Dulcamara

Source
Solanum dulcamara, the woody nightshade, belongs to the same family as
Belladonna (deadly nightshade), Solanum nigrum (garden nightshade), Capsicum,
Hyoscyamus, Mandragora and Stramonium (thornapple).
The plant grows in damp and shady places, its woody stem giving place to slender
branches which climb and trail restlessly over shrubs and hedgerows by twining
around any available support. This urge to keep moving is characteristic also of
the Dulcamara patient.
The star-shaped flowers are very striking with their five pointed purple petals
surrounding a central cone of golden stamens. The flowers continue to bloom
throughout the summer months; they are borne on branching stalks which always
point in the opposite direction to the corresponding leaves. The leaves are dark
green with short stalks, and the upper ones have three lobes, the central one
being large with two much smaller lobes at the base.
Clusters of ovoid berries form the fruit, dangling from slender stalks which show
a distinct kink, and turning from green to bright scarlet. The berries are shiny,
without any down, and in fact have a watery, almost translucent look. They are
poisonous and have caused death in children.
The juice of the stem and leaves is intensely bitter when first chewed but
afterwards leaves a sweet taste in the mouth, as the action of the saliva produces
sugar. Hence the old name Amaradulcis, or bittersweet. The mother tincture is
prepared from the young green shoots and leaves when the plant begins to
flower.
 Pharmacology
Symptoms of poisoning by the berries are described as 'hard griping pains in the
bowels followed by unconsciousness and spasms. Theselatter are tetanic and
accompanied by hot, dry skin, trismus, loud rattling breathing and, possibly,
death.'
Besides the steroid alkaloid solanine, or rather the very similar solaceine, the
plant contains a mixture of saponines, called dulcamarine. The plant also contains
mucin and tannins, and the ash contains a considerable amount of silicic acid.
The tissue affinities are widespread, namely with mucous membranes, glands,
muscles, kidneys and skin, giving rise to inflammatory changes, catarrh and a
tendency to interstitial haemorrhage. There is also an action on the central
nervous system, inducing at first tetanic spasm with trismus and, later, paralysis,
coma and death.
Proving
Dulcamara was proved by Hahnemann, and appears in the Materia Medica Pura.
Appearance
The skin tends to be dry, delicate and very sensitive to cold. It may show a sickly
pallor, or the face and hands may have a dusky, purplish hue.
Lips are apt to twitch in cold air, and the mouth may be drawn to one side.
The general appearance may suggest emaciation or there may be puffy swelling
of the limbs.
Psychology
The mental state is restless, irritable, even confused, with difficulty in finding the
right word when speaking. There may be an impatient desire for something
which, when obtained, is not wanted after all. There is a compelling urge to keep
constantly on the move. -
Physiology
A chilly feeling all over may be accompanied by a sensation as if 'the hair was
bristling'.
Appetite is curious; a sensation of hunger may be accompanied by repugnance
towards all food. Easy satiety also may be noticed when taking a meal.
An insatiable burning thirst may be present for cold drinks.
Drowsiness and much yawning are common in the daytime, but sleep at night is
apt to be disturbed by frightful dreams or by inability to stay long in one position.
Perspiration is often excessive and offensive in odour.
Symptomatology
General
Dulcamara pains are described as tearing, shooting or drawing in type, and are
relieved by movement. Paralyses may occur in various sites and the affected parts
feel icy cold. There may be unilateral spasms. A feature of the remedy is a
tendency to alternation of symptoms. Catarrhal or asthmatic conditions alternate
with skin eruptions or with rheumatic manifestations. Symptoms are often left-
sided.
Head
Vertigo is often associated with trembling and a liability to fall. Things go black
before the eyes. A galaxy of headache types are described under this remedy.
Headache may be associated with much heaviness, mental confusion and nausea,
all made worse by movement, talking or walking- a contrary modality to that
usually encountered with this remedy. Headache may be located to one particular
spot, as if it were being pressed on firmly by a blunt instrument. A rheumatic type
of headache is accompanied by stiffness in the nape and a feeling as if the neck
was broken. Headache may be associated with dry coryza, but quick relief is
obtained from fluent discharge - in fact as soon as the flow starts. Facial neuralgia
may occur after exposure to wet or cold. Eczema of scalp with thick brown crusts
is aggravated at the onset of cold weather and in wet weather; it tends to
improve in summer.
Eyes
Catarrhal ophthalmia is accompanied by thick yellow discharge; the eyes become
very red. Colds tend to settle in eyes. Dimness of vision may be noticed when
reading, as if looking through a layer of gauze. Eyelids tend to twitch when
weather becomes damp or cold.
Ears
Pricking or squeezing pains are felt in the ear. Earache in children associated with
nausea persists all night, preventing sleep, but lets up quickly in the morning.
Respiratory system
The nose becomes acutely congested and stuffed up in rainy weather. There is at
times a curious sensitivity to the odour of new-mown grass or drying weeds.
Nasal catarrh is characterized by a thick, yellow mucoid discharge and possibly
crusts of dried blood. The catarrh is worse in a cold room and out of doors; is
better in the warm, and the sufferer wants to keep the nose warmly covered.
Entrance into a cold room sets off a bout of sneezing, accompanied by pain in the
nasal bones and a free flow of watery discharge. This reaction may be contrasted
with Allium Cepa and Nux Vomica; in both these sneezing starts in a warm room
and is relieved in the open air. Concomitants of catarrh may be herpes labialis,
the presence of pimples inside the nostrils, epistaxis of hot bright red blood. Post-
nasal discharge is common, with a tendency to downward spread and
involvement of the chest, evidenced by oppressed breathing, respiration clogged
by mucus, various pains in chest, especially behind the sternum, and possibly
sharp darting pain in the left chest. A paroxysmal type of cough develops,
accompanied by expectoration of tasteless mucus sometimes streaked with
blood. The cough is worse in wet weather, by taking a deep breath, as soon as
lying down, after meals. Rather curiously it is also aggravated in a warm room and
better in the open air. Winter coughs tend to clear up in the summer.
Alimentary system
Pimples and ulcers occur in the mouth. A curious stiffness and discomfort of the
tongue and the jaw muscles produces a sensation of paresis and makes speech
difficult. Cracking in the temporo-mandibular joint is noticed on opening the
mouth. Salivation is excessive, the saliva being sticky, soap-like and having a foul
odour. This also causes much spitting or frequent swallowing and a tendency to
keep scraping the throat. Considerable nausea is associated with a positive
disgust for food in any form. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the passage of
a stool. Great distension of the belly is likely after meals, accompanied by much
belching, the eructations tasting of food. Pinching or shooting pains are described
at or in the region of the umbilicus; also stitches in various parts of the abdomen
with definite tenderness at the affected site.
Diarrhoea results from suppressed eruptions or from becoming chilled when hot;
the stools are slimy and green or yellow; the condition tends to become chronic
unless treated with Dulcamara. The stools are preceded by pains around the
navel, and borborygmi. The pains are relieved by the passage of the stool but the
patient is left very exhausted and weak. The diarrhoea is liable to occur in the
autumn when hot days are followed by cold nights. Another feature associated
with this remedy is a tendency to much ineffectual urging to stool, from similar
causes, as the result of rectal catarrh; only a little frothy mucus is passed.
Lymphatic and Glandular Systems In cold wet weather the cervical, axillary and
inguinal lymph nodes may become swollen.
Genital system
An urticarial rash is apt to appear on the face before the menstrual periods,
which are late and usually heavy.
Urinary system
Urgent urination, even loss of sphincter control, results from getting chilled. The
urine contains muco-pus, appears turbid and may stain linen. The remedy may be
called for in acute or chronic nephritis associated with generalized oedema.
Locomotor system
The remedy is often of value in complaints resulting from exposure to cold and
wet. These include stiff neck, digging pains in the back beside the spine or in the
loin above the iliac crest. Severe pains occur in the thighs, which are worse when
sitting still and in the evening, and relieved by walking about. Limbs become
terribly heavy, perhaps with an icy cold feeling. Fingers go stiff and can hardly be
moved. Limbs feel paralysed and useless. Cramps occur in both upper and lower
extremities. Inflamed joints are painful, red, swollen and tender to touch. Here
too movement gives relief, and the sufferer keeps changing position. Rheumatic
symptoms are apt to alternate with diarrhoea.
Skin
A great variety of eruptions are described under this remedy, notably herpetic,
but also miliary or urticarial. Although brought on by cold, the eruption is often
aggravated by warmth and is worse at night. Itching and pricking occur in various
sites, sometimes without any eruption; this tends to be worse on exposure to cold
air, e.g. when undressing. Scratching gives no relief. Crusting eruptions occur on
head and face, e.g. crusta lactea of infants. Ulcers may occur, of spreading and
very chronic type, possibly becoming phagedenic. Another indication is in relation
to warts which are fleshy, large and smooth in type, occurring especially on
hands, fingers and face. Circinate herpetic eruptions occur on scalp and face,
especially in children.
Modalities
There is aggravation from every change in weather, warm to cold, dry to wet, and
especially sudden change as when a hot sultry day is followed by a cold night.
Aggravation is also noticed to result from proximity to water or damp
surroundings. Is worse when at rest, when Lying on the back, when stooping;
towards evening, during the night, during the wane of the moon and in the
autumn.
Relief is obtained by warmth, in dry even-temperatured weather; also by
frequent changes of posture or by keeping on the move. Feels better when
standing erect or when lying on one or other side. -
Clinical notes
The outstanding indication for the use of this remedy is the aetiological factor in
the case. It is of value in complaints arising from contact with damp surroundings,
proximity to water, getting wet or becoming chilled rhen hot; in illness brought on
by change of weather from a hot dry spell to cold and wet, especially perhaps in
autumn.
Complementary remedies are Baryta Carb. and Natrum Sulph. The remedy
should not be given in sequence either before or after Acetic Acid, Belladonna or
Lachesis.