Nature of Pulsatilla nigricans Sickness - homeopathy360

Nature of Pulsatilla nigricans Sickness

[Abstract: This article includes the clinical understanding of the study of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, on the light of the teaching of our Organon of Medicine & Homoeopathic Philosophy that, whatever it maybe the name of the disease or the pathology; Homoeopaths needs to perceive, what is curable in disease and what is curative in medicine; they’re the clinically verified signs & symptoms of a remedy, the power, the essence, the image, the very nature of the sickness, those are only to be counter as stronger & similar in manifestations but different in kind for restoring the sick to health homeopathically, also expressed in this article.]

Images of Pulsatilla nigricans tree, flowers, (Images.app.goo.gl)

Keywords: Pulsatilla nigricans – physical appearances – chemical properties – Dynamic actions – prescriable – clinically verified – curative symptoms.

Abbreviation: < = aggravation; > = amelioration.

Pulsatilla nigricans Description: ([1] Allen’s Encyclopedia Materia Medica, Vol. VIII. P.20)

Family: Ranunculaceae.

Habitat: Scandinavia, Denmark, Germany, Central & Northern Europe, Russia, Turkey and Asia. Grow in dry, plain, open fields.

Parts used: Fresh plant when flowering.

Chemical Properties: Chemicals Active Principle: Anemonic acid and Oil of anemone.

Physical Description: Grows in sandy pasture grounds on hills and declivities exposed to the Sun. Plant found in sunny elevated places, pasture ground, soil is sandy. Whole plant is beset with soft, silky white hairs; has a woolly, lax appearance; odourless, but emits when bruished a most acrid vapour causing lachrymation. Flowers are varying in colour from dark violet to light blue; bell shaped pendulous. Steams are 1.5 meter height, simple erect and rounded.

History & Authority:

1) Dioscordes (A.D. 40 – 90), the famous Roman physician used pasque flower for eye complaints.

2) In 18th Century, it was used to treat cataracts, ulcers, tooth decay and depression.

3) Pulsatilla was introduced in medicine in 1771 by Anton Von Stoerck, using it in eye diseases, paralysis, rheumatism, amenorrhoea, melancholy, skin disorders, and other conditions.

4) Dr. Hahnemann published Pulsatilla proving in 1805; Homoeopaths used the remedy in eye diseases, inflammations, uterine disorders, menstrual troubles, and gonorrhea, and by the end of the 19th Century Allopaths were also using it for the same disorders, although they sometimes tried to avoid giving credit to Hahnemann.

5) Dr. Hahnemann proved Pulsatilla Pratensis another species American plant Pulsatilla Nuttalliana. There is little difference in two drugs. Pratensis has been well proved. It is a pretty little flower, called wind flower; having symptoms as fickle as the changeableness is characteristic of the drug.

6) The odour of the herb but slightly evident, taste acrid and pungent.

7) Fresh plant contains an acrid and vesicating principle and furnishes corrosive oil, as well as a kind of tannin, which colours iron green, in the dry it is entirely deprived of this acrid quality.

8) The word ‘Pulsatilla’ derived from ‘Pulsatus’ means ‘to beat’ or ‘to strike’ as it pulsates from the blowing winds.

Introduction:

Pulsatilla patient is universally feminine, emotional, passive type; lives almost entirely through her emotions, and does not suppress them. [2]

  • Has an intellect but it’s used in the service of her emotional needs and desires.
  • Ideas and emotions are ever changeable, unpredictable and for own emotional satisfaction.
  • Demand instant gratification; devoted, affectionate, mild, feel deprived, cry until needs are met.
  • Selfish attitudes; more personal in her interests, revolve around her loved ones, her life is devoted to a search for and then a celebration of personal love, to whom she is devoted.
  • As child to her parents, her devotion is transferred to her boyfriend and then to her husband and children.
  • Pulsatilla is relatively free from ambition, quite happy with her family.
  • She is quite happy to stay at home and look after her husband and her children, as long as her home life is going smoothly, she ignore world’s drama about politics or philosophy or the state economy. 

To understand the phenomena of Pulsatilla, we must remember that the drug acts upon the vasculain system, especially upon the right heart and upon the veins and capillaries. [3]

  • Thus we find that whatever weakens the venous portion of the circulation, whatever retards the return of blood to the heart, must of course provoke just the class of symptoms for which Pulsatilla may be indicated.
  • We know, for instance, that a warm, close room will provoke these symptoms.
  • If a person sits in a close room or in one where the temperature is too high, the veins will become tortuous and there will be some oppression about the chest and retardation of the heart’s action.
  • When these symptoms occur in disease they suggest Pulsatilla.
  • It acts on the right heart more than on the left, consequently, despite the chilliness which arises from the anaemia, the open air acts as a stimulus to the venous circulation, and this improves the symptoms depending upon the sluggish flow of blood.
  • We will find many symptoms throughout the entire body calling for Pulsatilla when there is this disturbance in the venous circulation.

In the chest there is a feeling of soreness referred to either the right or the left sub-clavicular region, or to the apex of one or the other lung. [4]

  • This soreness is felt when the patient lies on the affected side or presses against the chest.
  • It seems to involve the muscular structures about the shoulder and even down the arm of the affected side.
  • This symptom indicates venous congestion, or, at least, sluggish circulation through the upper part of the lung.
  • It has been a valuable symptom to the incipiency of tuberculosis, especially in women of the Pulsatilla temperament.
  • Along with this soreness in the lung there may be some cough with expectoration.
  • Although there may be no symptoms indicating the positive existence of tuberculous infiltration we will have other symptoms indicating the onset of the disease.
  • Pulsatilla has several times relieved these cases.

KEY POINTS:

1. Variability or Changeability.

2. Softness and tearfulness.

3. Thirst-less-ness.

4. Aggravation in hot and body also feels heated.

DISCUSSION: [5]

  • Pulsatilla: Psora+, Sycosis+; polychrest medicine.
  • Thermal reaction: in acute chilly; hot in chronic.

Variability or Changeability:

  • Variability or Changeability is the chief indication of Pulsatilla, both in physical or in mental levels.

Physical Changeability:

  • Disease continually changing its site and manifest from other place.
  • Changing its form as like; thyroid problem cure but orcitis develop, ear inflammation cure but breast inflammation develop. Metastasis of mumps to mamma or testicles.
  • Pain once in hand then in leg then in abdomen.
  • Stool once green then white then watery then with mucous.
  • Fever once in morning then in evening; chill-heat-sweat once only in left or once in right side of the body.

Mental Changeability:

  • Once become anger then calms down, smile and cry from a little.
  • Once think marriage is a great sin, sex is a great sin, once having excessive sex desire.
  • Sometimes thinks killing of animals is a great sin and also avoid to eating non-veg, sometimes can’t eating without fish, meat.

Fever never return in fixed time.

  • Chill or shivering once feel in right then in left sometime in allover the body.

Diarrhoea or dysentery:

  • Having little or large quantity of stool.
  • Once with mucous or with blood, sometime white or green in colour.

Pain revolves around the whole body.

Having a little Tubercular tendency, Pulsatilla girls become great emaciate suddenly during her menarche.    

Softness and tearfulness:

  • Pulsatilla commonly use in female diseases, in few cases in male also but must having characteristics of Pulsatilla, especially in the mental.
  • Pulsatilla patient is beautiful and soft, as her mind; arrogance and tearful from a little; when angry never quarrel openly rather-than crying.
  • Arrogance with a little, satisfied with a little, arrogance-satisfaction every now and then. 
  • No one in mind to cares about, everyone ignores the Pulsatilla patient and patient goes crazy to get sympathy and compassion from others (Opp. Natrum mur.).
  • Children are expressing annoyance and anger during fever, but if the child naturally soft and gentile then remember the Pulsatilla.
  • Pulsatilla female and male both having sometimes thinking marriage is a great sin, or sexual relationship is a worst thing and having an aversion to marriage or physical relation; but due to changeability in nature suddenly becoming extremely sensual.
  • Sometimes say about choice of foods that it’s not good, that’s not well.
  • Sometimes silent and does not speak.
  • Insanity due to suppression of menses.
  • Fixed ideas (Thuja).

Thirst-less-ness:

Pulsatilla patient naturally thirst-less, do not drink water when mouth is dry, even not arise desire to drink. When lips become dry, soaked it’s with the tongue but don’t take water.

  • Before fever when chill start patient become thirsty.
  • Naturally body of the patient is so heated that by touch feels as if its fever but even so heat patient is thirst-less and chilly or may chilly or may be hot as changeability is the nature.

Female genitalia:

  • Late menarche, suppress menses, tuberculosis after suppression of menses, asthma, fainting, insane, inflammation of the eyes etc.
  • Scanty menses, painful menses, irregular menses, obstructed menses.
  • Miscarriage, tendency to discharge and gradually profuse discharges, continues to increase the discharge.

Labour pain totally stop or may intermittent, pain with difficult breathing or fainting or convulsions, placenta do not fall, bleeding due to un-remove placenta.

  • Fetus is inconsistent and in unusual position.
  • After delivery legache or rheumatism of leg.  

Lochia scanty or suppress; breast milk scanty or suppress; continuous flowing of breast milk after sucking of breast.

  • Milk during menses.
  • Uterus relaxes miscarriage.
  • Glandular swelling during menses.

Aggravation in hot and body also feels heated:

Pulsatilla is chilly in acute and hot in chronic.

  • Close hot room or hot clothing create problem.
  • Maximum pains are < by heat.
  • Unable to digest worm foods.
  • Toothache, earache, rheumatic pains < by heat.

Characteristic features are thirst-less-ness, changeability.

  • Because physical pains may < in heat or sometimes < in cold also.
  • Practically Pulsatilla patient weather hot or chilly unable to decide.

Due to changeability in nature sometimes hot, sometimes chilly.

  • It’s also true that unable to cover during chilly which make difficulty in breathing.
  • So hot to touch the body as if having fevered but it’s not due to heat of fever, its normal heat of Pulsatilla patient.
  • Can’t stand heat; but patient’s peculiarity is thirst-less-ness.

Another peculiarity is aversion to bath even feeling of body heat, whereas patient feels better after bathing.

  • Only urticarial < by cold water.
  • Suppress menses due to getting chill.
  • Burning feet (Medo., Sulphur).  

More severe the pain, more severe the chill:

  • Pulsatilla patient can’t bear heat and feel better in cold in general.
  • But, in labour pain, in menstrual pain patient feel severe chill and more severe the pain, more severe the chill.
  • Pain rapidly shifting from one part to another.
  • Once chilly, sometimes hot.
  • Pain relief by gentle pressure and also relief by gentle walking.
  •  Rheumatic pain, toothache, earache > by walking slowly in open air; child wants to walk around on lap; gentle walking relief the mental tension.
  • Pulsatilla patient wants to go gentle walk because rapid waking make heat of the body and aggravate all pain; so patient gently walk in open air.
  • Relief by cold water, cold application and by gentle pressure. Pain appear gradually, leave suddenly (Vice versa).

Presenting as a patient: [6]        

Female: maximum use in female case, relaxed uterus, painful menses, suppress menses, scanty menses, irregular menses, profuse menses, breast milk during menses, swelling of hand and feet during menses.

  • Patient crying due to severe pain during menses and > by lying on abdomen (Colocynth).
  • Suppress menses due to attack of cold; bleeding from nose, mouth due to suppress menses (Senecio aureus).
  • Scanty menses but prolong, and severe painful or only for few hours.
  • Delirium or loss of vision during menses, bleeding only at day time.
  • Broken health or tuberculosis from menarche.
  • Suppress menses due to taking cold or wet feet (Senecio aureus).
  • Before onset of menses chill and shivering (Thuja).
  • Bleeding, black, thick or thin.
  • Insanity due to suppress menses (Ign.).
  • Due to suppress menses insanity, inflammation of eye or asthma. Headache due to uterine problem (Act.racemosa., Bell., Gels., Sepia).
  • In uterus clot of blood or mole (Sulphur, Sil., Thuja).
  • Suppress menses due to getting cold for standing long on damp, wet ground (Aco., Graph., Helleborus, Natrum mure, Nux mos., Rhus tox.).
  • Intense pain in breast or back during breast feeding.
  • Scanty breast milk or oozing of milk without cause (Conium).
  • Heel pain (Thuja).

Urine:

  • Wind passes involuntary during urination.
  • Coughing, sneezing, laughing causes involuntary passage of urine.   
  • Urge to urinate when lying on back.

Sleep:

  • Desire to sleep on back, placing the head on a high pillow and putting hand on forehead.
  • Unable to sleep on left side.

Fever:

  • < at 4 p.m.; thirsty before and after chill.
  • After cutting hair, getting cold and ear locks.

Diarrhoea:

  • Unable to digest fat or fatty foods, causes diarrhea.
  • Diarrhea < at night; stool ever changing in character.
  • Ineffectual desire for stool (Nux vom.).

Stomach:

  • Tongue white coted, offensive smell of mouth in the morning.
  • Craving for sour, spicy. Desire light salt in food (Natrum sulph., Sil., Psorinum).
  • Aversion to butter, bathing. Due to religious melancholia aversion to fish, meat, milk maybe seen.
  • Intolerance of milk and onion.

Diseases:

  • Glandular inflammation, fibroid tumour, skin disease, psoriasis, thick discharges from ulcer.
  • Hydrocele (Apis, Sil.).
  • Otitis cure orchitis develop, or orchitis cure otitis develops (Abrotanum, Carbo veg., Jaborandi, Sulphur).
  • Pulsatilla is more effective than Thuja where Orchitis due to gonorrhea (Medo.); bloody urine.  
  • Lacrimation < in cold air.
  • Recurrent styes in eyes.
  • Otitis of soft child.
  • Measles: with typhoid; loss of hearing or asthma due to suppress measles; cough after measles. But, never use it in acute cough.           
  • Malaria: difficult breathing or mucous vomiting at the time of chill before coming fever; desire for open air. Jaundice, spleen inflammation, bed effect of quinine. Constipation due to taking quinine. 
  • All discharges are thick, greenish-yellow and not acrid. But, leucorrhoea acrid (Graph., Kreo.).

Relation:

  • Cure bed effects of sulphur and mercury.
  • Cure anaemia due to excessive intake of quinine.
  • Pulsatilla may use before starting of chronic cases.
  • Sil. is complementary of Pulsatilla and Kali sulph. is complementary of Sil.
  • Poetized Sulphur is antidote by Pulsatilla.

Clinical Cases:

Case – 1: Mrs. Saha, AGED 26 YEARS, FEMALE; consulted me, with a history of acute inflammation of her right eye, with stye in her right upper eye lid, having bluish-pinkish oedematous large swelling with so much fluid inside that she unable to open her right eye;  with sore, bruise pain on the affected part and also all over the body and profuse muco-purulent, thick discharge; agglutinated in morning for last 5 days (mismanage the case by so-call homoeopathic medicines) and she was totally free of troubles from two doses of Pulsatilla 200C.

Case – 2: Baby, AGED 3 MONTHS, FEMALE; her mother consulted me, with a history of an acute diarrhea < at night 7/8 times, watery, greenish-yellow, very changeable in character, as soon as she take breast feeding for last 3 days (mismanage the case by so-call homoeopathy and Allopathic medicines); and baby was free from her complaints after taking the first dose of Pulsatilla 30C.

Common uses of potencies:

Pulsatilla 30C, 200C, 1MC, 10MC are commonly used, as per the interpretation of the demand of the degree of susceptibility of the patient in individual cases.

Bibliography:

1) Boericke W, Organon of Medicine; S. Hahnemann, translated by R. E. Dudgeon; Indian edition, Calcutta, Roy Publishing House, 1961

2) Bandhyapadhya N, Oushadh pariyachay; HPCO, Calcutta, 12th edition [5, 6]

3) FARRINGTON, E.A., CLINICAL MATERIA MEDICA; B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi; Fourth Edition, Revised and Enlarged by HARVEY FARRINGTON; Reprint Edition: 1995 ISBN 81-7021-029-1; BOOK CODE B-2235 [3, 4]

4) BAILEY M.PHILIP, HOMOEOPATHIC PSYCHOLOGY; B. Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi; Reprint Edition: 2008 ISBN: 978-81-319-0318-6 [2]

5) ‘Nature of Bryonia alba, Nux vomica, Rhus tox. Sickness’- by the author

About Author:

Prof. (Dr.) Goutam Das M.D. (Homoeopathy)

Dept. of Organon of Medicine, AJSHMC&RI, Mehsana, (Gujarat) 

Faculty & Examiner (U.G. & P.G.), H.N.G. University, Patan, (Gujarat)

Ex. Academic Director & Principal In-Charge, NHMCH&RC, Agra (U.P.)

Ex. Examiner, Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, (Rajasthan)

Ex. Faculty & Examiner (U.G. & P.G.), Dr.B.R.A.University, Agra, (U.P.)

Ex. Faculty & Examiner JRN RVHMC, Deemed to be University, Udaipur, (Rajasthan)

Ex. Senior House Physician, PCHC&H, Kolkata (W.B.)

Assist by: Dr. Annu Patel B.H.M.S.

Board of Homoeopathic Medicine, Lucknow, Dept. of AYUSH, Govt. of U.P., & Dr.B.R.A. University, Agra (U.P.)

Ex. House Physician, JRN RVHMC, Deemed to be University, Udaipur, (Rajasthan)

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