232 MALE FERN. 



MALE FERN (Aspidium). 



Male Fern is the dried root of Dryopteris filix-iuas, or Dryopteris marginalis, 

 perennial herbs of the north temperate zone, and mountainous regions of the tropics. 



Pharmacodynamics. 



Central Nervous System. Male Fern depresses the upper centers, and stimulates 

 the reflex excitability of the cord. 



Muscular System. No direct action. 



Respiration depressed by centric action. 



Heart is depressed by centric action. 



Blood-pressure. Falls with decreased heart-action. 



Alimentary Canal. Irritant. 



Secretory Glands. No effect. 



Metabolism. Male fern destroys red blood-corpuscles. 



Temperature. No effect. 



Absorption is very slow, so that the accompanying purge usually sweeps the drug 

 out before constitutional symptoms develop. Some subjects are susceptible to its 

 action, and may be acutely poisoned. Its absorption is facilitated by the presence of oils. 



Excretion. Nothing seems definitely known about the elimination of Aspidium. 



Local Action. None. 



Eye. Filix-mas sometimes induces a neuritis of the optic nerve. 



Symptoms. 



Therapeutic Doses. Too Large Doses. 



Usually no symptoms, but may Vomiting and purging, 



produce results very alarm- Acute colic, 



ing. Muscular weakness. 



Mental confusion. 



Drowsiness. 



Collapse, coma, and death. 



Therapeutics. 



Male Fern is used for the expulsion of the tapeworm. It is given after a fast, and 

 should be followed in eight hours by a saline purge. Cistor oil, or any other kind of 

 oil, should not be used for a purge following Aspidium. 



Dosage. 



Oleoresina Aspidii, 2 Gm. 

 Not to be repeated within seven days. 



Thymol is used to expel hookworm. It is given, after ten hours fasting, in doses 

 of 0.75 Gm., repeated twice at 15-minute intervals. Four hours later a brisk saline 

 purge is given. Oil of any kind must not be allowed the patient, as it renders the 

 thymol freely absorbable, resulting in alarming poisoning with weakness, apathy, and 

 collapse. 



