Synonym. Podophyllum Peltatum. Natural order. Berberideae. Common names. May Apple. Mandrake. Habitat. a perennial, herbaceous plant found abundantly in the Western and Middle states and southward. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh root.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Acts especially upon the liver and the digestive tract, its special affinity being for the mucous membrane, more especially of he duodenum and rectum, and for glandular structures producing irritation, excessive sections, inflammation and even ulceration or suppuration.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Head. headache, with heat in vertex (Nux v.). Giddiness and dizziness, with sensation of fullness over the eyes. Headache preceded by blurring of vision, then gradually increasing pain, especially in the occiput, with nausea and vomiting (Iris). Headache, rolling from side of side with moaning (hell.); during dentition, or with bowel disorders. Headache, alternating with diarrhoea.
Nose. Soreness and little pustules in the nose.
Mouth. Grinding of he teeth (Arsenicum, Cicuta, Helleborus, Hyoscyamus), at night, especially during dentition. Offensive odor from the mouth (Arnica, Aurum, Hepar s., Iodi., Mercurius, Nux v., Pulsatilla). Much viscid mucus in the mouth (Kali bichromicum, Mercurius cor.). Bitter, sour taste.
Throat. Dryness of the throat (Apis, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Nux moschata, Pulsatilla). soreness of the throat, extending to ears (Belladonna, Hepar s., Kali bichromicum)
Stomach Loss of appetite (Alumina, Arsenicum, Cinchona, Phosphorus) Desire for something sour (Ant., tart., Hepar s., Phosphorus). Great thirst for large quantities of cold water (bry.). Regurgitation of food, which is sour (Phosphorus), with acid eructations. Heartburn, with waterbrash, with heat in stomach (Arsenicum). Nausea and vomiting, with fullness in head. Vomiting of food (Ipecac., Nux v., Phosphorus); of thick, dark-green bile (Aconite, Arsenicum, Gratiola, Iris), mixed with dark, coagulated blood (Hamamelis, Nux v., op., Stramonium); of hot, frothy mucus. Hollow sensation in he epigastrium.
Abdomen. Fullness, with pain and soreness in right hypochondria, Pain and rumbling in transverse colon, at 3 A.M., followed by diarrhoea. Cramp-like pain in bowels, with retraction of abdominal muscles (Aloe, Chelidonium, Plumb.), at 10 P.M. and 5 A.M. (Chelidonium). Heat in bowels, with inclination to stool.
Stool and Anus. Haemorrhoids (Arsenicum, Nux., Sulphur). Prolapsus ani (Ars)with stool, or from least motion (Ign,). Faintness, with sensation of emptiness in abdomen, after stool. Protrusion of rectum after stool or any sudden motion, such a sneezing, and mental excitement, sometimes prolapsed for days owing to swelling and congestion. diarrhoea early in the morning (Aloe, Nuph., Rumex, Sulphur); stools green;sour (Hepar s., Rheum, sulph.), with much flatulence (aloe, Coloc., Lycopodium). Diarrhoea after much eating or drinking (Colic.). Stools natural, but too frequent during the day, and exhausting. Alternate diarrhoea and constipation (Antim crud., Cimic., Natr. ars., Nux v.). Stool;frequent, painless (Nuph.), watery (Cinchona), gushing, foetid (Arsenicum), yellow, liquid; with mealy sediment; green, sour, watery; yellow, undigested faeces (Arnica, cinch.); mixed with mucus, offensive; streaked with blood, and tenesmus,; black only in morning;preceded by griping and colic; with heat and pain in anus; clay-colored, chalk-like (Bell, Calcarea c., Dol., Hepar s., Myrica).
Urinary Organs. Enuresis frequent nocturnal urinations (Causticum,, Pulsatilla). Suppression of urine (Aconite, Helleborus, Stramonium).
Female Organs. Pain in region of ovaries especially right (Belladonna), also with pain in uterus. Sensation as if denials would come out during stool. Prolapsus uteri, with aching and bearing down pains (Coni., Sepia). Leucorrhoea of thick, transparent mucus (Alum(>)).
Generalities. Pain under right shoulder blade (Abies). Pin between should in morning.
Sleep. Sleepy, especially in forenoon. Drowsy, half-closed eyes, moaning, whining especially in children. Unrefreshed by sleep on waking in. the morning. Restless sleep, especially forepart of night (Phosphorus).
Aggravation. In morning, 2 to 4 A,.M., of all symptoms except weakness in epigastric region.
Amelioration. In the evening.
Conditions. Bilious temperaments; especially after mercurialization
Podophyllum Antidote. Mercurius
THERAPEUTICS.
The chief use of Podophyllum is in the treatment of hepatic disturbances-bilious conditions in general. Chronic congestion and torpidity of the liver. Chronic hepatitis. tongue coated white or yellow dull headache, like swollen and sensitive, jaundice. Gall-stone, colic, with jaundice. Duodenitis, with jaundice. Ulceration of duodenum. Bilious headache. Bilious diarrhoea. Especially useful in morning diarrhoea, with sour, bilious stools. A valuable remedy in Diarrhoea during hot weather, with a variety of stools such as have already been described in pathogenesis. A valuable remedy in prolapsus ani and protrusion of the rectum, especially when accompanying the characteristic diarrhoeic conditions. Haemorrhoids, with prolapsus ani; also when associated with prolapsus uteri. Constipation, stools clay-colored, prolapsus ani. any be found useful in dysentery characterized by prolapsus ani, hollow, sinking feeling in the abdomen, nausea, etc. Chronic dysentery, stools like washing. Catarrhal enteritis, with hot, watery stools. Often a valuable remedy in the Diarrhoea of dentition, also reflex cerebral disturbances grinding of the teeth, rolling head from side to side, with moaning. Will often prevent hydrocephaloid when the symptoms accompany profuse, exhausting stools. Gastric complications in liver disorders; also with uterine complaints. Acid dyspepsia. Enuresis. Prolapsus uteri, especially after confinement with aching and bearing down pains. Endometritis. Leucorrhoea of thick, transparent mucus. Suppression of menses, with haemorrhoids, bearing down, etc. Ovaritis especially on right side. Said to be indicated and useful also in ovarian tumor son right side. Often useful in bilious fever of a remittent type, with pronounced bilious symptoms. Bad effects from the use of Mercury.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).