Family Name: Fabaceae

Introduction

Melilotus was formerly used as a pain killer about the way we would use aspirin. How it works remains a mystery, but, it does contain coumarin, the blood thinner, and other related anti-infllammatory compounds.

Notes from the Eclectic Physicians

Notes from the Eclectic Physicians

1895: Watkins: MELILOTUS, SP MED:
Diarrhoea and vomiting, cutting and lancinating pains with griping rumbling in the bowels, flatulence, forcible and windy discharges, dysuria, non-malarial headache. One to ten drops every two hours.

1898: Felter and Lloyd: MELILOTUS – MELILOT
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage – Melilotus (species), placed between woolen clothing, is used in Europe to guard against the ravages of the moth. The medicinal properties of melilotus are undoubtedly chiefly due to coumarin. Many observers have found it peculiarly effective in certain painful disorders, particularly neuralgias of long standing and associated with debility. It is adapted to idiopathic neuralgic headaches, and to neuralgic affections not depending upon reflex causes, although it has given good results in headaches arising from painful disorders of the stomach. Recurring

neuralgia, especially from cold or fatigue, have been promptly relieved by small doses of the drug. It relieves ovarian neuralgia sometimes as if by magic, and in dysmenorrhoea its beneficial effect is observed when lameness an dsoreness are prominent symptoms, and particularly when the trouble seems to follow the great sciatic nerve.Rheumatic cases, showing marked lameness, are also said to be cases for its exhibition. It is likewise of value in painful dysuria, colic, painful diarrhoea, and menstrual colic. Gastralgia, neuralgia of the stomach, an dother abdominal viscera, have been promptly relieved by it, and a prominent symptom in these disorders, that has been met by the drug, is the coldness of the extremities. We should remember melilotus in painful states, with coldness, and marked soreness or tenderness to the touch. Dose of specific melilotus, 1 to 10 drops; of a strong tincture, 1 to 20 drops. The leaves and flowers of these two plants (M. officinalis and M. alba) are boiled in lard, and formed into an ointment, which is found of utility as an application to all kinds of ulcers. The Vanilla, or seneca grass, used for a stimulant purpose, is the Hierochloc borealis.

Specific Indications and Uses – Idiopathic headaches; long-standing neuralgias; coldness, tenderness, lameness or marked soreness of parts; painful menstruation with lameness or sensation of cold; menstrual colic; ovarian neuralgia; colic with diarrhoea an dmuch flatus.

1901 : Harvey W Felter (Appendix) – MELILOTUS – MELILOT
SYNONYMS – Sweet Clover, Yellow Melilot, Yellow Melilot Clover

BOTANICAL ORIGIN – The leaves and flowering tops of Meliolotus officinialis , Wildenow. Nat. Ord., Leguminosae. An indigenous annual plant, thriving best in alluvial soils. It contains coumarin.

Melilot is a remedy for neuralgic pain, associated with or dependent upon debility. Thus in idiopathis neuralgic headaches, and in recurring neuralgia due to cold or fatigue, small doses give relief. Painful conditions, with coldness of the extremities and marked tenderness, lameness or soreness to the touch, are the cases for melilotus. With these symptoms it is one of the most efficient remedies for ovarian neuralgia and dysmenorrhea. It also relieves menstrual colic, intestinal colic, gastralgia, gastric neuralgia, viaceral neuralgia, painful diarrhoea, and painful dysuria. The dose of specific melilotus is from 1 to 10 drops.

1911: Fyfe
Hacking, tickling cough, smothering sensatins, when the respiratory tract is invovled, neuralgia,when associated with debility, sense of fullness of the throat or chest, capillary congestions of all kinds. Melilotus officinalis is tonic and stimulant.

1919: Ellingwood: MELILOTUS OFFICINALIS ALBA: MELILOTUS
Synonym – Sweet clover.

Constituents – Coumarin, melilotic acid, coumaric acid.

Preparation – Emplastrum Meliloti, Melilot plaster.

Specific Melilotus. Dose, from one to ten drops.

Specific Symptomatology -Spasms, colic, dysuria, dysmenorrhoea; in painful cough, spasms from dentition, pain in the stomach, rectum, or uterus, neuralgic rheumatism.

Dr. Reed gives melilotus in cases where ergot would seem to be indicated; where there is fullness of circulation of the brain; a tendency to nose bleed, often followed by sick headache; where the action of the heart is oppressed with occasional palpitation. Be believes that in all three cases it is an excellent remedy.

Therapy – Melilotus is a stimulant to the local circulation, and is adapted to those cases where debility or a feeble vital power, as in delicate females and poorly nourished infants, is associated with congestion, as in atonic neuralgias and spasms occurring during the period of dentition, and in congestion of the uterus, ovaries, rectum, bowels, stomach, or bladder in feeble subjects. It is also a remedy for pain from determination of blood as in headache with throbbing.

An ointment made from the leaves is an efficacious application to all kinds of ulcers.

A fomentation of the leaves an dflowering tops may be applied with good effect in inflammation of joints, and local pain in the abdomen.

Engorged conditions of the uterus are treated very successfully by four or five-drop doses every two hours of melilotus.