Scammonium
Convolvulus scammonia · Plant · Convolvulaceae
Scammonium acts primarily on the gastrointestinal tract, producing drastic catharsis with copious watery evacuations. It is notable for the fact that toxic doses may harm nursing infants through breast milk while the mother experiences no symptoms herself.
Key symptoms
- Copious watery evacuations with considerable griping
- Sudden vomiting and copious green stools
- Distension and sensitiveness of the abdomen
- Rapid succession of stools leaving inactivity of lower intestines for several days
- Inflammation of mucous membrane with loss of appetite and headache
- Green stools with slight pain in stomach
Convolvulus scammonia. Scammony. N. O. Convolvulaceæ. Triturations of the dried milky juice of the root.
Clinical
Diarrhœa. Gastro-enteritis.
Characteristics
Scam. is a drastic cathartic, producing copious watery evacuations, and griping a good deal. Sprengel records a case of fatal poisoning in an infant whose mother took a large quantity of Scam., and herself suffered no effects. Scam. must be compared with Jalap., another purging convolvulus.
11, 12. Stomach and Abdomen
Sudden vomiting and copious green stools, distension and sensitiveness of abdomen and death (in an infant whose nursing mother took a large dose of Scam. and herself experienced no symptoms).─Slight pain in stomach with evacuation of fæces.─Violent pain and rapid succession of stools, leaving inactivity of lower intestines for several days.─Inflammation of mucous membrane attended with loss of appetite and headache.
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
