Bryonia a well-known medicinal plant used mainly in homeopathy as an anti- inflammatory, has never been considered an adaptogen. However, much evidence has been accumulated during the last decade indicating that Bryonia roots have adaptogenic properties. This review summarizes the reports (published mainly in Russian) on the chemical composition, the pharmacological and biochemical investigations of the active principles of Bryonia alba roots. It also summarizes reports on clinical trials of a Bryonia extract (tablets prepared from a standardized powder of Bryonia alba root, called “Loshtak” in Armenia) that indicates it is an adaptogenic and restorative drug with immunomodulatory, stress-protective and tonic properties that increase the nonspecific resistance of an organism toward harmful stimuli. The major active components of the Bryonia extract are cucurbitacin glucosides and trihydroxyoctadecadienoic acids (THODA). The biological activities of these compounds are associated with biosynthesis of eicosanoids and corticosteroids, which are important mediators in the immune, endocrine and nervous systems. Clinical trials show that the Bryonia extract was effective in treating workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear reactor who suffered from vegetovessel dystonia and other accompanying illnesses as a result of that facility’s well-known accident. It was also effective in preventing radiation-induced disorders and cytostatic side effects in cancer therapy. The use of Bryonia extract in healthy athletes increases their endurance, working capacity and heart rate restoration after physical loading.
Uses / Indications of Bryonia
- A headache with onset in the morning on the first motion often left-sided, worse any motion or from coughing irritable,
- Constipation with hard, dry stools No desire must strain, painful. Stools look as if burnt, too large. Associated with a headache and irritability. Commonly used with infants and during teething
- A cough which is dry, hard, irritating that is worse with any motion. Sore, stitching pain on coughing, holds the chest. Scanty expectoration. With nausea, faintness, vertigo. Pressure like a stone in the stomach.
- Vertigo that is, worse any motion feels as if sinking into the bed. As if everything is turning in a circle. Dizzy and faint on rising. Must lie down. Nausea in the chest, confusion, bursting headache
- Mastitis with hard, hot, pale, swollen, and painful breasts. Heaviness. Irritable Prevents mastitis after weaning.
- Anger, Breastfeeding
- Fibromyalgia
- Gall Bladder conditions
- Heavy metal detox (aluminum)
- Influenza
- Motion Sickness
- Neck Pain
- Arthritis
- Fever
- Indigestion
- Injuries or wounds.
- Stomach or intestinal diseases
- Lung diseases
- Liver disease
- Metabolic disorders
- Fluid retention
- Preventing infections
- Causing vomiting
- Muscle and joint pain improved by rest
- Indigestion with nausea and vomiting, with intense thirst.
- Mind – Exceedingly; everything puts him out of humor. Delirium; wants to go home.
- Head – Vertigo, nausea, faintness on rising, confusion, as if everything would be pressed out; as if hit by a hammer from within; wore from motion, stooping, opening eyes. Headache becomes seated in occiput. Drawing in bones towards zygoma. Headache; worse on motion, even of eyeballs. Frontal headache, frontal sinuses involved.
- Nose – Also in the morning, relieving the headache. Coryza with shooting and aching in the forehead. Swelling of tip of nose, feels as if it would ulcerate when touched.
- Ears – Aural vertigo, Roaring, buzzing.
- Eyes – Pressing, crushing, aching pain. Glaucoma. Sore to touch and when moving them.
- Mouth – Tongue coated yellowish, dark brown; heavily white in gastric derangement. Bitter taste. Burning in lower lip in old smokers. Lip swollen, dry, black and cracked.
- Throat – Dryness, sticking on swallowing, scraped and constricted. (Bell.) Tough mucus in larynx and trachea, loosened only after much hawking; worse coming into warm room.
- Stomach – Abnormal hunger, loss of taste. Thirst for large drafts. Vomiting of bile and water immediately after eating. Worse, warm drinks, which are vomited. Soreness in stomach when coughing. Dyspeptic ailments during summer heat. Sensitiveness of epigastrium to touch.
- Abdomen – Liver region swollen, sore, tensive. Burning pain. Tenderness of abdominal walls.
- Stool – Constipation; stools hard, dry, as if burnt; seem too large. Stools brown, thick, bloody; in hot weather, after being heated, from cold drinks, every spell of hot weather.
- Urine – Red, brown, like beer; scanty, hot.
- Female – Menses too early, too profuse; worse from motion with tearing pains in legs; Stitching pains in ovaries on
- Keep inspiration; very sensitive to touch. Pain in right ovary as if torn, extending to thigh. Milk fever. Pain in breasts at menstrual period. Frequent bleeding of nose at appearance of menses. Menstrual irregularities, with gastric symptoms.
- Back – Painful stiffness in nape of neck. From hard water and sudden changes of weather.
- Extremities – Knees stiff and painful. Hot swelling of feet with stitches and tearing; worse on least movement. Every spot is painful on pressure. Constant motion of left arm and leg.
- Skin- Yellow, pale, swollen, dropsical; hot and painful.
- Sleep – Drowsy; starting when falling asleep. Delirium; busy with business matters and what he had read.
- Fever – Pulse full, hard, tense, and quick. Chill with external coldness, dry cough, stitches. Internal heat. Sour sweat after slight exertion. Easy, profuse perspiration. Rheumatic and typhoid marked by gastrohepatic complications.
Dosage
- General dose is 3 pellets 3 times a day with less frequency as improvement is made
- Adults & children 2 years of age and older – Dissolve 5 pellets under the tongue 3 times a day until symptoms are relieved or as directed by a doctor.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3336459/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23195251
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7281556
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-46/bryonia
- http://www.ndhealthfacts.org/wiki/Homeopathic_Bryonia
- https://www.1-800homeopathy.com/blog/bryonia-30/
- https://www.homeopathycenter.org/remedy/bryonia
- https://www.elixirs.com/products.cfm?productcode=HY118
- https://www.vithoulkas.com/learning-tools/books-gv/materia-medica-volume-5/bryonia
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