Physostigman.
/ˌfʌɪsəʊˈstɪɡmə/, U.S. /ˌfaɪsoʊˈstɪɡmə/ Botany.
An African vine of the genus Physostigma (family Fabaceae ( Leguminosae)), in which the style of the flower becomes inflated above the stigma, esp. P. venenosum, the Calabar bean; (in form Physostigma) the genus itself. Also: a medicinal extract of the poisonous seed of P. venenosum, which contains the alkaloid physostigmine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines of specific form > extracts > [noun] > specific extracts
poppyOE
Physostigma1864
conium1866
hazeline1880
scutellarin1883
hamamelin1890
hamamelis1910
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medical preparations of specific origin > medicine composed of a plant > [noun] > plant used in medicine > specific seeds
linseedc1000
lupinesa1398
nigellaa1398
cardamom?c1425
line1540
semendacy1714
ispaghul1810
ergot1860
Physostigma1864
1864 Year-bk. Med. 1863 (New Sydenham Soc.) 428 Dr. Fraser has used the physostigma internally in cases of erysipelas.
1868 A. B. Garrod Essentials Materia Medica (ed. 3) 212 Given internally, the action of the Physostigma is directed to the heart, weakening..its action.
1878 A. M. Hamilton Nerv. Dis. 118 Physostigma, aconite, and other cardiac sedatives may be mentioned as other anæmiants.
1922 Nature 22 Apr. 510/1 The jaborandi alkaloids are wrongly grouped with the derivatives of pyridine.., whilst the alkaloids of physostigma and anhalonium should not be described as ‘of unknown composition’.
1998 Homeopathy Today (Nexis) 18 6 In such glaucoma cases he uses: Apis, if the patient is thirstless; Physostigma, if there is a family history of glaucoma; and Glonoinum, if there is hypertension or renal disease.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1864