Oenanthe crocata

It is commonly known as water dropwort. It is belongs to umbelliferae family. It is large stout erect plant. It grows up to 50 to 150 cm in height. Its stems are thick and much branched. Root is tuberous 2-3 cm in diameter, sweet by taste but poisonous. Leaves are 30 cm long in 3-4 pinnate, segments. Flowers are 2mm in diameter with outer petals unequal. Fruits are 4-6mm by size cylindrical.

It is distributed in Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal and England.

It contains an acrid emetic principle (resin), essential oil. monoterpene hydrocarbons, rans-β-ocimene, sabinene and cis-β-ocimene are essential oils of the Oenanthe crocata.

Its root is used for mother tincture preparation. It is covered by Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India as well as Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of United States.

It has effect on epileptiform convulsion, worse during menstruation and pregnancy. Convulsion of facial muscle with twitching.It is also serviceable in leprosy and ichthyosis. It is indicated in those cases which, instead of fullness of the capillary vessels of the brain and spinal cord, there is anaemia of these organs more or less marked. In the recent study it has been found that Oenanthe crocata extrat has antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as the cytotoxicity. Essential oils of the Oenanthe crocata, monoterpene hydrocarbons, rans-β-ocimene, sabinene and cis-β-ocimene are found inhibitory against dermatophytes and Cryptococcus neoformans. Regarding the anti-inflammatory activity, both the oil and sabinene demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory activity through nitric oxide production inhibition in lipopolysaccharide and interferon gamma triggered macrophages.

Recommended dose: First to Sixth potency

Caution: Overdose may cause chills, debility, dizziness, teitching colonic spasm; Headache is initial symptom of overdose.

References:
1. Andrew Chevallier, TheEncyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, 1st Edition, 1996, Dorling Kindersley, London.
2. P. N. Varma, InduVaid, Encyclopaedia of Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia, Updated edition 2007, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi
3. The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
4. W. Boericke, New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica& Repertory [with Relationship of Remedies], Second Re-Augmented & Revised Edition Based on Ninth Edition, Reprint Edition 2002, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi
5. J.Valente, M.Zuzarte, M.J.Gonçalvesa, M.C.Lopes, C.Cavaleiro, L.Salgueiro, M.T.Cruz, Antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Oenanthe crocata L. essential oil, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 62, December 2013, Pages 349-354.