Picrotoxinum
Picrotoxin (from Anamirta cocculus) · Plant · Menispermaceae
Picrotoxinum suits cases of locomotor ataxia, dysentery, and severe intestinal cramps with hernia-like sensations at the inguinal ring. It has been used for the night-sweats of phthisis and in gout.
Key symptoms
- Nausea with tendency to faint
- Violent intestinal pain with dysenteric purging
- Pain as if bowels would protrude at left inguinal ring
- Excessive secretion of urine
- Cramps and paralytic sensations
- Night-sweats in phthisis
- Locomotor ataxia with amaurotic amblyopia
Picrotoxin. An Alkaloid obtained from the fruit of Cocculus indicus. C15H16O6H2O. Trituration.
Clinical
Dysentery. Dyspepsia. Hernia. Locomotor ataxy. Night-sweats. Urine, excess of.
Characteristics
Coc. ind. is used to stupefy fishes, and when Picro. is added to water in which fishes are swimming "they make winding and boring movements of the body, alternating with quiet swimming, open their mouths and gill caverns frequently, fall on their side and rapidly die of asphyxia" (Falk, quoted C. D. P.). J. H. Henry proved Picro. on himself. The symptoms were so severe that he was alarmed, and took Opium and Camphor to antidote them. Nausea with tendency to faint, violent intestinal pain and purging, dysenteric diarrhœa and excessive secretion of urine, cramps and paralytic sensations were experienced. The symptom which gave the most concern was the pain in the bowels and sensation as if the bowels would protrude at left inguinal ring. Brunton says the local application of Picro. as an ointment to the …
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
