Motherwort Overdose - Signs, First Aid, Treatment, Consequences

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Motherwort overdose

Motherwort is a plant widely used in both official and non-traditional medicine. As a medicine, two of its varieties are used: motherwort heart and motherwort hairy (five-lobed).

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In terms of therapeutic effects, motherwort is similar to the preparations of lily of the valley and valerian officinalis, but in terms of effectiveness it is significantly superior to them, especially in the treatment of cardiac diseases.

The plant contains flavonoid glycosides (rutin, quinqueloside, cosmoin, quercitrin, hyperoside, quercimerithrin, etc.), alkaloids (stachydrin, choline, leonurin), saponins, tannins (about 2% of the total mass), monoterpenes (leonuride), ascorbic acid (leaves contain 23.6–65.3 mg%), diterpene bitterness (leocardine), traces of essential oil (about 0.03%), mineral salts.

Motherwort has many therapeutic effects:

• regulates the functional state of the central nervous system, providing a calming effect, normalizing the processes of excitation and inhibition, potentiating the hypnotic effect;
• effective in psychasthenia, neurasthenia and somatoform disorders, accompanied by sleep disturbances, a feeling of inner tension and increased reactivity;
• ensures the stability of the functioning of the central and autonomic nervous system in the premenopausal and climacteric periods;
• reduces the frequency of heart contractions, normalizes (depending on the initial) heart rate in vascular and autonomic maladjustment disorders, increases the force of heart contraction, has a hypotensive effect;
• favorably affects the course of cardiac diseases;
• has antispastic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, restorative effect;
• marked efficiency in dyspeptic symptoms, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, bronchial asthma, neuralgia, painful menstruation.

It is used in the form of tincture and infusion of motherwort herb, liquid extract and tablets, as part of medicinal preparations, teas.

It is prescribed for the following diseases:

• primary (essential) arterial hypertension;
• secondary arterial hypertension (hypertension);
• symptoms and signs related to the emotional state, including somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system;
• in the complex therapy of various diseases and conditions as an adjuvant.

Despite a wide range of positive qualities, motherwort preparations have a therapeutic effect rather slowly, as they accumulate, therefore, the period of treatment is long.

The dosage is determined depending on the nature and severity of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathology, the age and functional state of the patient's body.

In some cases, incorrect use or self-medication can cause negative consequences when an overdose of a drug leads to the development of acute intoxication and various pathological reactions.

How much motherwort is needed for an overdose?

Usually, an adult is prescribed 30-40 drops of motherwort tincture in ¼ glass of water 3 times a day.

In case of impossibility to take an alcohol solution (control of transport and mechanisms, pregnancy, childhood, etc.), you can use an aqueous infusion (3 tablespoons of herbs in a glass of boiling water, take ¼ glass 2-3 times a day).

Motherwort tablets are taken 2 tablets three times a day.

Motherwort overdose rarely develops, more often with a significant excess of the above dosages or with increased sensitivity to the chemical components of the plant.

There are no data on the specific dose, the intake of which causes symptoms of an overdose, since it is purely individual.

Signs of overdose

The main signs of an overdose of motherwort preparations are:

• nausea, vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• headache, dizziness;
• thirst, dryness of the oral mucosa;
• increased salivation;
• drowsiness, apathy;
• lowering blood pressure;
• decrease in heart rate;
• decreased ability to concentrate.

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Often, when taking motherwort drugs, allergic reactions of varying severity develop, from urticaria to Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock.

An overdose of alcoholic motherwort tincture is especially dangerous. In this case, symptoms of alcohol intoxication are added to the signs of acute plant poisoning:

• unsteadiness of gait;
• slowing down of intellectual processes;
• illegible and confused speech;
• violation of orientation in time and place;
• decreased social control;
• strong smell of alcohol from the mouth;
• in severe cases - alcoholic coma.

A combination of overdoses with motherwort and ethyl alcohol intensifies and pathologically changes the symptoms of intoxication and can lead to the development of coma, and then death.

First aid for motherwort overdose

1. Gastric lavage, for which the victim must drink 1-1.5 liters of water or a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate and provoke an emetic urge by pressing on the root of the tongue.
2. Reception of enterosorbent (Enterosgel, Polysorb according to the scheme or activated carbon at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight).
3. Taking a saline laxative (magnesium sulfate).

Antidote

There is no specific antidote to motherwort.

When is medical attention required?

Medical assistance is needed if:

• a child, pregnant woman or elderly person is injured;
• the victim is inhibited, in a state of oppressed consciousness, inaccessible to contact;
• developed indomitable vomiting or diarrhea;
• traces of blood in vomit or stool;
• blood pressure (BP) below 80/50 mm Hg. Art.;
• bradycardia is noted less often than 50 beats / min;
• developed symptoms of dehydration (intense thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes, decreased blood pressure, decreased urination);
• the victim is in a coma.

After the provision of medical assistance to the victim on the spot by the ambulance team, treatment continues (depending on the severity) on an outpatient basis or in a hospital setting.

Inpatient activities:

• further intake of enterosorbents;
• parenteral administration of 0.9% sodium chloride solution or 5% glucose, polarizing mixture, 4% sodium bicarbonate solution in order to restore water-electrolyte balance and reduce symptoms of intoxication;
• forced diuresis;
• oxygen therapy;
• in severe cases - hemosorption, plasmapheresis.

Possible consequences

The consequences of an overdose of motherwort are usually not fatal:

• allergic reactions;
• reactive inflammation of the pancreas;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• exacerbation of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.

Acute renal failure can be the most severe complication.

Olesya Smolnyakova Therapy, clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy About the author

Education: higher, 2004 (GOU VPO "Kursk State Medical University"), specialty "General Medicine", qualification "Doctor". 2008-2012 - Postgraduate student of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, KSMU, Candidate of Medical Sciences (2013, specialty "Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology"). 2014-2015 - professional retraining, specialty "Management in education", FSBEI HPE "KSU".

The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!