STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA (Poison nut)

Nux vomica is a one of the common Homoeopathic remedy mostly useful for the disease of gastrointestinal tract. The Homoepathic medicine is prepared from its seeds. The seeds are deadly poisonous and very bitter is taste. The smallest fatal dose of Nux vomica in crude form is three grains. According to Stille, small dose of Nux vomica in crude form may derange the digestion, slows down the digestive activity, reduce digestive juice secretion, retention of urine and stool, excites uterine contraction, acts on musculature may causes formication, rigidity, stiffness & clonic spasm, contraction of respiratory muscles ultimately causing death. The chief center of action of Nux vomica over the reflex functions of spinal cord. Nux vomica has marvelous actions over the organs and system after potentization.

          Following symptoms must be remember to identify Nux vomica.

·        Nux vomica is only come for the patient who is thin, skinny & irritable in nature. The person become angry on trivial matters. Always find fault to others & scold them, offered harmless word. Patient become ambitious to make money. Egoism prevails supreme in him. Patient is very much sensitive to external impression like, excessive light, odor, touch.

·        Symptoms are aggravated by over mental exertion, leading sedentary life, night watching, masturbation, over indulgence of tea, coffee, alcohol etc.   

·        Symptoms are appeared periodically. The digestive symptoms like nausea aggravated in morning. Others are worse by motion, in cold & ameliorated by repose and warm application.

·        Sleep of Nux vomica is very peculiar. Wake up at 3 a.m or near to early morning & then cannot sleep well because multitude ideas are crowded over his mind. Feel heavy & sleepy in evening & sleeps immediately on going to bed.

·        Many of the symptoms are aggravated immediately after eating (Pulsatilla, Sepia_several hours after eating).

*** Nux vomica is considered as antidotal remedy. Patient who has used different medicines in over and excessive quantity should be treated with Nux vomica to dispel their ill effects & a fresh beginning.

*** Gastro-intestinal symptoms

Mouth become dry & thirstless. Altering taste especially early in the morning. Its may be sour, bitter, metallic. In morning the mouth & fauces are full of mucous. Less appetite. But in some case hunger is greater. Nux gastric complaints are developed due to leading sedentary life that means who are table worker. Those who are related with highly intellectual work. Late to going sleep. Having spicy & oily food habit. As taking spicy and oily food in little amount it may irritate the intestinal mucosa may leading gastritis. Desire stimulants like coffee, alcohol, wine. Nausea is constant symptoms of Nux vomica that occurs in early morning. Patient may induce vomiting by fingers in order to get relief. Vomitous sometimes mixed with blood.

Heavy, pressive feeling in stomach after eating. This condition may worse by pressure and motion, even taking a small amount of food. This symptom also found in other Homoeopathic remedy, like Mercurius, Calcarea carb, Lycopodium, Sepia, Murex. But Mercurius has deadly faintness produced by applying pressure over the pit. Calcarea feeling tenderness on pressure. Sepia & Murex have all gone sensation in the pit of stomach, feels abdomen become distended. Lycopodium has pain at the stomach while pressed over the hypochondria, sensation of fullness after eating a little bit.

Generally, Nux patient is constipated. Patient may suffer from ineffectual desire to passing stool. Passes of small quantity of stool with continuous urging. Stool never clear. So, Nux vomica is come in case of gastric complaints when there is combination of indigestion, constipation, lack of night sleep & morning nausea.

Nux also useful for diarrhoea when patient complaint more urging then passing. Frequent & ineffectual desire to passing stool. Passing a little amount of stool mixed with much mucous with violent tenesmus (profuse involuntary immediately after eating in Aloe).  

*** Headache

 Nux is response well to cure headache when its combined with stomach complaints. The main cause of Nux headache is constipation, or unclear defecation. Headache may start from forehead or from occiput may extend towards base of the skull. Pressive, drawing & tensive pain especially over the forehead or supra-orbital region, may aggravated in the morning, in motion, stooping. Sensation as if brain is shattered.  

*** Urinary condition

 Nux also have profound effects over urinary tract. It is a useful remedy for frequent ineffectual urination. Urine passes a little with burning in urethra. Sometimes combination of ineffectual urination & defecation is experienced during menstruation. This condition also response good with Nux.  

*** Acne: Nux is come for acne when appear after eating cheese. Acne is seen over the forehead, cheeks & scalp.

*** Substance abuse

Nux is a good remedy for treating substance abuse. Substance abuse simply means seeking & taking stimulus substance, like alcohol, coffee, wine etc. It is the first stage of addiction. So, by the grace of Allah a single dose of Nux may reduce this bad habit before developing addiction. If one addicted with drugs then other symptomatic Homoeopathic medicine is come. 

*** Menstrual disorder

 Nux is good for treating polymenorrhoea. Menses appear too early & profuse, lasting long. Passas of dark and offensive blood, may associated with frequent and ineffectual urination. During delivery patient may face this problem.

*** Respiratory symptoms

 Nux is good remedy for asthma when developed due to gastric complaints. Asthmatic attack worse at night, after meal, worse from having tight cloth on the thorax, relived by removing cloth. Nose become stuff off at night, profuse sneezing in morning. Cough is not deep but comes from larynx. Chest problem without heart affection.

*** Nux also reduce backache caused by long time seating, excess masturbation, or excess menstrual flow.  

*** General modalities: Symptoms are aggravated by motion, in the morning, over study, night watching, mental exertion, much thinking, from cold, taking alcohol, fatty and oily food. Relieved by lying down, warm, evacuation.

*** Application:

Nux vomica is the Homoeopathic remedy which never be taken in empty stomach, in the morning because its symptoms are mostly aggravated in morning. So, its proper time of application is two to three hours after dinner.

*** Relationship

 Complementary: Sulphur, Sepia.

 Inimical: Never used before & after Zincum, Ignatia.

Follows well: Ars, Ipecac, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Sepia.

Is followed by: Bryonia, Pulsatilla, Sulphur.

 

___Amatul Zami Aditi

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

Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.