An overview: Citrus maxima

Plants have been used as traditional medicine for several thousands of years. Herbal medicine is still a mainstay of about 70-80% of the world’s population as they are easily available source for healthcare purposes in rural and tribal areas. India being the largest producer of medicinal plants it is correctly known as “Botanical garden of the world”. The plant Citrus maxima (J. Burm.) Merr. is a widely distributed indigenous plants found in Indian subcontinent. Which is been widely used. The present study was aimed to review the ethanobotanical properties, pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Citrus maxima. The various parts of this plant are widely used by different tribal communities. The leaves of plant are used in Epilepsy, chorea, Convulsive cough and also in the treatment of hemorrhage disease. Oil from fresh leaves posses anti dermatophytic activity and Fungicidal activity. Flower are Used as sedative in nervous affection. Fruits acts as cardiotonic and are used in Leprosy, Asthma, Cough, hiccough, mental aberration, Epilepsy. Rind are Antiasthmatic, sedative in nervous affection, Brain tonic and Useful in vomiting, griping of abdomen, diarrhea, Headache and eye troubles. Root and Bark: Antimicrobial activity. Following various claims for cure of numerous diseases, efforts have been made by researchers to verify the efficacy of the plant through scientific biological screening. A scrutiny of literature reveals some notable pharmacological activities of the plant such as activity on CNS, anti diabetic and cholesterol reducing property, analgesic, anti inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidative property, cytotoxic activity, and many more medicinal values.

Definition of Hysteria [Définition de l'hystérie]. (Rev. de l'hyp., Jan., 1902.) Babinski

In spite of the large number of works dealing with the subject of hysteria, there is a great divergence of opinion concerning the nature of this neurosis. Babinski attributes this to the lack of a good definition. In the search for some characters which are common to all hysterical manifestations, and yet confined to hysteria, he draws special attention to these: the possibility of their being reproduced by suggestion with exactness in certain subjects, and that of their disappearance through the exclusive influence of persuasion. The word suggestion here used itself needs accurate definition. It must imply that the idea which one tries to insinuate to the hysterical patient is unreasonable, and should not be used in the sense of being synonymous with persuasion. The typical manifestations of hysteria major, the varieties of paralyses, contractures, anæsthesias, etc., are all of this kind; they can be exactly created by experimental suggestion. In addition they are all susceptible of disappearing under the exclusive influence of persuasion. On the other hand, the latter characteristic is not met with in other conditions. There is not another nervous affection, well defined and outside the limits of hysteria, which psychotherapy alone will cure; it may be of use, but not all-sufficient; the proof is that in cases of this kind persuasion does not lead to an immediate cure. The above relates to what Babinski calls primitive symptoms, which may occur without being preceded by other manifestations of hysteria. But he holds it legitimate to call also hysterical those disorders which, without exhibiting the characters of primitive symptoms, are yet closely allied to, and subordinate to them; but one must add to these the epithet secondary. The muscular atrophy of hysteria is a type of this kind. The definition proposed is—Hysteria is a psychical condition which renders the subject of it prone to auto-suggestion; it manifests itself principally by primitive symptoms and accessorily by certain secondary symptoms. That which characterises the primary symptoms is that it is possible to reproduce them in certain subjects by suggestion with rigorous exactitude, and to cause them to disappear by the exclusive influence of persuasion. That which characterises secondary symptoms is that they are closely subordinate to the primary symptoms.

Some Obscure Injuries following the Toxic Use of Alcohol (Quarterly Journal of Inebriety, October, 1901.) Crothers

Dr. Crothers puts forward the thesis that in a certain number of cases the development of psychoses and of organic diseases of the nervous system is due to a single profound intoxication by alcohol. In some instances the symptoms of the nervous affection follow immediately on the intoxication; in others a considerable latent period intervenes. Puberty and late middle life are pointed out as times when intoxication is peculiarly liable to be followed by these paralcoholic disorders. The author believes that morbid inebriety appearing late in life has often this origin.

A Dancing Disease of Madagascar. (Brit. Med. Journ., Feb. 17th, 1900.)

Attention is drawn to Lasnet's notes on the Sakalavas or West Coast Malagasies published in the Annales d'Hygiène et de Médecine Coloniales, which include the description of a curious epidemic nervous affection met with amongst the natives. It begins suddenly, and consists of incessant shaking of the body, accompanied by irregular movements, incoherent speech, and delirium; the patients indulge in wild bacchanalian dances, finally falling to the ground panting and foaming at the mouth. Some clamber up the rocks, while others pass whole days in pools or rivers, declaring that they are forced to remain there by spirits. They present meanwhile a most wild appearance, and, if not dancing, walk straight before them with head erect and eyes constantly rolling. It is very communicable.

On a case of nervous affection cured by pressure of the carotids; with some physiological remarks

In the year 1788 Dr. Parry published, in the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, an account of many symptoms, such as headache, vertigo, mania, dyspnœa, convulsions, and others usually denominated nervous, that had been removed by pressure on the carotid arteries, which the author conceives to have operated by diminishing a too violent impulse of blood into the vessels of the brain, and thereby obviating excessive irritation. From various cases which have occurred to Dr. Parry since that period, he selects one which appears to him to afford a singular illustration of the principle. It is that of a lady, who, after having been exposed to severe cold for some time, was seized with numbness of the left side, succeeded by tingling of the left hand, and deafness of the left ear, succeeded by excessive sensibility to sound. These were followed by a feeling of contraction or stiffness of various muscles of that side, and subsequently flutterings and twitchings of the flexor muscles of the fore-arm and of the deltoid; not, however, so as to move her arm or hand. The rate of these vibrations was usually about 80 in a minute; but were much increased from any slight cause of general irritation.