A Summary and Comparison of Remedies Acting on the Reproductive Organs of Women.
| ACTION | VIBURNUM PRUNIFOLIUM | HELONIAS DIOICA | SENECIO AUREUS | CIMICIFUGA | ALETRIS FARINOSA |
| GENERAL INFLUENCE | Acts mildly as a nerve sedative, and antispasmodic. Produces muscular relaxation, and reduction of reflex irritation. Corrects nervous irritation during pregnancy. Has a tonic and soothing influence on the entire uterine structures. Regulates sympathetic disturbances, from uterine irritation. Overcomes sterility. | Has a pronounced tonic influence, in general relaxation and feebleness of uterine structures. Specific in prolapsus, with a dragging or pulling down sensation in lower abdomen. When there is pelvic engorgement with prolapsus. | Indicated in atonic disorders of the uterine function, with much loss of tone and general relaxation; in misplacement from this cause; in passive congestion with feebleness and flaccidity; increases ovarian activity, and overcomes sterility. Acts somewhat upon and through the central nervous system. | Exercises a wide influence on the nerve centers, and their blood supply. Is a mild motor depressant and nerve sedative. Positively relieves muscular soreness or aching, induced or idiopathic from whatever cause. Relieves erratic nervous conditions; acts directly upon the reproductive functions. | Indicated in extreme weakness of the reproductive organs, induced by overwork, by over-sexual indulgence or by frequent child-bearing; corrects uterine displacements from these causes; materially improves digestion and assimilation. Acts in harmony with other tonics. |
| ON THE MENSTRUAL FUNCTION | Indicated in dysmenorrhea, with cramplike or spasmodic pains. Corrects nervous irritation and sympathetic disturbances; a tonic and corrective in persistent irregularity, either in time or quantity. | Is auxiliary only in menstrual disorders, tends to regulate the menses when irregular from engorgement or misplacement, or when influenced by frequent child-bearing. Corrects reflex irritation from menstrual disorders. | Relieves nervous irritation mildly, restores tonicity; promotes normal regular flow, in atonic cases, and prevents excesses; must be given during intermission and during the period also, and continued past two or three epochs. | In menstrual disorders, accompanied with aching or muscular soreness, and cool skin. Relieves amenorrhea with these symptoms; will control congestive dysmenorrhea. Its influence here is enhanced by aconite or belladonna. Is beneficial in menorrhagia and metrorrhagia; is given in menstrual irregularities of young girls. | Acts directly in irregular and especially infrequent menstruation, where with the protracted intervals there is pale, colorless, insufficient flow; acts in feeble, pale women with general relaxation accompanied with languor and weariness. |
| TO PREVENT MISCARRIAGE OR ABORTION | The best of remedies for this purpose, reliable in emergencies if given in full doses, frequently repeated. Reliable in habitual abortion; will prevent induced abortion if membranes are not ruptured. Should be given in advance in habitual cases, and continued past the time. | Not to be relied upon in emergencies; of assistance to prevent abnormal conditions, which induce habitual abortion. | Is not depended upon alone, facilitates the action of viburnum, and helonias. | Is not depended upon. Acts more like ergot; is given only in small doses, for its specific indications. | Not reliable for immediate results, when abortion is threatened; corrects the tendency to habitual abortion; improves the ovarian function and overcomes sterility. |
| AS A PARTUS-PREPARATOR | Abates nerve irritation, restlessness, and hysterical symptoms and erratic pains; contributes to a normal condition; prevents morning sickness; induces cheerfulness and hopefulness and prevents accidents. | Is not used alone, but in combination with mitchella and cimicifuga produces a reliable compound. Does away with erratic pain, and liability to accidents or malpositions. | Not active except to a limited extent; used in conjunction with the other remedies. Indicated by extreme loss of tone. | The most frequently used remedy for this purpose; less reliable than mitchella; removes erratic pain, and irregular conditions; overcomes hysteria, soothes general muscular irritation; and conduces to a normal, easy, short labor. | Important for women who seem to be too feeble to bring forth children; improves all reproductive functions; has no specific influence like mitchella and cimicifuga in promoting easy labors; overcomes nausea, vomiting, vertigo, and fainting spells. |
| IN LABOR | Promotes normal conditions, with regular normal contractions; soothes undue muscular irritation. Prevents hemorrhage. | Is not used in labor for any direct influence. The benefits obtained are secured by its previous use. | Is not depended upon during labor. | A most reliable oxytocic; produces normal regular intermittent pain; does away with erratic and irregular pains, especially if of rheumatic or neuralgic origin. Prevents postpartum hemorrhage; relieves nervous irritation. | Has no direct influence during labor. |
| AFTER LABOR | Restores normal tone, and normal capillary circulation, prevents subinvolution, prolapsus, and malposition. | Preserves tone in the structures, preventing subinvolution, prolapsus, and malpositions. | Restores suppressed lochia, promotes normal uterine contraction, antagonizes a tendency to relaxation; promotes normal after pains, and tends to prevent excessive flow. | Relieves severe aching and muscular soreness, controls post partum hemorrhage, promotes normal involution; militates against the recurrence of uterine misplacement; cures persistent leucorrhea, especially if accompanied with relaxation and hypertrophy. | Acts in conjunction with iron tonics, in overcoming general weakness and especially anemia, as it improves the blood; is of benefit in general inactive conditions of the digestion and assimilation. |
| ON OTHER CONDITIONS | Is valuable in erratic conditions of the menstrual functions, and at the menopause. Valuable during protracted or eruptive fevers, where there is irregular menstruation, with impending uterine inflammation and sepsis. | Benefits urinary disorder; relieves the phosphatic and uric acid diatheses. Is of benefit in albuminuria if accompanied with hepatic complications; corrects liver and stomach disorders during pregnancy. | The most pronounced influence is general, from prolonged administration, either during irregular menstruation, during pregnancy, or in the menopause. Used persistently, its influence is plainly apparent, and positively beneficial. | This agent must not be classed as only a uterine remedy. It is of much value in fevers with its specific symptomatology and in inflammation of the kidneys and bladder and in malarial fevers. Aching and muscular soreness are its plain indications; of first importance with gelsemium in anuria, especially if causing eclampsia. | Strengthens the uterine structures and supports: prevents subinvolution, and promotes the elaboration of good blood. |
The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.
