The Sarcodes in Homeopathy

Dr.Merra Narendran BHMS,MD(Hom)

Homoeopathic Medicines made out of sarcodes – health animal products and their preparation, properties and clinical indications

In Greek the term ‘Sarcode’ means fleshy. Sarcodes imply protoplasm of animals as distinguished from vegetable protoplasm. In homeopathy some of the Sarcodes are proved medicines. They are obtained from healthy endocrine or ductless glands or normal secretions of living human organs & lower animals. The secretions are mostly hormones.

Eg: Adrenaline, eholestinium, feltari, insulin, pancreatium,Pepsinum.pitutory,Thyroidinum, Vulpis-fel etc.
In fact Sarcodes belong to animal kingdom sarcodes include products of animal glands and endocrine gland as a whole and secretion. Endocrine or ductless glands are those which produce hormones in the body.

Hormones are specific substances produced by the endocrine glands of higher animals, which are secreted into the blood & thus carried to all part of the body where they regulate many metabolic functions of the organism. They are quick acting and only a minute amount may have a profound effect on metabolism. Hormones are either proteins (eg:- insulin)steriods(eg.cortisone) or relatively simple organic compounds (eg. Adrenalin)

Medicines
1. Sarcodes from whole endocrine glands
Thyroidinum (of sheep or calf)
Pitutarium postenium (the post position of the pituitary gland of sheep)

2. Sarcodes from Healthy Secretion (Hormones)
Adrenaline (Epinephrine) :Hormone produced by the adrenal glands and may also be prepared synthetically. Its synthetic salt “Adrenalin hydrocloricum” is also used.
Cortisone Acetate (Cortisone monoacetate)
Cortisone A crystalline ste steroid hormone screated by the cortex of the adrenal gland in man
Adrenocorticotrophin (Syn-Acth, Corticotrophin) :  A polypeptide hormone secreted by the pitutory gland which controls the adrenal glands.
Insulin : A pancreatic hormone that controls “Sugar netabolism” in the body
Pepsin :A digestive ‘enzyme’ produced in the stomach, which converts proteins into peptones produced from the stomach of hog or pig (secretin)

3) Sarcodes from Extract

• Orchitinum (Testicular)
• Oophorinum (Ovarian of cow, sheep, pig)
• Pancreatinum (from pancreases of beef, containing digestive enzymes)
• Corpus luteum (from ovaries of pregnant animals)

4) Other sarcodes

• Cholesterninum : A principle Steroid in higher animals, main constituent of gall bladder & bile
• Fel tauri : Fresh Ox-gall
• Valpis fel : Fresh fox-gall etc.
• Mammary glands : From the glands of the cow & sheep
• Parotidinum :Extract of the parotid gland of the OX
• Placenta
• Spleen
• Ingluvin – Gizzard of a fowl
• Lecithin – Yolk of egg and animal brain

Medicines : Used in Homoeopathy

1. Adrenalin (Epinephrine)
Internal secretion of supra renal glands. It is the active principle of the medulla of the suprarenal gland. Its presence is essential to the activities of the sympathetic nerve. It stimulate the sympathetic nerve, causing constriction of the peripheral nerves resulting in rise in blood pressure & showing down of pulses strengthening of heart beat.
Therapeutically it is a powerful astringent & thermostatic & is invaluable in checking capillary hemorrhages from all parts, where the local or direct application is feasible. Hemorrhagic condition is not due to the defective coagulation
It is indicated in acute congestion of lungs, Asthma, Graves disease, Addison’s disease, chronic aortitis, angina, hemophilia, chlorosis, hay fever, serum sickness. It is effective in angina & aortitis when there is a sensation of thoracic constriction $ anguish.Ass with Vertigo, nausea & vomiting, Abdominal pain.
Shock or heart failure during anesthesia as it cases rise in blood pressure by acting on nerve ending in vessel wall

Note : – It should not be repeated too frequently
It is very effective in addisons disease with pigmentation of skin (Bronzing) loss of strength, wasting, rapid pulse.It is effective haematoma ,pain in adrenal region.It can be given in hay fever and in certain inflammation of eye & it can be used locally to cause blanching of the part & to present hemorrhage before minor operations.
It should be given great care to pregnent women

Cholesterinum
Cholesterinum is a substance crystallising in bathels with a mother of pearl. Having a fatty feel.
It occur in the blood & brain, yolk of eggs, seed & buds of plants, but most in the bile & biliary calculi. Therapeutically it is recommended as a remedy for cancer of the liver. They are pale, anaemic, complain of headaches, exhaustion, nervousness, acne vulgaris, constipation and menses may be absent or scanty.
Again in climacterics period it is indicated when the flow ceases and there is tendency to obesity & increased blood pressure.
Hot flushes, psychosis and visual irritation not only at the natural climateric, but in those that are the result of hysterectomy and oophorectomy it is also indicated.
The pruritus vulva that attends some of those cases has been speedily relieved by it.
It is to be recommended in the neurasthenic woman who complains of headache, neuromuscular weakness, Mental irritability insomnia and a group of indefinite symptoms that are dependant upon menstrual & ovarian disturbances.
It is of service in certain cases of sterility, when bacterial infection, cervical stenosis & other local causes are eliminated.
It can be given in case of nausea attends with the early months of pregnancy.
It is very useful in relieving the pain in breast that disturb some women before & during menstruation
It should be remembered in increased blood pressure in women at the climateric period when the usual causes can be eliminated as arteriosclerosis, nephritis.
(In these cases if it is found that blood pressure is being reduced too rapidly, and palpitation of the heart, nausea, vomiting & mental depression is taking place of should be stopped or dose should be reduced.)

It is effective in case of pelvic pain, delayed menses or insufficient flower clot formation.
It should be administered with care. Blood pressure should observe if reduction is too great, medicine should be stopped.

Lecithin
A phosphorus – containing complex organic body prepared from the yolk of egg & animal brain .Lecithin has a favorable influence upon the nutritive condition & especially upon the blood, hence its use in anemia & convalescence, neurasthenia and insomnia. It increases the number of red corpuscles and amount of hemoglobin. It is an excellent galactogog, renders milk more nourishing and increases quantity. Causes an immediate decrease in the excretion of the phosphate.
It is indicated in faulty nutrition when there is an excessive exertion of phosphates, the patients is weak & exhausted.
It should be thought of in the tuberculosis of the young, they are tired, weak and complain of loss of flesh, short breath and general exhaustion.

The mammary glands
The extract is prepared from the glands of the cow & sheep.
There is a relation b/w these glands & corpus luteum & also with uterus. By prolonging lactation women can prolong the period of amenorrhea. The administration of an extract of these gland is most useful in the profuse menstruation of all young girls. Also in the young girls when the period occurs every two o weeks. It has been employed in uterine fibroids with menorrhagia and metorrhagia. The associated mastodynia is much relieved. It should be used with care during pregnancy as exponents with animals showed it to have an abortifacient action.It have also been employed as a galactogogue.

Orchitidinum
Testicular extract.
It can be used in case of senile decay and nervous breakdown according to brown – sequard.
It can be also used in climacteric sufferings.
Testicular extract contains much nucleoprotein, and like all nucleins has a tendency to lower blood pressure.

Oophorinum
Extract from the ovary of cow / sheep or pig.
Can be given to these sufferings following the excision of ovaries (lower triturations)
Climacteric disturbances especially nervous sufferings.
Cutaneous disorders, acne resource prurigo etc.,
Ovarian cyst.
Complaints> during menses (like zin lach)

Pancreatinum
Extract of pancreatic & salivary glands of OX or sheep.
It is effective in conditions due to faulty action of the pancreas.
According to Dr. Burnett it is very effective in gout. It is effective for intestinal digestion. Pain an hour or more after eating.
Lienteric diarrhoea.

Parotid gland
An extract of the parotid glands of the OX has been used.
It is effective in ovarian hyperemia and headache, reflex from ovarian disturbances.
Dysmenorrhea & Menorhagia.

Pepsinum
Prepared from pepsin a digestive enzyme produced in the stomach which converts protein into peptones, produced from the stomach of Pig.
Indicated in when there is evidence of imperfect digestion, with pain in the region of the stomach, as observed in neurasthenia, diseases of nervous system, acute protracted diseases, surgical diseases, traumatism, gastric cancer & ulcer.
It can be remembered in marasmus of children who have been fed on artificial foods.
It is useful in diarrhea of children & adults, dependent upon indigestion of the food.

Placenta
When placental extract is administered to nursing mothers the amount of milk is increased, and the infant receiving this milk grows more rapidly.
It acts as galactagogue.

Pituitary gland
Pituitary exercises a superior control over the growth and development of the sexual organs. Stimulates muscular activity and overcomes uterine inertia. Its influence over unstriped muscular fibre is marked.
Cerebral hemorrhage. Will check hemorrhage and add absorption of clot.
Utrerine inertia in second stage of labour where as it is fully dilated.
High blood pressure, chronic nephritis, prostatitis.
Vertigo, difficult mental concentration, confusion & fullness deep in frontal region.
During pregnancy & before menses the gland is enlarged in certain cases the enlarged gland before & during menstrual period is attended with menstrual headache. This is usually relieved by the administration of the remedy.
Pituitary headache have been cured by the whole gland.
In stout women with amenorrhoea & this type of headache. It is usually relieved by this medicine (along thyroidinum).
It is also effective in menorrhagia and metorrhagia. It is more servicible in heart failure and in shock when the blood pressure is very low. It should be thought of following parturition and laprotomy when the urinary bladder is semi – paralyzed. In continence of the urine both in adult and children, it has been of service, also in nocturnal enuresis.
In the fatigue syndrome asthenia with weakness and neuromuscular pains, also after parturition when the mother remains weak, does not gain her strength and the uterus does not contract normally, an extract of the whole gland is useful.
It should be thought of in epilepsy, especially in young children and in youth (when it should be studied in connection with thyroid & parathyroid) The whole gland should be used.
Extract of the anterior lobe should be thought of in rickets.
Extract of the posterior lobe should be used in diabetes insipid us.

Secretin
This is formed in the cells of the duodenum when they are acted upon by hydrochloric acid. It passes into the blood rather than along the alimentary canal.
It activates the intestinal pancreatic secretions. It stimulates the peristalsis of the intestines and helps to relieve constipation. It is of benefit in gastro hepatic intestinal or digestive insufficiencies.
It assists in raising the low urea output.
Through its action in assisting intestinal peristalsis it assist in overcoming constipation & relieving intestinal stasis, fermentation & putrefaction.

The spleen
It seems to produce leucocytes and lymphocytes during intra uterine life. It is a part in formation of red cells. Under certain conditions of the bone marrow this may continue after birth. It is believed that it act as an activator of the pancreas and stomach by furnishing an internal secretion which elaborates trypsin.
An extract of the spleen has been employed in the malarial cachexia.It has been employed in enlargement of the spleen.

The thymus
It has been employed in certain cases of exophthlmic goiter. When the thymus is enlarged, in rheumatic arthritis, rachitis and marasmus.

Thyroidinum
Dried thyroid gland of the sheep is used for the preparation.
It produces anemia, emaciation, muscular weakness, sweating, headache, nervous tremor of face & limbs, tingling sensations, paralysis etc.
In myxoedema & cretinism it is very effective. It is effective in Rheumatoid arthritis, infantile wasting, Rickets & delayed union of fractures. It is very effective in undesended testis in boys. .Thyroid weakness causes decided craving for large amount of sweets. It is of use in psoriasis & pityriasis rubra .
Arrested development of children. It improves the memory. It is very useful in goiter, excessive obesity, mammary tumour & uterine fibroid. Great weakness and hunger yet looses flesh. Noctural enuresis ,agalctea and vomiting of pregnancy.
Patient is chilly. It is also effects in various type of oedema, because it is a powerful diuretic.
A state of puffiness & obesity may be regarded as the keynote indication of thyroidinum. Among the pathogenetic effect of thyroidinum optic neuritis and accommodative asthenopia have been observed. It has been noted in the action of growth of hair. T is falling of hair from scalp and abnormal growth in other parts. According to Dr. Burnett brawny swelling is the key note of thyroidinum.

References
1. Text book of materia medica by Blackwood
2. Text book of pharmacy by Banerjee
3. Dictionary of material medica by Clark
4. Materia medica by Boerick
5. Text book of nosodes by J.H.Allen