Podophyllum


Dr. S.R. Phatak describes the clinically confirmed symptoms of the homeopathic remedy Podophyllum in his Concise Materia Medica, published in 1977….


Generalities

      Considered as a vegetable mercury, it is a remedy for bilious constitution. It chiefly affects the duodenum;liver; intestines; RECTUM; right side; ovary, scapula, throat. Alternating condition; diarrhoea alternating with constipation; headache alternating with diarrhoea. Many troubles, during pregnancy. Sudden shocks, from jerking pains. Much drowsiness and desire to stretch. Sphincters relaxed.

Worse

      EARLY MORNING. Eating. Hot weather. Dentition. Drinking. Acid fruits. Milk. Before, during and after stools. Motion. Mercury.

Better

      Rubbing or stroking liver. Lying on abdomen.

Mind

      Whining. Loquacity during chill and fever; afterwards forgets what has passed. Imagines he is going to die or be very ill. Fidgety and restless; cannot sit still.

Head

      Rolling of head from side to side, with moaning; during dentition; from business worry. Headache alternating with or better by diarrhoea. Darting, pain in forehead; must close the eyes.

Eyes

      Lids half closed. Jaundiced.

Face

      Hot, cheeks flushed; during diarrhoea. Jaundiced.

Mouth

      Offensive odour. Burning, rough or flabby, indented tongue. Intense desire to press the gums together; grinding of the teeth; at night. Bitter taste. Tongue; broad, large, moist; coated as of mustard spread on it. Loss of taste, could not tell sweet from sour. Everything tastes sour or putrid.

Throat

      As of a lump in oesophagus.

Stomach

      Craves acids which disagree. Vomits; hot froth, milk (infants). Hot sour eructations; smelling like rotten eggs. Constant gagging. Thirst for large quantities of cold water. Gagging in infantile diarrhoea.

Abdomen

      Liver and whole abdominal viscera are sore worse during vomiting; diarrhoea; before and during menses. Sore and painful liver better rubbing. Weak, empty, sinking or sick feeling; after stools. Rubs for relief. GURGLING THROUGH BOWELS, THEN PROFUSE PUTRID STOOLS GUSH OUT PAINLESSLY. Stools; white, like water; foaming; with meal like sediment; run right through the diaper; then weakness. Summer diarrhoea. Stools; involuntary, during sleep, when passing flatus. Diarrhoea alternating, with other symptoms; constipation. Pale, hard, chalky stools. Jaundice, with gall-stones. Rectum; raw, sore, weak; prolapsed; before stools; after parturition; during pregnancy, on vomiting, on sneezing; from mental excitement. Moist foul piles. Morning diarrhoea. Diarrhoea better lying on abdomen; worse while being bathed or washed (children), eating canned fruits, acid fruits, milk.

Urinary

      Frequent urination; at night, during pregnancy. Enuresis. Diabetes mellitus and insipidus.

Male

      Diseases of prostate gland associated with rectal troubles.

Female

      Pain in the region of the ovaries (right), down the crural nerve worse stretching the legs. Ovarian tumour, with pain extending to shoulder. Prolapse of uterus on straining or over-lifting; after parturition. As if the genitals would come out during stool. Can lie comfortably only on the abdomen during early months of pregnancy. Menorrhagia from straining. Swelling of labia during pregnancy.

Heart

      Palpitation; with a clucking sensation, rising up to the throat, from emotions.

Extremities

      Pain in right inguinal region, shoots down inner thigh to knee. Paralytic weakness of left side. Cramps in calves, with stools. Pain along ulnar nerve of both arms.

Sleep

      Moaning and whining during sleep. Sleepy after paroxysms of malaria.

Fever

      Chill at 7 a.m. Loquacity during fever. Sweat; profuse, with sleep; offensive.

Skin

      Moist, warm; jaundiced.

Related

      Aloe; Chin; Mercurius

Complementary

      Natrum mur.

S.R. Phatak
A pioneer of Homoeopathy in Maharashtra, Dr Shankar Raghunath Phatak was born on 6th September, 1896. He did his MBBS from Grant Medical College, in 1924. Started his practice but somehow not satisfied with Allopathic Treatment.

He was convinced about Homoeopathy while going through Sir William Osler's writings on 'History of Medicine' so switched over to an entirely Homoeopathic Practice in 1932. He also started working on Homoeopathic literature along with his Practice.

He has contributed immensely to homoeopathic literature. He was an ardent follower of Dr Boger. His Repertory is based on Boger's ''A Synoptic key to Materia Medica'.