Solanum nigrum

Solanum nigrum

(Black Nightshade)

Botanical name : Solanum Nigrum Linn.

Family: Solanaceae

Common Name: Hindi: Makoi; English: Black nightshade

Part used: Whole plant with berries including roots.

 Distribution:   India, Ceylon.  All temperate and tropical regions of the world.

Clinical

Amaurosis. Chorea. Headache. Heartburn. Hydrocephalus. Mania. Meningitis. Night-terrors. Parotitis. Peritonitis. Puerperal convulsions. Scarlatina. Stammering. Tetanus. Trismus. Tympanites. Typhoid fever. Varicosis. Vertigo. Ulcers.

Indications

Head

·         Used with success in ergotism, with tetanic spasms and stiffness of whole body, with mania.²

·         Marked action on head and eyes. ²

·         Brain irritation during dentition. ²

·          Restlessness of a violent and convulsive nature. ²

·         Vertigo; terrible headache and complete cessation of the mental faculties. ²

·         Congestive headache. ²

·         The headaches of Sol-n. are described as "frightful." They are splitting, throbbing, bursting, piercing and are worse by least movement of head, light, noise, stooping, by least movement after sitting. There is very great sensitiveness to cold air, but headache is worse in a warm room and better in open air.⁵

·         Peculiar Sensations are: Brain as if swimming. As if things moving in a circle, when stooping. As if bed turning rapidly in a circle. As if brain shaking about in skull, on moving head.³

·         Hale justly points out the close affinity of Sol. n. with Bell. - Delirium, headache, flushed face, sparkling eyes, pains coming and going suddenly, fiery rashes, burning skin and sweat.³

Eyes

·         Eyes : red; full and tense; dull and heavy; burning; very sensitive to light; sensation as if sand in them.³ Pain : over left eye; severe in supraorbital region on waking in morning; agg. motion and stooping; heavy, bruised sensation.³

Nose

·         Acute coryza; profuse, watery discharge from right nostril; left stopped up, with chilly sensation, alternating with heat²

Skin

·         A curious feature of the skin effects of the Black nightshade is that they have a tendency to blackness: "The swelling is very painful, it enlarges, becomes shiny, hard, and deep red; and in several places, quite black."  &c. "The tip of the nose, the hands, from the finger-tips to the knuckles, and the toes to the tarsal joints become quite black as if regularly dyed." Corresponding to the black appearance is a bruised feeling all over the body.³

References:

1.       Allen T.F., Encyclopedia of pure materia medica

2.       Boerricke W., Homoeopathic materia medica

3.       Clarke, J. H, A dictionary of practical materia medica

4.       K. M. Nadkarni, Dr. K. M. Nadkarni's Indian materia medica

5.     Murphy R, Homoeopathic remedy guide

6.       Shojaii A. , Fard M. A. (2012), Review of Pharmacological Properties and Chemical Constituents of Pimpinella anisum, ISRN Pharm. 2012; 2012: 510795., Published online 2012 Jul 16. doi:  10.5402/2012/510795, Accessed online 18-1-16,  at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3405664/

7.       Varma R N, Vaid I, Encylcopaedia of homoeopathic pharmcopoeia