ABSTRACT
The dry rays of the umbels become so hard that they are useful toothpicks and give it its European vernacular name of ‘toothpick plant’. In recent times it has been the source of effective medicines for heart disease and for asthma. The seeds from the tiny fruits of khella have been used from biblical times in the treatment of renal colic, caused by kidney stones. Unfortunately, amiodarone can cause a wide range of adverse effects: it can cause an unusual cardiac arrhythmia, ‘torsade de pointes’, and can also interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and release, leading to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. In 1952 a very detailed study of the effects of khellin in patients with obstructive airways disease was published. Side effects of treatment with sodium cromoglicate are uncommon and include skin reactions, muscle pains, headache and gastroenteritis; nasal and throat irritation from the powder formulation; cough and bronchospasm; and very rarely anaphylaxis due to an allergic reaction.
