• The whole body feels as if caged and each wire is being twisted tighter and tighter
• Periodicity marked. Periodic neuralgia. Fever paroxysm return at 11 am and 11 pm
• Menstrual flow ceases when lying down

Introduction and History: This is a very useful and important medicine of homeopathy. The name Cactus was originally given by Theophratus to a spiny plant of Sicily. Dr Rubini introduced this plant to homeopathy in 1864.

Habit and Habitat: It is generally found in hot and stony places of tropical America. It is also found in Mexico and West Indies Islands. It is an evergreen shrub. The stem is green and branching. It is succulent and armed with clusters of five or six short radiating spines or bristles. Flowers are yellow and large, it is one feet in diameter.

Preparation and Parts Used: Mother tincture is prepared from youngest and tenderest flowering stems.

Constitution and Physiognomy: It is best suited to plethoric persons.

Ailments From: Sun, disappointed love, damp, rheumatism.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): Circulation, heart, chest, head, blood, nerves, uterus, ovary, circular muscles.

Active Principles (Chemical Constituents): It contains a cardio-tonic, but the structure is yet unknown.

Physio-pathological Changes (Pathology)

1. It acts on circular fibres, producing constriction everywhere, especially in the heart and arteries.
2. It acts on the nervous system causing palpitation, oppressed breathing and constriction of the chest.
3. In an acute condition, it produces hypertrophy due to valvular disease, angina pectoris and chronic palpitation.
4. It acts on the stomach producing constriction and production of acid.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

• Fear of death, he thinks that his disease is incurable.
• Cries, does not know why; aggravation from consolation.
• Hypochondriacal, taciturn, unwilling to speak a word or to answer.
• Melancholy and ill-humour, sadness and taciturnity.
• Anxiety, screams with pain.
• Sensation as of a weight on the vertex.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

Feeling: The whole body feels as if caged and that each wire is being twisted tighter and tighter.

Oppression of chest: Oppression of chest as from a great weight, as if an iron band prevented normal motion and breathing.

Constriction: Constriction and congestion of all parts of the body especially throat, heart, chest, vagina, bladder, rectum, etc.

Headache: Headache during climacteric, pressing like a heavy weight on the vertex. Neuralgia, congestive, periodic, right sided and throbbing headache.

Heart: Heart feels as if clasped and unclasped rapidly by an iron hand, as if bound and had no room to beat.

Haemorrhage: Haemorrhage from stomach, lungs, bladder, rectum, nose, etc.

Pains: Pains everywhere, spraining, darting, like chain lightening and ending with a sharp vise-like grip, only to be renewed again.

Palpitation: Palpitation day and night; worse when walking and lying on the left side at the approach of menses.

Periodicity: Periodicity is well marked. Paroxysms of fever return at 11 am and 11 pm.

Weakness: Coldness and weakness of the extremities along with heart complaints.

Sensation: Sensation of a cord tightly tied around the lower part of chest, marking attachment of diaphragm.

Sleep: Sound sleep with dreams of falling down during sleep.

Menstruation: Menstrual flow ceases when lying down.

Numbness: Numbness of the left arm. Tingling sensation in fingers. In heart disease there is swelling of the left hand only.

Congestion: Congestive headache; inflammation of the head, due to irregular circulation and from mental exertion.

Left-sidedness: It is a left sided medicine, having a special affinity for the left hand. Cramps and weakness of the left arm.

Fever: Intermittent fever with no thirst during chill. Congestion to head, flushed face and dyspnoea.

Vertigo: Vertigo after deep breathing.

Important Characteristic Features

Heart affections: It is the most important remedy in heart affections from the homeopathist’s standpoint. Its well known characteristic symptom is ‘sensation as if the heart were clasped with an iron hand,’ which clutches and relaxes alternately. There is great irritation of the cardiac nerves. Cactus is indicated for angina pectoris. It is also adapted for hypertrophy of the heart in young people. Very useful in intense palpitation and fluttering sensation about the heart. It is indicated for such symptoms in young girls about the age of puberty and during menstrual period.

Difficult breathing, suffocating, fainting, violent palpitation and inability to lie down are symptoms indicating cardiac asthma or dyspnoea. Cardiac symptoms are caused by rheumatism and the sun. Pains are pricking in nature, there is oppression of the chest, dull heavy pain, aggravated by pressure. Pulse is quick, tense, hard and throbbing. Sometimes intermittent and feeble.

Pains go round to axilla, back and scapula of the left side. There is blueness of the face; head and hands hot but feet icy cold. Pains in the apex of heart; shooting down the left arm upto the ends of fingers. Palpitation with vertigo and loss of consciousness. Whole body feels as if it has been caged and each wire is being twisted tighter and tighter.

All symptoms are aggravated by walking, at night time and by lying on the left side Feel better by rest, in open air and after sleep.

General Modalities

Aggravation: Lying on the left side, walking, going upstairs, 11 am and pm, After eating, etc.

Amelioration: In the evening, in fresh air, sleep, open air, etc.

Remedy Relationships

Follows well: Ars, Cham, Lach, Bry, Rhus-t, Gels, Nux-v, Bell.

Antidotes: Acon, Camph, Chin, Eup-per.

Compare: Acon, Dig, Gels, Kalm, Lach, Tab.

Potency: 3x, 6x, 12x, 30, 200, 1000.

Cactus Grandiflorus Dosage: Tincture and low potencies.

Repetition: To be repeated when the symptoms call for it.

Therapeutic Value: Angina pectoris, Anxiety, Apoplexy, Asthma, Brain affections, Congestion, Fever, Headache, Heart affections, Inflammation, Lung affections, Neuralgia, Respiratory troubles, Rheumatism, Vertigo.