American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

DULCAMARA. Solanum dulcamara.
Synonyms—Bittersweet, woody nightshade.
CONSTITUENTS—
Dulcamarin, solanine, gum, resin, wax.
PREPARATIONS—
Extractum Dulcamarae Fluidum, Fluid Extract of Dulcamara. Dose,
from half to one dram.
Specific Medicine Dulcamara. Dose, from one-half to ten minims.
Potatoes and tomatoes belong to this family, and although the fruit is
edible, the vines are usually poisonous.
Solanine may be obtained from the new sprouts of the ordinary potato.
Physiological Action—This agent is a powerful poison to all living
protoplasm. It coagulates the blood and destroys the integrity of the
corpuscles.
Injected into the veins it causes dyspnea, thrombosis in the vessels and
arrest of respiration. Toxic doses produce tremors, muscular
contractions, central paralysis, collapse, coma, a violent fall of the
temperature and death.
It is a narcotic, and in toxic doses causes nausea, vomiting, faintness,
pain in the joints, numbness of the limbs, dryness of the mouth,
convulsive movements, a small hard pulse, paralysis of the tongue, a
purplish color of the face and hands, twitching of the eyelids and lips,
trembling of the limbs, erythematous eruption, suppression of venereal
desire, though recov. ery has followed after very large doses. Clarus
administered six grains of solanine, which produced general cephalic
distress, with occipital pain, increase of the frequency and loss of the
force of the pulse, followed after some hours by sudden vomiting,
diarrhea, great weakness, and marked dyspnea.
Therapy—Dulcamara is a remedy for all conditions resulting from
suppression of secretion, from exposure to cold and dampness. It will
restore normal excretion and secretion.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 408