COLOCYNTHIS

HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA by William BOERICKE, M.D. Presented by Médi-T

Remedy Origin / Source
Natural

Clinical Applications

Antidote: Coffea; Staphis; Cham. Colocynth is the best antidote to lead poisoning (Royal).

Related Remedies
Lobelia erinus (violent cork-screw-like pains in abdomen). Dipodium punctatum (Writhing. Twisting like a dying snake. Intractable insomnia). Dioscor Chamom Coccul Merc Plum Magn phos.

Key Symptoms & Indications

  • Often indicated in the transition season when the air is cold, but the sun is still powerful enough to heat the blood.

  • Develops most of its symptoms in the abdomen and head, causing intense neuralgias. It is especially suitable for irritable persons easily angered, and ill effects therefrom. Women with copious menstruation, and of sedentary habits. Persons with a tendency to corpulency. The neuralgic pains are nearly always relieved by pressure. Cramps and twitching and shortening of muscles. Constrictions and contractions. Cystospasm following operations on orifices (Hyper). Urinous odor of perspiration (Berb; Nitr ac). Agonizing pain in abdomen, causing patient to bend double, is most characteristic. Sensations; cutting, twisting, grinding, contracting and bruised; as if clamped with iron bands.

Mental & Emotional Symptoms

Extremely irritable. Becomes angry when questioned. Mortification caused by offense. Anger, with indignation ( Cham; Bry; Nux ).

Physical Symptoms

Head

Vertigo when turning head to the left . Lateral cutting headache, with nausea, vomiting. Pains (better pressure and heat), with soreness of scalp . Burning pains, digging, rending, and tearing. Frontal headache; worse, stooping, lying on back, and moving eyelids.

Eyes

Pains sharp, boring, better pressure . Sensation on stooping, as if eye would fall out. Gouty affections of eyes. Violent pain in eyeballs which precede the development of glaucoma.

Face

Tearing, shooting, and swelling of face; left side great soreness. Get relief from pressure ( China ). Neuralgia, with chilliness ; teeth seem too long. Sounds re-echo in ears . Pain in stomach, always with pain of teeth or head.

Stomach

Very bitter taste. Tongue rough, as from sand, and feels scalded. Canine hunger. Feeling in stomach as if something would not yield; drawing pain.

Abdomen

Agonizing cutting pain in abdomen causing patient to end over double , and pressing on the abdomen. Sensation as if stones were being ground together in the abdomen, and would burst. Intestines feel as if bruised. Colic with cramps in calves. Cutting in abdomen, especially after anger. Each paroxysm is attended with general agitation and a chill over the cheeks, ascending from the hypogastrium. Pain in small spot below navel. Dysenteric stool renewed each time by the least food or drink. Jelly-like stools. Musty odor. Distention.

Female

Boring pain in ovary. Must draw up double, with great restlessness . Round, small cystic tumors in ovaries or broad ligaments. Wants abdomen supported by pressure. Bearing-down cramps, causing her to bend double ( Opium ).

Urine

Intense burning along urethra during stool. Vesical catarrh, discharge like fresh white of egg. Viscid ( Phos acid ) fetid; small quantities, with frequent urging. Itching at orifice. Red, hard crystals, adhering firmly to vessel. Tenesmus of bladder. Pains on urinating over whole abdomen .

Extremities

Contraction of muscles . All the limbs are drawn together. Pain in right deltoid ( Guaco ). Cramp-like pain in hip ; lies on affected side; pain from hip to knee. Spontaneous luxation of the hip-joints. Stiffness of joints and shortening of tendons. Sciatic pain, left side, drawing, tearing; better, pressure and heat ; worse, gentle touch. Contraction of the muscles. Pain down right thigh; muscles and tendons feel too short; numbness with pains ( Gnaphal ). Pain in left knee joint.

Modalities (Better / Worse)

Worse (Aggravation)

, from anger and indignation

Better (Amelioration)

, doubling up, hard pressure, warmth, lying with head bent forward

Remedy Relationships

Follows Well

Bell., Bry., Caust., Cham., Merc., Nux- v., Puls., Spig., Staph.

Antidotes

Camph., Caust., Cham., Coff., Op., Staph.

Mentions in Classic Materia Medicas

Explore detailed descriptions for this remedy across famous historical textbooks:

COLOCYNTHIS

Bitter Cucumber

Often indicated in the transition season when the air is cold, but the sun is still powerful enough to heat the blood.

Develops most of its symptoms in the abdomen and head, causing intense neuralgias. It is especially suitable for irritable persons easily angered, and ill effects therefrom. Women with copious menstruation, and of sedentary habits. Persons with a tendency to corpulency. The neuralgic pains are nearly always relieved by pressure. Cramps and twitching and shortening of muscles. Constrictions and contractions. Cystospasm following operations on orifices (Hyper). Urinous odor of perspiration (Berb; Nitr ac). Agonizing pain in abdomen, causing patient to bend double, is most characteristic. Sensations; cutting, twisting, grinding, contracting and bruised; as if clamped with iron bands.

Mind

Extremely irritable. Becomes angry when questioned. Mortification caused by offense. Anger, with indignation (Cham; Bry; Nux).

Head

Vertigo when turning head to the left. Lateral cutting headache, with nausea, vomiting. Pains (better pressure and heat), with soreness of scalp. Burning pains, digging, rending, and tearing. Frontal headache; worse, stooping, lying on back, and moving eyelids.

Eyes

Pains sharp, boring, better pressure. Sensation on stooping, as if eye would fall out. Gouty affections of eyes. Violent pain in eyeballs which precede the development of glaucoma.

Face

Tearing, shooting, and swelling of face; left side great soreness. Get relief from pressure (China). Neuralgia, with chilliness; teeth seem too long. Sounds re-echo in ears. Pain in stomach, always with pain of teeth or head.

Stomach

Very bitter taste. Tongue rough, as from sand, and feels scalded. Canine hunger. Feeling in stomach as if something would not yield; drawing pain.

Abdomen

Agonizing cutting pain in abdomen causing patient to end over double, and pressing on the abdomen. Sensation as if stones were being ground together in the abdomen, and would burst. Intestines feel as if bruised. Colic with cramps in calves. Cutting in abdomen, especially after anger. Each paroxysm is attended with general agitation and a chill over the cheeks, ascending from the hypogastrium. Pain in small spot below navel. Dysenteric stool renewed each time by the least food or drink. Jelly-like stools. Musty odor. Distention.

Female

Boring pain in ovary. Must draw up double, with great restlessness. Round, small cystic tumors in ovaries or broad ligaments. Wants abdomen supported by pressure. Bearing-down cramps, causing her to bend double (Opium).

Urine

Intense burning along urethra during stool. Vesical catarrh, discharge like fresh white of egg. Viscid (Phos acid) fetid; small quantities, with frequent urging. Itching at orifice. Red, hard crystals, adhering firmly to vessel. Tenesmus of bladder. Pains on urinating over whole abdomen.

Extremities

Contraction of muscles. All the limbs are drawn together. Pain in right deltoid (Guaco). Cramp-like pain in hip; lies on affected side; pain from hip to knee. Spontaneous luxation of the hip-joints. Stiffness of joints and shortening of tendons. Sciatic pain, left side, drawing, tearing; better, pressure and heat; worse, gentle touch. Contraction of the muscles. Pain down right thigh; muscles and tendons feel too short; numbness with pains (Gnaphal). Pain in left knee joint.

Modalities

Worse, from anger and indignation. Better, doubling up, hard pressure, warmth, lying with head bent forward.

Relationship

Antidote: Coffea; Staphis; Cham. Colocynth is the best antidote to lead poisoning (Royal).

Compare: Lobelia erinus (violent cork-screw-like pains in abdomen). Dipodium punctatum (Writhing. Twisting like a dying snake. Intractable insomnia). Dioscor; Chamom; Coccul; Merc; Plum; Magn phos.

Dose

Sixth to thirtieth potency.

Colocynthis.

Citrullus colocynthis. Cucumis colocynthis. Bitter Apple. N. O. Cucurbitaceæ. Native of Turkey. Tincture of pulp of fruit.
Clinical

Cataract. Ciliary neuralgia. Colic. Coxalgia. Diabetes. Diarrhœa. Dysentery. Dysmenorrhœa. Glaucoma. Headache. Hoarseness. Menstrual colic. Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of. Paraphimosis. Peritonitis. Rheumatism. Sciatica. Toothache. Tumours. Uterus, pains in. Vagina, pains in.

Characteristics

"The strongest characteristic calling for the use of this remedy is an agonising pain in the abdomen causing the patient to bend over double. Relief is obtained by motion, such as twisting, turning and wriggling around, and the motion is kept up steadily while the pain lasts; the pain is < by eating or drinking the least amount. This pain may occur alone, or in the dysentery, cholera, &c. The doubling over of the patient is the chief characteristic" (Guernsey). The patient bends double or presses something hard against the abdomen. He leans over chairs, the table, or bedposts to get relief. According to Nash Mag. Phos. comes nearest to it in colic and neuralgic affections. Cham. is also very close, both having colic from disturbing emotions, but the Cham. child does not double up, it tosses about. The Staph. patient is likely to have black or decayed teeth and sore eyelids, and there is chronic tendency to colic. Verat. has colic > bending double, but it has also cold sweat. Dioscorea has wind colic, but is > by stretching out. The Stan. child wants to be carried with the abdomen on the mother's shoulder.

The nearest analogue to Colocynthis in its entire action on the human body is its botanical congener Bryonia, with which it should be compared. Both have the same general featurespain in muscles, nerves, and joints, gastro-enteric disturbance, and the same condition in regard to rheumatic joints, < by movement. Both have great irritability and ailments from mental emotion, though the latter feature is more marked in Colocynth. Arthritis and gouty headaches with ophthalmia, facial neuralgic pains extending to eye.

Coloc. has diarrhœa from grief, indignation or chagrin. Suppressed lochia from indignation. Diabetes with milky, gelatinous, or colloid urine. The characteristic griping of Coloc., forcing the patient to bend double, may be accompanied by cramps in other parts, which may occur with or without stool; if a stool occurs it gives immediate relief (Nux the opposite); any attempt to eat or drink <. Cramps occur in the legs, uterus, and ovaries. A sensation as if clamped with iron bands is very characteristic in (coxalgia; dysmenia, &c.). Dragging in uterus and vagina. Griping, cutting, tearing, and spasmodic pains in the body; burning pains; pulsations through the body; sensation as of hard stones or potatoes in the body. Easily intoxicated by stimulants. Affections of right side generally. The pains are often accompanied by stiffness and retarded motion of the affected parts; often affect the hip-joints; pains affecting joints are much < by motion; many neuralgic pains are > by rest. Abdominal pains are > by violent exertion. > Lying with head bent forward. Rheumatic pain in the limbs is > by discharge of flatus. Touch <, and pressure > many of the pains. Warmth > most pains. < Evening and night. Coloc. has, like Lyc., Helleb., and Caust., a 4 p.m. aggravation. One prover had: "At 4 p.m. the colic came on, six days in succession." This has been verified clinically. Coloc. is suited to blondes; persons of choleric temperament; and those liable to cramps and colic, from fruit, lead-poisoning, or excessive venery.

Relations

Coloc. is antidoted by: Camph., Caust., Cham., Coff., Op., Staph. Large doses are counteracted by tepid milk, infusion of galls, Camph., and Op. It antidotes: Caust., Magnes. Compatible: Staph., Cham. Complementary: Merc. (dysentery) with much tenesmus). Compare: Bry. (nearest analogue), Elater., Cucurbita pepo. Diosc. (griping, tearing, cutting, spasmodic pains in body, but > stretching body and motion); Dig. (paraphimosis); Caust. (Joint rheumatism; follows Coloc. in colic); eyes feel hard, Can. ind.; Canth., Cham., Chel.; Chi. (beer intoxicates easily); Coccul., Gamb., Lyc., Merc.; Nux; Plumb. (inclination to assume strange attitudes in bed). Staph. (anger with vexation, abdominal pains, neuralgiathey follow one another well); Verat.; Pul. (hoarseness 4 p.m.). From emotions, Cham., Bry., Gels., Pho. ac. Ign.; stiffness of knee-joints and all joints, Colch.; stiffness after acute rheumatism, hinders squatting, Graph. Compare also Guaiac.; Crot. tig.

Causation

Anger. Indignation. Chagrin. Grief. Catching cold.

1. Mind

Mental dejection with taciturnity.Aversion to talk; disinclined to answer questions.Inclined to be angry and indignant.Lachrymose humour.Anxiety and inquietude, with an inclination to run away.Want of religious feeling.Disinclined to occupy oneself, even averse to visit his otherwise well-liked friends.

2. Head

Easy intoxication (from drinking beer).Vertigo, which occasions falling, on turning the head quickly, with tottering of the knees.Headache, as from a draught of air, which is dissipated by walking in the open air.Compressive pain in the sinciput, aggravated by stooping, or lying on the back.Pressing pain in the forehead and root of the nose, as if a coryza would appear.Attacks of semi-lateral headache, drawing and cramp like, or pressive, with nausea and vomiting, sometimes daily, towards five o'clock in the afternoon.Pain in the forehead and in the eyes, as if proceeding from the outside inwards.Headache with violent pains, which do not permit a recumbent posture, and occasion cries or weeping.Attacks of headache, followed by suffocation.Congestion in the head.Burning pain in the skin of the forehead, and the scalp.Heat in the head.Profuse perspiration on the head, itching, smelling like urine (also on the hands, thighs, and feet); worse at night in bed; relieved after rising and walking in the warm room.

3. Eyes

Sensitive pressure in the eyes, esp. when stooping.Obscuration of the sight.Great white light at side of and below r. eye.Shimmering circle with rays before r. eye.Inflammation of the eyes.Burning and incisive pains, and shootings in the eyes (and forehead).Eyes feel hard.Aching in upper and outer portions of r. eyeball in evening, < by rubbing it with finger; it feels harder than usual there; this aching lasted some days.Smarting in eyes; painfulness of eyeballs.Pressive feeling in orbits, towards root of nose.Painful pressure in eyeballs, esp. on stooping.Pains in eyes, sharp cutting in r. eyeball.Stitches as with knives in r. eyeball, extending to root of nose.Pain as from pressure on both eyelids from above downward.External strabismus of r. eye, with smarting lachrymation.Dryness; burning; smarting; lachrymation.Discharge of acrid serum from the eyes.

4. Ears

Warmth in r. ear.Obstruction before l. ear.Itching, sticking deep in ear, extending from Eustachian tube to tympanum; > by boring in ear with finger.Crawling within ear > by boring.Difficult hearing; everything heard is accompanied by a roaring noise.Constant roaring and throbbing in both ears, esp. l.

5. Nose

Fluent coryza.Severe burning above the nose.Throbbing burrowing pain in nose extending from l. side to root.

6. Face

Pale and wasted face, with downcast (sunken) eyes.Tensive, tearing, burning or shooting pains (prosopalgia) in the face, often on l. side only, and extending to the ears and into the head.Cramp-like sensation in the l. malar bone, extending into l. eye.Scabs on the face.Face of a deep red colour (during the fever).Face puffed, with heat and redness of l. cheek, and tearing pains.

8. Mouth

Pains in the teeth, as if the nerve were pulled or stretched.Pulsative pains in the teeth on l. side.Burning at the tip of the tongue.Sensation as if the tongue had been scalded by some hot fluid.Roughness of the tongue.Tongue loaded with a white or yellow coating.Cramps in the gullet, with empty eructations and palpitations of the heart.

11. Stomach

Diminished appetite, without thirst, though accompanied by a strong desire for drink, with a sickly taste in the mouth.Constant nausea with risings.Bitter taste in the mouth, and of all food and drink.Colic and diarrhœa, however little is eaten.Pains in the stomach sometimes after a meal.Vomiting of food, or of greenish matter.Vomiting, with diarrhœa.Painful sensitiveness of the epigastrium to the touch.Violent pressure on the stomach (with sensation of hunger), and in the precordial region.

12. Abdomen

Inflation of the abdomen, as from tympanitis.Feeling in the whole abdomen as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones.Cramp-like pain and constriction in the intestines, esp. after a fit of anger.Excessively violent colic, with incisive, cramp-like, or contractive pains, which compel the patient to bend double (< in any other position), with restlessness in the whole body, and with a sensation of shuddering in the face, which seems to proceed from the abdomen.Pain in the abdomen when walking (navel).Colic, with cramps in the calves of the legs.Colic, as if from a chill.Colic after a meal.The colic and abdominal pains are relieved by bending double, by violent exercise, by coffee and tobacco-smoke; every other food or drink causes an aggravation.Pinching, and sensation of clawing in the abdomen, mitigated by violent exertion.Cuttings and shootings in the abdomen, as from knives, with shiverings and tearings along the legs.Great sensibility, soreness, and sensation of emptiness in the abdomen.Grumbling in the abdomen.Inguinal hernia.

13. Stool and Anus

Constipation.Constipation, and evacuations retarded (during pregnancy).Loose evacuations of a greenish yellow, frothy and of a sour smell, putrid or mouldy.Slimy diarrhœa.Sanguineous evacuations.Dysenterical evacuations, with colic.During the evacuation, contraction in the rectum.Painful swelling of the hæmorrhoidal tumours of the anus, and of the rectum.Discharge of blood from the rectum, with stinging, burning pain in the small of the back and anus (daily).Hæmorrhage from the anus.Paralysis of the sphincter ani.

14. Urinary Organs

Tenesmus of the bladder, with but small discharges.Diminished secretion of urine.Abundant discharge of urine of a bright colour, during the pains.Urine (like that in dropsy after scarlet fever) of a faint flesh colour, with a white-brown flocculent, transparent sediment, depositing on the chamber small, red, hard, solid crystals, which adhere firmly to the vessel.Fetid urine, which soon becomes thick, gelatinous, and glutinous.Itching at the orifice of the urethra, with desire to urinate.Burning in the urethra after micturition.

15. Male Sexual Organs

Sensation as if everything were flowing towards the genital parts, from both sides of the abdomen, occasioning a discharge of semen.Excitement of sexual desire, as in priapism.Complete impotence.Retraction of the prepuce behind the glans.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Cramp-like pain in l. ovary; in uterus; as if parts were squeezed in a vice.Ovarian cyst, paroxysm of acute pain in abdomen, sacrum, and hip, > by flexing thigh on pelvis.Metritis; metrorrhagia; suppressed catamenia, with cramping pains > by bending double; or caused by indignation or chagrin.Stitches in the ovaries.Lochia suppressed; puerperal fever after vexation.Painful nodosities in the mammæ.

17. Respiratory Organs

Small dry cough, excited by irritation in the larynx, or by tobacco smoke.Constriction in the larynx, which induces frequent deglutition with oppressed breathing; > in the open air.Fits of asthma at night.

18. Chest

Oppression of the chest, as if it were compressed.

19. Heart

Palpitation of the heart.Stitches in cardiac region.

20. Neck and Back

Tension in the neck and shoulder-blades.Drawing pains in the back, as if the muscles were stretched.Great weakness in the back, esp. in the small of the back, with pressing headache (morning).Congestion and suppuration of the axillary glands; subsultus of muscles.

22. Upper Limbs

Bruise-like pain in the joint of the shoulder, esp. after a fit of passion.Aching, pressive, and shooting pain in the arms.Cramp-like pain in the hands, which with difficulty suffers the fingers to be opened; < when at rest.Pulling in the tendons of the thumbs.

23. Lower Limbs

Pain in the coxo-femoral joint, as if it were fastened with an iron clasp, the pelvis and sacral region, with pains extending from the lumbar region to the legs.Tensive lancination, in the lumbar region and of the hips, esp. when lying on the back.Pain (in the r. thigh) while walking, as if the psoas muscles were too short; on stooping it ceased, but began again when he commenced to walk.(Spontaneous dislocation of the coxo-femoral joint.).Want of flexibility in the knee, which prevents the bending of it.Cramps in the legs.Shootings in the legs, esp. during repose.Stitches in the knee-joints.Sensation of coldness in the knees (in the morning).Great heaviness and trembling of the legs.The feet go to sleep (first the l., then the r. foot).Swelling of the feet.Tearing in the soles of the feet during repose.

24. Generalities

Semi-lateral pains.Painful cramps, and cramp-like contractions, in the internal or external parts.Sensation as though stones were being ground together in the abdomen, working upon the soft parts.Contraction of the tendons in some parts only, or throughout the body, with a drawing up of all the limbs.Twitching of the muscles.Stiffness in all the joints.Tearing shootings, traversing the whole body longitudinally.Physical depression while walking in the open air.Fainting, with coldness of the external parts.Swelling of various parts, with oppression of breathing.Pulsations through the body.Burning pains.

25. Skin

Troublesome itching, with great restlessness in the whole body, esp. in the evening in bed, followed by perspiration.Desquamation of the skin over the whole body.Carbuncles, with continuous burning pain.Small ulcers, with itching and burning.Eruptions which resemble scabies.Skin hot and dry.

26. Sleep

Disturbed sleep at night (by dreams).Sleepiness, alternately with delirium, with the eyes open.Sleeplessness following a fit of indigestion.Very wakeful and sleepless.Lying on the back when asleep, with one hand under the occiput.Frequent vivid and lascivious dreams.

27. Fever

Cold and shivering, with heat in the face, without thirst.Coldness of the hands and soles of the feet, while the rest of the body is warm.Pulse hard, full and quick.Strong pulsation in the arteries.External dry heat.Internal heat, with attacks of flushes of heat.Nocturnal sweat, of the smell of urine, on the head, hands, legs, and feet, causing itching of the skin.Perspiration principally on the head and on the extremities.

Colocynthis

Colocynthis

Generalities

• In ordinary practice colocynth was used as a drastic purgative.

• In homoeopathy not only it is useful in acute affections of Digestive Tract and Intestines; but it has a long lasting action on Nerves (Large) esp. TRIFACIAL; SCIATIC and spinal.

• In abdomen it produces, SUDDEN ATROCIOUS CRAMPING; griping, tearing pains which make the patient TWIST; and turn, cry out; or wriggle for relief or bend him double; patient presses something hard against the abdomen, pains are accompanied by nausea and diuresis and the patient vomits from intensity of pain.

• Neuralgic pains are CUTTING; pinching, clamping, gnawing or boring, followed by numbness; amel. by pressure.

• Cramps and twitching and shortening of the muscles; or parts se em too short.

• Constrictions.

• It is suitable to easily angered, irritable persons; with tendency to corpulency.

• To women of sedentary habits with copious menstruation.

• Cysto-spasms after operations on orifices.

• Ill effects of anger, indignation, chagrin; grief, catching cold.

• Excessive venery.

• Convulsive jerks and constrictions, during pains.

• Sensation as of being encircled with an iron band, screwed up tightly.

• Throbbing throughout the whole body.

• Burnings.

• Prostration, as if all his strength was failing.

• Faints; with pain and with coldness.

• Formication in affected part.

Worse

• Emotions; Vexation; chagrin.

- Anger.

• Lying on painless side.

• Night, in bed.

- Drafts.

• Taking cold.

• Before and after urination.

Better

• Hard Pressure; on edge.

• Heat.

• Rest.

• Gentle motion.

• After stool or flatus.

• Doubling up.

Mind

• Greatly affected by the misfortunes of others.

• Anger, easily vexed during pain.

• Want of religious feeling.

• Screams with pain; wants to walk about, disinclined to talk, to answer.

• Impatient.

• Does not want to meet the friend.

• Morose; becomes offended at everything.

Head

• Vertigo when quickly turning the head; to the left.

• Head pains agg. stooping, lying on back and moving eyelids, with nausea, and vomiting.

• Roots of hair painful.

• Head hot.

Eyes

• On stooping feeling as if eyes would fall out.

• Violent pains before development of glaucoma; eyes become stony hard.

• Pain and twitching in eyelids.

• Burning eyelids.

Ears

• Sounds re-echo in ears.

• Crawling, itching, stitching, aching amel. but putting finger into ear.

Face

• Prosopalgia, with eye symptoms, or alternating, with pain in coeliac region, with chilliness.

• Face distorted.

- Cheeks cold.

• Pain anywhere is reflected on the face.

Mouth

• Persistent bitter taste.

• Burning on the tip of the tongue.

• Scalded sensation of the tongue.

• Teeth feel too long.

Throat

• Cramps in gullet, with empty eructations and palpitation of the heart.

Stomach

• Vomits from pain.

• Sensation in stomach as if something would not yield; drawing pain in the stomach.

• Very thirst.

• Vomiting of bitter water.

• Pain in stomach, with pain in teeth and head.

• Potatoes and starchy food disagree.

• Coffee amel. colic.

Abdomen

• Violent, Cutting, Gripping, Grasping, Clutching or Radiating, Colicky Pains; Come in Waves; amel.

Doubling up; Hard Pressure; agg. least food; or drink, except coffee and tobacco smoking.

• Flatulent colic.

• Intestines feel squeezed between stones.

- Colic, with cramp in calves, from drinking when over heated.

• Cutting in bowels at navel.

• pressure amel. the pain in abdomen in acute stage but when pain remains for a long time, parts become tender then pressure agg. the pain.

• Stools; frothy, watery, shreddy, yellow, sourish or gelatinous; with flatulence and pain.

• Dysenteric stools, renewed each time by least food or drink.

• Slippery bubbles escape from anus.

• During colic infant lies on abdomen and screams when he is slightly moved.

• Chronic watery diarrhoea agg. in the morning.

• Diarrhoea; from pain, from anger with indignation.

Urinary

• Burning along urethra during stools.

• Pain on urination over the whole abdomen.

• Renal colic, with diuresis.

• Cysto-spasms after operation on the orifices.

• Urine; gelatinous, sticky, stringy.

• Red hard crystals adhering to the vessels.

• Urine, milky white coagulates on standing diabetes.

Male

• Sensation as if everything were flowing towards genitals, from both sides of the abdomen, causing seminal emission.

• Para-phimosis.

Female

• Clutching pain in ovarian region amel. drawing up double, with restlessness.

• Dysmenorrhoea agg. eating and drinking.

• Ovarian cyst, with pain amel. flexing thigh on pelvis.

• Suppression of menses or lochia from indignation.

• Menses copious in women with sedentary habits.

• Painful nodes in mammae.

• Ovarian tumours, cysts.

Respiratory

• Short cough when smoking tobacco.

• Difficulty of breathing during menses; ovarian tumour.

Heart

• Feels pushed up by a distended stomach.

• Strong throbbing in all blood vessels.

Back

• Pain under right scapula; amel. pressure.

• Lumbar ache amel. pressure.

• Cramp like pains in the hips amel. lying on the affected side.

• Neck stiff agg. moving head.

• As of a heavy weight in lumbo-dorsal region amel. lying on left side.

Extremities

• Contraction of muscles.

• Sciatic pain, shooting, band-like, screwing amel. pressure, heat; agg. least motion, rotation, at night.

• Limbs drawn up like hedge hog.

• Cramps in muscles during coition.

• Pain in deltoid (R).

• Knees feel stiff, cold.

• Feet cold, with colic.

Sleep

• Sleeplessness and restlessness, with pains; after anger.

Fever

• Coldness of hands and soles, rest of the body warm.

• Chill and shivering with pains.

• Sweat; at night, cold, smelling like urine.

Complementary

• Caus.

Related

• Staph.

COLOCYNTH

  1. Severe colicky pains, mostly around the umbilicus, has to bend double, worse in any other position, great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position, worse at intervals of 5 or 10 minutes, discharge of stool or flatulence affords temporary relief.
  2. Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing corners of tables or heads of bedposts against the abdomen.
  3. Dysentery-like diarrhoea, renewed each time after taking the least food or drink.
  4. Urinates small quantities with frequent urging, fetid, thick, viscid jelly-like urine.
  5. Intense boring or tensive pain in the ovary causing her to bend double with great restlessness.

Colocynthis

Mind:

Does not like to talk, to answer, or to see friends, or anybody.

Mind:

Affections from anger; with indignation, particularly vomiting and diarrhoea.

Stomach:

Vomiting and diarrhoea with colic; doubling up; from anger, with indigestion.

Abdomen:

Severe colicky pains, mostly around the navel; has to bend double; being worse in any other posture; with great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position; < at intervals of five or ten minutes.

Abdomen:

Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing the abdomen against corner of table, hands of bed posts or anything else as pressure > the pains.

Anus and Stool:

Dysentery-like diarrhoea renewed each time after taking the least food or drink.

Urinary Organs:

Urinates small quantities with frequent urging; foetid, thickening, viscid, jelly-like urine.

Extremities:

Crampy pain in hip-joint, as though the parts were screwed in a vise; lies on the painful side with knee bent up.

Extremities:

Crampy pain in hip, as though the part were screwed in a vise.

Colocynthis

Pains

: The principal feature of Colocynth is its severe, tearing, neuralgic pains; so severe that the patient is unable to keep still. Sometimes they are > by motion - at least it appears that they are worse during rest- > by pressure and sometimes > by heat. Pains occur in the face, abdomen, along the course of the nerves.

These pains are often due to a very singular cause, namely, anger with indignation. Hence persons who are haughty and easily offended or chagrined have Colocynth complaints. Anger will be followed by violent neuralgia in the head, eyes, down the spine and in the intestines.

In spite of extreme restlessness there is great weakness with the pains. It patient suffering with chronic diarrhoea, with severe colic, will sometimes become so weak that he can hardly speak. A feeling of faintness, or even fainting, is by no means an unusual concomitant of the pains. Griping occurs along the course of nerves, and in some cases numbness, pricking and tingling, like the crawling of ants in the part affected.

With many doctors Colocynth is a routine remedy for sciatica; and only when it fails to do they take the symptoms of the case in order to find the remedy that is indicated. There is no excuse for such practice. Where the pain is better from hard pressure and from heat, where it is worse during repose and drives the patient to despair, Colocynth will generally cure.

But it is not indicated in all cases. Some remedies select the muscles and tendons, some the bones and periosteum, while others select the great nerve trunks in which to manifest their symptoms. The pains of Colocynth appear, as a rule, in the larger nerves.

The mental symptoms are not very striking. As soon as the prover of Colocynth begins to have pains a long the course of nerves he becomes irritable; everything vexes him; he is worse from vexation.

Screams with the pains. Walks about the room and becomes increasingly anxious as the pain goes on. Disinclined to talk or to answer, or to see friends. His friends irritate him and he wants to be alone. He has all he can do to stand those terrible pains.

Vomiting and diarrhea frequently come with the pains, especially if they are in the abdomen.

Colic comes on in paroxysms that grow in intensity. The patient becomes increasingly nauseated until finally he vomits and he continues to retch after the stomach is empty.

Colocynth produces a state in the nervous system like that found in individuals who have for years been laboring under annoyances and vexations. A man whose business affairs have been going wrong becomes irritable and nervous exhaustion follows.

A woman who must watch her unfaithful husband night and day to keep him away from other women gradually assumes a sensitive irritable state of mind and is upset by the least provocation. This is the state of the Colocynth prover.

You will seldom find this medicine indicated in strong, vigorous, healthy people who have suddenly become sick. It is more likely to be in the constitution just described, and those who are in the habit of overeating.

We find tearing pains in the scalp, brought on by anger; exhaustion, pains that are better from pressure and heat, and worse when not in motion. Constant, gnawing pains in the head.

Head

: Painful, tearing, digging through the whole brain, becoming unbearable when moving the eyelids. Intense pain through the whole head; worse from moving the eyes. Severe, pressing, tearing headache, causing her to cry out.

Intermittent headache in those of a rheumatic, gouty or nervous diathesis. Pain tearing and screwing together. Violent periodical or intermittent headache.

Such are some of the expressions in the text. But the particular character of the pain is not as important as the circumstances that are likely to cause it and the conditions in which the patient has been living.

Eyes

: Knowing the life of a patient affords much knowledge of the patient himself. The same violent neuralgic pains are found in the eye. Rheumatic iritis, worse in the evening and night. Severe, burning, cutting and sticking pains in the eye. Burning is more characteristic of the pains of the eyes than of other parts of the head and face. Sharp, cutting- stabs; pressing pains.

Face

: The faceache is especially important, because Colocynth is one of the most frequently indicated remedies for neuralgia of this region.

There are some remedies which are indicated in faceache more often than any others, Belladonna, Magnesia phosphoricaand Colocynth.

The Belladonnapains are as violent as any, and are accompanied by red face, flashing eyes, hot head, and great sensitiveness of the part to touch.

In Colocynth the pains come in waves, are better from heat, from pressure, worse if anything during rest, and are brought on by excitement or vexation.

They are generally on the left side; while those of Belladonnaare on the right, and are caused by cold.

Magnesia phosphoricahas tearing and pains that shoot like lightning along the nerves and are relieved by heat and pressure.

The expression of the Colocynth face is one of anxiety from the severity of the suffering. No matter where the pain is the face is distorted. Finally, it becomes pale and the cheeks become blue.

Tearing pains in the cheek-bones, or more correctly, in the infra orbital nerve where it emerges from the foramen. Sometimes this pain feels like a hot wire, sometimes like a cold nail, and sometimes it is tearing, burning or stinging.

Frequently it spreads over the face, following the ramifications of the small branches of the nerve, usually on the left side. The patient cries out and is very restless. Tearing or burning pain extending to the ear and head.

All pains are better from pressure, but this is in the beginning. After the pain has been going for several days with increasing severity, the part becomes very sensitive and pressure cannot be endured.

Stomach

: Aversion to food. Violent thirst. Colic brought on from drinking while overheated; from eating indigestible things, from high living; colic from eating potatoes.

Potatoes and starchy foods disagree with the Colocynth patient like Alumina. The vomiting of Colocynth is different from that of most other remedies .

Nausea does not appear at first, but when the pain becomes sufficiently intense nausea and vomiting begin, the contents of the stomach are ejected and the patient continues to retch until the severity of the suffering decreases.

The stomach pains are clutching, cramping and digging; as if grasped by the fingers.

Abdomen

: Similar pains occur lower down in the abdomen, but they are still better from hard pressure, and from doubling up which amounts to pressure, come on in paroxysms of increasing severity, until the patient is nauseated and vomits, and are associated with great restlessness and faint, sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach.

The victim, bends down over the back of a chair, or over the foot-board if unable to get out of bed.

In the Guiding Symptoms we find several pages of repetitions, showing how extensively this medicine is applicable in abdominal complaints where these symptoms are present. It would be well to read them.

The pains in the lower part of the abdomen are relieved by drawing up the limbs and pressing with the fists. In the violent ovarian neuralgias of Colocynth, the woman will flex the limb of the painful side hard against the abdomen and hold it there.

The physician asks:

"What has happened to give you these pains?

Her answer is likely to be:

"My servant spilled some dirty water on a handsome rug, we had some words over it, and this is the result. "

Colic from anger with indignation; better from bending double and worse in the upright position, while standing or bending backwards.

Colic of infants when they are relieved by lying on the stomach as soon as the position is changed they begin to scream again,

The same symptoms accompanying the diarrhoea and dysentery, The stools consists of white mucus, are thick, ropy and jelly-like; at times bloody.

At first they may be copious, strong smelling, pappy, and later watery, yellow, scanty and almost inodorous.

Diarrhoea and dysentery from anger with indignation; the most awful tenesmus during stool; urging to stool with colic. Eating ever so little, rings on the colic, urging and stool. Watery stools after eating. Many of these cases, find relief from heat and the warmth of the bed.

Colocynthis.

Squirting Cucumber. (Cucurbitaceae)

Agonizing pain in abdomen causing patient to bend double, with restlessness, twisting and turning to obtain relief; > by hard pressure (> by heat, Mag. p.). Pains: are worse after eating or drinking; compel patient to bend double (Mag. p. - < by bending double, Dios.); menses, suppressed by chagrin, colic pains. Exteremely irritable, impatient; becomes angry or offended on being questioned. Irritable; throws things out of his hands. Affections from anger, with indignation - colic, vomiting, diarrhoea and suppression of menses (Cham., Staph.). Vertigo: when quickly turning head, especially to the left, as if he would fall; from stimulants. Sciatica: crampy pain in hip, as though screwd in a vise; lies upon affected side. Shooting pain, like lightening-shocks, down the whole limb, left hip, left thigh, left knee, into popliteal fossa.

Relations

. - Complemenatary: Merc. in dysentry, with great tenesmus. Compare: Graph. intense pain along right sciatic never, darting, cutting, from right hip joint down to foot; < lying down, motion, stepping; > by sitting. Compare with Staph. in ovarian or other diseases from bad effects of anger, reserved indignation or silent grief.

Aggravation

. - Anger and indignation; mortification caused by offense (Staph., Lyc.); cheese < colic.

Amelioration

. - From doubling up; hard pressure.

COLOCYNTHIS

REGION:
NERVES (large): TRIFACIAL. ABDOMINAL. Spinal. SCIATIC.
DIGESTIVE TRACT (NAVEL).
INTESTINES.
Ovaries.
Kidneys.
Left side.

WORSE:
EMOTIONS.
VEXATION.
Chagrin.
Anger.
Lying on painless side.
Night, in bed.
Drafts.
Taking cold.

BETTER:
HARD PRESSURE.
Coffee.
Heat.
Rest.
Gentle motion.
After stool or flatus.

Acts on digestive tract, then longer on spinal nerves. SUDDEN, ATROCIOUS CRAMPINGS, gripings, tearings, etc., making him TWIST, turn or cry out in pain; with nausea or diuresis. Convulsive jerks or constrictions during pain (Ign. Lyc.). Lightning-like pains. CUTTING, pinching, clamping, gnawing or boring pain; then numbness. Parts seem too short. Constriction. Neuralgia. .................... Anger; easily vexed; < pains. Tearing head pains, < moving eyelids. Faceache (l); with eye symptoms or alternating with cœlialgia. Distorted face. Persistent bitter taste. Gas colic (flatulent colic). WAVES OF VIOLENT CUTTING, GRIPING, GRASPING, CLUTCHING OR RADIATING ABDOMINAL COLIC DOUBLE HIM UP; > HARD PRESSURE; < least food. Cutting in bowels; at navel. Pressure > at first then <. Intestines feel squeezed between stones. Pains alternating between ovaries. Ovaralgia. Vomits from pain. Yellow, frothy, watery, shreddy, sourish or gelatinous stools; with colic and gas. Dysentery. Slippery bubbles escape from anus. Gelatinous, sticky or stringy urine. Heart feels pushed up by a distended stomach. Pain under r. scapula, > pressure (Bry.). Lumbar ache, > pressure. Cramps in hips. Screwing, band-like or shooting sciatic pains; < least motion, rotation or night, > lying on painful part. Limbs drawn up like a hedgehog. Urinous sweat.

 

REMEDY RELATION

Complementary: Caus.
Antidote: Op.
Related: Stap.

COLOCYNTHIS

Plant Introduction:

A medtierranean and African herbaceous (citrullus colocynthis) allied to the water melon; from its fruit a powerful cathartic bitter apple is prepared.
This plant is grown all over India. It can be found in Trivancore Southern India and forest rengion of North-Westera India. Besids, this drug can be seen in the unploughed lands of Howrah, Hoogly and Burdwan districts of Bengal. It is a wild kind of bitter cucumber having hairy leaves and normal stalks. Leaf plade is segmented and 2-2 inches long. Flower is bell shaped and 1/4 inch in size, glabrous, green or white in colour. Frorescence and fructi-fication takes place in winter.
 

Name:

In Sanskrit-Indrabaruni Bengali-Rakhal Shasha,
Indrayan; Hindi-Chhoti Indrayan; Marathi-Indrabaruni; 
Telegu-Itipucca: 
Tamil-Pettyum Mutti: English and Latin-Colocynthis.
 
Time of collection: in winter.
Useful part of the plant: Fruits and root.
Chemical composition: There is an ample accumulation of alkaloid in it which is known as 'Colocynthinium' or 'Colocynthimin'. Besides, fixed oil, enzyme, purgative resin, fatty acid, bitter principle and glucoside are also present. Also a resinous compd. colocynthein (colocynthin+acid).
 
Therapeutic action:  It is stomachic and allays dyspepsia, gastric ulcer, pain, acidity, jaundice, rheumatism and is anthelmintic. Abdo-minal pain due to worms may be removed.

Opininons of different researchers

  • Shusrut has suggested the use of this drug in jaundice.
  • Chakradutta-in intesto-gastritis and insanity.
  • Bhavaprakash-has recommended the use in joint-gout.
  • Greek physicians has called it as 'HARZL'. According to them, this drug is a strong purgative and effective in dropsy, jaundice etc. Dr. Dymock also appreciated the therapeutic nature of its actions and has mentioned that the drug could be administered in colic pain, lever pain and existence of intestinal worms. I consider this drug as an infallible remidy for colicky pain (owing to intestinal worms) and neurulgic pain of the right side.

Symptomps

 
Mind: Very hot-tempered; gets into a temper if questioned
 
Head: Pain in the vertex, particularly in the left part.
 
Eyes: Pleasure under press.
 
Mouth: Bitter taste; tongue is harsh to touch; toothache.
 
Stomach and abdomen: abnormal appetite; does not allay easily; colicky pain; surrounding the navel and due to existence of intestinal worms. Pleasure on applying pressure; tremendous excremental Pressure; viscous excre-menting tendecy after taking food; colicky pain marked by acidity or diarrhoea.
 
Urine: Sticky, foul odoured and albuminous discharge; pain in the pelvic region during urinal flow.
 
Limbs: Contraction of the muscles, particularly in the right portion of the body; pain in the shoulder; difficulty in raising hands; colicky pain; relief by hot compress and pressure.

Dose:

5-10 minims in one dose.

Inclination to become angry and indignant.
Constrictions and contraction of internal and external parts.
All the limbs are drawn together.
Shortening of the muscles.
Twitching of the muscles.
Stiffness of the joints.
Tearing pains longitudinally.
Colicky pains in the abdomen compelling one to bend double with great anguish and restless constriction in the bowels or pain as if cutting with knives, or pain as though the bowel was pressed between two stones.
Pain in the hip and when walking a sensation as if the psoas muscle was too short.
Bad effects, either from mortification caused by an offense, or else from anger with indignation.

Clinical Tips & Practitioner Insights

"I have myself found COLOCYNTH curative only in recent cases of sciatica; greatly preferring ARSENICUM and RHUS TOX. in those of longer standing."

By Dr. Hughes, L.R.C.P. Sciatica

"COLOCYNTH cures colic again and again. Then KALI CARB. steps in to end the trouble."

By Dr. T.K.Moore, M.D. Colic

"Pain of sciatica better by hard pressure"

By Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar Sciatica
Constitutional Keynotes
Thermal Chilly
Thirst Thirsty
  • Side Affinity Left
  • Sleep Position Abdomen
  • Desires (Cravings) Bread ; Beer

Remedy Profile

  • Type Remedy
  • Common Name HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA by William BOERICKE, M.D. Presented by Médi-T
  • Origin Source Natural
Dosage & Potency

Sixth to thirtieth potency.

Pharmacy Availability

This remedy is currently available in our online shop.

Rs. 280.00
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