Strophanthus Hispidus


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


Generalities

      Used as an arrow poison, it increases the contractile power of all striped muscles esp. HEART; increasing the systole and diminishing the rapidity. It can be used with advantage to tone the heart and run off dropsical effusions. Has no cumulative action; safe for corpulent, aged persons, with rigid arteries. Functional disturbances of heart from alcohol, tobacco; tea. Mitral regurgitation. Arterio-sclerosis. Twitchings of the muscles. Stitching pains. Undulating sensation in whole body. Throbbings. Rapid alternations of symptoms, with slow pulse. Faintness. Anaemia with palpitation and breathlessness Goitre, exophthalmic. Increased secretions. Abolishes the taste for alcohol.

Worse

      Exertion. Tobacco. Tea. Alcohol.

Mind

      Fear of ordeals. Feels lifted up, during sleep. Precociously loquacious; children.

Head

      Vertigo; with swimming vision; senile. Undulations in head.

Eyes

      Glimmering vision. Pupils rapidly dilate and contract, even few minutes. Brilliant.

Face

      Flushed; red spots on. Lips scarlet.

Throat

      Seems constricted. Burnings, compelling empty swallowing.

Stomach

      Craving for coffee. Loss of appetite. Nausea with disgust for alcohol. Loathing of food, followed by choking and vomiting after eating.

Abdomen

      Rumbling and pinching at naval. Diarrhoea with burning and tenesmus in anus.

Urinary

      Urine, increased secretion; or scanty albuminous.

Heart

      Weak, aching or anguish at. Sense of lively action. Chronic; nervous palpitation, and arrest of breathing. Stitches and twitches at apex beat. Pulse; rapid, alternating with slow; weak, small irregular. Cardiac dyspnoea.

Extremities

      Heaviness and pain in forearms and fingers. Itching and stitching in both feet.

Skin

      Hives, chronic, receding.

Related

      Apoc; Glon; Ign; Spigelia

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'.