo, Sulph, Seneg, Valer, Verat. 

Inimical

• Dulc, Acet-ac

Antidoted By

• Acon, Camph, Coff, Hep, Hyos, Merc, Op, Puls, Sabad, Vinum. 

It Antidotes

• Camph, Coff, Hep, Hyos, Op, Puls, Sabad.

Comparison

• Sleepy but cannot sleep: Bell, Cham, Op. 
• Aggravation by a haircut: Bell, Glon, Acon. 
• Aggravation by bending forward: Bell, Nux-v, Kalm [5] 

Dosage of Belladonna

Potency & Repetition

• First to thirtieth potency and higher. Must be repeated frequently in acute diseases. [2] 

Duration of action

• 1 to 7 days 

References of Belladonna

[1] Synoptic Memorizer Materia Medica 

[2] Materia Medica by Boericke W. 

[3]A Manual of Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacology by Blackwood, Alexander Leslie 

[4] Homoeopathic Materia Medica for Nurses with Introductory Chapters on The Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy – 2 By Benjamin C 

[5] J.D. Patil Materia Medica 

[6] PHATAK S. R., Materia Medica of Homeopathic Medicines 

[7] MM of Homeopathy Medicine by Pathak 

[8] A Primer of Materia Medica by T. F. Allen.

Homeopath – Doctor