Alstonia scholaris

Lecture XIV — The Vegetable Kingdom — Apocynaceae: Apocynum cannabinum, Oleander, Vinca minor and Alstonia scholaris

AlvSTONIA SCHOLARIS.

Alstonia, so far as proved, causes debility, low fever, often with diarrhoea, and, when pushed, rigors, sweat, etc., purging, cramps and vertigo. Clinically, it has been used in chills and fever, in diarrhoea of malarial origin, here vieing with China, and for chronic intermittent fevers suppressed by quinine.

It contains Ditaine, which, like Curare, paralyzes peripheral motornerve filaments. This is not, as in Chininum, preceded by reflex excitement. Ditaine evidently paralyzes vaso-motor nerves. It seems to resemble China in diarrhoea, chills, etc., but has not the irritability of the latter.

Dita Bark Malarial diseases, with diarrhœa, dysentery, anæmia, feeble digestion, are the general conditions suggesting this remedy. Characteristics are the gone sensation in stomach and sinking in abdomen, with debility. A tonic after exhausting fevers.

Violent purging and cramp in bowels. Heat and irritation in lower bowels. Camp diarrhœa, bloody stool, dysentery; diarrhœa from bad water and malaria. Painless watery stools (Phosph ac). Diarrhœa immediately after eating.

Compare: Similar in action to Alstonia constricta, the bitter bark or native quinine of Australia. Ditain (active principle, is anti-periodic, like quinine, but without unpleasant effects). Cinchona (similar in diarrhœa, chronic dyspepsia and debility). Hydrastis; Fer cit et chin.

Tincture to third potency. Locally, for ulcers and rheumatic pains.