Heloderma suspectum- the gila monster

Dr Shalaka
Dr Jyoti A Moolabharati

This is a medicine of recent origin and is prepared by triturating the sugar of milk saturated with the venom of the Gila monster, a serpent of the lizard type found in Arizona .This remedy was first noticed by Dr. Charles .D.Beldon, who supplied Boeriecke and Tafel with a living specimen and then the poison was obtained.

The name ‘GILA’ refers to the Gila River Basin in the United States of Arizona and New Mexico, where the Gila Monsters were plentiful.

HELODERMA means ‘STUDDED SKIN’ from Ancient words HELOS means the HEAD and DERMA means the SKIN .

The word SUSPECTUM comes from a palaeontologist EDWARD DRINKER COPE.

Heloderma is an ugly looking object , the entire body being encased in a thinly coated armour of fixed skin, in dark it becomes excessively languid and slow in movement , but assumes great activity  and liveliness when brought into the reviving rays of sunlight. The only vulnerable part seems to be at the junction of the HEAD with the SPINE ,  a blow on which will kill the animal.

THE VENOM OF THE GILA MONSTER
The venom glands of Heloderma are located at the Lower jaws, unlike snake venoms glands which are located behind the eyes. Also, unlike snakes the Gila monster are BEADED LIZARDS that lack the Musculature to inject venom immediately. They have to chew the venom into the Flesh of the victim.

Its bite produces symptoms of LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA and PARALYSIS AGITANS .The poison is a slow lingering poison and when it does kill , it kills after months of suffering pain and torture . Death takes place from HEART FAILURE than from RESPIRATORY FAILURE.

The Gila Monster has four close living relatives ;

1. HELODERMA EXASPERATUM
2. HELODERMA HORRIDUM
3. HELODERMA ALVAREZI
4. HELODERMA CHARLESBOGERTI

MECHANISM OF ACTION OF VENOM IN HELODERMA
Heloderma venom is composed of a complex of mixture of PROTEIN and ENZYMES, many of which are similar to those found in Snakes , including HYALURONIDASE, PHOSPHOLIPASE A₂ , SEROTONIN.

HYALURONIDASE catalyzes the cleavage of Internal Glycoside bonds of Acid MUCOGLYCOSIDES, resulting in decreased viscosity of HYALURONIC ACID , which in turn increase TISSUE PERMEABILITY and allows DEEPER PENETRATION of venom into the tissues.

PHOSPHOLIPASE A₂ Uncouples OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION, which inhibits CELLULAR RESPIRATION, causes cell membrane destruction and INHIBITS

PLATELET AGGREGATION.  Various PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES results in LOCAL TISUE DAMAGE as well as aids in the spread of venom through the tissues.

COMPONENTS OF THE VENOM IN HELODERMA
GILATOXIN is considered to be the major Lethal Factor in the Heloderma venom
GILATOXIN consists of LETHAL FACTOR KALLIKERIN and causes pain and HYPOTENSION
HELODERMIN – RESULTS IN VASODILATAION AND HYPOTENSION
HELOTHERMIN- CAUSES LETHARGY, PARESIS, HYPOTHERMIA
HYALURONIDASE ‘SPREADING FACTOR’ – DEGRADES THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE.
PHOSPHOLIPASE A₂ – INHIBITION OF PLATELETS  AGGREGATION.
HABITAT OF THE GILA MONSTER

The Gila Monster is usually found in the SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES and MEXICO seeking shelter in the Burrows , Thickets and under the Rocks in locations with a favourable Microclimate and adequate humidity .

Gila monster depends on water resources and can be observed in puddles of water after summer rain. They avoid living in open airs and open grasslands.

That is the reason heloderma is indicated in many forms of disease that is characterized by GREAT COLDNESS, AN ARTIC COLDNESS AS THE INTENSE ICY COLDNESS is the Peculiar symptom in heloderma. Cold waves from the OCCIPUT to FEET or ASCENDING, as if   FROZEN from within OUTWARDS.

Dr. Robert Boocock made bold proving of this remedy and brought it to scientific basis. He took 3 or 4 drops of tincture prepared by mixing one dram of 6X trituration to 4 ounces of alcohol. He was seized with an INTERNAL COLDNESS IN THE REGION OF THE HEART AS IF BEING FROZEN TO DEATH.

It was a COLDNESS THAT CAME FROM WITHIN OUTWARD and was so intense as to be described as an ‘ARTIC COLDNESS’. Other provers had this symptom just as prominently as Dr, Boocock. Hence we can consider this symptom to be the CARDINAL SYMPTOM OF THE REMEDY.

MIND SYMPTOMS OF HELODERMA SUSPECTUM

1. Melancholy with weeping
2. Depression
3. No inclination for exertion
4. Passively indifferent
5. Forgetfulness
6. Difficulty in remembering the spelling of simple words.
7. Unable to confined mind to any object
8. Startling easily with trembling on slightest noise.
9. In spite of very severe symptoms , not alarmed

It also has a SENSATION OF CONSTRICTION AND AGGRAVATION FROM SLEEP as in other Snake remedies.

Other indications are;

1. TREMORS
2. SPONGY FEELING IN THE FEET ON WALKING
3. NUMBNESS
4. STAGGERING GAIT
5. THIRST WITH DRYNESS OF THE MOUTH

In HEAD – SENSATION OF COLDNESS

TONGUE- FEELS COLD, DRY, TENDER

IN CHEST – EVEN THE LUNGS AND THE HEART FEEL COLD

COLDNESS IS FELT ALONG THE SCAPULA AND IN THE SPINE.

On these indications, Dr. Case affected great improvement in a case of LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA in a women who had all the classical symptoms of the disease .

Under the application of HELODERMA she recovered a fair control on her muscles.

Dr. Boocock used it successfully in a case of impending failure of heart with all the symptoms of death gradually making their appearance, such as blueness of the hands, coldness of the tongue and breath and sudden loss of strength and energy.

In FEVER we have EXCESSIVE INTERNAL COLDNESS AND SENSATIONS OF COLD WAVES ASCENDING FROM FEET OR GOING DOWN FROM THE BASE OF THE BRAIN.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR ATAXIA

1. ALUMINA- Staggering gait with heaviness of limbs. Heaviness or numbness in lower limbs is often a symptom, bandaged feeling in limbs while walking, extreme exhaustion, fatigue and lack of strength. The patient is extremely sensitive to cold air.
2. ARGENTUM NITRICUM- Ataxia with loss of balance while walking and standing, along with trembling. The patient lacks control over his limbs. Standing and walking postures are quite unsteady, unsteadiness is worse when the patient experiences rigidity of the calf muscles of the legs while walking, muscles of the legs are too weak.
3. GELSIMIUM – Indicated when there is loss of muscle control accompanied by muscular weakness , lack of coordination of the muscles , tiredness from slight amount of work , the main hallmark of the symptom is dullness, dizziness, drowsiness with an inability for muscle coordination .
4. HELODERMA – Ataxic patients who lift the feet higher than required while walking and bring them to the ground very hard, extreme sensitiveness to cold.
5. LATHYRUS SATIVUS –  Tottering gait in ataxic patients, with emaciation of the lower limbs. Jerking and trembling while walking may also be the symptoms along with marked rigidity of the legs while walking.
6. PLUMBUM METALLICUM – Atrophied muscles of the legs along with difficulty in raising or lifting anything with hands.

REFERENCES

1. A Study on Materia Medica By Dr. N.M. Choudhuri.
2. Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory.
3. Lotus Materia Medica by Robin Murphy.
4. Wikipedia
5. Koludarov I, Jackson TN, Sunagar K, Nouwens A, Hendrikx I, Fry BG. Fossilized venom: the unusually conserved venom profiles of Heloderma species (beaded lizards and gila monsters). Toxins (Basel). 2014 Dec 22;6(12):3582-95. doi: 10.3390/toxins6123582. PMID: 25533521; PMCID: PMC42805

Dr Shalaka
PG SCHOLAR ( MD Part 1)
Department of Homoeopathic Materia Medica,
Government Homoeopathic Medical College And Hospital , Bangalore , Karnataka -560079.
EMAIL ; shalaka2523@gmail.com

Dr Jyoti. A. Moolabharati [ Associate Professor]
Department of Homoeopathic Materia Medica,
Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore,
Karnataka- 560079

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