Tabacum, also referred to as Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, is an annually-grown herbaceous plant. It is found only in cultivation, where it is the most commonly grown of all plants in the Nicotiana genus, and its leaves are commercially grown in many countries to be processed into tobacco. It grows to heights between 1 to 2 metres.
Contents
Uses
- Although tobacco is no longer used for medicinal purposes, the medicine prepared from tobacco – tabacum – is primarily administered to treat queasiness, vomiting as well as motion sickness. These symptoms occur suddenly and may include pain, excessive secretion of saliva, a chilly sensation accompanied by sweating, vertigo as well as nervous anxiety. When the patients are in least motion, it basically intensifies the feeling of nausea as well as increases vomiting. This homeopathic medication is also effective for treating acute nausea that is accompanied by additional ailments.
- Besides, tabacum is also the main medication for treating sea-sickness. When a person suffers from sea-sickness, he or she experiences nausea accompanied by an appalling, faint and sinking feeling at the crater or pit of their stomach. The symptoms of sea-sickness deteriorate when there is minimum motion and the sufferer gets relief when they are on the deck where they get enough of fresh cold air. Such people usually have a feeling of hanging or respite of stomach with continual vomiting and queasiness. As discussed earlier, this homeopathic medicine also helps in treating gastro-intestinal problems owing to tobacco use or difficulties owing to going at sea. In fact, the patients demand that their abdomen be uncovered as it provides relief from both symptoms – vomiting as well as nausea. In addition, tabacum also aids in healing diarrhea that is accompanied by unexpected vomiting, nausea, weakness, cold sweat and a feeling of intense fainting owing to the smell of tobacco. Patients suffering from this condition have a yellowish stool, which is watery, slippery and occasionally appears similar to sour milk.
- The homeopathic medicine prepared from tobacco and called tabacum also has a distinct effect on headache, especially headaches that occur at regular intervals and continues for some time. In fact, such headaches start in the morning, intensify during the day and continue till the evening. When the patient experiences such types of headaches, they feel an acute pain as if someone is striking their head with a hammer. In addition, they also have a feeling as if a tight band is constricting the head. The pain worsens when there is light, movement or any movement. On the contrary, the pain eases when the patients are in an open fresh air. Besides, tabacum is also prescribed by homeopaths for treating vertigo experienced by a patient when he or she opens their eyes. Such patients may also experience vertigo when they are rising or looking up and they get relief when they vomit or are in fresh open air. It may be mentioned here that people enduring vertigo often experience loss of consciousness and appear to be pale as in death.
Benefits
- As everyone is aware, tobacco encloses a poisonous substance called nicotine which has the potential to result in nausea, vomiting, dizziness, perspiration and also heart palpitations. These symptoms may occur all of a sudden and also give rise to pain, chilliness, anxiety as well as secretion of excessive saliva. Interestingly enough, the homeopathic medicine prepared from tobacco called tabacum is primarily used to treat the above mentioned symptoms.
- It may be mentioned here that the Mayan people traditionally used tobacco to treat conditions, such as asthma, various problems of the skin and convulsions or seizures. People throughout the Americas have been smoking tobacco, especially the dried leaves of the plant, since long. Although tobacco is hardly used for medicinal purposes any more, it is used in cigarettes for smoking as well as an insecticide.
- Since tobacco contains a poisonous substance called nicotine, when the leaves or any other part of this plant is ingested, it results in addiction. Hence, tobacco is not ingested, but generally smoked or chewed. In its natural form, tobacco is detrimental for our health and, when used in excess, may even result in death. The truth is that there is no specified level of tobacco smoking that can be called safe. Even taking (smoking or chewing) tobacco in small amounts may cause instant damage to the heart as well as the blood vessels. Regular use of tobacco or exposure to it is known to cause respiratory ailments and also cancer, especially of the mouth and the lungs. Several studies have shown that the use of tobacco in the United States as well as other regions of the world is the biggest reason of deaths, which otherwise can be prevented. However, a number of recent studies conducted in the United States have shown that presently there is a trend among people to quit smoking. Perhaps this is owing to the awareness campaigns launched against tobacco smoking as well as recent reports of alarming rise in the number of deaths owing to smoking tobacco.
Cautions
- None recorded.
Interactions
- When taking any homeopathic remedy, do not use peppermint products, coffee, or alcohol. These products may cause the remedy to be ineffective.
Other names
n/a
References
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotiana_tabacum
Herbs 2000, http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/tabacum.htm