The herb Aethusa cynapium derives its name from the Arabic term 'ai' denoting 'to burn'. The Arabic word reveals the plant's penchant to cause rawness and burning. The herb's common name - fool's parsley, matches up with its use in homeopathy for treating incapacity for clarity of thoughts as well as focus on anything.
The Aethusa plant encloses a poisonous substance that is believed to result in marked insipidness and trance. All the parts of this flowering plant, including its roots and unripe fruits, are cut into pieces and mashed in alcohol.
The typical symptoms of the Aethusa patients are primarily associated with the brain and the nervous system and are somehow connected with gastro-intestinal problems. They are often found in children, especially during teething and summer problems when they usually suffer from diarrhea that is characterized by failure to digest milk as well as poor blood circulation. Usually, weeping, agony and an appearance of restlessness and displeasure are the symptoms.
This homeopathic remedy is especially beneficial for kids when they experience teething during hot summer weather and those children who have difficulty in digesting milk. It is also effective for treating debility or feebleness in children who are unable to stand, hold their head up and keep falling down owing to tiredness or drowsiness.
It is also useful for treating inanity in children, their inability to think clearly and those who get easily perplexed. Aethusa patients also show symptoms of tenderness and nervous anxiety. Some of the patients may also experience herpetic eruption (pertaining to an ailment caused by herpes) of the skin on the nose end.
Aethusa children also experience total lack of thirst and cannot tolerate milk in any form. In fact, they find it difficult to digest milk or milk products and when they consume any of these, they generally vomit them in the form of large amount of curds immediately. This again increases their weakness making their condition worse.
Especially children who are teething experience indigestion and have abrupt and violent vomiting of a lathered, milky white substance or a yellowish liquid which is followed by vomiting curds and cheese-like substances. Such patients normally spew out ingested food about an hour after consuming it. They normally have a tendency to vomit large amounts of some greenish substances.
Some of the patients also suffer from epileptic spasms accompanied with flushed face, tightened or clenched thumbs, fixed and dilated pupils having a drooping appearance. Their jaws are locked; have formation of foam at their mouth and their pulse rate is fast. They experience sleepiness owing to weakness and lethargy whenever they vomit, have a spasm or pass stool.
It has been found that Aethusa works best on people who have poor concentration and a penchant for being easily distracted or unfocused. Generally, such people are at odds, reserved, isolated and bad-tempered.
Confused state of mind with strewn thoughts is among the main symptoms related with Aethusa. People who are affected by this condition are generally found to converse with them and also behave idiotically. Other characteristic symptoms may also comprise a noticeable insipidness as well as a slothful mental condition perhaps related to the patients' incapability in learning.
Usually, these symptoms come with exhaustion or weakness along with a feeling of moldiness or nervousness that are commonly related to nervous diarrhea.
Aethusa is also the suitable remedy for children who are unable to digest milk, especially infants who suffer from this condition are inclined to abrupt vomiting soon after they are fed and also those who may be suffering from diarrhea. Absence of adequate nutrition may perhaps result in a sequence of appetite, repeated feeding and then uncontrolled vomiting.
Such a cycle may result in a condition of severe tiredness and collapse that may show the baby's face as tormented, tired and aged. In addition, it may also appear that the entire body of the baby has become bigger, especially in the area around the heart.
The symptoms of Aethusa people improve when the patients are in the open air and take adequate rest. In addition, walking, companionship as well as conversation with others also helps to improve the condition of the patients.
On the other hand, the symptoms worsen during hot weather and when the patients are in a warm room. Especially, the condition of the patients worsens between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Over exertion, frequent consumption of food, especially drinking milk also worsens the symptoms.
Fresh plant in flower.
Aethusa primarily has an influence on the gastrointestinal and nervous systems. This remedy is prescribed to treat uncontrolled vomiting, convulsions/seizures, pains and also delirium or hallucination.
Administration of Aethusa is especially beneficial for infants who have problems in digesting milk or milk products and suffer from diarrhea, particularly when their first teeth emerge or during the hot weather. In addition, use of Aethusa is also effective in strengthening the weak mind as well as improving concentration. This is an ideal remedy for the mind and its usage helps one to think clearly.
The Aethusa plant grows naturally as a common weed in its place of origin - Europe. Presently, this plant is also found in the United States as well as Canada.
