Useful Mother tinctures in my Homoeopathic practice

Useful Mother Tinctures in My Homoeopathic Practice
Dr Muhammed Rafeeque

Introduction
The use of mother tinctures in practice is now considered as a shame by a few contemporary Homeopaths. The real fact is, all of them had started their carrier with tinctures and clinical tips, and once they established in the filed, they started speaking against tinctures in front of young homeopaths who are now really confused.

My humble suggestion to those young doctors is, try to take the case properly, and once the case is well taken, select the most suitable remedy, and give the same as per the similarity. If similarity is high, use the high potency, if low, better give the lower potency.

When the patient is in real agony, and the medicine you have given does not give any relief to the troubles, you can consider a suitable mother tincture. So, let me make it clear that do not give tincture in all cases, but only for the cases that need some support. When our case fails, usually the patients go to other systems, so, why not try the tools we have in our system? So, you must think from the patients’ side, not from philosophical side on some occasions. This approach is much better than using medicines of other systems illegally.

Some Facts about Mother tinctures

1. Tincture is not a crude dose, but the initial potency made from the crude drug substance.
2. Even though the mother tinctures contain material doses of active principles, they are having a power, higher than the crude extract.
3. The potency is selected on patient’s similarity, sensitivity, susceptibility, pathology, stage of disease, etc. So, let the case decide the potency, not our fixed ideas.
4. Similarity also applicable to potency, hence case only decides the potency.
5. When judiciously applied, mother tinctures will not spoil the cases.
6. The first medicine in Homeopathy was also a tincture of Cinchona!

Historical support

1. Hahnemann did the cinchona bark experiment using the mother tincture
2. He suggested Thuja Q, Bryonia Q in his Paris case diary.
3. As a last resort, he suggested Thuja Q externally in difficult warts cases
4. Boenninghausen also suggested tincture in some cases
5. During cholera epidemic in Kerala, Camphor Q saved many from the brim of death.

Theoretical support

1. Lower the similarity, lower the potency.
2. When the patient’s vitality is low, need a lower potency.
3. Cases with low susceptibility respond to tinctures.
4. Organ remedies work better in tincture or lowest potencies.
5. Presenting complaints respond quickly to tinctures.

Practical benefits

1. Useful in acute and pathological conditions
2. Advanced diseases
3. Palliative treatment
4. External application as antiseptic, healing promoter, etc.
5. Terminal diseases in which higher potency of indicated drug or the constitutional drug do not seem to work.
6. Give some relief to the troublesome symptom.
7. Physiological doses to benefit in some situations like high BP, breathlessness, etc.
8. In emergency cases with no time for case taking, or the patient not in a position to give history.
9. As a best substitute for modern medical treatment patient already takes.
10. Useful in acute exacerbation of chronic troubles.
11. Using tinctures we can retain the patient with us till we study the case well and select the suitable remedy in high potency.
12. Helps youngsters to get more patients, hence a matter of survival.
13. If there are scarcity of symptoms to give higher potency.
14. One sided diseases with less indications, but patient is in agony.

Precautions

1. Beware of side effects of some tinctures, especially when given in excess, for a long period.
2. Allergy and toxic effects must be considered.
3. Do sensitivity test before applying locally.
4. Never use tinctures directly on eyes.
5. Beware of toxic tinctures: Nux vom, Croton tig, Conium, Datura, Aconite, etc.
6. Make sure that the disease expression is not suppressed by the misuse of tinctures.
7. Repeated symptomatic treatment is dangerous.
8. Shelf life of tincture is less, so discard the old stock.
9. Some tinctures like calendula gets damaged very easily, hence purchase in small quantity.
10. Do not keep tinctures with dilutions, tabs and globules, especially tinctures like camphor, Balsm peru, Kreosot, Sumbul, etc.

Better way to apply mother tinctures

1. Tincture has to be used on symptom similarity.
2. Minimum drops (5 to 10 drops) in lukewarm water give better result than giving large quantity.
3. Consider concomitants for the selection of a suitable tincture.

For examples:

• Prostate troubles with asthma and water retention – Solidago
• Kidney stones with prostate troubles- Stigmata maydis.
• General weakness, sexual weakness, nerve weakness – Avena sativa
• Fracture cases with gastric ulcer- Symphytum
• Fever with cough and joint pain- Bryonia
• Breathlessness with lung pathology and cardiac disease – Aspidosperma.
• Cough with cardiac disease – Laurocerasus
• Varicose veins with piles: Aesculus
• Varicose veins with prickly heat, urticaria, purpura, hematoma, etc: Hamamelis
• Edema with heart disease, prostate troubles: Digitalis
• Renal disease with high BP and edema: Spartium scop

By the above approach, we can select only one tincture that covers the prominent troubles of the patient, so that we can avoid giving many tinctures together.

Some useful mother tinctures in my practice

Aclypha indica: Cough with bloody expectoration; Hemoptysis; Spluttering diarrhea; Rectal bleeding

Adonis vernalis: Regulates pulse, increases power of cardiac contraction; Increases urine output; Cardiac dropsy; Mitral and aortic regurgitation.

Ailanthus: Difficult types of Tonsillitis with fever; Rough scraping feeling in throat; Cough with soreness; Useful for gargling.

Aletris f: Leucorrhea in tired anemic females; Uterine prolapse and discharge; Weakness with indigestion; Habitual abortion.

Alfalfa: Increases appetite and vigor; Weakness and malnutrition; Induces good sleep

Allium sativa: High cholesterol; Hypertension; Cough with difficult expectoration

Ammi visnaga: Promote expectoration; Externally on leucoderma

Amyl nitric: Inhalation in syncope and convulsions; Dilates arteries, hence useful in MI.

Anagallis: Destroys warts and keloid when applied externally

Apocyanum: Dropsy, ascites, hydrocephalus; Hydrothorax; Renal dropsy

Aralia racemosa: Asthma with cough on lying down; Frequent sneezing and foreign body feeling in throat; Rawness and burning behind sternum

Arnica: Hematoma; External in rheumatic pains; Sprains and contusions; Hair growth promoter

Avena sativa: Nerve weakness; Sexual weakness; Debilitating diseases; Bad effects of alcoholism; Induces sleep; Numbness.

Aspidosperma: Want of breath; Digitalis of lung; Increases oxidation; Pulmonary failure; Cardiac and uremic asthma

Balsm peru: In bronchitis to promote expectoration; Thick mucopurulent expectoration; Ext on old ulcers and cracked nipples; Reduce fetor and promote granulation

Baptisia: Fever with muscle soreness; Putrid condition; Fetor oris, dysphagia, tonsillitis

Bellis per: Muscle soreness after physical exertion; Injuries to deep tissues; DOMS

Bervetris vulgaris: Renal stones; Burning painful urination; Gall bladder stones; Joint pains; Gouty pains; Lumbago

Berberis aquifolium: Acne; Clears complexion; Psoriasis

Blatta orientalis: Asthma with bronchitis

Blumea odorata: Bleeding piles; Dysentery; Menorrhagia; Barking cough

Boerrhaavia d: Asthma; Dropsy; Hypertension; Kidney disease; Ascites due to cirrhosis; High coloured urine, scanty; Rheumatic pains.

Brahmi (Bacopa m): Impaired memory; Nerve tonic; External for hair growth and dandruff

Cajuputum: Hiccough; Flatulency; Dysphagia; Fullness in the stomach; Gas trouble.

Calendula: Wounds; erysipelas; promotes granulation

Cassia sop: Promotes expectoration in sinusitis

Cephalandra indica: Diabetes mellitus; burning all over body; boils and carbuncles; poor memory; loss of appetite; profuse urination.

Chamomilla: Lumbago and sciatica; IVDP pain

Chapparo amargosa: Chronic diarrhea and dysentery

Chelidonium: Jaundice; Liver failure; Gall bladder disease; Gall stone

Chelon: Every kind of worms

Chionanthes: Sick headache habits; Hepatic troubles; Diabetes

Cinnamon: Profuse bright red menses; Hiccough

Cistus can: Glandular swellings; Cancer of neck glands; Ulcerated cancers; Extremely sensitive to cold.

Cocheleria armoracia: Externally for Dandruff

Coffea cruda: Nervous headaches

Collinsonia: Obstinate constipation with protruding hemorrhoids; Portal congestion; Bleeding piles; Heart, piles and menstrual troubles alternate.

Convellaria majalis: Increases energy of heart and render it more regular; Palpitation; Orthopnea; Dropsy.

Corydalis formosa: Chronic disease with atony; Cancer with cachexia.

Crategeus ox: Irregularity of heart; Reduces BP; Arteriosclerosis; Heart failure; Angina pectoris; Valvular murmurs.

Damiana: Headache; Aids establishment of normal menses in females; Impotency.

Drosera: Cough at night; Irritation in throat; Asthma on talking.

Echinacea: Infected wounds; Bites and stings; Ulcers; Eczema with sloughing.

Elaterium: Copious watery diarrhea.

Eriodyction (Yerba santa): Cough with influenza; Cough after fever; Expectorant; Absorbs effusion; Rattling in infants.

Equisetum: Bed wetting with no cause.

Garcenia: Increased triglycerides.

Fraxinus americanus: Uterine bleeding due to fibroid; Uterine prolapse; Dysmenorrhea.

Fucus vers: Obesity; Goiter; Enlarged thyroid in fatty people.

Gentiana leut: Increases appetite; Acid peptic disease; Abdominal colic; Flatulence.

Ginkgo biloba: Weakness; Improves circulation; Debilitating diseases.

Ginseng: Lumbago; Rheumatism; Extreme weakness; Weakness of genitals.

Grindelia: Asthma on lying down; Bronchitis; Wheezing.

Guajacum: Rheumatism; Tonsillitis with rheumatism; Lumbago; Joint pains; Rheumatic fever.

Gymnema sylvestra: Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic carbuncle.

Hamamelis v: Hemorrhage; Varicose veins; Bruised soreness; Bleeding piles.

Helonias: Uterine prolapse; diabetes.

Hydrastis: Apthous stomatitis; Intestinal cancers; Cancerous ulcers; Gastric ulcers.

Hydrangea: Urinary stones; Bloody urine; White gravel in urine.

Hydrocotyle: Exfoliative scales; Dry eruptions; Itching of soles; Psoriasis.

Iris vers: Sick headache with burning eructation; Burning of GIT.

Jaborandi: Dandruff; Hair graying.

Justicea: Suffocative cough; Whooping cough; Rattling.

Laurocerasus: Cough with valvular disease; Gasping for breath; Dyspnoea; Asphyxia.

Lithospermum: Ureteric calculi.

Millefolium: Bright red bleeding; Epistaxis; Bleeding piles; Hemoptysis; Continuous fever.

Paeonia: Itching in the anus; Anal fistula; Fissures and piles; Burning pain after stool.

Passiflora: Sleeplessness; Spasmodic cough; Asthma.

Pothos (ictodes f): Allergic bronchitis; Dust allergy.

Plantago: Local use in pain due to carious teeth.

Piscidia: Insomnia when passiflora does not work.

Pop can: Instantaneous voice produce; Acute hoarseness.

Psoralea cor: Externally in vitiligo, after which expose to sun; Stimulates melanocytes.

Quercus gland: Takes away the craving for alcohol.

Ratanhia: Painful anal fissures burn like fire.

Rauwolfia: High blood pressure; Irritability and insanity.

Rhus glabra: Apthous ulcer; Disinfects bowels; Bad smelling stools and flatus.

Robinia: Burning eructation; Acid peptic disease; Gastric ulcer; Heartburn.

Sabal serrulata: Prostate hypertrophy; Helps development of breasts in females.

Sambucus: Suffocative attacks in children; Suffocative cough at night; Snuffles; Rattling.

Sanguinaria can: Migraine; Sinusitis; Sick headache; Cough; Dyspnoea.

Sarothamnus scop (spartium scop): Renal hypertension; Diuretic. (Rauwolfia doesn’t not help in renal HTN)

Sarracenia: Aborts chicken pox; Preventive; Heals scar after chickenpox.

Sarsaparilla: Renal calculi; Pus and gravel in urine; Pain at conclusion of urination; UTI

Scrophularia nodosa: Enlarged glands; Breast lumps.

Scuttellaria: School teacher’s headache; Migraine; Nervous headache; Renal failure.

Senecio aur: Functional amenorrhea of young girls, In PCOD cases, it brings back periods.

Senega: Difficult expectoration; Chronic bronchitis; Old asthmatics with congestive attacks; Effusion; Smokers cough.

Solidago: Repeated chest infection; Renal impairment; Scanty urine; Make use of catheter unnecessary; Purulent expectoration; Asthma with dysurea.

Spongia tosta: Cough; Sore throat; Cough from tickling

Staphysagria: Constipation; Externally for Head lice.

Stigmata maydis: Enlarged prostate; Renal calculi; Cystitis; Hematuria.

Sulphuric acid: 10 drops 3 times reduces craving for alcohol

Symphytum: Gastric ulcers; fracture of bones. Promote callus formation.

Syzygium jamb: Diabetes mellitus; sugar in urine; diabetes with skin lesions; prickly heat; externally on old ulcers; Diabetic ulcers.

Thuja: Externally on difficult warts cases that do not respond to internal medication; spermatorrhea

Usnea barb: Congestive headache; bursting feeling; throbbing of carotids

Urtica urence: Urticaria; angioneurotic edema; Itching of the skin; Allergies; Diminished milk secretion; Arrests flow of milk after weaning.

Uva ursi: Cystitis and hematuria; Urging with burning and tearing pain; Blood, mucus, pus in the urine; UTI; Catheter fever.

Valeriana: Rheumatic pains; Sciatica; Arthritis; Pain due to disc prolapse and nerve root compression.

Veratrum virid: High fever; Prevent pneumonia in upper respiratory infection; Pulsation allover body.

Viscum album: Low BP; anti cancerous remedy, which is used in Ischador therapy also.

Wyethia: Pharyngitis; Throat irritation; Irritable throat in singers; Throat irritation with dry cough.

Xanthoxylum: Early and painful menses; Neuralgic dysmenorrheal.

Zingiber: Acidity; Nausea and vomiting; Morning sickness; Cough and asthma; Renal failure with complete anuria.

© Dr Muhammed Rafeeque, BHMS

About the author:

Dr Muhammed Rafeeque, Medical officer, Department of Homeopathy, Govt. of Kerala, India, is an international speaker, author of many Homeopathic books and more than 150 articles and a worldwide promoter of Homeopathy. He also serves as the Institutional Review Board Member of the American Medical College of Homeopathy, USA, also the advisor of Homeopathy World Community and IRHFC, Canada. 

 (Article Published in June 2017 issue of Homeopathic Heritage)

Copy right (c) Dr Muhammed Rafeeque, BHMS
Medical Officer, Departmet of Homoeopathy,Govt of Kerala