Hyoscyaminum
Hyoscyamine · Plant · Solanaceae
Hyoscyaminum is a powerful alkaloid of Hyoscyamus niger producing profound effects on the nervous system including delirium, high fever, paralysis of voluntary muscles, and spasm of the ciliary muscle with intense eye pain. It has been used clinically for paralysis agitans after excessive alcohol and tobacco, and for highly excitable nervous children who have been frightened. Both the sulphate and hydrobromate produce similar symptoms.
Key symptoms
- Intense boring pain in eyes from cramp of the ciliary muscle
- Flushed face; arteries throbbing; comatose sleep
- Loss of power of co-ordination; rapid pulse; high fever (106°F)
- Complete relaxation of voluntary muscles with occasional spasmodic movements
- Numbness of body and limbs; dry throat; dim vision; dilated pupils
- Rambling, delirious talk
- Tremors of paralysis agitans; sleeplessness
- Excitable nervous children who have been frightened
Hyoscyamine. A crystalline alkaloid of Hyoscyamus Niger. C17 H23 NO3, Trituration or solution of the sulphate and hydrobromate. (A non-crystallisable alkaloid, Hyoscine, is also used in medicine in the form of the hydrobromate.)
Clinical
Ciliary neuralgia; spasm. Delirium. Fevers. Mania. Nervousness. Paralysis agitans. Sleeplessness. Spinal sclerosis. Throat, sore. Typhus fever. Vision, disordered.
Characteristics
Hyos. sul. is a very powerful poison obtained from Hyos. nig. It is sometimes used by occulists in place of Atropine to dilate the pupils for the purposes of ophthalmoscopic examination, and like Atropine it has the property of causing dryness of the mouth and fauces in some cases. Two cases have been recorded in which, whilst dilating the pupil, it caused intense boring pain in the eyes from cramp of the ciliary muscle. Dr. H. A. Hutchinson, who took gr. 1/4 of Hyos. sul., became flushed, arteries throbbing, lost power of co-ordination, fell into a comatose sleep, pulse 138, respiration 36, …
Phatak's chapter on Hyoscyaminum is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
