Cannabis Indica

Indian Cannabis

Indian cannabis. The flowering tops of the female plant of Cannabis sativa Linné (Nat. Ord. Urticaceae, Canna-bineae), grown in the East Indies. Chanvre Indient Fr.; Hanfkraut, Ger.

Preparations

Extractum Cannabis Indicae.—Extract of cannabis Indica. Dose, gr. 1/4—gr. ij or more.

Extractum Cannabis Indicae Fluidum

Fluid extract of cannabis Indica. Dose, τη ij— 3 ss.

Tinctura Cannabis Indicae

Tincture of cannabis Indica. Dose,

τη v— 3 j.

Cannabinum Tannicum

Dose, gr. j—gr. x.

Composition

The most important constituent of hemp is a peculiar resin, cannabin, which possesses the active powers of the plant. By distillation of the leaves and stems, a peculiar volatile oil is obtained; and this is divisible into cannabene, a very light hydrocarbon, and hydride of cannabene, a solid crystalline substance.

An impure resin, collected in an imperfect and crude way from the leaves and stems, is known as charas or churrus. Bhang consists of the dried leaves and stalks made into a confection with preserved fruits and aromatics, and in this form constitutes the well-known hashish. Gunjah is the female flowering plant, dried, from which the resin has not been extracted. There are important differences of opinion as to the active constituents. According to Roux, the new preparation the tannate of cannabin—has no obvious effects, is in fact inert. The volatile oil, which Personne thinks is the true active principle, has also been shown to have no special power. The alcoholic extract is inert, and Duquesnel's proved to be no more active. The resin, it seems to be demonstrated, is the active part, or contains it. The petroleum (rhigolene or benzine ) extract has excitant and convulsive property, and is distinctly toxic.

No arbitrary rules for the dose can be laid down. In beginning the use of any newly-made preparation, it is safer to commence with the minimum dose. Having, by gradually increasing the quantity, ascertained the physiological activity of that particular specimen, it may then be pushed according to the necessities of the case.

Antagonists and Incompatibles

The caustic alkalies, the acids, strychnine, and induction electricity, oppose the actions of hemp. In oases of poisoning, the stomach should be evacuated, and symptoms be combated as they arise. Strychnine may be injected hypodermatical-ly, and the respiration be maintained by faradization of the respiratory muscles. As, however, hemp possesses but feeble toxic power, cases of acute poisoning have never been reported.

Synergists

Alcohol, ether, nitrous oxide, the mydriatics—belladonna, hyoscyamus, etc.—opium, and the cerebral stimulants generally, promote the actions of hemp.

Physiological Actions

The resin of hemp is a soft solid; is soluble in alcohol and in ether, in the fixed and volatile oils, and in the fats. It has a balsamic taste, but is bitter and acrid. It promotes the appetite and the digestion somewhat. The most important actions are those referable to the nervous system. There is a distinction to be made between the effects on the nervous system of the inhalation of the fumes of hashish and those effects which follow the stomach administration. Inattention to this point has, probably, given rise to most of the confusion regarding the physiological actions of this remedy. When inhaled it produces a singular muscular erythism and agitation, a great desire for muscular activity and motion, an entire absence of the sense of fatigue; but these sensations are followed by exhaustion, even by syncope. Hallucinations occur, but they are not usually agreeable; they are often painful, and are replaced by stupor.

By the stomach, and in moderate doses, hashish is an excitant of the nervous system, increasing intellectual and motor activity. In large doses, it lowers the tactile sense and the sense of pain—in other words, it is analgesic and anaesthetic—and it induces a cataleptic state, in which the muscles maintain any position in which they may be placed. The mental intoxication is ordinarily of an agreeable kind; the ideas flow more easily, are highly pleasurable, and are usually accompanied by bursts of gay laughter. Not infrequently the excitement takes the form of a furious delirium, in which acts of violence are committed—whence the name "haschaschins," or assassins, applied to the unfortunate hashish-eater who, under the influence of the drug, commits murder. It has been maintained, and probably rightly enough, that the form which the delirium takes represents the mental and moral condition of the individual in his normal state: those who are amiable and gay become more so under the influence of hashish; and those possessed of evil and malignant dispositions enact deeds of violence.

Under the influence of hashish the knowledge of time is lost; such are the number and variety of the images which occupy the mind, that a few minutes appear to be hours, days, or even years. After the effects of the drug have passed off, the hashish-eater is usually unconscious of the events that have transpired. Sleep or coma, according to the dose, ends the effects of the drug.

Dilatation of the pupil, and disorders of vision, which contribute to the hallucinations by the distortion of external objects, are produced by hemp. Aphrodisiac effects are said to follow the use of hashish; but impotence, which is common in hashish-eaters, doubtless results from the repeated over-stimulation of the sexual organs.

It is not known by what organs, or in what form, hashish is eliminated. The effects of a large dose are not entirely expended in twenty-four hours, and those who have taken it by way of experiment have suffered vertigo, headache, and other cerebral symptoms, for some time subsequently. It does not increase any of the secretions, except it may be the urinary, somewhat; and it does not stimulate into increased activity any organs except the cerebro-spinal and the sexual. The sleep or stupor which it produces, and which comes on after the stage of excitement, is not followed by after nausea and depression, as in the case of opium.

Therapy

The extract of cannabis Indica enters into the composition of chlorodyne, a nostrum which has had a great reputation as an anodyne and hypnotic. In cholera morbus and diarrhoea this remedy has been used successfully, but we now possess more efficient ones.

Before the days of anaesthesia, and in very remote times, the fumes of hashish were employed to stupefy and to render painless surgical operations. It was also employed to relieve pain, and as a substitute for opium in neuralgia, and as an hypnotic. In migraine it has been used with decided success by Seguin, Williams, and others. Good results have been obtained from it in epilepsy by Sinkler and others, and it deserves further consideration in this disease. In chorea, and in delirium tremens, it is strongly urged by De Cavaillon, and in senile trembling and paralysis agitans it has afforded relief. About one half of the cases of tetanus, for which hemp was much prescribed a few years ago, got well under its use; but more accurate knowledge of the natural history of this disease has shown that many cases tend to recovery without the aid of medicines.

It is well established that hemp has the power to promote uterine contractions. It can not initiate them, but increases their energy when action has begun. It may be given with ergot. In consequence of this power which it possesses to affect the muscular tissue of organic life, hemp is used successfully in the treatment of menorrhagia. It is said to be especially useful in that form of menorrhagia which occurs at the climacteric period (Churchill). It has, more recently, been shown to possess the power to arrest haemorrhage from any point, but it is chiefly in menorrhagia that much good is accomplished.

There can be no doubt that cannabis Indica is a useful remedy in cases of impotence. It need hardly be stated that it is adapted to the functional disorder. It may be advantageously combined with ergot and nux vomica in this malady; for example: Rx Ext. cannabis Indicae, gr. x ; ergotin (aq. ex.), Эij ; ext. nucis vom., gr. x. M., ft. piL no. xx. Sig.: One morning and evening.

This agent has also been used with success in the treatment of gonorrhoea. It diminishes the local inflammation, allays chordee, and lessens the pain and irritation, with the accompanying restlessness.

Authorities referred to:

Bulletin Général de Thérapeutique. Various articles, 1870, '74, '76. Fluckiger and Hanbury. Pharmacographia, p. 491. Seguin, Dr. E. C. New York Medical Record, vol. xii, p. 774. Williams, Dr. S. W. London Medical Record, vol. i, p. 407.