Coniferae Group of Homeopathy Medicines

Dr Kavitha P C

Homoeopathic Medicines made out of Coniferae group of plants and their preparation, properties and clinical indications

From this order we obtain different varieties of pine, hemlock ,and spruce from which the various preparations of turpentine have been obtained.

The principal remedies of this group are :

1. Abies canadensis or Hemlock spruce / Pinus canadensis / Canada pitch.
2. Abies nigra or Black spruce / Double spruce.
3. Cupressus australis.
4. Cupressus lawsoniana.
5. Juniperus communis.
6. Junipreus virginianus
7. Pinus lambertiana . ( sugar pine – North America )
8. Pinus sylvesteris. ( Europe pine ) Scotch Fir, Red, Norway, Riga.
9. Pix liquida or Pitch / liquid tar — a product of dry distillation of various coniferous woods.
10. Sabina juniperus or Savin.
11. Taxus Baccata or Yew.
12. Terebinthna or Oleum terebinthnae. (oil of turpentine obtained from many of the pines. )
13. Thuja occidentalis or Arbor vitae or Tree of life.

Individual drug picture & clinical uses

Abies canadensis :
Has been only imperfectly proved.Tincture of fresh bark and young buds.
Great appetite , tendency to over eat , gnawing , hungry faint feeling in epigastrium. Craving for meat , pickles, and other coarse food. Peculiar sensation    as if right lung and liver were small and hard.Sore feeling at the fundus of the uterus > by pressing. Increased action of the heart with distension of the  stomach. Great prostration and desire to lie down all the time .
Clinical : Indigestion, liver disorder , uterine displacements.

Abies nigra :
Tincture of the gum.
The grand characteristic is a sensation as of a hard boiled egg had lodged in the cardiac end of the stomach. Dyspepsia caused by abuse of tea or tobacco  Pain in stomach always come on after eating’ ( guernsey ) Wakeful at night with hunger.
Clinical uses : Dyspepsia, constipation.

Cupressus Australis :

• Tincture of the fruit and leaves.
• Action analogous to thuja.
• Clinical : gonorrhoea, headache, rheumatism.

Cupressus Lawsoniana :
Tincture of the berries and leaves.
Has been proved in a fragmentary way by Burnett.
C/ F : Terrible pains it caused in stomach.
Action of this remedy is very like that of thuja and Sabina — in the cure of tumors, cock’s comb growth in the mouth,lipoma of the thigh , keloid , warts.

Juniperus communis :

• Common name — Juniper.
• Tincture of fresh ripe berries.
• Analogy to juniper sabina.
• Clinical : Dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhages , dropsy – renal.

Juniperus virginianus :

• Common name — red cedar.
• Tincture of fresh twigs and berries.
• The effects of Juniperus virginianus have been largely observed in women who have taken it to procure abortion or bring on the suppressed menses .  A small quantity has a gentle laxative action.
• Clinical : Apoplexy, convulsions, tetanus, uterine hge.

Pinus lambertiana :
Trituration of inspissated sap.
It has also action on the menstrual function, restoring menses when suppressed and producing abortion in pregnant women .
Clinical : Abortion, amenorrhoea , constipation.

Pinus sylvestris :
Typical pine of Europe.
Tincture of leaves and young twigs.
Proved by Demeures in the tincture form.
And Patzaek observed the effects of bathing in an Infusion of the leaves. These pine baths have a reputation inthe treatment of rheumatism, gout, paralysis, scrofula, and skin diseases.
C / F : Rheumatism, gouty, paralytic pains in limbs, bones and Joints, stiffness, glandular swellings, enlarged and painful liver and spleen, chilliness and sensitiveness to touch. Scalp sensitive.
Chest wall sensitive with a peculiar feeling of ”thinness” as if they would give  way at a touch.
Hansen gives — ” emaciation of lower extrimities and Weak ankles in children ”   — as an indication for it.
Itching in general – itching of the nose and discharge of round worms    was noted.
Symptom aggravation by exertion, walking, touch, in morning and in evening .
Pinus sylv combines rheumatic , bronchial and urticarious symptoms .

Pix liquida 🙁 wood tar)
Known as a ” stimulant expectorant ” in chronic bronchitis and phthisis , a stimulant to the skin in psoriasis and scaly eczema.
Buckley recorded the severe constitutional effects following the local application of preparation of tar in skin affections. Among these are high fever ,black vomit ,black stool , dark coloured urine etc.
Chief keynote : Pain at the 3rd left intercostal cartilage where it joins the rib.
Pix liquida often cures the enuresis somni of children.

Sabina :
Tincture of the young fresh tops of the branches.
Tincture of the oil.
Stapf  made the first collection of the symptoms and Hahnemann and his son were among the provers. Symptom of Sabina < by touch , though pressure >.
C / F : intermittent and a paroxysmal character.
Main sphere of action is upon the generative organs.
Skin – figwarts with burning and itching.
Uterine hges – flow in paroxysms accompanied by labour like pains.
Partly red and partly clotted < least motion .Rheumatic pains ( left ) , heel pain > cold application.
Dysmenorrhoea pains > lying flat on back with limb extended. > warmth. Walking > metrorrhagia
< stooping  , sitting bent, letting limbs hang down,motion,music, taking a deep breath , warm air or room, warmth in bed.
> open air, cold application.
Sabina patient prefer to lie on left side during sleep.

Taxus Baccata :
Tincture of fresh young shoots and berries.
C/F : Night sweat, pustular eruption, ‘saliva hot’ , gout , chronic rheumatism. A feeling of emptiness , must eat frequently .
Fainting is a prominent feature.
Gastric cattarah with vomitting of tenacious mucus .
Symptom < pressure , deep respiration , before and after each meal after coitus.

Terebinthna :
Was introduced by Hartlaub.
The oil distilled from the oleo – resin ( turpentine ) obtained from  various species of pinus , purified by repeated washing with water .
Applied to the skin Terebinthna act as an irritant and rubefacient causing a sensation of burning and vesicles if applied for any length of time .
Inhaled it causes sneezing , tightness across the eyes and dyspnoea
Given internally it causes burning in mouth and salivation .
In stomach sense of heat or cold , gastro enteritis with vomiting and diarrhoea , ulceration of the intestine .
Acts on the mucus membrane lessening it secretion . voluntary movement is reduced . reflex action lowered. B.P. decreased and vessels dilated , diminishes the quantity of urine , gives the urine an odour of violets. Causes lumbar pain burning in urethra , painful micturition , haematuria .
Used in the treatment of biliary colic ( Brunton )

Characteristic features :

1. Burning .
2. Irritability ,
3. Haemorrhagic remedy .
4. Smooth , glossy red tongue as if deprived of papillae .
5. Excessive tympanitis with extreme sensitiveness to touch .
6. Drowsiness.

Clinical : Urinary affections , worm affections
Symptom < by touch, pressure. Lying on left side,sitting, walking in open air, night, 1 -3 A.M. Damp dwellings.
– turning to right , stooping, motion, belching and
–  passing flatus.
Cold water > burning in anus.
KN : Pains in the bowel which causes frequent micturition. ( thuja)
Effects of falls and injuries.

Thuja :

• Tincture of fresh green twigs.
• Discovered by Hahnemann.
• Clinical : Head ache , skin, urinary , sexual complaints .

General features:

1. Mental symptom :
a ) Music unbearable .
b) Irritability.
c) Hysteria.
d) Hypochondriasis.
e) Insanity / mania.
f)  Meloncholia.
g) Sensation as though something alive in abdomen.

2. Action on nervous system .
a) various types of neuralgia.
b) Pains causes frequent urination. Thuja+ , ter+
c) Convulsions – ( Ter – worm complaint )

3. Miasm – predominantly sycotic with gonorrhoeal affections .

4. Action on skin :
a) warts.
b) Polyp.
c) Icthyosis.
d) Fissure.
e) Pustules.

5. Tendency to cause abortion in pregnant women or bring back the suppressed menses – Sabina , Pinus l , Jun vir .
6. Rheumatic and gouty diathesis .
7. Predominant action over the urinary tract .
8. Action on the mucus membrane – gastic symptoms most marked .
9. Pain in stomach always comes on after eating. Abies N , Cupressus australis , pinus sylvestris, pix liquida, juniperus virg, ter, taxus , thuja.
10. Marked action upon the uterus : uterine haemorrhages, displacements , tumours and fibroids.
11. Foul breath : Thuja+ , Sabina +, Ter + .
12. Causes abdominal distension either flatulent or tympanic , with alive sensation in abdomen .

13. Marked action upon rectum :
a) constipation – Thuj+, Sab+, Ter.
b) Bleeding piles — Thuj + Sab + Ter+ .
c) Diarrhoea _ Thuj+, Ter +.
d) Worm complaint .

14. Urinary affections:
a) Frequency : Thuj +, Sab+, Ter+.
b) Strangury .
c) Haematuria.
d) Urine scanty, bloody : Thuj+, Sab+, Ter.
e) Urine sediment

15. Action on sexual organs
Female : uterine affection.

• Ovarian pains.
• Dysmenorrhoea.
• Uterine hges – menorrhagia, metrorrhagia.
• Abortion.

Male : gonorrhoeal affections.

• Greenish yellowish discharge.
• Nocturnal emissions – spermatorrhoea.
• Sexual desire increased – onanism.
• Chordee.

16. Action on respiratory organs :
– asthma.
– Polyp of vocal cord.
– Haemoptysis.
– Hoarseness.
– Cough.

17. Ailments from vaccination , from suppressed or maltreated
Gonorrhoea.
Thuj +, Sab +, Ter+.

18. Sleeplessness:
Anxious dreams.

• Abies c – great restlessness at night with tossing from side to side.
• Aabies n – wakeful at night with hunger and restlessness .
• Thuj — of dangers, falling from a height, lascivious.
• Sab — full of fanciful images.
• Ter — nightmares.

Dr Kavitha P C BHMS,MD(Hom)
Medical Officer, Dept. of Homoeopathy, Govt. of Kerala