HYOSCYAMUS Meaning and
Definition
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Hyoscyamus is a noun that refers to a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is commonly known as henbane, and the word "hyoscyamus" is derived from the Greek words "hyos" meaning "pig" and "kyamos" meaning "bean." This name is given to these plants because their seeds resemble small beans, and it is believed that pigs were known to eat these seeds.
The plants in the hyoscyamus genus are primarily native to Eurasia and northern Africa, but they have also been introduced to other parts of the world. They typically have hairy leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers that can range in color from white to yellowish or purplish. The plants are known for containing alkaloids, particularly hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which are toxic and have both medicinal and psychoactive properties.
In traditional medicine, hyoscyamus plants have been used for their sedative, pain-relieving, and antispasmodic properties. However, caution must be exercised as the alkaloids present in these plants can have toxic effects in higher doses. Additionally, due to their psychoactive nature, hyoscyamus plants have a long history of use in witchcraft and shamanic rituals.
The term "hyoscyamus" can also be used to refer to the dried leaves and flowers of these plants which are often used to prepare herbal remedies or smoked. Overall, hyoscyamus is a botanical term that describes a genus of plants known for their toxicity, medicinal properties, and historical associations with ancient practices.
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Hyoscyami folia (Br.) hyoscyamus leaves; the leaves and flowering tops of Hyoscyamus niger, henbane, insane root, poison tobacco, stinking nightshade; anodyne, and antispasmodic in doses of gr. 4-8 (0.25-0.5).
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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A genus of poisonous plants, henbane, used in medicine.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for HYOSCYAMUS
- gyoscyamus
- byoscyamus
- nyoscyamus
- jyoscyamus
- uyoscyamus
- yyoscyamus
- htoscyamus
- hgoscyamus
- hhoscyamus
- huoscyamus
- h7oscyamus
- h6oscyamus
- hyiscyamus
- hykscyamus
- hylscyamus
- hypscyamus
- hy0scyamus
- hy9scyamus
- hyoacyamus
Etymology of HYOSCYAMUS
The word "hyoscyamus" has its origins in Greek. It is derived from the Greek words "hyos" (ὕος), meaning "pig", and "kyamos" (κύαμος), meaning "bean". These words were combined to form "hyoskyamos", which referred to a plant with bean-like seeds that was used in ancient Greek medicine. Over time, the word evolved into "hyoscyamus" in Latin, and it is the Latinized version that is used as the scientific name for the plant genus known commonly as henbane.
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