Belladonna
Atropa belladonna — Deadly nightshade
The remedy for sudden, violent, hot, throbbing, inflammatory conditions — especially high fever and earaches.
Overview
Belladonna is the remedy of sudden, intense, inflammatory states. The keynote is the "three Rs" — Red, Radiating heat, and Rapid onset. The Belladonna patient looks striking: flushed red face, dilated pupils, throbbing arteries, burning hot skin — all appearing within an hour or two. This is the remedy for fever that spikes to 103°F in the afternoon, for the earache that makes a child scream, for the sudden throbbing headache that feels like the skull will burst.
Belladonna acts most strongly on the right side of the body and is characteristically worse around 3 PM and at night. It pairs well with Aconite (for early-stage fever after cold exposure) and often follows Aconite when heat and throbbing develop.
Key Uses of Belladonna
- ✓High fever with sudden onset (especially in children)
- ✓Throbbing headache, worse from motion and light
- ✓Earache with bright red ear
- ✓Sore throat with bright red tonsils
- ✓Sunstroke and heatstroke
- ✓Teething in infants with hot, red face
- ✓Flushed, hot face with cold hands and feet
- ✓Sunburn
- ✓Mastitis (in early stages)
Typical Symptom Picture
- •Sudden onset of symptoms
- •Bright red face, burning hot to touch
- •Dilated pupils, glassy eyes
- •Throbbing arteries in the neck
- •Worse from light, noise, jarring, touch
- •High fever without thirst (unusual)
- •Better bending head backward or sitting upright
Better from
- • Sitting up
- • Bending head backward
- • Warm room
- • Rest
Worse from
- • 3 PM
- • Night
- • Light, noise, jarring
- • Lying down flat
- • Draft on head
Dosage & Potency
Dosage: For acute fever or inflammation: Belladonna 30C, 3 pellets every 1–2 hours until the fever breaks or pain subsides. For children with teething: 30C as a single dose, repeated if needed.
Potency notes: 30C for most acute situations. 200C for very violent symptoms under practitioner guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belladonna safe for children with fever?
Yes — in homeopathic 30C potency Belladonna is completely safe for children and is one of the most commonly recommended remedies for sudden high fever with flushed face. It should not be used as a substitute for medical evaluation in infants under 3 months, in fevers lasting more than 48 hours, or in any child who appears severely ill.
How is Belladonna different from Aconite for fever?
Aconite is for the very first stage of fever — restlessness, fear, dry heat — usually after exposure to cold wind. Belladonna comes a few hours later, once the face is red, the skin is burning, and the patient looks dazed. If a child has been exposed to cold and just starts to feel feverish, Aconite first; when the face reddens and heat radiates, switch to Belladonna.
Related Guides
Last updated 2026-04-16. This guide is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. For persistent or serious symptoms, consult a qualified homeopath or physician.