Belladonna - Botanical name, Family, Synonyms, Origin of name, Habitat, Description, Constituents, Toxicity, Poisoning, Physiological action, Historical background, Doctrine of signature, Homoeopathic preparation of Belladonna.

1. DR. ASWIN ANANDH. M
PG SCHOLAR
HOMOEOPATHIC PHARMACY

2. • Botanical name: Atropa belladonna Linn
• Family: Solanaceae
• Synonyms:
English: Deadly nightshade, devil's cherries,
naughty man's cherries, black cherry,
devil's herb, great morel, dwayberry,
divale, dwale, banewort
Hindi : Sag angur
French : Belladone
German : Tollkraut

4. • The word 'Belladonna' is from the Italian
'Bella' whose meaning is 'beautiful' and
'donna' means 'lady'.
• This is probably a reference to the Italian
women who used to dilate their pupils by
placing a drop of belladonna in each eye,
making them more beautiful in the eyes of
Italian men.

6. • One of the most toxic plants in the western
hemisphere
• First botanical description was given by
Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753

7. • Widely distributed over Central and Southern Europe,
South-west Asia and Algeria; cultivated in England,
France and North America.
• Grows well in shady, moist areas with a limestone-rich
(calcareous) soil.
• Specimens growing in sun are apt to be dwarfed.
• When cultivated in the open it is more vulnerable to
insects than when growing wild.
• Best soil: light, permeable and chalky soil.
• Uncommon in England, more rare in modern times.
Sparingly found in twenty-eight British counties, mostly in
waste places, quarries and near old ruins, rare in
Scotland.
• Colonizes disturbed soils and is considered a weed in
some parts of the world

8. • Atropa belladonna is a
branching herbaceous
perennial, often
growing as a
subshrub, from a
fleshy rootstock.
• Plants grow to 1.5
metres (4.9 ft) tall with
18 centimetres (7.1 in)
long ovate leaves.

9. • The bell-shaped
flowers are tyrian
purple with green
tinges and faintly
scented.
• The fruits are berries, which
are green ripening to a
shiny black, and
approximately 1 cm (0.39in)
in diameter.
• The berries are sweet and
are consumed by animals
that disperse the seeds in
their droppings, even
though the seeds contain

10. • The main constituents of Atropa belladonna are the
alkaloids hyoscyamine, scopolamine [also named
hyoscine], atropine [d,l-hyoscyamine], and traces
of nicotine.
• The seeds are richest in alkaloids, followed by the
roots and the leaves, respectively.
• Small quantities of volatile bases – Pyridine, N-
methyl pyrroline.
• Leaves contain a fluorescent substance
β-methylaesculetin (scopoletin) and calcium
oxalate
CONSTITUENTS

11. • Atropine increases firing of the sinoatrial node (SA) and
conduction through the atrioventricular node (AV) of the
heart, opposes the actions of the vagus nerve, blocks
acetylcholine receptor sites, and decreases bronchial
secretions.
• In general, atropine lowers the parasympathetic activity
of all muscles and glands regulated by the
parasympathetic nervous system. This occurs because
atropine is a competitive antagonist of the muscarinic
acetylcholine receptors (acetylcholine being the main
neurotransmitter used by the parasympathetic nervous
system). Therefore, it may cause swallowing difficulties
and reduced secretions.

12. • Hyoscyamine is an anticholinergic, specifically an
antimuscarinic, working by blocking the action of
acetylcholine at parasympathetic sites in smooth muscle,
secretory glands and the CNS.
• It also increases cardiac output, dries secretions, and
antagonizes serotonin.
• At comparable doses, hyoscyamine has 98 per cent of
the anticholinergic power of atropine.
• The other major belladonna-derived drug scopolamine
has 92 per cent of the antimuscarinic potency of atropine.

13. • Scopolamine exerts its effects by acting as a competitive
antagonist at muscarinic acetylcholine receptors,
specifically M1 receptors; it is thus classified as an
anticholinergic, anti-muscarinic drug.

14. • Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants found in the
Western hemisphere.
• All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids.
• The berries pose the greatest danger to children because they
look attractive and have a somewhat sweet taste.
• The consumption of two to five berries by children and ten to
twenty berries by adults can be lethal.
• The root of the plant is generally the most toxic part, though
this can vary from one specimen to another.
• Ingestion of a single leaf of the plant can be fatal to an adult.

15. • Dilated pupils
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred vision
• Tachycardia
• Loss of balance
• Staggering
• Headache
• Rash
• Flushing
• Dry mouth and throat
• Slurred speech
• Urinary retention
• Constipation
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Delirium
• Convulsions.

16. • This agent, when applied locally, diminishes the
sensibility of the sensory nerves, and when
absorbed it produces systemic effects.
• Taken internally, it lessens the secretions, and as a
result there is dryness of the mucous surfaces. This
is brought about by paralysis of the peripheral nerve
endings.
• At first the pulse is retarded, but it is quickly
accelerated and rendered firmer, while the arterial
tensions is increased.
• The heart muscle is stimulated but if it is over-
stimulated it then becomes weak.

17. • Full doses stimulate the brain and many produce
hallucinations and a delirium, which may be mild,
joyful, talkative, or of a violent type; accompanying
these there are frequently spectral illusions.
• The reflexes at first are slightly stimulated, while later
they are diminished.
• There may be complete motor paralysis.
• The sensory nerves are depressed, especially from
a local application of the drug.

18. • The respirations are quickened and rendered deeper
by medicinal doses; while poisonous doses, by over-
stimulating, soon result in exhaustion and paralysis
of the respiratory centers, and the breathing
becomes shallow and asphyxia and death may
result.
• The bodily heat is increased.
• It dilates the pupil and increases intra-ocular tension,
occasions vertigo and turgescence of the face.
• Assimilation is impaired.
• It is rapidly absorbed and is eliminated by the
kidneys and bowels.

19. • Folklore - Belladonna was believed to help witches to fly. Its
other name "belladonna" (beautiful woman) is thought to refer to
its use by Italian women to dilate the pupils of their eyes.
• Relaxant - Belladonna is prescribed to relax distended organs,
especially the stomach and intestines, relieving intestinal colic
and pain. It helps peptic ulcers, and it relaxes spasms of the
urinary tubules.
• Parkinson's disease - Belladonna can be used to treat the
symptoms of Parkinson's disease's, reducing tremors and
rigidity, and improving speech and mobility.
• Anesthetic - The smooth muscle relaxant properties of
belladonna make it useful in conventional medicine as an
anesthetic, particularly when digestive or bronchial secretions
need to be kept to a minimum.
• The tropane alkaloids of A. belladonna were used as poisons
and made poisonous arrow to kill

20. • Scottish troops used it during a truce to subdue the
invading Danes.
– Legend: Scottish troops put belladonna into
enemies’ liquor supply
– Waited for enemies to fall asleep and then kill
them
• Cosmetics: Spanish and Italian Women
• Extracts used as eye drops to dilate pupils,
giving pupils a more intense, hypnotic, and
attractive appeal
HISTORY AND USES

21. • Belladonna plant grows nicely in soil containing calcium
carbonate. So Calcarea carb is complementary to
belladonna.
• The flowers of this plant are bloated in appearance & this
can be used for bloated condition of congestions.
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

22. PROVER: DR. SAMUEL
HAHNEMANN
Parts used: The whole plant when beginning to flower.
Preparation:
• Class I (old method)
• New method
(a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Belladonna in course powder 100 g
Purified water 567 ml
Strong Alcohol 470 ml
To make one litre of the Mother Tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part Mother Tincture, four
parts Purified Water, five parts StrongAlcohol;
3x and higher with DispensingAlcohol.

23. • Belladonna is a great pain remedy.
• Patient is not thirsty, especially in fever.
• Belladonna patients aggravated by touch jar and motion,
drought of air and heat of sun.
• Sensitiveness to touch of affected part is very well
marked in this great remedy. Cannot bear to be touched
anywhere.
• Great dryness runs through the whole of this remedy.
• Acute, sudden and violent onset is very characteristic
of this drug.

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