Agaricus – Fly Agaric

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh fungus, Amanita muscaria CL Hook., which occurs in woodlands throughout the northern hemisphere. N.O. Fungi

– Amanitaceae.

Sensitivity to cold air. Motor restlessness. Sensation of a lump in the upper ab- domen. Sydenham’s chorea, tics. States of agitation, epileptiform attacks, itching, crawling sensations, burning pains, sensations of numbness, as if frozen. Chilblains. Coppery discoloration of the nose in heavy drinkers.

The predominant characteristic is a hyperaesthesia of the whole body, the slightest pressure causing pain. General painfulness of all the limbs, especially the lower ex- tremities, marked on sitting or standing, gradually subsiding on walking. This is ac- companied by a feeling of coldness with paraesthesia (numbness and crawling sen- sation) and a sensitivity to cold air. The pains in the limbs may occur diagonally (right arm and left leg, etc.), and the general restlessness of the muscles with a com- pulsion to move in unusual ways (cf. Stramonium), may change to tetany and stupor. Ecstatic states as in drunkenness, singing, shouting, declaiming, general intensifica- tion of mental excitement to the point of rage and destructive fury, may reach the point of Korsakov’s psychosis (cf. Veratrum Album).

On the other hand, there may be dejection, irritability, faint-heartedness with re- luctance for any form of activity or work, a lack of initiative and a mood of despair.

On the skin there is evidence of peripheral circulatory disturbance, such as chilblains, cold hands and feet, and cyanosis.

Eye symptoms include photophobia, diplopia, and muscae volitantes (floaters). The circulatory system also shows signs of central under-function, with weak con-

tractions of the heart, and later on with heart-beats which are irregular or missing.

Liver symptoms include distension of the abdomen and discharge of large amounts of flatus which smells of garlic.

The oral cavity and stomach are affected by the same whitish, yellowish coating as is on the tongue; there are oesophageal cramps, stomach pains and nausea.

Agaricus is used less in acute, violent fevers, but more in low fevers with a ten- dency to collapse, gangrene and spasmodic states, the lower limbs in particular showing great weakness.

In Kamchatka, a decoction of fly agaric is drunk in order to induce a state of ec- static intoxication.

Agaricus should therefore be tried in cases of ecstatic nervous excitement, and in epileptiform attacks, especially too in excitement of the sexual drive with lack of ability and great exhaustion following coitus.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Amanita muscaria, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for agaricus: condition of excessive excitement, also with reduction of ex- citability of the nervous system; sequelae of drug and medication abuse; state of

confusion; cerebral seizure disorders; disorders in voiding the bladder and intestinal tract.