BRYONIA ALBA (Wild Hop)

 Bryonia alba is a creeping plant growing wildly in Germany and France. Its mother tincture is prepared from fresh root before the tree is in flower. This medicine was proved by Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann MD. Bryonia is a short acting remedy and its frequently use in acute disease.

        The characteristic symptoms of Bryonia are all the symptoms are increase on motion and decrease by lying down quietly. During disease, Bryonia patients are cannot desire to talk, coughing, walking, laughing even he got irritate when visitors are come to see him in disease because they asked question about his disease and he have to answer which aggravates his complaints. Bryonia patients are desire to drink cold water in large amount at a time because a slightest motion aggravates their symptoms. The reason behind to taking cold water is dryness of mucous membrane. Pain is relief by applying hard pressure on affected side but not in abdominal complaints. Physical make up of Bryonia is tall, slender, black complexion and having rigid musculature. Symptoms of Bryonia develops slowly (rapidly in Belladonna) and its complaints are developed in the beginning of summer after the winter is over.

***Fever symptoms:

Generally, fevers are three type. Continuous fever which once start cannot subside either fatal or when subside it cannot return. Remittent fever is one having a peak hour. Sometimes it slows down and sometimes its increase but never subside. One of the examples of this type of fever is Typhoid fever. Intermittent fever has an interval between fever paroxysm. During interval no fever symptoms are present. One of the examples of this type of fever is Malaria fever. Bryonia is indicated for the treatment of remittent and intermittent fever. So, it is indicated for the treatment of Typhoid and Malaria fever. During fever state, when the body heat raised the headache also increased. Sometimes, headache may proceed with delirium. During delirium state, He talk about daily business that means continuously talk about his or her daily activities. He also thought that he was not at home and seeking to go at home. Fever may associate with excessive thirst but, he drinks a large amount of water after a long interval. Patient feels better by lying down quietly in a dark place. Fever with delirium also present in other Homoeopathic medicine like, Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Stramonium, Veratrum album. Fever of Belladonna is sudden and violently appear. Face become flashes and head feels to hot in examination. During delirium state he sees imaginary things and try to overcome from it. Hyoscyamus is very much excited and irritable and says obscene words which embarrassed the examiner. Stramonium one times destruct things other time beg pardon to attendants. Veratrum shows the combination of fever symptoms of Belladonna, Hyoscyamus and Stramonium.  

***Headache: Bryonia is a good remedy for headache. Headache may cause due to exposure to cold or heat. Headache may feel on back of the head or in forehead and its settle down in nape of the neck, forehead or over the eyes. Head feels too heavy while stooping. Bursting and stitching feels. In case of migraine, headache may associate with nausea. Vomiting is relief his migraine. During headache patient feels thirsty and desire to drink large quantity of cold water at a time. But in some case, it found that Bryonia patient is completely thirstless. Headache is relief by applying tight bandage over the head and lying quietly in a dark place.

***Respiratory conditions:

 Bryonia is applicable in any kind of respiratory conditions with feeling of stitching pain in chest. Expectoration is very much tough and sticky; cough may mix with blood in case of tuberculosis. Patient may hold the chest to avoid motion because a slightest motion intolerable to him. Respiratiry problems are develop at the end of winter and the beginning of summer. Pneumonia is common respiratory disease occurs during changing of weather. Bryonia coughs are developed due to exposure to cold in warm such as excessive sweating in summer not to exposure to cold. This is due to outward change of weather but inward body is not ready for this change to adapted with it. Pneumonia is usually seat on right lobe of the lung because Bryonia is a strictly right sided remedy. Bryonia should be apply in acute and first stage of pneumonia. When symptoms are goes to left Lycopodium is applicable according to constitutional similarity. It also relief asthmatic attack when patient feels oppression. Other characteristic symptom of Bryonia is also present to drinking large quantity of cold water at a time. Bryonia respiratory complaints are aggravates on slightest motion, noise, enter to cold room and relief by lying on disease side, applying pressure.  

*** Gastro-intestinal symptoms:

Bryonia is useful for the treatment of gastritis, Hepatitis, constipation, diarrhoea and other liver disorder. It is deeply indicated in liver condition because it has foremost actions over right side of the body. During liver problem, the skin turns into yellow, all the discharges are yellowish in color. Violent stitching pain is felt over the right upper quadrant of abdomen (liver region). Mouth become dry and cracked at the corner of the mouth due to excessive dryness of mucous membrane of the alimentary system. Tongue become thick yellowish-white coated and feeling bitter taste in the mouth. Bryonia is a good remedy for relief constipation. Bryonia’s constipation is developed due to excessive dryness of intestinal mucosa. Great strain is required to expel stool. The beginning of stool is hard but remaining stools are soft. Diarrhoea caused by taking cold water or fruits during summer season. Diarrhoea is usually occurs at the morning awaking from bed and required immediately going to the closet. Diarrhoea become offensive and containing indigested food particles. In case of gastritis stomach feels hard and weighted. Stitching pain is feels over the gastric region. All of this symptoms thirst character is also present in Bryonia. Gastric symptoms are relief by drinking hot foods and drinks.

*** Female disorder:

 Bryonia is helpful to cure breast disease like fibroadenoma, menstrual problem, right sided ovarian problem and white leg in its first stage. In case of breast disease, breast feel to hot, hard as like as stones. Patient tightly bind the breast to prevent motions as it aggravates symptom. Bryonia is helpful to return menstrual flow if epistaxis occurs instead of menses. Some women develop swelling of legs after childbirth is called white leg.  It develops due to slowing down circulation on lower extremity. Early stage of this condition Bryonia act good. If circulation is deficient and varicose vein already developed then others remedy is required.

*** Rheumatism:

Bryonia is helpful for the treatment of rheumatism. Severe stitching pains are feeling over the joints. Joint pain is relief by applying heat. Bryonia patients are desire to lying down during rheumatism because walking aggravates his condition (Rhus tox is opposite to Bryonia walking relief rheumatism).

*** Modalities:

Fever symptoms of Bryonia are aggravated at 3 p.m., 9 p.m. All others symptoms are aggravated in motion, talking, coughing, exposure to cold on heat, exertion. Symptoms are relieved by lying on painful side, applying pressure, in dark room. Rheumatic pain and gastric complaints relief by applying heat and taking hot food and drink.

*** Dose: It acts both in lower and higher potencies. Lower potencies are indicated in rheumatism and inflammatory trouble. Higher potency is required in gastrointestinal disease.

***Repetition: It is a short acting remedy so frequent repetition is required.

*** Complementary: Alumina and Rhus toxicodendron. Alumina is chronic to Bryonia.

 

___Amatul Zami Aditi

Student (final year B.H.M.S.)

Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.