An active principle (glucoside) of Citrullus colocynthis. C56 H84 O23. Dilutions in alcohol.
Clinical
Colic. Cough. Debility. Diarrhoea. Feet, burning in. Genitals (male), congestion of, pain in. Headache. Neuralgia. Spinal pains. Travelling, effects of.
Characteristics
Having had a separate proving, *Colocynthinum must be considered apart from *Colocynth, from which it is derived, although the symptoms of the two bear a close resemblance. Neuralgic symptoms are prominent. Stitches and sensations of heat are found in many parts. Pulsation in the pit of the stomach, with prickling stitches on back in neighborhood of middle thoracic vertebrae. Diarrhoea and colic better bending forward. Congestion to male genital organs and pain in them. Burning pains in soles of the feet. Worse evening, by motion, riding in cars. Better by rest, bending over, black coffee. Worse by motion, better by rest:- herein appears the relationship of the glucoside to *Bryonia, the botanical relative of *Colocynthis.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Depression.
Head
Painfulness of whole head, especially temporal and frontal regions, scalp, and eyeballs, worse moving eyes, straining sight, or bending forwards. Headache worse by riding in railway cars, obliging to move slowly, and tread softly, otherwise the brain seems to shake about as if loose against the skull (in the median vertical region), accompanied by very sore pain and causing very bad humour. Stitches in brain, through occiput on heavy treading, through cerebellum, like lightning, on coughing. Sensitiveness of cerebellum on turning head.
Eyes
Vision sharper. Painfulness and aching in eyeballs worse straining sight, moving eyes rapidly, or turning head.
Face
Pressure in left cheek-bone.
Mouth
Pain in hollow molar and drawing in incisors, with sensation of swelling of left cheek. Persistent, disgusting, bitter taste. Prickling and metallic taste on tip of tongue.
Stomach
Continual burning pressure in stomach up into esophagus. Sticking in epigastrium, which was tense and inflated. Pulsation in epigastrium accompanied by pricking stitches on back near middle thoracic vertebrae.
Abdomen
Warm feeling followed by copious discharge of flatus. Colic with inflation in umbilical region, colic below umbilicus. Slight colic drawing from hypogastrium to hepatic region, with shuddering in scrotum, erections, and pain in buttock. Tension in right groin and drawing along spermatic cord into right testis, which was somewhat sensitive towards evening, worse next morning, and worse walking, bending over, and going upstairs. Stitches from small of back to groin when walking.
Stool and Anus
Tickling in rectum. Feeling of moisture at anus. Irresistible inclination to stool, scanty brownish-red evacuation with painful tenesmus lasting ten minutes. Brown pappy evacuations, rapidly and easily discharged in quick succession, without tenesmus.
Urinary Organs
Tenesmus in urethra and rectum after urinating.
Male Sexual Organs.
Congestion towards genital organs, especially scrotum, with feeling of heat and burning in small spot on same, without erections. Cramp-like pain in penis with sensation as if it were bent double. Dark redness and painfulness of frenum. Crawling on penis with sexual desire. Right testis swollen and painful to touch. A pollution at night (very unusual with him).
Respiratory Organs
Short hacking cough excited by tickling in throat, whitish yellow mucus. Frequent cough in early morning.
Neck and Back.
Sharp in-pressing pain in some spots on nape, as if from a sprain worse by movement, sensitive to pressure. Painfulness and feeling of heat along whole spine. Stitches in region of lowest dorsal vertebrae.
Upper Limbs
Tearing in left shoulder. Frequently repeated stitches from left axilla down to left elbow. Paralytic weakness of right forearm while writing. Cramp-like pain in muscles of left wrist.
Lower Limbs
Stiffness and heaviness in tibiae. Burning, sticking, and sensation of warmth in dorsum of right foot, pressing digging pain in external side of second toe of left foot. Burning pain in both soles with feeling as if they were swollen.
Generalities
Great desire to lie down, which relieves. Unusual debility towards evening.
Sleep
Restless sleep with vivid dreams.
