Back
Schwabe News Volume 4 | Issue 7 | July 2013
Berberis aquifoliu
Introduction
Berberis aquifolium is covered by authors like Anshutz, Blackwood, Boericke, Clarke, Julian, Phatak, etc. In mother, berberis aquifolium has been used in chronic skin affections of a scaly and pustular character, that are dependent upon a constitutional dyscrasia, as syphilis, with pains in the muscles and bones, and a cutaneous exhibition of this disease. Berberis aquifolium is an established drug in psoriasis, pityriasis, pimples, roughness of the skin, and chronic dermatosis locally. Deutsche Homöopathie-Union (DHU), the homoeopathic division of Dr. Willmar Schwabe, Germany, has done much work on its efficacy as external application. To re-establish its curative efficacy in homoeopathic doses, a placebo controlled pathogenetic trial was conducted by David Riley with the support from DHU using 12CH with 16 female and 6 male provers. Important symptoms found during proving are reported here along with old symptoms. For the complete details of the proving, readers are requested to refer the original proving.
Mind
Unhappiness and depression; sometimes coming on suddenly. Hysterical crying at frequent intervals. Nervous, restless. Disinclined to move or do anything; dull, stupidity. Drowsy in daytime. Nausea and thick-headedness. Anxiety about the future and discouragement. Feeling of hopefulness. Difficulty concentrating while working. Feelings of contempt as if better than other people. Dreams of cancer, serious, or remembered. Impatience at work, with people, and estranged from society. Irritability from noise during headache and aversion to company. Enjoyed listening to music to relax. Reproaches himself for his eating habits. Restlessness when with fever. Sensitive to noise and excitable. Slowness in movement. Talking in sleep.
Head
Sensation of a band just above ears. Bilious headache. “Scald head”. Scaly eczema. Itching of the scalp and head. Head pain. Head pain better from pressure or rubbing. Sharp pain located at the temples. Piercing head pain. Head pain localized at the forehead behind the eyes, or above the eyes on the right side, at the left temple and forehead, or the left temple.
Eye
Feeling that the eye is falling from the socket. Sensation of film before eyes. Eyes look hollow and weak as if tired, burning feeling and aching as from strain. Weak feeling in eyes lasting a long time. Photophobia in the sunlight. Itching.
Ear
Sensation of a band just above ears. Eruptions on the lobes. Itching with a sore on the left ear. Ringing noises in the right ear in the evening or during the daytime. As if right ear were stuffed with cotton.
Nose
Itching within nose with desire to sneeze. Congestion on the left side. Discharge that is clear, thick, or on the right side. Itching and crawling sensation inside the nose.
Face
Eruption on scalp extending to face and neck. Dark circles under the eye. Yellow blotches on the cheeks. Eruptions of boils or pimples on the cheek or forehead. Greasy and sweaty skin.
Stomach
Burning in stomach and borborygmi. Decreased appetite. Constriction and a knotted feeling like an obstruction. Gurgling.
Abdomen
Uneasy feeling without desire for stool. Pain in hypogastrium. Biliousness and waxy jaundiced hue. Intense burning in spleen and feeling as if pounded. Distressing soreness in spleen. Hard, distended feeling in the abdomen. Growling noises after a late evening snack.
Rectum
Hot bilious diarrhea. After loose stools, light-colored, constipated stools. Stools too large and expelled with difficulty. Pain on wiping after stool. Diarrhea or soft stools followed by constipation, or no stools or stools difficult to pass.
Stool
Large, dark stools. Black and hard.
Urine
Stinging pain at beginning of urination. Dark yellow.
Male
Drawing and pressure in testicles. Dry eruptions in spots on the penis that is red and glazed. Stinging pain at the tip of the penis on beginning to urinate.
Female
Slight burning in vagina, bearing-down pains and aching as if menses about to come on. Copious menses. Menses too early or too short. Stitching pain in right ovary and right side of vagina. Decreased sexual desire.
Extremities
Rheumatic pains joints hands, fingers, agg. rest at night, prolonged motion; with swelling. Awkwardness and slowness in movements. Cold feet during the daytime. Sensation that legs would cramp in the calf when walking. Psoriasis eruption on the back of the hand and wrist that is scaly. Violent and voluptuous itching on the shin that causes scratching to the point of bleeding.
Fever
Diurnal rise of temperature and pulse. Flashes of heat to cheeks and burning of palms. Fever with perspiration or perspiration from the fever.
Perspiration
Perspiration from the fever. Perspiration on the back of neck during sleep in the afternoon. Offensive odor.
Skin
Pimply, dry, rough, scaly. Eruption on scalp extending to face and neck. Tumor of breast, with pain. Psoriasis. Acne. Dryness. Dry eczema. Pruritus. Glandular induration. Eruptions of boils from oiliness of skin, or of scaliness. Violent itching to the point of bleeding, and scratching makes it worse.
Generalities
Increased energy. Desire for pizza, cold water, meat, oysters, peanut butter and jelly, salt, spices, vinegar, and wine. Fatigue in the morning and afternoon.
Bibliography
- Anshutz, E. P. New, Old and Forgotten Remedies, 2nd Edition, RadarOpus 1.33, Archibel S.A. Rue Fontaine St. Pierre 1E, Zoning Industriel de la Fagne, 5330 Assesse, Belgium.
- Riley, David S. Materia Medica of New and Old Homoeopathic Medicines, Springer-Verlag GmbH, 2012.
- Boericke, W.New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory [with Relationship of Remedies], Second Re-Augmented & Revised Edition Based on Ninth Edition, Reprint Edition 2002, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.
- Clarcke, J. H. Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Reprint Edition 1992, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.
