Allium cepa Common red onion N.O. Liliaceae Mode of preparation: For Homeopathic use we use the tincture of the onion or of the whole fresh plant. This is gathered from July to August.   The essential features Allium cepa has established an undisputed reputation for acting upon the upper respiratory system and in curing common colds that settle in the nose and travel   downwards, with a watery, acrid discharge from the nose while at the same time there is redness of eyes with lacrimation which is bland. It affects primarily the left side of the nose and later on moves to the right side. There is aggravation from warm room and in the evening and amelioration from open air. In my experience this remedy has been misused for this ailment (common colds) and has been prescribed too frequently when other remedies should have been indicated. A note of warning: since this remedy has in its pathogenesis the tendency to drive the inflammation from the uppermost part of the respiratory system -the nose- downwards -towards the larynx and bronchii-, I have observed in especially sensitive patients with a tendency to developing allergic asthma that their respiratory difficulties read more [...]

Agnus Castus Vitex agnus castus English: Chaste tree French: Gattilier commun German: Keusch-lamm N.O. Gattiliers or Verbenaceae, Vitices Family: Jussieu [vegetable substance] - Didynamia angiospermia Mode of preparation: The juice of the ripe berries, leaves and flowers are mixed with equal parts of alcohol. History: Agnus castus means chaste lamb, and its name hints at the remedy's special action. The leaves of this plant were used to adorn the beds of Greek women during the absence of their husbands so as to prevent any impure thoughts from entering their minds and also by medieval monks to repress sexual desire. In the actual provings the remedy has shown that it does repress sexual instinct and desire.   The essential features Agnus castus is a remedy which, I believe, will be increasingly needed in modern societies, especially by the younger generation and especially by homosexuals. It is a remedy that first excites the sexual sphere to the point of perversion and eventually depresses it, resulting in a decline in sexual power and joy and a depletion of bodily fluids. The individual feels that he has squandered his vital fluids, that he has read more [...]

Agaricus Muscarius Amanita muscaria. Agaricus imperialis. English: Bug agaric French: Agaric moucheté, Champignon rouge German: Fliegenschwamm, Fliegenpilz Italian: Amanita Russian: Moucho-more N.O. Fungi; Class I. Thallogens Vegetable family [Jussieu]: Cryptogamia Preparation: Agaricus is collected in the hottest months and hung up by a string in the air to dry; some dry of themselves on the ground and are said to be far more narcotic than those artificially preserved. To render it proper for homeopathic usage, the stalk and the cap are cleaned, and after the epidermis is removed, it is cut into small pieces, on which an equal quantity of alcohol is poured. From the tincture thus prepared the alcoholic attenuations are produced.   The essential features Agaricus is a remedy which is needed more often in our times than in the past since its psychological picture corresponds closely to many of the contemporary anxiety states encountered with increasing frequency today. The psychological pathology of Agaricus typically manifests in dependent, weak-willed individuals. These persons have from an early age established a pattern of seeking the read more [...]

Aethusa Cynapium Aethusa cynapium. Fool's Parsley. N.O. Umbelliferae. Tincture of whole flowering plant.   The essential features Unfortunately, nowhere in our homeopathic literature do we find a clear description of the chronic conditions of the remedy Aethusa. The remedy has been considered mainly for acute conditions. Of course, Kent has beautifully described the acute picture of the remedy: aggressive gastric and intestinal conditions where "The child has the appearance as if it were dying, pale hippocratic face..." However, certain clues, which appear in the Materia Medicas, the Repertory and other sources, when combined with information gleaned from clinical cases, have helped establish a picture of the chronic state of Aethusa. With regard to the mental-emotional characteristics, we frequently find that the Aethusa individual remains separate from others -- a man apart. He is withdrawn, but in a very singular way. Inside he experiences very deep, intense emotions, yet he does not communicate these emotions to other people. He may be moved to tears, but tears do not come. He may feel friendly, but he appears aloof. It seems that at a certain point in read more [...]

Aesculus Hippocastanum Hippocastanum vulgaris. Horse chestnut Natural order: Sapindaceae. Homeopathic preparation: Tincture of the ripe, fresh nut.   The essential features Aesculus has established a wonderful reputation, and rightly so, for painful and enormously protruding hemorrhoids, purple in colour, that have a reflex action upon the sacral, the lumbo-sacral or the sacro-iliac regions with excruciating pains. These two areas, the rectum and the sacral region, can be affected in sequence, either the sacral area is affected first and then the hemorrhoids appear or the painful hemorrhoids protrude first and then there is a reflex pain in the sacral area. Bleeding is not common but if it occurs it relieves the pain somewhat. The above is the "keynote syndrome" on which you may prescribe the remedy with a lot of confidence, but Aesculus can cure much more than this. It has, like every other remedy in our Materia Medica a concrete, definite and singular action upon the constitution that can be expressed by the words venous stasis with venous engorgement. The venous system is in a state of flabbiness, of stagnation, of sluggishness, of laziness that permeates read more [...]

Adrenalinum Adrenalin is also called Epinephrine. It is a sarcode and it is obtained as an extract from the adrenal or suprarenal glands. In Homeopathy we use the tincture or trituration. Practitioners should take special care when using this extract, to find out the exact composition origin of the remedy used by the pharmacy.   Physiological action Adrenalin or epinephrine is a 3, 4 - dihydroxy-a (methylaminomethyl) benzyl alcohol. It is a catecholamine and the chief neurohormone or neurotransmitter of the adrenal medulla. It has a sympathomimetic action on adrenergic a and b receptors resulting in increased heart rate and contraction, vasoconstriction or vasodilation, relaxation of bronchiolar and intestinal smooth muscle while corresponding sphincters are stimulated, lipolysis, etc. Epinephrine and generally catecholamines increase metabolic rate, and stimulate the breakdown of stored fuel with the production of substrate for local consumption; for example, glycogenolysis in the heart. It also contributes to the regulation of the volume and composition of extracellular fluid, promoting cellular uptake of potassium in the renal tubule. Epinephrine along with the other read more [...]

  Aconitum caule simplici; Aconitum vulgare English: Large blue wolfsbane, Monkshood, Aconite, Helmet flower, Friar's cap. French: Aconit napel, Napel, Aconit. German: Napel Sturmhut, Eisenhut, Blauer Sturmhut Italian: Napello Spanish: Napelo. Dutch: Monnikskap Danish: Dreumunke Swedish: Stormbat Russian: Borets Natural order: Ranunculaceae Family: Jussieu [vegetable substance] - Polyandria trigynia, L. Mode of preparation: The juice of the fresh herb is prepared and mixed with equal parts of alcohol, yielding the mother tincture.   The essential features In the beginning years of my practice I used Aconite only for acute inflammatory conditions, like everybody else in the homeopathic world, because of the wrong assumption that Aconite was indicated only in acute, febrile conditions. It was only later that I discovered that it was also very useful for what could be called chronic conditions, especially chronic phobic or anxiety states. Since that time we have been using it at the Center of Homeopathic Medicine in Athens quite frequently for such chronic conditions with very good results. Actually Hahnemann had made a similar read more [...]

Abrotanum Artemisia abrotanum. Lady's Love. Southernwood. N.O. Compositae. Tincture of fresh leaves and stems. The essential features Abrotanum is the remedy to be thought of first in a case of "metastasis", or alternation of pathological conditions. A bout of diarrhea may stop suddenly and rheumatism or uric acid arthritis set in. Later on the rheumatic pains may go away only to be succeeded by a cardiac problem. A swelling of the parotid gland disappears when the testes or the mammae appear affected. A further case of diarrhea is checked and we see blood in the urine, or anxiety and trembling with signs of paralytic weakness etc. Abrotanum patients are especially sensitive to the stoppage of discharges, and we observe that immediately after such stoppage a new, deeper and more serious internal condition appears. Hemorrhoids are suppressed and a heart condition manifests itself, or an ulcerative colitis starts up. The Abrotanum patient may have chronic diarrhea but does not feel bad with it in general; he does however feel most sensitive to a sudden stoppage of the diarrhoea, whether due to some strong medicine or otherwise. The stoppage is immediately succeeded by the read more [...]