Status of Selinum spp. L. a Himalayan Medicinal Plant in India: A Review of Its Pharmacology, Phytochemistry and Traditional Uses.

There is a growing trend of herbal medicines in India as well as other parts of the world. The use of herbal medicines alone or alongside prescription drugs for disease management is quite common now. We hereby carry out a review of dominant species of Selinum mainly S. vaginatum C.B. Clarke and S. wallichianum (DC.) Raizada & H.O. Saxena which are potent source of herbal medicine and whose potential is still not exploited. They are found in Northern Himalayas in the states of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in India, and also distributed in adjoining countries like China, Nepal, and West Pakistan. It is a perennial, primitive, high altitude, therapeutic herbal plant belonging to family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) traditionally used for various diseases like epilepsy, seizures, and hysteria, etc. The aim of this review was to provide a summary on botanical characterization, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of Selinum spp. The available information will be further tapped for commercial use of this plant without endangering its status. Based on the available evidence on the species pharmacology and chemistry, we highlight in which their therapeutic potential can be properly harnessed for possible integration into the country's healthcare system and be further passed on globally.

Bryophyllum e a perspectiva antroposófica dos distúrbios histéricos / Bryophyllum and the anthroposophic perspective of hysterical disorders

Na concepção antroposófica, a histeria só pode ser compreendida quando comparada sob o ponto de vista fenomenológico ao seu oposto, a neurastenia. Quando o equilíbrio entre os sistemas orgânicos estiver ausente ou deficitário, irão resultar causas constitucionais para doenças na organização vital. Rudolf Steiner as chama de histeria e neurastenia, num sentido muito mais amplo que a terminologia médica.No caso da histeria, as forças do mundo exterior não podem ser digeridas e suficientemente transformadas. O polo superior está fraco demais para transformar completamente as forças exteriores. Já na neurastenia, o polo superior está excessivamente envolvido com a atividade consciente da organização anímica e do eu. Em ambos os casos, a base da terapia está relacionada ao sistema rítmico. A síndrome pré-menstrual pode ser entendida como um distúrbio histérico, onde processos metabólicos "mal digeridos" repercutem sobre o polo neurossensorial e sobre todo o comportamento do indivíduo. A histeria significa a invasão da consciência e do campo anímico de sensibilidade por conteúdos inconscientes, volitivos, metabólicos. Entre os sintomas da histeria, estão distúrbios menstruais acompanhados de dores, humor instável, perturbações digestivas, sintomas sexuais, emotividade exagerada e avidez desejosa. Bryophyllum calycinum (família Crassulaceae), é uma planta suculenta, com uma relação peculiar com o elemento aquoso. Propaga-se principalmente por brotação foliar, e não por sementes. Regenera-se com facilidade incomum. Steiner propôs uma indicação totalmente nova para esta planta: o tratamento da histeria. Não a histeria no sentido psiquiátrico, mas antroposófico, em contraposição à neurastenia. Coube também a Steiner a indicação do cultivo do Bryophyllum com prata dinamizada, pelo processo denominado vegetabilização. A prata (Argentum) possui a faculdade de ligar a organização vital ao corpo físico. O Bryophyllum Argento cultum possibilita melhor controle das forças vitais no âmbito do sistema metabólico.(AU)

From the anthroposophic conception, hysteria can only be understood if compared under phenomenological point of view to its opposite, neurasthenia. The imbalance of the organic systems generates the constitutional bases to disorders of the vital organization. Rudolf Steiner called them hysteria and neurasthenia, in a much wider sense than defined by medical terminology. In case of hysteria, the forces coming from external world cannot be sufficiently metabolized and transformed. The superior pole is too weak to transform completely external forces. While in neurasthenia, the superior pole is excessively involved with the conscious activity of the soul and I-organization. In both cases, the base of therapy is focused on rhythmic system. Premenstrual syndrome may be understood as a hysterical disorder, where metabolic processes poorly "metabolized" resound over nerve-senses pole and over the whole behavior of the individual. Hysteria means the invasion of the consciousness and the soul field of sensibility by unconscious, volitional, metabolic contents. Among the symptoms of hysteria are menstrual disorders accompanied by pain, instable humor, digestive disorders, sexual symptoms, exaggerated emotiveness and anxious desire. Bryophyllum calycinum (Crassulaceae) is a succulent plant with a peculiar relationship with aqueous element. It propagates itself mainly by leaves sprouting, not by seeds. It regenerates itself in an unusually easy way. Steiner proposed a totally new indication to this plant: treatment for hysteria. Not hysteria in psychiatric meaning, but in anthroposophic one, as opposite of neurasthenia. Steiner had also given the indication for Bryophyllum cultivation with potentized silver, through the process called vegetabilization. Silver (Argentum) is capable of binding the vital organization to the physical body. Bryophyllum Argento cultum enables better control of vital forces in the sphere of metabolic system.(AU)

[Conversion disorders. From neurobiology to treatment]. / Konversionsstörungen. Von der Neurobiologie zur Behandlung.

The two international systems of diagnostic classification for psychiatric disorders, ICD-10 and DSM-IV, differentiate a variety of disorders or syndromes characterized by the common feature of the presence of physical symptoms without "organic correlate." Conversion disorders (DSM) or dissociative disorders (ICD) are historically related to the concept of hysteria. Like psychoanalytical theories, the DSM and ICD refer to a psychological conflict preceding the onset of physical symptoms, although in a purely descriptive manner. The etiology of these disorders is still not very well understood. This article summarizes present knowledge from clinical and epidemiological studies. Functional neuroimaging studies on conversion disorders, although still very rare, allow testing of hypotheses about neuronal mechanisms. Such studies question the traditional and often misinterpreted dichotomy between organic and psychogenic diseases.

Medicalizacion del malestar. Alegato por una aproximacion compleja para un minimalismo terapeutico / Discomfort medicalization. Allegation for a complex approach to a therapeutic minimalism

Reflexiono acerca de las luces y las sombras observadas por Rendueles en mi trabajo sobre la fibromialgia. Debato alguno de sus argumentos, matizo mi postura ante la medicalización del malestar y concreto mi propuesta para una respuesta por parte del clínico de a pie (AU)

I reflect on the lights and shades noticed by Rendueles in my article about fibromyalgia. I debate some of his arguments, I make more precise my position about discomfort medicalization and I concrete my proposal for an answer of the part of the clinician (AU)

Pseudoseizures and hysterical stridor.

Differentiation of pseudoseizures from epileptic seizures and hysterical stridor from asthma is key to the treatment of patients. Both pseudoseizures and hysterical stridor are associated commonly with sexual abuse, eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Failure to reach an appropriate diagnosis results in inappropriate medical care including recurrent intubations, antiepileptic drugs, and excessive hospitalizations. This case represents the first instance of reported pseudoseizures in a patient with hysterical stridor secondary to childhood sexual abuse.

Triaga Brasilica: renewed interest in a seventeenth-century panacea.

Theriacs (electuaries prepared by mixing extracts of many plants) were known from antiquity until the eighteenth century as remedies for all kinds of envenomation, above all those due to the bites and stings of venomous animals, especially snakes. In colonial Brazil, the 'Brazilian theriac' was developed by Jesuit priests by gradually substituting native plants for components of their European model. Most of these ingredients, mentioned in an old manuscript, can be identified by their common names, which have survived the centuries.

Hysterical neurosis of the conversion type: therapeutic activity of neuroleptics with different hyperprolactinemic potency.

To show a possible correlation between drug-induced hyperprolactinemia and improvement of hysterical neurosis of the conversion type, we followed 18 patients monitoring clinical somatic and psychic symptoms as well as serum prolactin levels. Six patients were treated with haloperidol and 12 with sulpiride; after 2 months sulpiride was administered at half the daily dose to 6 patients previously treated with the same drug. Clinical evaluation showed that sulpiride treatment led to a greater improvement compared to the haloperidol group. The different effectiveness of treatment could be explained by the different hyperprolactinemic potency. The therapeutic efficacy of neuroleptics suggests also that hyperactivity of dopaminergic transmission is involved in the pathophysiology of hysterical neurotic symptoms.

[Treatments of hysteria]. / Traitements des hystéries.

Treatment of hysteria requires establishing a management strategy. The first steps consist of symptomatic treatment (catharsis, counter-suggestion, hypnosis, narco-analysis, relaxation, focused psychoanalytical psychotherapy, drug therapy). Thereafter, an approach aiming to modify the psychic structure of the patient can be considered (supportive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis). Occasionally, a systemic approach is necessary. Although each facet of the treatment must be conducted by a specialist, one physician must supervise the overall strategy; this role falls naturally to the family doctor.

[The psychiatric aspect of the climacteric syndrome: its clinical picture and treatment]. / Psikhiatricheskii aspekt klimaktericheskogo sindroma: klinika i lechenie.

A total of 130 patients with the climacteric syndrome associated with mental disorders were examined by psychiatrists. Two groups of patients were distinguished. In Group 1 specific climacteric disorders ('flushes', excessive sweating, etc.) were the major components, whereas mental disorders (asthenic, phobic, hysterical, depressive) were just concomitant. In Group 2 the climacteric syndrome resulted in development of various mental diseases, mostly neuroses, depressions of various origins, superworship ideas. Recommendations on psychotropic therapy of these disorders were developed and contraindications against the use of hormonal therapy formulated.

Urgências em psiquiatria / Psychiatric urgencies

A propósito das urgências psiquiátricas, tais como sídromes histérica, ansiosa, de abstinência ao alcool, de agitaçäo psicomotora e depressiva, o autor faz comentários genéricos e expöe orientaçöes ao médico plantonista, denominado "médico de dia", no âmbito dos hospitais da Aeronáutica. A forma de abordagem, desde o manejo verbal à contençäo física, é detalhada de modo a consolidar a conduta a ser adotada pelo médico assistente em cada caso. Enfatiza que o médico que presta o atendimento use o bom senso, expresse firmeza, confiança e disponibilidade para o atendimento

[A study of bromazepam in hospital practice (author's transl)]. / Etude du bromazépam en clientèle hospitalière.

The effectiveness of bromazepam was evaluated in 32 hospital out-patients suffering from reactional depression or anxiety-depression syndrome. Dosages ranged from 6 to 9 mg/24 hours in 3 divided doses. Results were assessed by means of a battery of tests (Hamilton's scale, self-evaluation scores of Hopkins, Pull-Guelfi's scale, Bond's psychometric tests) performed on days 0, 14 and 18. Good results were obtained in two-thirds of the patients, and these continued treatment for more than one month.

[Intractable menopausal disorders cured by veralipride (author's transl)]. / A propos d'une observation de troubles ménopausiques rebelles traités par le véralipride.

We studied a case of surgical menopause in a hysterical patient. Castration was followed by depression with sexual disorders, somatic complaints, and specific menopausal manifestations, mainly hot flushes. Hysterectomy had been done a year earlier. Since then the patient had been admitted twice to a psychiatric ward following attempted suicide. Veralipride was given for twenty days. Noticeable improvement was recorded. Therapy was then discontinued for ten days. Symptoms recurred and long-lasting therapy was decided on. Subsequently, sustained overall improvement with disappearance of specific menopausal disorders, were recorded.

[Clinicobiochemical parallels in borderline neuropsychic disorders]. / Kliniko-biokhimicheskie paralleli pri pogranichnykh nervno-psikhicheskikh rasstroistvakh.

Under examination there were 173 patients with borderline neuropsychic disorders of the neurotic and neurosis-like genesis. In the course of the treatment the levels of acetylcholine and catecholamines were determined. It has been shown that in borderline neuropsychic disorders there are statistically significant differences in the levels of those neuromediators, these differences being characteristic for the neurotic and neurosis-like disorders. The process of the normalization of those levels was found to depend on the initial changes, which, in their turn, depended on the etiopathogenesis of the borderline disorders.

Treatment of endogenous anxiety with phobic, hysterical, and hypochondriacal symptoms.

Endogenous anxiety (anxiety hysteria, agoraphobia with panic attacks) is characterized by sudden, spontaneous panic attacks accompanied by multiple autonomic symptoms, overwhelming fear, a flight response, and polyphobic behavior. Psychotherapy, behavior therapy, and tranquillizers have been of limited success in treating this syndrome. Fifty-seven patients severely disabled by the syndrome for a mean period of 13 years completed the three-month study. Randomly assigned in a double-blind, placebo-controlled design to imipramine hydrochloride, pheneizine sulfate, or placebo, they were seen in supportive group therapy every two weeks. Patients in the pheneizine and imipramine cells showed significant improvement ovehe persistent trend for pheneizine to be superior to imipramine achieved significance only on the Work and Social Disability Scale and the Sympton Severity and Phobic Avoidance Scale. The implications for classification and theory are discussed.

[Clinical test in current psychopathologie (author's transl)]. / Essai clinique en psychopathologie courante.

This clinical test, concerning the use of tiapride, was carried out for one year on 60 patients, with weekly or bi-mensual check-ups in a neuropsychiatric office, with no other associated medication capable of modifying either vigilance or humor. Tiapride, on top of its excellent tolerance (except for patients presenting a hysterical type structure), and apart from being a sedative for anxiety, turned out to be, on one hand, a disinhibitor for states of depression (even more so when accompanying psychosomatic symptomatology was apparent), and on the other hand a semeiological analyser inasmuch as it can help discern the underlying psychopathological structure.