Cicuta

Water hemlock

Cicuta virosa

Orthodox medicine still uses this plant occasionally to treat gout. The fresh root is extremely toxic and causes symptoms of poisoning similar to those of strychnine poisoning with spasms, excessive salivation, sweating, and hyperventilation.

Parts Used

Fresh root.

Uses

Cicuta is used for twitching and spasmodic jerks, especially where the head is bent backward, for example, in epilepsy, meningitis, eclampsia, and paralysis, and for the aftereffects of head injuries. People who need this remedy may have a desire to eat inedible things such as chalk.

Source

Grows in Europe, Siberia, the US, and Canada.