Basic Information:
- Common Name: Deadly Nightshade
- Source: Plant (Atropa belladonna)
- Family: Solanaceae
- Miasm: Acute, Sycotic
- Preparation: Tincture from whole flowering plant
- Constitution: Plethoric, robust, active children or persons with sudden, violent reactions
Keynote Symptoms:
Sudden onset of violent symptoms – high fever, red face, throbbing pain
Heat, redness, burning, dryness, throbbing
Dilatation of pupils, photophobia, flushed face
Delirium, hallucinations, fear
Children with sudden, high-grade fever, convulsions, and throbbing headaches
Congestive and inflammatory conditions
“The stormy, sudden, and intense remedy”
Clinical Indications:
CNS / Head:
- Congestive headache, throbbing, worse light, noise, jarring
- Delirium, wild look, twitching, grinding teeth
- Convulsions in children with fever
- Meningitis, brain inflammation
Eyes:
- Pupils dilated, bright eyes
- Conjunctivitis with dry, red eyes
- Photophobia, dryness, and burning
ENT:
- Sudden, violent tonsillitis, throat dry, red, shiny
- Otitis media – sensitive to noise, throbbing pain
- Nosebleeds with flushed face
Fever:
- High fever with hot head, cold feet
- Dry, burning heat without sweat
- Fever with delirium, red face, throbbing pulse
Skin:
- Hot, red, dry skin
- Erysipelas – red, shiny, swollen, burning
- Urticaria with burning and stinging
Urinary:
- Retention of urine; painful urination
- Bedwetting in children with fear and excitement
Mind Symptoms:
- Violent delirium, sudden mania, rage
- Hallucinations – sees ghosts, animals, monsters
- Fear of being poisoned or attacked
- Suspicious, talks fast, sings or screams
- Great sensitivity to light, noise, touch, motion
General Characteristics:
- Sudden onset, violent intensity
- Congestive & inflammatory affections
- Right-sided complaints
- Marked dryness of mucous membranes
- Red, hot, swollen parts
- Sensitive to light, noise, jar
Modalities:
|
Worse From |
Better From |
|
Touch, motion, noise, light |
Rest, warmth, sitting upright |
|
Afternoon (3 PM), lying down |
Standing or semi-erect posture |
Potency & Dosage:
- 6C, 30C, 200C commonly used
- In acute high fevers—30C–200C, repeated
- Use cautiously in sensitive patients or children
Compare With:
Remedy | Similar Traits |
Aconite | Sudden onset, fear, restlessness |
Hyoscyamus | Mania, talking, jealousy |
Stramonium | Delirium, fear of dark |
Bryonia | Dryness, but slow onset |
Gelsemium | Dullness with fever (not violent like Belladonna) |
MEMORY TRICK: B.E.L.L.A.B – Burning, bright red parts
- E – Excitement of mind, eyes dilated
- L – Light, noise aggravates
- L – Local inflammation (dry, red, swollen)
- A – Acute, sudden, throbbing
One-Line Summary:
“Belladonna suits sudden, violent inflammations with heat, redness, dryness, throbbing, and excited mental state.”
