for Tumours, Cancer and Warts.” He added,“ A substance from red milkweed or‘ Cancerillo’ used for centuries by Central American Indians to treat Cancer inhibits the growth of lab-cultured human cancer tissue.” When asked whether the cure for cancer would come from the greenhouse rather than the laboratory, Dr. Kupchan answered,“ There probably won’ t be a single cancer cure, but cancer cures for the different types of cancer.” He told reporters that the possibility of cancer treatment from plants should not be overlooked, particularly since“ the synthetic medicinal chemists have almost exhausted the possibilities for anti-cancer drugs”. Most Herbalists combine Bitter sweet with other Herbal agents as individual case requires. Dose: Boil l teaspoonful of cut or powdered Solanum in 1 pint of water for a few minutes, cover and steep for ½ hr., 1 teaspoonful in 1 cup of boiling water as required. Of the tincture alone, 10 – 20 drops in water three or four times a day. Caution: Large doses produce vomiting, faintness, vertigo, convulsive muscular movements, dryness and constrictions of the throat, thirst, diarrhoea, weakened heart action, paralysis. Externally: One pound of the cut bark of Bitter sweet slowly heated in 1 lb. of lard for 8 hr. makes an excellent ointment to scatter painful tumours, and is one of the best preparations available for application to ulcers, irritated skin conditions, piles, burns, scalds, etc., involving pain and social awareness. Homoeopathic Clinical: Not to be confounded with“ Deadly nightshade”, Belladonna, or with“ Climbing Bitter-sweet”, Celastrus. Tincture prepared from fresh green stems and leaves, gathered just before flowering. Uses: Adenitis, Angina faucium, Aphonia, Bladder( affections of), Blepharophthalmia, Catarrh, Cholera, Crusta lactea, Diarrhoea, Dropsy, Dysentery, Emaciation, Exostosis, Haemorrhage, Haemorrhoids, Hay-fever, Meningitis, Myalgia, Myelitis, Nettle-rash, Neuralgia, Ophthalmia, Paralysis, Pemphigus, Rheumatism, Scarlatina, Scrofula, Stammering, Stiff neck, Tibiae( pains in), Tongue( affections of), Tonsilitis, Tumours, Typhoid, Urine( difficulty in passing)( incontinence of), Warts, Whooping-cough. Russian Experience: Several kinds of the Bitter sweet family known as Paslen Kisoladky( Solanum dulcamara, Solanum lacitum) are used for medical and industrial purposes.
Anglo-American medical research has attracted much attention to Solanum dulcamara. Russian experience and laboratory research informs us as to the same and other importance. This endeavour should not be neglected.
Agro-technic and laboratory experiments have worked out many details. In western Siberia 1½ – 2 lb. of seed is used for 1 acre. Depending on weather conditions they cut three or four times a season; four or five weeks apart. Packages of 50 kg. are delivered to factories where extract is prepared for synthesis of progesterone, cortisone and other hormone preparations. Uses: Home medicine for many families favours Palsenovaya Nastoika( herbs with vodka) for heart disease, a few drops at a time. One to two cups of the tea taken a mouthful at a time has proven successful for skin and hair diseases and very effective for worms. Clinically: In use for disturbances of the liver, spleen, gall-bladder, catarrh, asthma and chronic skin disease. India and Pakistan Experience: Solanum nigrum( Garden nightshade) and their native Solanum xanthocarpum, which is Indian Kantakari, Kateli, Katai, and English name, Indian Solanum, grows throughout India and Pakistan. They find the whole plant useful as Expectorant, Bitter Stomachic, Aperient, Diuretic, Astringent, Anthelmintic, Alterative, Anodyne, Febrifuge. The root used for Fever, Cough, Asthma, Flatulence, Costiveness, Dropsy, Heart disease, Chest pain, Gonorrhoea, Dysuria, Stones in the bladder, Liver and spleen enlargement. Given in decoctions of ½ to 2 oz., or its juice in doses ½ – 2 drams; also as a confection.