Effect of Argentum Metallicum – an analysis of literatures

Dr Puneet Kumar Misra  

The Homoeopathic Medicine  Argentums Metallicum  affects  the    cartilages, tarsal, ears, nose, Eustachian; the   structures entering into joints as per the books on Materia Medica

After study the studious work on Argentums Metallicum in the Book of 

  1. Allen’s key notes
  2. A dictionary of practical Materia  Medica Clarke vol  1st
  3. Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica  by W.Boericke.
  4. Hering guiding symptoms of our material medica
  5. E A Farrington clinical material medica
  6. Kent’s lecturer
  7. William H burt
  8. Manual of homoeopathic practice by C J hempel

Review of literature

Allen’s key notes #General affects    the    cartilages,   tarsal,   ears,  nose,Eustachian; the   structures entering into joints. Aggravation.  When touched or pressed upon

Boericke #General  The  chief  action  is centered on the  articulations  and  their  component  elements, bones, cartilages, and ligaments. Here the small blood vessels become closed up or withered and carious affections result.They come on insidiously, lingering, but progress. The larynx is also a special center for this drug.

Clarke Characteristics Argentum  affects all the cartilages, and hence all joints  and bones,  with tearing and bruised pains, tenderness and  weakness, painful,  so-called  “hysterical”  joint,  articular rheumatism without swelling, pain in rib cartilages and especially the left.  #Generalities  Pressure,cramp-like, pulling, principally in the limbs and  in  the  bones.- Bruising pain, chiefly in the sacrum and the joints of the  lower limbs.- Boring pain in  the  joints.-Sensation  of  soreness in the joints.-Strong effects on the secretions of the mucous membranes.-Sensation  of  excoriation in the skin and internal organs.-Sensation  of  numbness and  stiffness  in  the  limbs 

C Hering guiding symptoms of our materia medica  #Tissues Drawing pains in maxillary and parotid glands. Acts on all cartilages.  Joints feel weak, sore; especially on descending. Joints feel as if beaten. Exostosis on skull. Emaciation. Diabetes mellitus.Drawing pressure or tearing in bones, especially long  bones.  Articular  rheumatism without swelling. Caries. Tearing pain in bones. Exostosis on skull. Tenderness, tearing pressure and pain in bones. Copious discharge of mucus; of pus; of urine.

E A Farrington clinical materia medica – now the debility which naturally follows is very easily understood if you remember one quality of the argentums metallicum , and that  is its action upon joints. It has a particular affinity for the cartilages of joints.

Kents lecturer All cartilages in the body  are affected  by  it.  It produces a  hypertrophy  of  cartilages,  a thickening  of  the  cartilaginous portions  of  joints,  of  the cartilage  of the ears, and of the nose.  Produces  cartilaginous growths  and   tumors;   infiltrations.

Willium H burt #SPHERE OF ACTION Through the great sympathetic system it especially acts upon  the  cartilaginous system, affecting the cartilages of the  ears,   eustachian  tube, tympanum,  cartilages of the nose, false  ribs;  tarsal  cartilages,  muscles,  tendons,  ligaments,  particularly  those  in  the  neighborhood  of joints

Manual of homoeopathic practice by C J hempel & Encyclopedia Pure materia medica  vol 01 byT F Allen According  to Dr. Huber, Metallic Silver acts principally  upon  the following parts:

1. The Articulations. The action of Silver upon he articulations  is  so uniformly the same, and so certain, that but few  remedies  equal it in this respect.

2. The Bones especially the long bones, and upon he  cartilages,  particularly  the cartilaginous surfaces of he  ears,  eustachian  tube tarsal cartilages, cartilages of the nose, false ribs, .

3. the Muscles, Tendons, and Ligaments especially  those  which  are  in the neighborhood of joints  also upon the psoas,  triceps  brachialis, .

4. Six proving with repeated doses of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, trits and 4th,5th,and 6th dils.

Analysis of literature
As per above mention and rest  details of medicine in the all books it is found that the Argentums Metallicum susceptible on the cartilages part of the body  effect by  some  stress i.e. pressure or touch and  effects its structure .

After anatomical study of the body the following structures of body are build by the association of cartilage. Ends of long bones, anterior ends of ribs, nose, parts of larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchial tubes, Pubic symphysis (point where hip bones join anteriorly), intervertebral discs (discs between vertebrae), menisci(cartilage pads) of knee, and portions of tendons that insert into cartilage, Lid on top of larynx (epiglottis), part of external ear (auricle), and auditory (eustachian) tubes.

Various disorder effect the cartilage associated  part of  body i.e joint cartilage effected by osteoarthritis and  Rheumatoid Arthritis while nose ,ear and larynx are commonly suffered from allergy, viral and bacterial infection and effect  its cartilage . After all above finding the study are focused on the disorder of various structures of body are build by the association of cartilage. the Continues observation of drug action in three years 178 case  the following finding are occurred

S.No Disorder No of case Result

1 Cervical  pain and stiffness 09 Rapid response

2 Shoulder   pain and  stiffness 10 Moderate response

3 Elbow pain and  stiffness 09 Mild response

4 Hand , wrist pain and stiffness 09 Mild  response

5 Hip pain and stiffness 04 Rapid  response

6 Knee pain and stiffness 81 Rapid response

7 Backache and stiffness 10 Mild response

8 Throat disorder with hoarseness  18 Moderate response

9 Nasal /sinuses disorder with DNS 08 Rapid response

10 Heel pain and stiffness 06 No response

11 Jaw pain 04 No response

12 Ear suppuration with pain 10 No response

Total178

During the course of above observation the following finding are seen.

1) This medicine shows no effect on the heel pain and stiffness, jaw pain and pain of ear with suppuration

2) Hand ,Wrist ,Elbow and Back pain with stiffness are mild response by the medicine

3) Shoulder pain and hoarseness of voice with throat disorder respond moderately.

4) Most of the patient is come with the chief complain of the knee pain instead of other joint this medicine respond  rapid and it also shows rapid response on the cervical and  hip pain with stiffness.

5) Nasal and sinuses disorder along with deviated nasal septum response rapid while throat disorder with hoarseness moderately response

Conclusion of finding

1) The heel pain and stiffness, jaw pain and pain of ear with suppuration are not relived by this medicine it show that this medicine is unaffected on the bone related pain

2) Hand, Wrist, Elbow and Back pain with stiffness are mildly responses may be due to least cartilage association or least weight bearing tendency.

3) Shoulder   pain and stiffness Moderate response it is unexplained no obvious cause seen

4) Cervical , Hip and Knee pain with stiffness are rapid response may be due to major association of cartilage or maximum weight bearing tendency

5) The Nasal /sinuses disorder with DNS are rapid response because external nose skeletal framework, which is composed partly of bone and mainly of cartilage and regular under touch /pressure of inspiration and expiration of respiratory air or it is easily stressed by recurrent allergy / infection source while Throat disorder with hoarseness  Moderately  response may be due to their situation i.e the touch /pressure of inspiration and expiration of respiratory air indirect or slow due to the nasal septum or cavity.

6) The all case treated when the patient given history of recurrence and after the employment of the a Argentums Metallicum alone   or association with other  medicine, frequency and intensity of pain and stiffness reduce .

7) The continues dose shows better response instead of infrequent dose and 200c is proved effective in all case in BD frequency within  7  to 14 days.

8) The knee and cervical case shows rapid response along with x-ray finding in favour cartilage degenerative change.

9) During the period of observation it is found in much case that total serum calcium found near the lower side of the normal value while ionized calcium is also low/ lower side of the normal value.

10) In further study of the drug, if institution having in source facility of x-ray and bio chemical study of calcium, phosphorus by blood with anemia study then more evidence based data may be obtain.

11)  The most  of the patient above then 40years or middle aged showing the joint pain disorder with mild to moderate breathlessness and after the examination it is found that there are deviated nasal septum present with the chronic complained of recurrent upper respiratory  tract discomfort. And this medicine reduce both complain .

12) This medicine is the study in the  4th year BHMS  in materia madica  as per CCH regulation and  recommended by CCRH in 30 & 200 potency in essential drug list published in 2017.

Reference 

  • 1) Davidson Principal & practice of medicine 22nd Edition
  • 2) Harrison’s PRINCIPLES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE 18th Edition
  • 3) Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. – 8th Edition
  • 4) Text Book of Pathology 6th Edition Harsh Mohan
  • 5) Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat  P L Dhingra 3rd Edition
  • 6) Pocket manual of Homoeopathic meteria medica with repertory. W.Boericke
  • 7) A Dictionary of Practical materia medica vol Ist  By Clarke J H
  • 8)  Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica vol 01 by Allen T F
  • 9)   keynotes with nosodes by Allen H C
  • 10) C Hering guiding symptoms of our material medica
  • 11) E A Farrington clinical material medica
  • 12) Kents lecturer
  • 13) William H burt
  • 14) Manual of homoeopathic practice by C J hempel
  • 15) Gray’s anatomy for student by Richard L.Drake, wayne vogl, adam W.M.Mitchell
  • 16) PRINCIPLES OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 12th edtion Gerard j.tortora,bryan derrickson
  • 17) CCH & CCRH guide line.

Dr Puneet Kumar Misra
B.Sc, BHMS
Lecturer Practice of Medicine
Govt Pt J LN H M C  Kanpur
drpuneetmishra18@yahoo.com

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