• Extremely chilly, sensitive to cold air
• Convulsions with consciousness
• Snuffles of infants, better in open air
• Inclination to vomit, feels, ‘If I could vomit, I would feel better’

Source: Vegetable kingdom
Synonyms: Strychnos nux vomica, Poison nut, Kuchła
Family: Loganiaceae
Prover: Dr Hahnenann in 1805
Duration of Action: 1 to 7 days
Miasmatic Background: Psora, syphilis, sycosis
Temperament: Nervous, spiteful, malicious, irritable, sanguine
Thermal Relationship: Very chilly patient

Introduction and History: This is the king of our polychrest remedies. This remedy is a unique gift from the vegetable kingdom. It is the best remedy to commence treatment of cases that have been drugged by different pathies, especially after much dosing with allopathic drugs. It is a very suitable remedy for people of every sex and age. This remedy is called as the male counterpart of Pulsatilla and Ignatia. It is truly Hahnemann’s greatest polychrest remedy because its dominion is vast.

It’s sphere of action extends from pole to pole and it encompasses a perplexity of character that is truly astonishing. It is useful for people of all occupations. The word has been taken from Latin ‘nux’ meaning nut and ‘vomicine’ meaning ‘Smell’ because of the peculiar property of the nut. It was introduced into medicine by the Arabians.

Habit and Habitat: It is native of East Indies. It is also found in Ceylon and on the Malabar coast in India. It grows in the forests. The stem is short and crooked. The wood is white and tough. The leaves are oval and shiny. The branches have a disagreeable smell. Flowers are terminate, small and greenish-white in colour. The official Nux vomica means the seeds of Nux vomica plant. The covering of the seeds is very tough and cannot be broken easily.

Preparation and Parts Used: Tincture is prepared from seeds with alcohol.

Constitution and Physiognomy: Especially suited to people who are thin, nervous and extremely susceptible to external impressions. They are dark haired, debauched and lead a sedentary life. Indicated in jealous, hypochondriacal males.

Ailments From: Anger, coffee, alcohol, masturbation, sexual excesses, injuries, hot medicines, rich food, sedentary habits, night keeping, mental exertion, sitting on cold stones, stress and strain of modern life.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): The main action of this drug is upon the gastrointestinal tract. It also acts upon muscles, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, mind, nerves.

Active Principles (Chemical Constituents): The chief constituents of this drug are strychnine and brucin which are alkaloids. Vomicine and others are linked with chlorogenic acid.

Physiological Action

1. The physiological action of Nux vomica and Strychnine are so nearly alike that they are commonly considered to be identical.
2. In small doses, Nux vomica stimulates the entire digestive system, promoting gastric, pancreatic and biliary secretions. But, like other bitter tonics, when used over a long period of time, it deranges digestion and produces constipation.
3. In larger doses, the most marked feature of its action is increased reflex excitability of the spinal cord and other reflex centres, especially the vasomotor and respiratory.
4. In full doses the pupils are dilated, the limbs jerk, respiration becomes spasmodic and the jaws stiffen; shuddering and anxiety soon follow.
5. Toxic doses induce powerful contractions of tetanic character with dyspnoea, suffocation, cyanosis and opisthotonos, although consciousness persists until death occurs from carbon dioxide asphyxia.

Physio-pathological Changes (Pathology)

1. The chief action of this drug is of a stimulating nature. It produces tetanic convulsions, causing death from asphyxia.
2. It stimulates the vasomotor center and thus increases blood pressure and the pressure of arterioles. It causes vasomotor spasms, constipation and piles.
3. Acts pre-eminently upon the spinal cord including the motor and sensory centres at the base of the brain affecting specially the region of reflex function. The condition produced is one of excessive irritability and excitability giving rise to paralysis.
4. Acts profoundly on the organs and functions of nutrition, the secretions being altered, the functions perverted and the organic substance changed.
5. It acts upon the mucous membrane of the alimentary tract, giving rise to dyspeptic symptoms and constipation.
6. It acts on the respiratory system producing a dry catarrhal condition obstructing the nasal passages. Also produces dry cough.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

1. Patient is inclined to suicide but is afraid to die.
2. ill-humoured, finds faults and scolds.
3. Irritable, careful, jealous people inclined to get excited and angry.
4. Oversensitiveness to external impressions; cannot tolerate noise, music, talking, strong odours and bright light.
5. Hypochondriacal, after eating, affected by the slightest thing.
6. Defective memory; manner shy and awkward.
7. Disinclined to work and great lassitude or weakness in the morning, loss of energy.
8. Time passes too slowly.
9. Hypochondriacal mood, especially in people having sedentary habits with abdominal complaints and constipation.
10. Great laziness and aversion to work.
11. Muttering delirium, cannot think correctly; mental derangement in drunkards.
12. Gets angry easily and loses temper even at trifles.
13. Cannot bear the least contradiction.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

Oversensitiveness: Great oversensitiveness to all external impressions, to noise, odours, light or music.

Paralysis: Paralysis of bladder, painful emission of urine, drop by drop. Paralysis of face, one arm, one hand, single muscles. Sometimes incomplete paralysis.

Chilliness: Whole body burning hot; great heat, face red and hot, yet must be covered in every stage of fever that is, chill, heat or sweat.

Nausea: Constant nausea after eating, in the morning, from smoking, etc.

Constipation: Constipation caused by irregular peristalsis of the intestinal canal. Constipation with frequent ineffectual desire, passing small quantities of stool. Alternate constipation and diarrhoea.

Menses: Too early, too profuse, last too long, irregular, stopping and starting again during and after appearance of old symptoms.

Convulsions: Convulsions with consciousness, worse anger, emotion, touch, moving. Convulsions with opisthotonus, lockjaw. Convulsions of children from nursing after a fit of anger in mother.

Catarrh: Coryza, dry at night, fluent by day, worse in a warm room, better in cold air; snuffles of infants.

Pains: Pains are tingling, stitching, hard, aching; worse from motion and contact. Backache, must sit up or turn over in bed; lumbago, from sexual weakness and masturbation.

Eructations: Eructations sour and bitter; nausea and vomiting every morning and after eating.

Appetite: Hunger with an aversion to food.

Palpitation: Violent palpitations from flatus.

Fainting: Tendency to faint from odours after every labour pain and after eating.

Indigestion: Indigestion from anxiety, worry, brandy, coffee, drugs, night watching, high living, etc.

Redness: In fever, face especially red and hot. Worse about the nose and mouth.

Sourness: Sour taste in the mouth. Sour odour of breath. Sour or bitter eructations, heartburn.

Drowsiness: Drowsiness during daytime and after eating.

Sleep: Disturbed sleep, wakes at 2 or 3 am and lies awake for an hour or two, then falls into a heavy sleep and awakens late in the morning.

Sexual desire: Sexual desire easily excited. Exhausted from sexual excesses.

Dysentery: Marked relief in pain and tenesmus for a short time after stool. The stool frequently consists of mucous and blood.

Fever: Great heat; whole body burns; hot face – red and hot, yet patient cannot move or uncover without being chilly.

Important Characteristic Features

Constipation: Perhaps no remedy in the materia medica is oftener prescribed for anything than Nux vomica for constipation. Nux vomica has peculiar and characteristic indications for constipation and when prescribed upon these indications it will cure every time. Constipation with frequent ineffectual urging, incomplete and unsatisfactory; feeling as if some stool remained unexpelled. Irregular peristaltic action, hence frequent ineffectual desire for passing but small quantities at each attempt. Absence of all desire for defecation is a contraindication. Alternate constipation and diarrhoea after abuse of purgatives. Urging to stool throughout the abdomen. Itching, blind haemorrhoids, with ineffectual urging to stool; very painful, after drastic drugs. According to Dr Carrier of Paris, Nux vomica should never be given in constipation according to the law of similars in low attenuations, or in the mother tincture. An opposite effect will be produced augmenting the spasmodic state of intestines; the higher the dilution, the better the chance for success. It should not be repeated too often either.

Haemorrhoids (piles): It is the best remedy for piles. Haemorrhoids are large and blind, with a burning, stinging and constricted feeling in the rectum and a bruised pain in the small of back. For piles excited by sedentary habits or abuse of stimulants, Nux may be prescribed with confidence. Itching haemorrhoids, keeping the sufferer awake at night, relieved by cold water or bleeding piles with constant urging to stool and a feeling as if the bowel would not empty itself are further indications.

Dyspepsia (gastric derangement): Nux vomica is a remedy influencing both the glandular secretion and the muscular tone of the digestive organs. Among causes of dyspepsia are mental overwork, sedentary occupations and high living. These are all keynote symptoms of Nux vomica. Headache is a constant element in Nux disease. With Nux, the food and drink taste normal. The appetite is impaired, the patient does not want even his accustomed stimuli or there maybe an abnormal hunger and this abnormal hunger usually precedes an attack of dyspepsia. The eructations of Nux are painful, bitter or sour. The nausea is especially after a meal. The stomach is sensitive to pressure and to tight clothing. Nux has an abnormal thirst and there is distension even after a light meal with a very characteristic sensation of a lump or a load in the stomach.

Headache: It is a most important remedy for headache. It is quite safe to assert that Nux vomica is more often indicated in headache than any other remedy. Headache is caused from the excessive use of alcohol, in the morning; also tobacco and coffee. Headache from digestive troubles, constipation, autointoxication and hepatic insufficiency. Headache in occiput or over the eyes, with vertigo; brain feels as if going round in a circle. Oversensitiveness. Vertigo with momentary loss of consciousness. Frontal headache with a desire to press the head against something. Congestive headache associated with haemorrhoids. Headache in the Sunshine. Head feels distended and sore after a debauch.

Diarrhoea: The causes are same as that for constipation. Especially seen in persons who have taken laxatives and aromatic remedies throughout their life. There is a frequent desire for stool. The stool is watery and offensive, passes little quantity at a time with temporary satisfaction. Urge for stool in the morning after rising or after mental exertion with an ineffectual desire for stool and urine.

General Modalities

Aggravation: Overeating, mental exertion, anger, rich food, narcotics, after eating, touch, noise, odours, bright light, spices, dry weather, cold air, in the morning, waking at 4 am.

Amelioration: In damp wet weather, lying down, while at rest, in the evening, lying on one side, strong pressure.

Remedy Relationships

Complementary: Sep, Sulph, Kali-c.

Follows well: Sep, Sulph, Phos, Ip, Ars, Bry, Bell, Cact, Hyos, Lyc.

Antidotes: Acon, Ars, Bell, Op, Puls, Thuj.

Inimical: Zinc, Ign, Acet-ac.

Compare: Ars, Calc, Sep, Kali-c, Lyc, Sulph, Chin, Nat-m.

Comparison

Conjunctival or retinal haemorrrhage, with extravasation from injuries or cough: Arn, Led, Nux-v.

Vomiting after laparotomy: Bism, Nux-v, Staph.

Pressure as from a stone in the pit of the stomach, relieved by eructation: Bry, Nux-v, Puls.

Constipation, frequent, with ineffectual desire: Caust, Nux-v.

Convulsions of children from nursing after a fit of passion: Cham, Nux-v.

Violent palpitations, from incarcerated flatus: Arg-n, Coca, Nux-v.

Bad manners make him almost beside himself: Colch, Nux-v.

Mental or physical exhaustion from overexertion of mind or loss of sleep: Cupr, Cocc, Nux-v.

Very sensitive to cold air, cannot bear to be uncovered: Hep, Nux-v.

Headache relieved by lying on it: Coff, Nux-v, Thuj.

Fever worse by covering: Ign.

Fever worse by uncovering: Nux-v.

Irritable, peevish, disposed to anger and chagrin: Mur-ac, Nux-v.

Nasal catarrh, profuse discharge during the day, stopped at night: Nat-c, Nux-v.

Tenesmus of rectum, better after stool: Nux-v.

Tenesmus of rectum not better after stool: Merc-c.

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

Nux Vomica Dosage

1. Lower potencies are indicated in mental derangements of drunkards like, trembling, headaches, gastric derangements, vomiting during pregnancy, excessive use of tobacco.
2. Higher potencies are indicated in hypochondriasis, tetanus, constipation, epilepsy and convulsions.
3. Should not be give in mother tincture in constipation and should not be repeated frequently.

Repetition: Single dose, maybe repeated when the symptoms call for it.

Therapeutic Value: Angina pectoris, Apoplexy, Asthma, Cirrhosis of liver; Conjunctivitis, Constipation, Coryza, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Dyspepsia, Gastralgia, Gastritis, Gonorrhoea, Haemorrhoids, Hernia, Hyperaemia of the liver; Jaundice, Mental strain, Metrorrhagia, Morning sickness, Neuralgia, Renal colic, Rheumatism, Torticollis, Venereal ulcers, whooping cough.

Note

1. Nux vomica acts best in the evening. It should be given on retiring or what is better – several hours before going to bed. It acts best during repose of mind and body.
2. It should not be administered in the morning, which is the time of aggravation of the remedy.
3. It should not be taken shortly before or soon after a meal.
4. Clarke writes when all medicines disagree, Nux will often cure the morbid sensitiveness and other troubles with it.
5. According to Kent, Nux Vomica is prescribed as a routine remedy for loss of appetite. It will increase the appetite but do dangerous work to the patient.
6. Nux Vomica should never be given in low attenuation or in mother tincture in constipation. An opposite action will be produced.
7. It is one of the best remedies with which to commence treatment of cases which are drugged by hot and strong medicines. It desensitizes their effects.