Hypnosis Health Dictionary

An emotional release caused by the recall of past unpleasant experiences. This is normally the result of psychoanalytical treatment in which psychotherapy, certain drugs, or hypnosis (see HYPNOTISM) are used to e?ect the abreaction. The technique is used in the treatment of anxiety, hysteria, or other neurotic states.... abreaction

The process of producing a state of mind known as hypnosis. Although recognised for hundreds of years, the precise nature of this process is still poorly understood. One modern writer has de?ned hypnosis as ‘a temporary condition of altered attention, the most striking feature of which is greatly increased suggestibility’. There is no evidence, as has been claimed, that women can be more easily hypnotised than men; in fact, children and young adults are the more easily hypnotised, with middle-aged people being more resistant.

Hypnosis is induced by various methods, but the basis of all is some rhythmic stimulus accompanied by the repetition of carefully worded suggestions. The most commonly used method is to ask the patient to ?x his or her eye on a given spot, or light, and then to keep on repeating, in a quiet and soothing voice, that the patient’s eyes will gradually become tired and that he or she will want to close them.

There are various levels of hypnosis, usually classi?ed as light, medium, and deep, and it has been estimated that 10 per cent of people cannot be hypnotised; 35 per cent can be taken into light hypnosis; 35 per cent into medium hypnosis; and 20 per cent into deep hypnosis.

Hypnosis can be used as a treatment for some psychiatric patients and in some people with psychosomatic conditions in which emotional or psychological disturbances precipitate physical disorders such as skin lesions or headaches. Hypnosis may help to relieve pain in childbirth; asthma may also respond to it. Some people may ?nd hypnosis to be of help in overcoming addictions to smoking, alcohol or gambling. The process has associated risks, and its use in treatment should be by doctors trained in the technique.... hypnotism

A sleeplike state in which consciousness is reduced, voluntary actions lessened or absent, and body functions diminished.

Trances are claimed to be induced by hypnosis and have been reported as part of a group experience.

Trances may be a feature of catalepsy, automatism, and petit mal epilepsy.... trance

Royle.

Synonym: A. pindrow Spach. A. webbiana Lindl. var. pindrow Brandis. Pinus pindrow Royle.

Family: Pinaceae.

Habitat: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tehri-Garhwal and other areas of northern India, at altitudes of 2,100-3,600 m.

English: Pindrow-Fir, Silver-Fir, The West-Himalayan Low-Level Fir.

Ayurvedic: Taalisha (related sp.).

Folk: Badar, Morinda, Raisalla, Ransla.

Action: Uses similar to those of A. webbiana.

Terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides and steroids of the leaf were found to have mast cell stabilizing action in rats. Terpenoids and flavonoids offered bronchoprotection against his- tamine challenge in guinea pigs. The ulcer protective action of petroleum ether, benzene and chloroform fraction has been attributed to steroidal contents. Terephthalic acid demethyl ester (TADE), isolated from the leaf, exhibited protection against inflammation and bronchospasm in guinea pigs. Ethanolic extract of leaves showed significant anxiolytic effects on all the paradigms of anxiety, barbiturate hypnosis potentiation.

Pindrolactone, a lanostane-based triterpene lactone, isolated from the leaves, showed mild activity against Gram-positive bacteria but exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria E. coli.... abies pindrow

The performance of acts without conscious will, as, for example, after an attack of epilepsy or concussion of the brain. In such conditions the person may perform acts of which he or she is neither conscious at the time nor has any memory afterwards. It is especially liable to occur when persons suffering from epilepsy, mental subnormality, or concussion consume alcoholic liquors. It may also occur following the taking of barbiturates or PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS. There are, however, other cases in which there are no such precipitatory factors. Thus it may occur following hypnosis, mental stress or strain, or conditions such as FUGUE or somnambulism (see SLEEP). The condition is of considerable importance from a legal point of view, because acts done in this state, and for which the person committing them is not responsible, may be of a criminal nature. According to English law, however, it entails complete loss of consciousness, and only then is it a defence to an action for negligence. A lesser impairment of consciousness is no defence.... automatism

Roxb.

Family: Asclepiadacae.

Habitat: Punjab and South India.

Folk: Khappar-kaddu, Bhuu-tumbi, Paataal-tumbi. Gilothi. Galot (Punjab). Gilodya.

Action: Tuberous root—used for diarrhoea and dysentery.

The fresh tubers are eaten after removing the bitterness by boiling. The bitter principle is an alkaloid, ceropegine. The tuber contains 42.52% starch and possesses refrigerant property.

The aqueous extract of edible Cero- pegia sp. contains steriods, polyphenols, sugars and potassium. It potentiated pentobarbitone hypnosis and exhibited analgesic and diuretic activities. It also antagonized histamine-induced asphyxia in guinea pigs.

C. candelabrum L. var. biflora (L.) M. Y. Ansari, synonym C. biflora L., C. tuberosa Roxb., C. intermedia auct. non-Wt., are also equated with Bhuu- tumbi, Paataal-tumbi.... ceropegia bulbosa

The use of hypnosis as part of a psychological therapy.... hypnotherapy

The treatment of pain, usually with analgesic drugs. Paracetamol, aspirin and codeine are the most widely used drugs in this group. Pain accompanied by inflammation is often alleviated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Severe pain may require treatment with opioids, such as morphine.

Other methods of pain relief include massage, ice-packs, poultices, TENS, acupuncture, or hypnosis. Surgery to destroy pain-transmitting nerves (as in a cordotomy) is occasionally performed when other treatments fail.... pain relief

Bacopa monnieri

Scrophulariaceae

San: Brahmi, Sarasvati;

Hin: Barami, Jalnim;

Ben: Boihim-sak;

Mal: Brahmi , Nirbrahmi;

Tam: Nirpirami, Piramiyapundu; Kan, Mar: Nirbrahmi

Importance: Brahmi or Thyme leaved gratiola is an important drug in Ayurveda for the improvement of intelligence and memory and revitalisation of sense organs. It clears voice and improves digestion. It is suggested against dermatosis, anaemia, diabetes, cough, dropsy, fever, arthritis, anorexia, dyspepsia, emaciation, and insanity. It dispels poisonous affections, splenic disorders and impurity of blood. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, biliousness, neuralgia, ascites, flatulence, leprosy, leucoderma, syphilis, sterility and general debility. The whole plant is used in a variety of preparations like Brahmighrtam, Sarasvataristam., Brahmitailam, Misrakasneham, etc. In unani Majun Brahmi is considered as a brain tonic.

Distribution: The plant grows wild on damp places and marshy lands in the major part of the plains of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other tropical countries.

Botany: Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Pennell. syn. Monniera cuneifolia Michx., Herpestis monniera (Linn.) H.B. & K. belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae. It is a prostrate, juicy, succulent, glabrous annual herb rooting at the nodes with numerous ascending branches. Leaves are simple, opposite, decussate, sessile, obovate-oblong or spatulate, entire, fleshy, obscurely veined and punctate. Flowers are pale blue or whitish, axillary, solitary, arranged on long slender pedicels. Fruits are ovoid, acute, 2-celled, 2-valved capsules and tipped with style base. Seeds are minute and numerous (Warrier et al, 1993).

Agrotechnology: The plant grows throughout the warm humid tropics upto 1200m elevation. Brahmi gets established well in water logged fields. The plant is propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings. Land is prepared by ploughing 2 or 3 times. Two to three tonnes/ha of cowdung or compost is applied and the field is again ploughed and levelled. Stem cuttings, 10cm long are spread at a spacing of 20cm. Waterlogging to height of 30cm is always required. Rooting may start within 15-20 days. It will spread over the field within 6 months. Regular application of organic manure will take care of the manurial requirement. Weeding once in a month is required. Care should be taken to maintain water level at a height of 30cm during the growth period. No serious pests or diseases are noted in this crop. Harvesting commences from sixth months onwards. Brahmi leaves can be collected once a month. After 3 years, the whole crop is harvested and removed. Fresh cultivation can be carried out in the same field.

Properties and activity: Earlier workers have reported the isolation of the alkaloids brahmine and hespestine and a mixture of 3 alkaloids from the leaves. Mannitol and saponins were reported later. Subsequent work described isolation of some C27, C29, and C31 hydrocarbons and betulic acid from this plant material. A systematic examination has resulted in the isolation and identification of two saponins designated as bacosides A and B. Bacoside A has chemical structure represented as 3-(-L-arabinopyranosyl)-O- - D-glucopyranoside-10, 20-dihydroxy-16-ketodammar-24-ene. The mixture of bacosides A and B on hydrolysis give four sapogenins, glucose and arabinose. The constitution of bacogenin A, has been established as 3 -30-dihydroxy-20(5)-25-epoxy-22-methyl-24-nor-dammar-22-en-16-one. Bacogenin A2 has been shown to be an isomer of bacogenin A, differing in configuration at C-20. Bacogenin A4 has been identified as ebelin lactone.

The plant is reported to have shown barbiturate hypnosis potentiation effect. The plant is anticancerous and improves learning ability. It is used as a tranquilliser. The plant is astringent, bitter, sweet, cooling, laxative, intellect promoting, anodyne, carminative, digestive, antiinflammatory, anticonvulsant, depurative, cardiotonic, bronchodialator, diuretic, emmenagogue, sudorfic, febrifuge and tonic (Basu et al, 1947; Rastogi et al 1960).... brahmi

An out-of-date description for a symptom (or symptoms) with no obvious organic cause, which is an unconscious reaction and from which the person may bene?t. It is now recognised as a dissociative disorder: such disorders – AMNESIA, FUGUE, multiple personality states and trancelike conditions – are powerful defence mechanisms against severe stress when a patient is unable to cope with a particular problem or problems. Symptoms can also mimic physical conditions: for example, apparent paralysis or inability to speak (mutism). Mass hysteria is a phenomenon characterised by extreme suggestibility in a group of often emotionally charged people.

The name originates from the ancient idea that hysteria – a Greek-based word for ‘UTERUS’

– was in some way associated with the womb. Hence the old-fashioned association of hysteria with women, and with supposed sexual disturbances. Doctors should make sure there is not a physical disease present to explain the symptoms before diagnosing a dissociative disorder. Most subside spontaneously, but if not, the individual needs psychiatric advice. Treatment is di?cult. Reasons for stress should be explored and, if possible, resolved. Hypnosis (see HYPNOTISM) to help the person to relive stressful episodes – known as ABREACTION – may be of value.... hysteria

(hypno-) combining form denoting 1. sleep. 2. hypnosis.... hypn

n. mental and physical sluggishness: a degree of inactivity and unresponsiveness approaching or verging on the unconscious. The condition results from disease (such as sleeping sickness) or hypnosis.... lethargy

n. *hypnosis based on the ideas of the 18th-century physician Franz Mesmer, sometimes employing magnets and a variety of other equipment.... mesmerism

n. sleep-walking: walking about and performing other actions in a semiautomatic way during sleep without later memory of doing so. It is common during childhood and may persist into adult life. It can arise spontaneously or as the result of stress or hypnosis; it may also be a side-effect of a hypnotic drug. —somnambulistic adj.... somnambulism

n. a hypnotic trance. See hypnosis.... somnolism

(Medic.) Kuntze.

Synonym: K. brasiliensis Cambress. K. spathulata Roxb.

Family: Crassulaceae.

Habitat: Tropical Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan, on Lushai hills and in the Deccan.

Ayurvedic: Parnabija (var.).

Unani: Zakhm-e-Hayaat.

Folk: Rungru, Tatara. Bakalpattaa, Patkuari (Kumaon). Hathokane (Nepal).

Action: Plant—hypotensive, antiarrhythmic.

Aqueous extract of the leaves depressed CNS and potentiated barbiturate-induced hypnosis in mice.

The flowers yielded triterpenoids— friedelin, taraxerol and glutinol and a mixture of long chain hydrocarbons, n-alkanols and sterols. Kaempferol and its 3-O-rhamnoside, patuletin and patuletin-3, 7-di-O-rhamnoside, quer- cetin and quercetin-3-O-glucoside- 7-O-rhamnoside are reported from leaves and flowers.

The leaves exhibit wound healing properties.... kalanchoe integra

Linn.

Family: Fabaceae.

Habitat: Ladakh, at 3,000-4,000 m, also cultivated.

English: Yellow Sweet Clover, Melilot.

Unani: Iklil-ul-Malik, Asaab-ul- Malik, Naakhunaa.

Action: Plant—astringent, wound healer, styptic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, mild analgesic, anticoagulant, spasmolytic. Flower and leaf—diuretic, analgesic, anti- inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant, vasodilator. Seed—used in cold.

Key application: In chronic venous insufficiency. For supportive treatment of thrombophlebitis, haemorrhoids and lymphatic congestion. (German Commission E.) As venotonic, vulnerary. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)

The herb contains coumarin derivatives; flavonoid glycosides, including kaempferol and quercetin. Di- coumarol (melitoxin) is produced when fermentation takes place in me- lilot. Seeds gave canavanin and trigo- nelline. Reported poisonous to horses. The flowers contain the flavonoids, quercetin and myricetin besides kaem- pferol.

The herb has shown increase in venous reflux and improvement in lymphatic kinetics. Animal experiments show an increase in healing wounds. Flower and leaf extracts have shown analgesic activity, prolongation in pento-barbital-induced hypnosis time and smooth muscle relaxant activity in mice; also exhibited hypotensive and vasodilatory activity in rabbit. Dicoumarol is a potent anticoagulant.

In Europe and China, the plant extract is used for inflammations, arthritis, rheumatism, phlebitis, venous insufficiency, haemorrhoids, brachialgia and bronchitis.

The Red Clove is equated with Tri- folium pratense.... melilotus officinalis

Linn. f.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Found in Cuddaph district of Andhra Pradesh, neighbouring areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

English: Red Sandalwood, Red Sanders.

Ayurvedic: Raktachandana, Raktasaara.

Unani: Sandal Surkh.

Siddha/Tamil: Shivappu chandanam.

Folk: Laal-chandan.

Action: Heartwood—antibilious, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, astringent, diaphoretic, febrifuge.

A paste of wood is used externally for inflammations and headache. Fruit—antidysenteric

The heartwood contains terpeno- ids—eudesmol, iso-pterocarpolone, pterocarpol, cryptomeridiol, ptero- carptriol and pterocarpdiolone; pigments santalins A and B. The bark contains triterp enoids—b eta- ampyrone, lupenone and lupeol derivatives. The sapwood gave acetyl oleanolic aldehyde, acetyl oleanolic acid and ery- throdiol.

An ethanolic extract (95%) of the wood powder was found effective in lowering blood sugar levels in fasting, fed, glucose-loaded and streptozotocin diabetic models in rats.

A cream prepared from the metha- nolic extract of the heartwood of Red Sandalwood and rhizomes of Curcuma longa showed 95.46% inhibition of oedema in combination (Curcuma lon- ga and red sandalwood showed 65.62 and 64.14% inhibition respectively, when used individually).

A decoction of the heartwood produced potentiation of pentobarbitone- induced hypnosis in albino mice; blocked conditioned avoidance response in rats and showed anticonvul- sant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Dosage: Heartwood—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. III.)... pterocarpus santalinus

(IBS) A combination of intermittent abdominal pain and constipation, diarrhoea, or bouts of each, that occurs in the absence of other diagnosed disease. affects about 10–20 per cent of adults; it is twice as common in women as in men, usually beginning in early or middle adulthood. It is usually recurrent throughout life but is unlikely to lead to complications.

Symptoms include intermittent cramplike pain in the abdomen, abdominal distension, often on the left side, transient relief of pain by bowel movement or passing wind, sense of incomplete evacuation of the bowels, and excessive wind. Anxiety and stress tend to exacerbate the condition.

If constipation is the main problem, a high-fibre diet or bulk-forming agents, such as bran or methylcellulose, may be helpful.

Short courses of antidiarrhoeal drugs may be given for persistent diarrhoea.

Antispasmodic drugs may be prescribed to relieve muscular spasm.

Hypnosis, psychotherapy, and counselling have proved effective in some cases.... irritable bowel syndrome

Hyacinthus orientalis

FAMILY: Liliaceae

SYNONYMS: Scilla nutans, bluebell.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A much loved cultivated plant with fragrant, bell-shaped flowers of many colours, bright lance-shaped leaves and a round bulb.

DISTRIBUTION: Native to Asia Minor, said to be of Syrian origin. Cultivated mainly in Holland and southern France.

OTHER SPECIES: Closely related to garlic (Allium sativum), onion (A. cepa) and the wild bluebell (H. non scriptus). At one time bluebell essential oil was produced at Grasse in the south of France, which had a fresher and more flowery fragrance.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The wild bluebell bulbs are poisonous; however, the white juice used to be employed as a substitute for starch or glue. ‘The roots, dried and powdered, are balsamic, having some styptic properties that have not fully been investigated.’.

ACTIONS: Antiseptic, balsamic, hypnotic, sedative, styptic.

EXTRACTION: Concrete and absolute by solvent extraction from the flowers. (An essential oil is also obtained by steam distillation from the absolute.)

CHARACTERISTICS: A reddish or greeny brown viscous liquid with a sweet-green, floral fragrance and soft floral undertone. It blends well with narcissus, violet, ylang ylang, styrax, galbanum, jasmine, neroli and with oriental-type bases.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Phenylethyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, eugenol, methyl eugenol and hydroquinone, among others.

SAFETY DATA: No safety data available at present. Most commercial hyacinth is nowadays adulterated or synthetic.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE NERVOUS SYSTEM: The Greeks described the fragrance of hyacinth as being refreshing and invigorating to a tired mind. It may also be used for stress-related conditions, ‘in self-hypnosis techniques … and developing the creative right-hand side of the brain’..

OTHER USES: Used in high class perfumery, especially oriental floral types.... hyacinth