Nux Vomica – Poison Nut

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried, ripe seeds of the plant, Strychnos nux-vomica L., a native of the East Indies, North Australia and especially Sri Lanka.

N.O. Loganiaceae.

Nux Vomica contains the alkaloids strychnine and brucine, compounds of strych- ninic acid, and also tannic acid fat and a small quantity of a glycoside, Loganin.

Through the whole symptomatology of this important homoeopathic polychrest there runs a nervous irritability, a tendency to cramps and spasms, with lassitude, weakness with a bruised, beaten feeling, pains in the limbs and joints, and a height- ened sensitivity to gentle touch, jarring and noises of any kind. Patients who require Nux Vomica are in need of rest. There are often muscle cramps, even tonic and clonic spasms of various limbs.

There is a striking tendency to catch colds and a wariness of cool air. Influenza pa- tients who need Nux Vomica cover themselves up in fear, right up to the neck, be- cause every draught upsets them. Aggravation results from mental exertion and after consumption of coffee and alcoholic drinks. In humid weather a slight amelioration is present.

Toxicologically, gastro intestinal inflammations are typical, as is a congestion of blood in the brain, spinal cord and meninges, with sweating into the cavities, the blood itself being viscous, tarry and of a dark colour.

The Nux Vomica patient is tired in the mornings, and is very sleepy during the day, with much yawning and stretching of the limbs, may go to sleep late, sleeps lightly, and has a typical sleeplessness beginning at about 3:00 a.m. and lasting until about 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. The patient may go off to sleep again, and could sleep in until midday.

Emotionally the Nux Vomica patient presents the picture of a gloomy hypochon- driac with heightened irritability, irascibility, intensity of feeling, lachrymosity and quarrelsome disposition. The skin frequently shows a yellow discolouration. The complexion is pale, wretched and sallow, possibly alternating with flushing. The palms of the hands are cool and clammy.

The psychological symptoms are particularly notable in the mornings. The pa- tients cannot concentrate, they omit words and syllables, say the wrong thing, and also complain of headaches, in the frontal, temporal and occipital regions, and pos- sibly of one-sided, migraine-like conditions, especially after alcohol. The student with a hangover is typical of Nux Vomica. There may also be irritative conditions of the conjunctiva, hypersensitivity of hearing and auditory delusions, itching in the nose, and a refined sense of smell. Nux Vomica is also indicated especially for stiff- ness of the joints, the neck and the spine with painful rheumatic complaints, sensa- tions of heaviness and weakness in the legs, pains in the heels, stinging, burning pains in the soles of the feet and severe itching of the toes.

Immoderate eating is followed by a feeling of constriction in the heart with ar- rhythmia and pulsation of the carotid arteries, accompanied by a feeling of oppres- sion and anxiety. There may be fits and also at the same time high-pitched, rough coughing, especially in the morning, which may be followed by retching (morning sickness).

Nux Vomica is the required remedy for glossitis, stomatitis with vesicles and ul- ceration on the mucosa of mouth and tongue, and incipient periodontitis. Also for aversion and disgust for any food, heartburn, bitter or sour eructations, sensation of fullness and heaving of the contents of the stomach with nausea, retching and vom- iting. In the morning particularly this may be of mucus or bile, or even blood; in old drinkers these constitute characteristic indications for Nux Vomica.

Nux Vomica is a remedy for intestinal peristalsis with frequent unsuccessful urg- ing and pushing to defaecate, a few mucous, bloody shreds occasionally being passed. The stool may be initially hard, followed by diarrhoea, or there may be con- stipation with congestion in the head, or haemorrhoids with much itching and pass- ing of threadworms, or else spasm of the anal sphincter. Enlargement of the liver and gastroenteritis may also occur.

The tenesmus which is typical of Nux Vomica may also present in the bladder with dysuria, strangury and cystitis. In the morning there may be persistent erec- tions, and also seminal emissions with following coldness, especially of the feet. In the female genitalia there is the sensation of bearing down, as in Sepia; there may also be muco-purulent discharge and itching, as well as arrival of the menses sever- al days early.

Although Nux Vomica is a gastro intestinal remedy par excellence, and is used in glossitis, stomatitis, gastritis, enterocolitis and haemorrhoids, as well as in liver and biliary conditions, it can also act superbly in sleep-disorders of the kind described above, and particularly where the modalities apply: worse in the morning and from cold. Thus cases of influenza can often experience a remarkable recovery by means of Nux Vomica.

If we sum up the most important symptoms once more, the following typical rem- edy-picture is the result:

1. Chilliness. Tendency to catch cold (especially fluent coryza), and general sensi- tivity to cold air, even in fever. Generally sensitive to external impressions and noises. Cold, clammy hands.
2. Typical aggravation in the mornings (haemorrhoidal civil-servant type). Grumpi- ness. Irascibility. Unjustified raging. Deathly sickness in the mornings (morning sickness), in the evening in good spirits with his beer and tobacco.
3. Consequences of abuse of stimulants, especially alcohol, coffee and nicotine.
4. Characteristic sleeplessness, with waking around 3:00 a.m. (acidity). Lies awake till about 7:00 a.m. and could then sleep until about midday.
5. Inflammations and discomfort along the entire length of the alimentary canal. Stomatitis. Gingivitis. Glossitis.
6. Gastritis with heaviness and pressure, as if of a stone, and flatulence, must loosen the belt (cf. Lycopodium). Digestive disorders, especially after meals, with dis- tension. Sour and bitter eructations. White coating of posterior half of the tongue.
7. Enterocolitis and colitis with frequent unsuccessful urging and possibly knotty stool. Also indicated after abuse of laxatives.
8. Haemorrhoidal complaints, mostly without bleeding.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Strychnos nux-vomica, pub- lished the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for nux vomica: feverish disorders, inflammation of the respiratory or- gans; inflammations and spasmodic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract; hepato- biliary disorders; constipation; haemorrhoids; complaints elicited by medication, foods, beverages, or by luxury and semi-luxury stimulants and foodstuffs such as al- cohol, tobacco, coffee, and the like; diseases of the urinary tract; circulatory com- plaints; vertigo; angina pectoris complaints; haemorrhages; headaches; neuralgia and rheumatic pain; spasmodic conditions suffered in hollow organs; muscular cramps; paralysis; insomnia; overexcitedness; emotional discord or upset.