Strophanthus Hispidus - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

Strophanthus is a muscle poison; it increases the contractile power of all striped muscles. Acts on the heart, Increasing the systole and diminishes the rapidity. May be used with advantage to tone the heart, and run off dropsical accumulations. In small doses for weak heart; it feels enlarged. In mitral regurgitation, where oedema and dropsy have supervened ( Digitalis Purpurea ^Digit.) Strophanthus occasions no gastric distress, has no cumulative effects, is a greater diuretic, and is safer for the aged, as it does not affect the vaso-motors. In pneumonia and in severe prostration from hemorrhage after operations and acute diseases. After the long use of stimulants; Irritable heart of tobacco-smokers. Arteriosclerosis; rigid arteries of aged. Restores tone to a BRITTLE tissue, especially of the heart muscle and valves. Especially useful in failing compensation dependent upon fatty heart. HIVES. Anaemia with palpitation and breathlessness. Exophthalmia goitre. Corpulent persons.

Stitches Twitchings Increased secretions

Alternations; rapid, with slow pulse; surgings to head and heart; dilated, with contracted pupils, etc

Undulations Throbbing

Fear of ordeals Feels lifted up, during siesta

Vertigo, with swimming vision

Faintness

Very mobile puplis

Glimmering vision

Red spots on face

Throat seems constricted

Craves coffee

Anorexia

Vomiting

Rumbling, colicky diarrhoea; with burning at anus

HEART; sense of lively action; aching; anguish at; weak

Palpitation; chronic, especially nervous

Cardiac dyspnoea

Atheroma

Small, weak, rapid or irregular pulse

Heavy forearms and fingers

Itching feet

Hives; receding

Strophanthus hispidus. Inee. Onaye. Onage. Poison of Pahonias. N. O. Apocynaceae. Tincture of the seeds.

Strophanthus is an ornamental, evergreen, climbing shrub, native of Tropical Africa and Asia. It is used as an Curare ^arrow-poison by natives of Africa. T. R. Fraser experimented with it on animals, and his conclusions are marked (F) in the Schema. Piedvache proved the tincture (C. D. P.), but only with reference to the pulse. His symptoms are marked (P). Gisevius (H. R., xii. 502) proved Strop. Ø, beginning with 5 drops, increasing to 80 drops during the five days of his proving. His symptoms are marked (G). Matthes (ibid. 508) proved Strop. Ø (10 drops), and Strop. 2 (10 drops). His symptoms are marked (M). Some well-marked symptoms were produced on two chemists from preparing the tincture (C. D. P.). Other effects curative and pathogenetic have been observed on patients taking the drug. Strop. disorders the digestion, causes burning in the oesophagus and stomach, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. A. P. Skworzow (H. W., xxix. 534) gave to a dipsomaniac, 63, for weak heart and intermittent Pulse, in 7-drop doses three times a day, an infusion of Strop. The first dose caused nausea, and a repugnance to alcohol which proved to be permanent. The man entirely discontinued the habit. On this hint Strop. was given to two other alcoholics, with the same result of abolishing the taste for alcohol. It caused nausea and profuse sweating, and the sudden withdrawal of alcohol was not attended with delirium. A case of mine illustrates the gastric and cardiac action of the remedy (Dis. of Heart, p. 191) W. G., 16, a delicate-looking boy, was admitted to hospital, having had rheumatic pains about him for three months, and an attack of rheumatic fever two years previously. He had been laid up a month before admission, and a week before was taken with cough, shivering, and occasional vomiting. When admitted he had a frequent, short, dry cough, agg. lying down.

had to be propped up in bed.

had oedema of feet, especially left. Tongue white.

unable to retain any food for three days.

no pain after food, but much flatulence, eructations giving much relief. Heart greatly dilated, pulsation diffused.

double mitral bruit. Dulness at bases of both lungs, moist râles halfway up right lung. Expectoration of bright blood seven days. Strop. Ø, one drop every four hours, was given. Improvement in all the symptoms was immediate.

sickness, cough, haemoptysis, and dropsy all disappeared.

and the heart sounds had cleared up to a large extent when the boy went home, less than three weeks after admission. Hamer mentions that Strop. has cured "functional disturbance of the heart from alcohol, tobacco, and tea." This agrees with the relation of Strop. to alcoholism, and to symptoms of indigestion. A writer (A. H., xxiii. 304) gives his experience with Strop. (in 5-drop doses of 1x tincture) in urticaria.

An accidental proving on a girl of five (H. R., iii. 175) was made through the mother giving twenty drops of the tincture by mistake. Some half an hour later this condition was found Face flushed, lips scarlet, eyes brilliant.

temperature raised, skin dry, tongue normal. Pupils quivering, dilating, and contracting every few seconds. Pulse 140, arteries distended. Heart sounds vigorous, slight regurgitant mitral murmur. Intellect clear.

precociously loquacious during the five hours the poisonous symptoms lasted. An Ipecacuanha ^Ipec. emetic was administered. No urine passed for ten hours after the dose.

Dose

Tincture and 6X potency. In more acute cases, five to ten drops of the tincture three times a day.

Clinical

Alcoholism. Anaemia. Cough. Diplopia. Dropsy; cardiac. Haemoptysis. Heart, affections of. Levitation.

Region

HEART; circulation

Stomach

Kidneys

Characteristics

which again bears out the gastric relations of Strop.) A lady had constant outbursts of urticarial rash dating from exposure to an offensive effluvium from a dead whale cast on the sands. The attacks would recur after drinking a glass of table beer. Strop. cured. Any accompanying cardiac weakness would be an additional indication. The same writer considers Strop. of great service in the anaemia of young girls when palpitation and breathlessness are marked features.