Lactifuge Health Dictionary

(Linn.) Ait.

Family: Oleaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated throughout India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, on a large scale in Jaunpur, Kannauj, Ghazipur and Farrukhabad for its fragrant flowers.

English: Arabian Jasmine, Tuscan Jasmine, Double Jasmine.

Ayurvedic: Mallikaa, Madayanti, Madyantikaa, Nava-Mallikaa, Shita-bhiru, Vaarshiki.

Unani: Mograa.

Siddha: Malligai.

Folk: Belaa, Motiaabelaa; Mogaraa (Maharashtra).

Action: Root—emmenagogue, blood purifier. Flowers—lactifuge. Alcoholic extract—hypotensive. Leaves—antibacterial; used against indolent and breast tumours.

The leaves contain the secoiridoid glycosides, jasminin, quercitrin, iso- quercitrin, rutin, quercitrin-3-dirham- noglycoside, kaempferol-3-rhamno- glycoside, mannitol, alpha-amyrin, beta-sitosterol and an iridoid glyco- side, sambacin. The absolute contains several pyridine and nicotinate derivatives.

Dosage: Decoction—50-100 ml. (CCRAS.)... jasminum sambac

Deadly nightshade. Atropa belladonna L. German: Amaryllis. French: Belladonne d’Automne. Spanish: Belladonna. Italian: Amarilli a fiori rosei. Indian: Suchi.

Action. Antispasmodic, antasthmatic, anti-sweat, sedative, lactifuge.

For use by qualified practitioner only.

Uses: Spasmodic asthma; colic of intestines, gall bladder or kidney; spasm of bladder and ureters. Whooping cough, excessive perspiration (night sweats, etc), spermatorrhoea, bed-wetting (dose afternoon and at bedtime), dribbling of saliva in Parkinsonism. The common cold, hay fever, acidity – to inhibit secretion of stomach acid.

Contra-indications. Glaucoma, rapid heart, pregnancy, enlarged prostate. Side-effects – dry mouth, dilated pupils, mental disorientation. Used for a millennia in China as an anaesthetic (Kiangsu – 1719)

Widely used in homoeopathic medicine.

Preparations: Unless otherwise prescribed – up to thrice daily. Dried herb, 50mg in infusion. Tincture, BHC (vol 1). 1:10, 70 per cent ethanol, 0.5ml.

Initial dose recommended per week by British Herbal Compendium, Vol 1; dried leaf, 200mg (max 1g); tincture, 2ml (max 10ml).

A weaker solution may sometimes be used with good effect: 5 drops tincture to 100ml water – 1 teaspoon hourly. (Dr Finlay Ellingwood)

Pharmacy only sale ... belladonna