Coniferae family remedies in homeopathy

Dr Prathibha K 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 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. Juniperus virginianus
7. Pinus lambertiana
8. Pinus Sylvestris
9. Pix liquida
10. Sabina
11. Taxus buccata
12. Terebinthina
13. Thuja

Abies canadensis
Common Name – Hemlock spruce
Physiological Action
This agent acts upon the mucous membrane of the stomach, producing a catarrhal condition; as a result of gastric and Intestinal derangement; the general nutrition is impaired.

Characteristics
1) This remedy is indicated in cases of dyspepsia.
There is faint feeling in the epigastric region with gnawing hunger and craning for meats, pickles, course food and a tendency to eat beyond his capacity.
Following the meal there is a rumbling of gas in the intestines.
The bowels are constipated
The heart’s action is disturbed by the accumulation of gas in the intestines.
2) Prolapse of uterus with a feeling of weakness in the pelvic region.
3) Pain behind the right shoulder blade and a sensation of cold water between the shoulders.
4) The patient lies with the legs drawn up.
5) Shivering as if the blood turned to cold water.
6) Liver disorders – Sensation as if liver were small & hard.

Abies nigra
Common Name – Black spruce
Preparations :- Mother tincture of the gum which oozes from the tree up on making an incision.
Physiological Action
This agent acts upon the mucous membrane of the stomach, causing a derangement of the digestive process.

Characteristics
The grand characteristic is a sensation in the cardiac end of the stomach, or in the oesophagus where it enters the stomach, as if a hard body, as a hard- boiled egg, had lodged there.
There is pain in the stomach after a heavy meal.
There is no appetite for break fast, but great craving for food at noon & in the evening.
Gastric disturbances caused by an excess of tea and tobacco.
The patient is sleepy during the day, but wakeful and restless at night and has disagreeable dreams.

Cupressus australis
Tincture of fruit & leaves

Characteristics
Pain -Sharp; piercing & pricking pains.
General feeling of warmth
Clinical – Gonorrhoea, Headache, rheumatism

Cupressus lawsoniana
Tincture of berries & leaves.
Has been proved in a fragmentary way by Burnet

Characteristics
Terrible pain in the stomach
Action is very like that of thuja and sabina- in the care of tumors, cock’s comb growth in the mouth, lipoma of the thigh, keloid, warts etc.

Juniperus communis

• Common Name – JUNIPER
• Tincture of fresh ripe berries
• Analogy to Juniper sabina
• Clinical
• Dysmenorrhoea.
• Haemorrhages.
• Renal Dropsy.

Juniperus virginianus
Common Name : Red cedar
Tincture of fresh twigs & berries
Characteristics
The effects of Jun-virginianus have been largely observed on women who have taken it to procure abortion or bring on the menses.

Clinical
1) Convulsions:
Without consciousness lasting for about 12 hrs
All voluntary muscles frightened with most rigid spasm.
Jerking of the whole body.
Followed by another Paroxysm.
In between the Paroxysm – Patient is imperfect and in constant motion, vomiting in between the fits- having the smell of cedar oil
After the convulsion – apparently an apoplectic state.

2) Uterine haemorrhage
With considerable fever & labour like pain

3) Pyelitis- Pyelonephritis
Patients complain of a persistent dragging or weight in the renal region.
Urine is scanty or suppressed.

Pinus lambertiana
Common Name : Sugar pine
Trituration of inspissated sap
Characteristics
It has an action on the menstrual function, restoring menses when suppressed and producing abortion in pregnant women.
It has a decided laxative action also.

Clinical
– Abortion
– Amenorrhea
– Constipation

Pinus sylvestris
Common Name – Scrotch pine
Tincture of leaves and young twigs.
Proved by Demeures in the form
Pratzack observed the effects of bathing in an infusion of the leaves. These pine baths have a reputation in the treatment of rheumatism, gout, Paralysis, scrofula and skin diseases.

Symptoms
Rheumatism, gouty and Paralytic pains in limbs, bones & joints with stiffness.
This remedy is indicated in scrofulous and rachitic children, whose ankles are weak and who are late in learning to walk. The lower extremities are emaciated. “ Weak ankles in children ”.
Sensitiveness – Sensitiveness to touch
Scalp – Sensitive
Chest walls sensitive with a peculiar feeling of thinness as if they would give way to touch.
Kidneys- Sensation of violent boring burning pains in the region of kidneys that extend along the ureters.
Urine – increased in quantity and has a strong odour, there are severe burning pains up on urinating.
Bronchial mucus increased
Round worm infection.
There is itching of the whole body, but especially about joints and abdomen.
It combines rheumatic bronchial and urticarious symptoms.

Pix liquida
Common Name : Liquid Tar
(A product of dry distillation of various
coniferous woods)

Characteristics
Known as a “stimulant expectorant” in chronic bronchitis and phthisis – with rales through the lungs and a muco-purulent sputum of a offensive odour and taste.
There is a painful spot where the 3 rd left costal cartilage join the sternum
A stimulant to the skin in Psoriasis and Scaly eczema
Eruption is mot pronounced up on the back of the hands.
Leucoderma
Nocturnal enuresis in children

Sabina
Common Name : Savina
Preparations –Tincture of the fresh stems and leaves.
Stapt made the first collection of Sabina and Hahnemann and his son were among the provers. A number of observations on women who had taken the drug to bring on menses or procure abortion have also been added. Some cases of fatal poisoning are also on record.

Physiological Action
Sabina acts as a widespread irritant, inflaming the pyloric end of duodenum and causing patches of inflammation in other portions of the intestines, especially the upper intestines, the omentum & peritoneum
Haemorrhage – It induces hyperaemia of the uterus and ovaries.
Contraction of the pregnant uterus results in abortion
It produces fig warts with itching & burning of external genitals ; phimosis of the male, swelling of the dorsum of the penis.
Characteristics

This remedy is indicated in cases of haemorrhages when the blood is partially fluid & partially clotted.
– <least motion> by walking
– Flow is associated with labour like pain
– Pain – From sacrum to Pubis
– discharge of blood between the periods with sexual excitement
– Mensus – too early & profuse

2) It is useful in threatened abortion – about the 3 rd month in those who have the habit of aborting with the characteristic pain.
Also in ailments following abortion or Premature labour
3) Retained placenta – & there are violent after pains.
4) Menorrhagia in the climacteric period
5) Arthritic affections & gout – Special affinity on women who suffers from uterine & ovarian derangements.
6) The rectum is affected with a sensation of fullness, the bowels are constipated Haemorrhoids are present & bleed profusely.
7) The bladder & urethra show congestion and inflammation
8) It removes wart like growths from the muco-cutaneous surfaces.
In the Mental sphere there is much irritability, hysteria and hypochondriasis and a peculiar feature of it is that music is intolerable.

Taxus baccata
Tincture of the fresh young roots
Characteristics
The symptoms of the pathogenesis are made up of poisoning by leaves and berries and also of provings by Gustier.

• Fainting is a very prominent symptom and fatal cases end in convulsions, collapse & syncope
• Empty feeling in stomach, since the digestion is very rapid – “ Must eat frequently ’’ is a characteristic
• Gastric Catarrha with vomiting of tenacious mucus.
• Saliva is increased & also viscid.
• This remedy is indicated in pustular diseases of the skin. The Pustules are large & flat and are attended with much itching

Terebinthina
Oil of Turpentine – The Oil distilled from the Oleo-resin obtained from various species of Pinus, Purifies by repeated verification with water.
Terbinthina  was introduced to homeopathy by Hart laub.

Characteristics

• A stimulant and tonic to the mucous membranes, especially of the bladder & urethra
• It produces inflammation of Kidneys.
• Applied to the skin, it acts as an irritant causing a sensation of burning and vesicles.
• Inhaled, it causes sneezing, tightness across eyes and dyspnoea.
• Given internally if causes burning in mouth and salivation, gastro-enteritis with vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Burning is a constant note – in gums, tongue, tip of tongue, throat, air passages chest etc.
• Tongue – Smooth & glossy as if deprived of its papillae.

Therapeutics
This remedy is of service in cases of nephritis, Cystitis & Urethritis with strangury, tenesmus and albuminuria when blood is present in the urine and is thoroughly mixed with the urine. Which is Scanty high coloured, having odour of violets.
On Examination – Sensitive hypogastrium
Ascites & anasarca – in organic lesions of kidneys
Urine- Albumin & R.B.C than casts & epithelium.
In uraemia & uranic coma – it removes stupefaction and deep sleep that follows uraemic poisoning
In great distention of the abdomen with gas as if met with in septic fevers- with haemorrhages and ulceration of the bowels.
Abdomen is very sensitive to touch
Stool consists of mucus, blood & are foetid

Thuja
Common Name : Arbor vitae
Tincture of the fresh green twigs

Characteristics
It is Hahnemann’s typical antisycotic and Grauvogi’s hydrogenoid
It is an antidote to the sycotic miasm – resulting from constitutional gonorrhoea and having as its
characteristic manifestation excrescences sometimes dry in the form of warts, more frequently soft spongy, emitting a foetid fluid, bleeding readily and having the cauliflower form
It has got antivaccinal action – due to the anti sycotic action.
Also for the bad effects of vaccination
It produces symptoms of the secondary stage of  gonorrhoeal affections.
It also produces urethritis and eruptions.
Thuja has a very marked action on the sleep & its  symptoms appears by preference at night, cannot  sleep after 3 A.M
Dreams – much of falling

•  Thuja produces confusion in the thoughts
• Pt feels smothering in the warm room.
• Feet sweat – much offensive, sweats much about the groins.
• Frequent micturition accompany pain.
• Pains keep extending from their original site.
• Pain > Wrapping up
• Peculiar Sensations
• As if a strange person were at her side.
• As if soul & body were separated
• As if under the influence of a superior power
• As if whole body were very thin & delicate.
• As if a nail were pressing in to vertex.
• As if a convex button were pressed on left ear.
• As if bones were knocked to pieces.
• As if insects on occiput and temples
• As if fine sand in eyes.
• As if a cold stream of air were blowing through eyes.
• As if flesh were form from bones
• As if a living animal were in abdomen
• As if boiling lead were passed through rectum
• As if moisture running in urethra
• Legs as if made of wood
• Lightness in body when walking.
• As if stem were pricked with needles.

Thuja is mainly adapted to Hydrogenoid constitutions with prominent left sided affections.

General features
1) Miasm
Predominantly sycotic
The result of Constitutional
Gonorrhoea

2) Mental sphere – Sensitiveness
Hysteria
Irritability
Insanity/ Mania
Peculiar Sensations
Melancholia

3) Tendency to cause abortion:- Sabina, Pinus lamlertiena, Juniperus Virginianus.
4) Marked action on the menstrual function – For restoring menses when suppressed.
5) Uterine haemorrhages, uterine displacements, tumours, fibroid etc.
6) Rheumatic or gouty diathesis.

7) Predominant action over urinary Tract – Bladder, kidney

• Abies-C :- Frequency day & Night
• Cupressus Australis :- Pricking pains from kidneys to bladder, with increased desire to urinate.
• Juniperus communis :- Renal Dropsy
• Pinus Sylvestris :- Sensation of violent burning pains in the region of kidneys that extend along the ureters with dysuria
• Pix Liquida :- Nocturnal Enuresis in children.
• Sabina :- Vesical irritability with gouty diathesis inflammation of urethra
• Terebinth:- Nephrits,Cystitis & urethritis with strangury , tenensmus , albuminuria & haematuria
• Thuja :- Inflammation of Kidneys & Urethra

8) Predominant action on GIT

• Abies-C :- Acts up on mucous membrane resulting in Catarrha. Dyspepsia, canine hunger, craving for meat , pickles etc
• Abies-N :- Derangement of digestive process
• – Sensation of a lump in cardiac end of the stomach
• – Loss of appetite in morning, and craving for food at noon & night
• Cupressus Lawsoniana – Terrible pain in stomach
• Pinus Lambertiana – Constipation
• Sabina – Rectum is affected with a sensation of fullness, the bowels are constipated
• Taxus buccata – Empty feeling in stomach due to the rapid digestion
• – Gastric Catarrha with vomiting of tenacious mucus.
• Terebinthina – Gastro – enteritis with vomiting & diarrhoea – distention of abdomen with haemorrhage and ulceration of bowels.
• Thuja • Constipation – violent pains in rectum compel the cessation of effort.
• Stool recedes after being partially expelled
• Diarrhoea – Early morning – Expelled forcibly with much flatus; < after breakfast, coffee, fat food, vaccination, onions.

9) Action on skin

• Cupressus Lawsoniana – Tumours-Keloid, warts etc
• Pinus Sylvestris – There is itching of whole body especially about joints and abdomen.
• Pix Liquida – Stimulant to the skin in
• Psoriasis & eczema. Eruption is most pronounced on the back of hands.
• Sabina – It removes the wart like growths.
• Taxus buccata – Pustular diseases of the skin attended with much itching
• Terebinthina – Vesicular eruption and a sensation of burning
• Thuja – Excrescences;

10) Haemorrhagic tendency
Abies .N, Juniperus .c, J. Virginiana, Sabina, terebinthina, pinus lambertiana

11) Ailments from vaccination
Thuja, Sabina , terebinthina

12) Sleeplessness with Anxious dreams –

• Thuja – Dreams of falling
• Sabina – Full of fanciful images
• Ter – nightmares
• Abies-C – great restlessness at night
• Abies-N – Restlessness at night and has disagreeable dreams.

Reference:
1. Allen, T.F, Encyclopedia of Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
2. Clark, J.H, A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica.
3. Frederic Schroyens, Synthesis.
4. William Boeriche, Pocket Manual Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory.

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