Aethusa cynapium

The name Aethusa cyanapium has been derived from the Arabic term ‘ai’ which means ‘to burn’. The plant’s penchant to cause rawness and burning was the reason for this name. its common name is fool’s parsley. It resembles parsley (Petroselinum crispum) in its look. When it is rubbed, it produces a nauseous smell. It is an annual poisonous herb growing upto 60 cm in height. Root spindle shaped, stem erect and quite smooth, hollow and sometimes striped, often branched in a zigzag; leaves shining, dark green in colour, but light coloured on the undersurface and twice or thrice pinnatifid; the umbel without involucre and with three leaved pendulous involucre which distinguishes this from the garden parsley.

As its common name fool’s parsley goes, it is used in incapacity for clarity of thoughts as well as lack of focus on anything. It grows throughout Europe, also found in cultivated ground from New England to Penneylvania.

It contains conine and cynopine, aethitsine, ethusanol. Toxicity due. 

to organic compounds polyines or polyacetylenes are observed.

A homoeopathic mother tincture is made by using whole plant. It is covered by Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India. It was proved by Nenning. It is also covered by Allen’s Encyclopedia. 

This produces vomiting, convulsions, pains and delirium, all of which are characterized by great violence. There is prostration, somnolence and extreme weakness of both mind and body. It has proven serviceable in meningitis of the convulsive type, when there is a degree of coma. It has been proven serviceable in eclampsia and epilepsy, when the pulse is hard and frequent. This remedy has been in service in cases of lead poisoning when its characteristic symptoms are present.  Its characteristics symptoms relate mainly to the brain and nervous system, connected with gastro-intestinal disturbance (Boericke). It is most frequently indicated in children, during dentition and summer complaint. Duke (1985) says it is useful in cancer. It is also useful in liver cancer, spleen cancer and cancer of mesentry glands. It is useful in regurgitation of food about an hour after eating (Boericke). 

A new anxiolytic fatty acid from Aethusa cynapium has been isolated. In a laboratory study, researchers isolated a novel unsaturated fatty acid, trideca-7, 9, 11-trienoic acid. Antianxiety activity was confirmed using the mCPP-induced hypolocomotion test.

Recommended dose- 5-10 drops of Φ and diluted in water.

References:

1. A. L. Blackwood, A Manual of Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Reprint Edition 1995, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi

2. Shri R, Bhutani KK, Sharma A., A new anxiolytic fatty acid from Aethusa cynapium, Fitoterapia. 2010 Dec;81(8):1053-7..

3. 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.

4. J. H. Clarke, Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Reprint Edition 1992, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.