In the management of diseases diet and nutrition
plays an important role. Well thought out nutritional
support is a valuable aid to any practitioner. This is particularly true about
febrile cases because fever is a
common symptom of many diseases.In
fact, it is one of the early responses of our body to many harmful
agents. Also many patients with high and/or prolonged fever develop nutritional
depletion, which in turn lead
to other complications. Hence dietary care plays an important role in the
management of many cases of high
and prolonged fevers.
2.
Causes of nutritional depletion
Fever is produced by metabolic processes and
muscular activity.This accelerated
metabolism leads to
breakdown of tissues and results in loss of calories and nutritional depletion.
Again, when you are hot, your body perspires to cool
you down.Increased perspiration
result in water
and electrolyte depletion as in the cases of high fever.
2.1 Functional consequences of nutritional depletion
(fig. 1)
1.
Reduced cellular or humoral responses to infection
2.
Impaired wound healing
3.Bed
sores and Ulcers
4.
Reduced haemopoiesis
5.
Muscle weakness; reduced ability to cough; susceptibility to bronchopneumonia.
6.
Dehydration-Dryness of mouth, herpes, Parotitis, oral infection
Constipation
Oliguria; dysuria; retention of urine.
2.2. Objectives of nutritional care
1.Nutritional
support to compensate energy loss
2.
Correction of fluid and electrolyte deficit
3.
Prevention of complications developing from the causes mentioned above
7.
Restrictions and / or additions according to the indicated Homoeopathic
Medicine.
3.1 Diet
Generally diet should be easily digestible, soft and
palatable.In order to maintain a
positive calorie balance,
it should provide 2500-3000 k cal / day.
3.2 Fluid intake
Unless contraindicated the fluid intake should be
about 3000 ml/day - to prevent dehydration.Fresh fruits
and fruit juices (rich source of K+ and Na+) and vegetable juices (eg- carrot
juice) can be given to prevent
constipation associated ith fever.
Frequent sips of fluids and proper oral hygiene also
helps to prevent herpes and Parotitis.
3.3 Caloric requirements
In hospitalized patients with prolonged febrile
illness, the daily caloric requirements can be estimated
by using the Harris-Benedict equation for basal energy expenditure (BEE)
Men, k cal / day
BEE = 66 + 13.8W + 5H - 6.8A
Women, k cal / day
BEE = 665 + 9.6W + 1.8H - 4.7A
Where W = Weight in Kg, H = height in cm, and A = age in years
Average energy expenditure is 1.37 BEE - 312.To maintain a positive caloric balance when energy expenditure
is increased as in prolonged fevers, burns, infections etc. the energy intake
should be 1.5 -2 times this value.
3.4 Administration
Can be oral intake, tube feeding or parenteral.
3.4.1 Tube feeding
This is indicated in patients who are very sick and
unable to take oral feeds.Total
amount of feed varies from
2000 ml to 3000 ml / day.Each feed
should not exceed 150-300 ml because rapid feeding may cause rapid
distension of stomach, nausea and regurgitation. Feeds should be at 380C.
Food must be nutritious, in liquid
form containing milk, egg, cream, glucose, vegetable soup, rice water etc.
3.4.2Parenteral nutrition
It is indicated when the patient cannot eat or
deteriorate on oral feeding.
Partial or total nourishment can be
given through the parenteral route.
3.4.3 Parenteral feeding by a peripheral vein
Can be easily established for caloric and fluid
support.In order to prevent the
development of phlebitis, the
concentration of glucose infusions should not exceed 10%.Adequate total energy requirements cannot be
achieved from 10% glucose infusions alone.
3.4.4
Parenteral feeding by central nervous alimentation
Glucose infusions of higher concentration (25-35%)
can be administered in this way.It
is best to give about
30% energy as intravenous fat emulsion, along with glucose, amino acids and
micronutrients.
3.4.5 Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
TPN is indicated in malnourished persons who cannot
tolerate oral feedings.In TPN all
the essential nutrients
have to be given.TPN should
generally provide 2500 - 3000k cal / day.Unless contra indicated, the total volume
administered per day should be around 3000 ml.
3.5Restrictions and additions
Needs for special restrictions and / or additions to
diet depends on diagnosis.For eg.
Protein and sodium
free diet in Hepatic coma and anemia.High protein and high calorie diet in T.B., chronic fevers, infections
and
in burns etc.
3.6Diet and Homoeopathic Medicines
When patients are under constitutional remedies,
they need caution about certain kinds of foods that are
known to disagree with their constitutional remedy.For example a patient taking Bryonia is often made sick
from eating vegetable salads.It is
wise to caution persons under the influence of pulsatilla to avoid the use
of fatty foods, as it will upset the action of the remedy.At the same time increase in the intake of coffee in
diet will enhance the curative action of medicines like aconite, arsenic alb and
colocynth.
There is no general rule on the dietetic
restrictions for all the patients.
In other words, the foods that
should be avoided temporarily and that should be taken by a patient differ from
one patient to another
depending up on individuality of each case as well as that of the patient.
(Dr.Kent says “In accordance with a principle and
not by rule... do not have one list of foods for your
patients, do not have a list of things for everybody. There is no such
thing in Homoeopathy”).
4. In acute fevers.
Apart from all this, in acute febrile conditions,
plenty of fluids (as much as the patient normally can)
preferably isotonic will be the best advice. Juices of citrus fruits, tender
coconut water, soups etc are all
very good and also readily available at home.
Also, in acute cases restriction of dietary items is
not advisable unless some food items are strongly
contra indicated in the malady.As
the master himself said “In acute diseases, on the other hand-except
in cases of mental alienation - the subtle unerring internal essence of the
awakened life preserving faculty |
determines so clearly and precisely, that the physician only requires to councel
the friends and attendants
to put no obstacles in the way of the voice of
nature by refusing any thing the patient urgently desires in
the way of food or by trying to persuade him to partake of anything injurious”.($262, Organon of Medicine).
5. Conclusion
Serious illnesses are associated with chance of
severe nutritional depletion because patients may be
unable to take, digest or absorb their food and also due to the loss of large
amount of Calories.
The major problem in the nutritional support is to
provide water, calories and proteins to the patient.
The type of diet, its ingredients, quantity,
concentration rate and route of feeding depends up on the
requirements of the patient, nature of his illness and the ability of the GI
tract to absorb sufficient nutrients.
The basis of dietary additions and restrictions is
according to the precise diagnosis.
(A Homoeopath should impose dietary addition and
restrictions not only according to the diagnosis
but according to the similimum also).
6.References
1.
Rudman.D- Diet Therapy Chapt.74
2.
Jeejeebhoy K.N., Baker J.P- Parenteral Nutrition Chapt.75
3.Braunwald.E, Isselbacher K.J ET al- Harrison’s Principles of Internal
Medicine 11th
Ed. Companion Handbook. 4.Park .K- Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine 15th Ed.
5.
Santwani M.T- Practical Diet Guide in Homoeopathy. B.Jain Publishers New Delhi
6.
Teachers of M.C. Calicut- Doctors Pocket Companion
7.
Debora Tkae-The Doctors Book of Home Remedies Rajendra Publishing house Pvt.Ltd.,
P 258-264.
8.
Edwards C.R.W, Bouchier IADET al- Principles and Practice of Medicine 15th
edition.Churchill Livingstone
9.
Krishna Das K.V- Textbook of Medicine 3rd edition Jaypee Brothers Medical
Publishers
10.Kent,
James Tyler- Lectures on Materia Medica. B.Jain Publishers New Delhi. Top | Back
to Sample-articles
When we think about valuable therapeutic
agents of various homoeopathic materia medica available at present
and comparing it with the possible advanced types of materia medica in
the future, we would be astonished to see that our present treasure of
medicines is much less than what is really required for dealing with
the ever increasing human ailments.The number of new homoeopathic medicines which will be added
in our pharmacology are beyond limits because, anything which can make
a change in the healthy state is something which is surely to be
considered as an agent which is therapeutically effective.Nature creates diseases and as a compensation it also creates
materials which can conquer these disturbing, debilitating and
destructive forces effectively.
Each and every nation has abundant
treasure of indigenous therapeutic agents.The question regarding the origin, nature and market value of
these drug substances are not the primary matter of concern, because
even a member from a precious stone family may not provide much help
as pure flint do.Here
let me quote P.B. Bell’s emphatic statement, “whether derived from
purest gold or purest filth, our gratitude for its excellent service
forbids us to inquire or care.”The only thing one has to do is to explore the therapeutic
possibilities of these agents effectively.Here comes the need of observations, pharmacological
experimentations and clinical trials of the suspected and apparently
useful medicinal agents.
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann elaborately described
various sources of information regarding the pathogenetic powers (and
thereby the curative powers) of medicinal substances in the aphorisms
105-145.Among this we
know that drug proving on healthy human beings is the most important,
reliable and recommendable source.He wrote that every medicine exhibits peculiar actions on the
human frame, which are not produced in exactly of a different kind
(apho.118).He also told
that anyone who has a thorough knowledge of, and can appreciate the
remarkable difference of, effects on the health of man of every single
substance from those of every other, will readily perceive that among
them there can be, in a medical point of view, no equivalent remedies
whatever, no surrogates (foot note of apho.119)-ie, no medicine can be
used as a substitute for another one.
He said that morbid lesions which resulted
from medicinal substances when taken into the stomach of healthy
persons, either in large doses given by mistake or inorder to produce
death in themselves or others, or under other circumstances, accorded
very much with his own observations when he was experimenting with the
same substances on himself and other healthyindividuals.In
addition to these accidental, homicidal and suicidal poisoning cases,
Dr. Hahnemann also described about Idiosyncrasy as a source of
information regarding the disease producing properties of substances
(apho.117). Eventhough the hypersensitiveness is a constitutional
peculiarity, the basis of such manifestations cannot be attributed to
the peculiar constitution alone, because the power of producing such
manifestations lies with the particular substance itself.
The therapeutic use of more and more
agents from vegetable, animal and mineral origin and also from various
energies should be discoverd and systematically arranged so that these
can be used as valuable medicines.Among these sources vegetable group play an important role
especially when we think about the possibility of the additon of new
medicines because of the availability of a large number of plants
both cryptogams and phanerogams around us.
Now let us think something about the plant
‘Abrus precatorius’, which is commonly seen in India, but the
medicinal properties of which is not well known, especially in the
Homoeopathic point of view.Our traditional system of medicine namely Ayurveda explained
about the plant regarding the parts used and also the individual
therapeutic properties of these parts in the angle of ayurvedic
approach.In Homoeopathy
we know that it is not a well proved drug substance and is using
ayurvedic instructions of medication. Well, it will be far away from
classical Homoeopathy.So
it is high time to prove this drug on healthy human beings in
non-toxic doses and obtain a portrait of the pathogenetic effects.
Anyway we are lucky to have so many
toxicological effects of this plant and its various parts which will
help us to know about its Homoeopathic therapeutic aspect upto cerain
extent.It also gives an
idea about the part or parts which is to be used for the preparation
of our medicine, about the nature and strength (dilution) of the
extracts to be used and also about the precautions to be taken during
drug proving.So let us
now consider about this plant in a systematic way. Botanical name:Abrus precatorius Synonyms:Abrus aaculatus,
Abrus minor; Abrus pauciflorus; Abrus squamulosus; Indian liquorice;
Jequirity. Names in different languages
English:Crab’s eye vine
Malayalam:Kunni
Sanskrit:Gunga, Kakachinji;
Kakanandi; Kakadanee; Kakavallari; Kakacheelu; Rakthika;
Hindi:Rati, Ghungchi
Tamil:Kunti
Telugu:Guriginja
Kannada:Galaganji
Bengali:Kunch
Marathi:Gunj Family:Leguminosae Distribution:All over India, in land
up to 1000 metres high; also cultivated in gardens.
Description
Macroscopic:-
Abrus precatorius is a beautiful
deciduous, creeping or climbing plant.Stem is about 1.2 cm. in diameter; branches slender, flexible
and tough.
Leaves 5-10 cm. long compound, paripinnate;
Leaflets narrow, 10-20 pairs, opposite, increasing slightly in size
from the base, 7.5 to 23mm by 3.6 to 6 mm, linear or linear oblong,
thinly depressed, silky beneath.Rachis produced beyond the last pair of leaflets as a soft
bristle.Leaves may taste
sweety when chewed.
Inflorescence one sided, usually leaf bearing, axillary, pedunculate
raceme, 5-10 cm long.
Flowers may be red, purple, yellowish, pink or white and are like the
flowers of pea,1.0 to 1.25 cm long, clustered on tubercles arranged
along the rachis of raceme.Seed pot (fruit) have more or less the shape of beans (pod),
borne in clusters, 2.5-4.5 by 1.0-1.25c.m, turgid, thinly pubescent,
having a sharp deflexed beak, green when immature, becoming brown and
dry later, splitting open and remaining on the branch with 3-6 seeds
exposed.Seeds egg shaped
(ovoid), hard, smooth and polished.The colour of the seed may be either of these-bright scarlet
red with a black spot at the hilum; white with black spot; all white;
all black; all yellowish or all blue.Seeds are odourless and tasteless.Each seed is about 8 mm long and 6 mm broad and average weight
of each seed is about 105mg.They were used by Indian goldsmiths for weighing silver and
gold.
Microscopic:-(Seed)
Seed coat:-Testa and tegmen fused.From outer to inner there are 5 types of cells.
(a) Epidermis;
single layer of tangentially elongated thick walled cells.
(b) 7-10 layers of red
colour bearing (towards proximal portion) and black colour bearing
(towards distal portion) thin walled tangentially flattened cells.
(c) A zone of 1-2 layers
of rectangular cells.
(d) 8-10 layers of highly
sinous thick walled sclerotic cells
(e) Single layer of
hyaline sclerotic palisade cells.
Cotyledon:-There are two types of cells.
(a) Epidermis of 1-2
layers of thin walled angular cells.
(b) Cells of ground
tissue having conspicuous beaded cell walls and full of starch
granules.
Toxicological aspects
Abrus precatorius is mainly an organic
irritant poison.All
parts of the plant are poisonous.Seeds contain a variety of poisonous proteins, among which the
most important one is abrin, a thermolabile toxalbumin, which
is very similar to viperine snake venom in their physiological and
toxic properties.In
addition to abrin the seeds contain a fat-splitting enzyme; Abrine,
an aminoacid, haemagglutinine in the cotyledons; Abralin, a
glycoside; Abrussic acid and urease. The root and stem
also contain an active principle, glycyrrhizin.The shell of the seed contain a red colouring matter.
Abrin, the most important active principle
of Abrus precatorius seed is a tasteless, amorphous, pale grey solid
substance.It dissolves
readily in cold water, and the solution which is of slight yellowish
in colour froths on agitation. Abrin is also soluble in glycerin.When taken internally by mouth, the gastric juice has some
inactivating action on it.Abrin loses its activity on boiling, and therefore the seeds
when cooked can be taken without any harmful effects.It is said that the powdered seeds in 60-200mg doses boiled
with milk are used as a nervine tonic.
Method of extracting abrin from the
seeds
First remove the seed envelope and the
inner portion is taken and rubbed in a mortar with 4% sodium chloride
solution in which abrin is soluble.It is allowed to settle when the sodium chloride solution of
abrin is separated out.
This process is repeated twice or thrice.The combined extracts are filtered and concentrated in vacuo.They are then acidified with acetic acid and saturated with
sodium chloride to precipitate the abrin.The precipitate is separated and purified by dialysis in a
parchment dialyzer for several days.Lastly the residual abrin is dried in vacuo over sulphuric acid
when an amorphous powder is obtained.
Identification tests of Abrin
(a) Physiological:-
A watery infusion of abrin or a decoction
of the seeds, if dropped into the eye causes purulent ophthalmia.
(b) Agglutination test:-
If one or two drops of abrin solution made
by dissolving 0.1gm of the substance in 10ml of 4% sodium chloride
solution are added to 2ml of defibrinated blood in a small test-tube,
the red blood corpuscles agglutinate into a mass resembling sealing
wax.
Fatal dose of abrin:- 90-120mg.
If injected subcutaneously abrin is 100 times as toxic as by oral
route.
A dose of about 0.0001mg-0.0002mg of abrin per kilogram of body
weight, injected subcutaneously said to be poisonous.
Fatal period:- 24 hours to 5 days.
Symptoms and signs of Abrus precatorius
poisoning
[Pathological Drug Proving,
Partial Proving]
Symptoms may be delayed from a few hours
to 2-3 days. If uncooked seeds are taken, the following signs and
symptoms develop.They
include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, sunken
eyes, cold perspiration, trembling of the hands, dyspnoea, weak, rapid
and irregular pulse, vertigo, faintness, rectal bleeding, oliguria and
features of uraemia.
If injected subcutaneously in man, at the
site of injection painful swelling and ecchymosis develop with
inflammation and necrosis; generalised septicemia and haemolysis can
occur.There may develop
convulsions and death may occur from cardiac failure (cardiac
paralysis) within 3-5 days.
A decoction of the decorticated seeds or a
watery infusion of abrin if instilled into the eyes will produce
purulent ophthalmia and may cause fatal poisoning due to its
absorption through the conjuctiva and here also certain features of
generalised poisoning can occur.
An extract of the seeds if injected
subcutaneously in an animal causes inflammation, oedema, oozing of
haemorrhagic fluid from the site of puncture and necrosis surrounding
the site of injection within few hours.There is disinclination to take food and three or four days
later it drops down and is unable to move.Then it becomes cold, drowsy and comatose or may develop
tetanic convulsions and dies within the next 24 to 48hours.The symptoms resemble those of viperine snake bite, so one may
think that the animal died from the effects of snake bite.
Autopsy studies in man shows ecchymotic
patches under the skin, pleura, pericardium and peritoneum.The mucous membrane of stomach and intestine is highly
congested with numerous haemorrhagic patches on its surface as well
as in the interio
r of the organs, such as lungs, liver and spleen.
History and authority as regards to
Homoeopathic use.
First mentioning and few symptomatology of
Abrus precatorius as a homoeopathic medicine is done by Dr.William
Boericke in his Homoeopathic Materia Medica under the heading
Jequirity.
Parts used:-Seeds
Boericke mentioned certain conditions
where Abrus precatorius can be used. They are epithelioma; lupus;
ulcers; eye complaints like purulent conjunctivitis-inflammation
spreads to face and neck; granular ophthalmia and keratitis.Here we find that there is no rare, striking, singular,
uncommmon or characteristic features which can help us to
individualise this particular medicine and select it as a remedy, when
a patient is brought to us with the above mentioned pathological
conditions. This is because of the fact that the drug is not well
proved.So here comes the
need of thorough drug proving of Abrus precatorius seeds.We can also conduct drug proving using the active principle
Abrin alone.[The drug
picture of the entire seed and abrin alone may not be the same.So here we can have even two different medicines.] While
conducting drug proving we should not forget that the seed as such is
poisonous and we should not select potencies below 3x.
Preparation of the mother tincture
To prepare one litre of the mother tincture, take
Fine powder of Abrus precatorius seed-
100gm
Purified water-320ml
Strong alcohol-700ml
Drug strength of the mother tincture is 1/10 or 1x
Preparation of potencies
2x and higher potencies can be prepared using dispensing alcohol as
the vehicle.
Caution:- Mother tincture should not be taken internally as it is
highly toxic and abortive.
Potencies to be used:-
In classical homoeopathic prescriptions
one can freely use 30th potency and above.
More clinical conditions where Abrus
precatorius can be used:-
Based on the toxicological effects
(Pathological drug proving) let me mention some of the clinical
conditions where this drug can be used in addition to those mentioned
by Boericke.They are
cholera, gastritis, dysentery, typhoid, cellulitis, gangrene, purpura,
hypertension, nephritis, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction,
valvular insufficiency, cardiomyopathies, epilepsy, brain tumour,
septicemia and septicemic shock, tetanus and late sequelae of viperine
snake bite.
In additon to drug proving we can also
conduct clinical trials using the drug in 30th potency and above and
try to have an idea about the therapeutic use of it.Anyway thorough drug proving is essential so that this medicine
can have a better position both in our materia medica and in our mind
References:-
(1)Text book of
Homoeopathic Pharmacy:Mandal and Mandal
(2)‘Oushadha
Sasyangal’:Dr:S.Nesamony
(3)The Essentials of
Forensic Medicine and Toxicology:Dr:K.S. Narayan Reddy
(4)Hand book of Forensic
Medicine & Toxicology (Medical Jurisprudence) : Dr:P.V. Chadha
(5)Modi’s Medical
Jurisprudence and Toxicology:N.J.Modi
(6)Encyclopaedia of
Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia; Vol II:P.N. Varma & Indu Vaid
(7)Materia Medica with
Repertory : Boericke
(8) Organon of
Medicine:Dr:Samuel Hahnemann. Top | Back to Sample-articles
Diseases of heart and circulation
attributes to 50% of deaths.Angina pectoris, the name itself depicts a picture of intense
agony and the mere mentioning of such a case often steals a beat out
of even the most experienced physician’s heart.It is in such tricky situations that rare drugs come of help.
Here we are going to discuss about two
rare drugs those come from two different kingdom viz.animal and
vegetable.
1.Latrodectus mactans
It is a spider of genus Retitelariae under the family Theridide.It is a native of America.The females, after copulation eat up the male; hence they are
also known as ‘Black widow’.
The venom is often lethal and a bite can produce tetanic effects that
lasts for several days.
Its pathogenesis and effects were published in 1933 by Hering proving
committee.
It causes cramps of muscles, haemorrhage of black blood, vascular
spasms of extremities and the precordial region seem to be the centre
of attack.Coagulability
of blood is lowered considerably.Angina pectoris, Vasomotor ataxia, constriction of chest
muscles with radiation of pain down the axilla, left arm and forearm
to the fingers are the main indications.
Mother tincture is prepared from the live insect.Trituration from 6x and higher dilutions are highly advisable
in Angina pectoris.
Symptoms which often indicate the drug includes:
Anxiety with intense fear of death
Violent constrictive pain of precordial region radiating towards
armpit along the left arm to fingers with numbness of the extremity
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10). Later most violent precordial pain & pain
inleft arm which seems
about to be paralysed (1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10).
Sinking sensation at abdomen and cramping pain from chest to abdomen
(10)
Coldness of body with rapid soft thready pulse (4,6,8) Pulse so
frequent that it can’t be counted and so feeble that it can’t be felt
(1,2,3,4,5) Pulse 130/mt. (1,2,3).
With intense distress patient cries out, screams with pain.Pain in precordium with apnoea.Screaming fearfully (4) exclaiming that she would loose her
breath and die (1, 6 ,7) with sensation of severe thoracic
constriction (4)
Hesitating speech with weeping
Coldness of whole surface.Skin cold as marble (3, 7, 10)
Blood, when cupped flows like water; will not coagulate (1,3,4,5,8).Haemorrhage of black blood; black vomit, stool copious & black.Vomiting of black blood which ameliorates
Vascular spasm of the extremities.Shivers, Vascular hypotonia (4)
Complaints of thermal regulation.Shivers with temperature and profuse perspiration
Trembling tongue with great thirst, vomits what he drinks.
Itchingand redness of
the part bitten, at first without pain
Cold sweat and above all pains like those of angina pectoris(4,5,6,7)
Loss of vital heat
Puffiness of face
Blood: Leucocytosis (4,8) Bleeding increases, clotting time increased
blood pressure decreased (8)
General aggravation- by least movements, in the afternoon
General amelioration- by sitting still, cold bath. Over all, its
action is comparable to that of Nitroglycerine.
2. Haematoxylon Campechianum
Common name:Logwood. Order Leguminosae Habitat-West Indian Islands.
It is useful in Angina pectoris where the sensation of constriction
is characteristic (10)
The main indications of the remedy are as follows
Sensation as if a bar lay across the chest, (9,10) across the region
of heart with acute pain in left upper portion of chest (1,6) (The bar
sensation has been frequently removed by haematoxylon and in a case
of zona with agonising pain as if a bar lay across the chest,
arresting breathing, Haematoxylon served better)
Angina pectoris with soreness in cardiac region with anguish redoubled
by throbbing.Small
pulse, burning in hands and shivering of the body (1).
Sensation of weakness and palpitation
Palpitation with diminished sensitivity of feet. (1)
Palpitation with diminished sensitivity of feet. (1)
Painful sensibility of limbs with lassitude (1)
Convulsive pain in heart region with oppression (10)
Painful dysentery with colic & tympanitic distention
Bellyache with inclination to vomit (1)
General uneasiness with anxiety and anguishes
Painful digging from abdomen to throat causing sore bruised pain in
the region of heart with oppression aggravated by touch (10)
Better open air (6)
Mother tincture is prepared from the heart of the wood.Use of Q, 1-10 drops or 3rd potency is often beneficial.
References
1.
Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica-JH Clarke
2.
Gibson D.M. Studyof Homeopathic remedy
3.
GrimmerA.H. Collected works
4.
Materia Medica of New Homoeopathic Remedies - Julian O.A.
5.
Concise Materia Medica of Homoeopathic Medicine - Pathak S.R.
6.
Homoeopathic Materia Medica of Graphic Drug Pictures- Pulford. A.
7.
Samual . Key Notes
8.
Materia Medica and Repertory- Stephenson.J.A.
9.
Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica - Allen T.F.
10.Pocket Manual of
Materia Medica with Repertory - W. Boerike
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease
occurring as a delayed sequel to pharyngeal infection with group
haemolytic streptococci.It involves
principally heart, joints, central nervous system, skin, subcutaneous
tissue etc. Clinically it is characterized by
Fever
Polyarthritis
Carditis Chorea
Skin manifestations
Pleurisy etc.
The classical
work in the field of acute rheumatic fever was published in 1836 by
Jean –Bapite Builliard and in 1889 by Walter B Cheadle.
Ludwig Aschoff described specific
rheumatic lesions in the myocardium in 1904.
John’s criteria
for the guidance of the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever were
published by T.Ducket-John MD in 1944 and have been revised byAmerican
heart association.
Etiology and
Pathology
The association
between septic throat and rheumatic fever was noted in the 19th
century and in 1930 there were many reports of outbreaks of rheumatic
fever following tonsillitis or scarlet fever especially in closed
communities
The development
of serological tests for streptococcal infection established the role
of Group –A-Haemolytic streptococci
The way in which the streptococci causes
rheumatic fever is still only partially understood. The characteristic
of streptococcus is critical and the organism must be able to attach
firmly to the pharyngeal cells and produce brisk antigenic response.
Impetigo
producing strains do not cause rheumatic fever. Pharyngeal root of
infection is necessary to initiate the rheumatic process.
The direct
relationship to pathogenesis is however unproven, and streptococcus
induced autoimmunity as a mechanism to explain the rheumatic process
remains a popular concept.
The disease
represents a damaging immune response on the part of host to an
antecedent group-A- streptococci infection involving microbial agents
cross reacting with the target organ.
Incidence and
Epidemiology.
Acute
rheumatic fever is common in developing countries and in poor socio
economic groups.
Group-A-Haemolytic streptococci may occur
as a commensal in the throat in smaller population of people, some
time they will become virulent and produce outbreaks of upper
respiratory tract infection especially in children living in closed
communities like school and dormitories.
Since over-crowding and poor living
conditions predispose to the spread of infections rheumatic fever is
more common among the poor socio economic group
Risk of developing rheumatic fever after
an attack of streptococcal tonsillitis is 0.3-5%.
The most vulnerable age group is 5-15 yrs.
Both sexes are affected but there is a
female predisposition noticed in many cases.
Environmental, bacterial and host factors
appear to play roles in the development of rheumatic fever Factors
like lassitude, altitude, dampness, overcrowding, economic factors and
age affect the incidence of rheumatic fever.
Pathology
Pathological process consists ofExudative stage, seen in acute stage and a Proliferative stage
which is a more prolonged process.
In exudative stage fibrinoid necrosis of
connective tissue is seen. Inflammatory lesion is followed by oedema
of collagen fibres, which later undergoes fragmentation, and there is
alteration in the staining properties.
Hallmark of proliferative phase is Aschoff
bodies, a proliferative lesion with a central core of necrotic
material surrounded by large cells polymorphic nucleus and basophilic
cytoplasm and an outer layer of lymphocytes. These bodies have
widespread distribution in connective tissues including joints,
tendons, and blood vessels .In the heart, they are found in myocardial
tissues.
Heart
Heart is the site of most characteristic
and consequential involvement, all its layers ie endocardium,
myocardium, and pericardium may be involved, generalized involvement
give rise to the term rheumatic pancarditis.
Myocardium
The most characteristic and specific
pattern of rheumatic inflammation is found in the myocardial Aschoff’s
bodies, a granuloma which ispathognomonic of rheumatic fever.
In many areas the inflammatory lesion is
accompanied by swelling and fragmentation of collagen fibres and
alteration in the staining properties of the ground substances of
connective tissues called the fibrinoid necrosis of the collagen.
Aschoff’s bodies with less exudative and
more proliferative changes may persist for many years as a lingering
traces of chronic rheumatic inflammation in patients with rheumatic
heart diseases, long after the rheumatic fever is clinically
quiescent. Eventually the Aschoff’s bodies are converted into a
spindle shaped or triangular scar lying between muscle bundle and
surrounding blood vessels.
Endocardium
Affects valvular and mural endocardium and
produces verrucous valvulitis of acute rheumatic fever which leads to
the most serious cardiac damage. It may heal by fibrous thickening and
adhesion of the valve commissures and chordae tendinae leading to
variable degrees of valvular regurgitation and stenosis.
Deformity resulting in functional
impairment of the heart occurs most commonly in mitral and aortic
valves less frequently in tricuspid and almost never in pulmonary
valves. The scarring after mural endocarditis may be seen as Mac
callum’s patches in posterior wall of left atrium
Pericardium
Rheumatic pericarditis is a fibrinous
inflammation. Pericarditis shows a bread and butter appearance on
microscopy. Pericardial effusion may also develop.
Extra cardiac
lesions
Involvement of joints is characterized by
exudative rather than prolifarative changes and healing occurs without
any structural changes and deformity.
Subcutaneous nodules are seen in acute
phase of the disease. These nodules are composed by granulomas with
localized areas of fibrinoid swelling of subcutaneous collagen bundles
and perivascular collection of large cells with pale nuclei and
prominent nucleoli.
Pulmonary
and pleural lesions are less specific and less characteristic.
Clinical
features
The major
clinical manifestations by which rheumatic fever can be recognized are
Epistaxis
Erythema nodosum
Vague discomfort. It
starts with remittent or intermittent pyrexia with characteristic
sweating, followed by polyarthritis and carditis.
Arthritis Classic attack of rheumatic
fever starts as an acute migratory polyarthritis accompanied by signs
and symptoms of an acute febrile illness.
Large joints of the extremities are most frequently involved with
acute inflammation and exquisite pain, which makes the subject
immobile.
Knees and ankles are most commonly involved followed by hip, elbows,
wrist, shoulder etc.
Small joints of the hands and feet and axial joints are rarely
involved.
As pain and swelling subsides in one joint other joints tend to become
involved.This type of migratory nature is not a must Some times
several joints may be involved at one time.
Carditis
There may be clinical features of Endocarditis
Myocarditis
Pericarditis in varying combinations.
Endocarditis
This is evidenced by the appearance of
murmurs or change in quality of already existing murmurs.
Mitral, aortic, tricuspid and pulmonary valves are affected in the
order of frequency. Acute valvulitis may lead to mitral and aortic regurgitation; some
times a low pitched middiastolic murmur may be heard in the mitral
area due to acute mitral valvulitis called cary-coombes murmur. It is
transient and disappears as the valvulitis subsides.
As the valvulitis heals fibrosis occurs and these distort the valve
apparatus resulting in stenosis and regurgitate lesions.
Myocarditis
Clinical
manifestations include
Tachycardia out of proportion to fever.
Arrhythmia.
Gallop rhythm and
Congestive cardiac failure.
Arrhythmias includes
Frequent ectopics
Paroxysmal tachycardia
Atrial fibrillation
Heart block.
Pericarditis
Clinically
manifested as
Chest pain
Presence of pericardial rub
Small pericardial effusion.
Rheumatic Chorea
(Sydenham’schorea,St.vitus dance,minor
chorea)
This is a disorder of central nervous system characterized by sudden
aimless irregular movements often accompanied by muscle weakness and
emotional instability
Chorea sets in much later than the other manifestations of rheumatic
fever but in many cases it may be the only abnormality encountered.
It is most common in females.
Involuntary movements, which are quasi-purposive, nonrepetition, rapid
and jerky characterize this chorea, and these involve many distal
joints.
Upper limbs are most commonly involved but lower limbs, face and
tongue may also be involved to a lesser extent.
Emotional disturbances aggravate the chorea.
Limbs are hypotonic and when hands are outstretched they assume a
characteristic posture called choreic posture.
Movement disappears in sleep.
Chorea is self-limiting and disappears completely with in weeks or
months without leaving neurological sequelae.
Subject developing chorea having higher chance of cardiac involvement.
Skin
manifstations
Subcutaneous
nodules
Usually small, peasized painless swelling over bony prominence and
frequently go unnoticed by patients. The skin moves freely over them.
Characteristic lesions on extensor tendons of hand and feet, the
elbows, margins of patellae, scalp and over spinous process of
vertebrae.
Usually appear in patients with long standing carditis
Erythema marginatum
These are erythematous non pruritic annular lesions having clear
centres withserpiginous
borders
Seen over anterior aspect of the chest, abdomen and thighs
They spread peripherally and spread with centre cleaning. The rashes
usually fade within 24 hrs, but occur over a period of months, this
may also occur in drug reactions and in acute glomerulonephritis.
Otherrheumatic manifestations include Pleurisy, pneumonitis
etc.
Cuurse and
prognosis
Rheumatic fever
tends to subside spontaneously over a period of weeks or months. At
times the arthritis subsides but the cardiac manifestation may
progress.
The course of this disease extends over several months or a few years
with remissions and relapses.
Mortality in acute phase is due to cardiac failure or heart block.
Risk of developing cardiac lesions and worsening of the existing
lesions is increased with successive relapses.
Diagnosis
Clinically rheumatic fever
should be considered in all cases of prolonged fevers in India.Rapid
pulse, arthritis, skin manifestation and carditis are suggestive of
the diagnosis. Streptococcal infection may be demonstrable either by
throat swab culture or by serological methods.
Serodiagnosis
1.Anti
streptolysine O (ASO)
2.
Antistreptokinase (ASK)
3.Anti deoxy
riboneucleotidase B (Anti DNASeB)
4.Anti
nicotinamide - adenine dineucleotidase (Anti NADase)
5.Anti
Hyaluronidase (AA)
6.Anti
Streptozyme test.
ASO titre has been widely accepted as one
of the more easily available diagnostic test and any value?
Above 250 Todd units in adults and 333 Todd units in children is
suggestive.
About 20% of patients in the early stages of acute rheumatic fever and
most patients who present with chorea, have a low or border line ASO
titre. In these cases it is advisable to obtain a different
streptococcal antibody test like Anti DNA seB or Anti Hyaluronidase.
Anti streptozyme test is a haem agglutination reaction to a
concentrate of extracellular streptococcal antigens absorbed to red
blood cells. This is a very sensitive test.
Acute phase reactants.
These are lab tests that are helpful in the acute phase of the
illness.
Values of ESR and C- reactive proteins are elevated.
There may be neutrophill leucocytosis.
Presence of carditis is suggested by ECG abnormalities which may show
sinus tachycardia, ectopic beat or first or second degree heart
block-Voltage of QRS is low,ST elevation,T wave depression.
Modified
Jone’s criteria
(1965) is the accepted criteria for diagnosis.
Major criteria
denote more specific lesions, were as Minor criteria are nonspecific
For diagnosis of a case of rheumatic fever two major criterias or one
major and two minor criterias should be present In Indian subjects
polyarthralgia is also taken as a major criteria if supported by an
evidence of streptococcal infection.
Major criteria
1.Carditis
2.Polyarthritis
3.Chorea
4.Subcutaneous
nodules.
5.Erythema
marginatum.
Minor criteria
1.Previous
rheumatic fever or history of rheumatic heart diseases.
2.Fever
3.Acute phase
reactants
4.Prolongation of
PR interval.
All these major
and minor criterias should be associated with the evidence of
preceding streptococcal infection.
Differential Diagnosis.
Acute rheumatic
fever should be distinguished from other form of poly arthritis.
Gonococcal polyarthritis.
Subacute bacterial endocarditis
Persistent viremeas.
Rubella
Hepatitis Betc.
Migratory nature and absence of deformity suggest the diagnosis.
Treatment.
Strict bed rest
until the acute phaseis over. Reactants are normal for two successive weeks.
Treatment should be continued till ESR becomes normal.
Medicines like
Rhus tox, Pulsatilla, Aconite, Calc carb, Chamomilla, Colchicumetc are very important in treatment. Medicines like Medorrhinum,
Tuberculinum, Syphillinum are useful as intercurrent remedies.
Repertorial
study
In most of the
repertories we can see rubrics related to rheumaticfever,some of them
are direct and some are indirect.
On many instances we can’t get a direct rubric for rheumatic fever so
we have to search for rubric related to the symptomatology of
rheumatic fever.
(This is the first prize winning
article in a essay competition by Homoeopathic Medical Panorama for Students. Excerpts
are only given here. Full Article is available only on request)
“Health
is a crown on man’s head, which no one can see, but the sick man.”Egyptian Proverb.
This proverb is true in its full sense and has greater importance in this first
step of the 21st century, a time, where countless number of ‘disease’ rule
the human body.It is high time to
find out the root cause of illness; else our generation would be re-christened
as walking and talking pharmaceuticals! Here comes the relevance of Hahnemannian
theory, which is probably the only true theory that is able to explain the
original cause of every manifestation of the human body or rather the human
spirit and its deviations. Even at the summit of advances in the field of
science and technology, one should dare turn back to the theories-I should call
the truths-explained by Dr. Hahnemann from the western corner of the globe, a
couple of centuries back, and should be wise enough to understand and follow it.This theory, the theory of chronic diseases includes, all sorts of
deranged manifestations of our vital energy during illness.To understand how far our perception should be found on miasm,a fair understanding of the origin of diseases of would help.
The state of disease dates back to the time when man was incarnated in the image
of the Almighty.Man was created as
holy and to be holy, but disobedience, which is the first sin, committed by the
first man had reaped the seed of evil, in the soil of human spirit.This evil was transmitted generation after generation only to become
complicated and to manifest in a more complex form.Thus we see that all sickness is a perversion of law and the
symptomatology of all disease is the symptomatology of the broken law.Since sin is the transgression of law, the wages of sin is death.Likewise if disease force, whose root is the first sin, dominates over
the vital force, it will finally cause the decline of the person.
It was during the Anno Domini centuries, that diseases were studied seriously.Many revolutionists sprung up, but could not shine due to lack of
evidence to explain the CAUSE of disease. Then came our great master, Dr. Samuel
Hahnemann, a prodigy of homoeopathic philosophy.He utilized a lion’s share of his lifetime searching and researching on
what he has seen and experienced, about the disease manifestations, which later
became a turning point in the history of medical science.
At the time of Dr. Hahnemann, the term miasm, which originated from the Greek
word ‘miasma’, was used for morbid emanations or efflua arising from the
bodies of those affected by certain diseases. It only meant polluting
exhalations or malarial poisons.The
term was purely materialistic to show that there could be some agent, probably
very small, which turned to be disease causing.
....................................................................................................................................................................
As explained by Dr. J.H. Allen, it is through the mind that man sins; therefore
it’s frequently through it that he becomes diseased.Man thinks, wills and he acts, as out of that triad comes the visible
physical manifestation of venereal disease.The mind is the vice regent of the body, the government, the ruling
power.The body is subject to it in
many ways, therefore subservient to it.But
if with the mind, we violate a law or principle of life, the body cannot shield
it, for our body too is under the same law. Therefore we sets the witness
against itself.We can hide nothing
from the law.A broken precept
cries through out until it is made right.Like
wise, miasm the internal quality if disturbed, manifests at first in the less
important organs and if by any chance this manifestation is suppressed, it will
be more violently expressed through more important organs.
The correction of the disturbance is to be done by administering an
antimiasmatic remedy, which should, no doubt be the similimum.If the disturbed vitality of a person is compared with a musical
instrument, which is out of tone, the person will have no perfect rhythm; the
notes, even the whole scale of movement is interfered with, and the action of
the sickness depends upon the perverted vibratory changes. Hence no question
arises in the administration of similimum, for every remedy has its own
peculiar mode of action, of motion of vibration.When the prescription is based on the miasmatic background, the deranged
vital force is corrected, the harmony is restored and the person is brought back
to perfect rhythm.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Next is the prevention of manifestation of diseases before its
occurrence.For example, in infants
many a condition can be avoided, if we know the derangement that runs in their
families.If psoric miasmatic
manifestations predominate in the family, we can prevent the functional and
thereby the pathologic manifestation that disturbs the inner man.This is the distinctive quality of the homoeopathic system of medicine.Thus those parents with a history of tuberculosis, for example can
prevent the pathology in their children, if people antimiasmatic remedy is given
to the child at the right time.We
can also avoid the worse influence of the active miasm, by giving antimiasmatic
remedy to the expectant mother. Dr. Kent in his lectures say that the best time
to prevent the worse effect of the active miasm is by giving the similimum
during pregnancy. A case can be illustrated, where a female child of ten years
of age presented with a lot of functional disturbances.She used to be very frightened, watching violent scenes on television and
used to be become violent.She was
by nature very afraid and was so scared of walking alone.No underlying cause for this was known, except that the mother developed
a similar type of fear while she was pregnant with the child.She was very scared of crossing roads and the child now shows the same
fear.No medical man would give
importance to such complaints except a homoeopath.If we search for the cause from our philosophical or logical thinking, it
is very easily understood that, it is that quality, that trait which was active
in the mother while she was pregnant, which was transmitted to the child.It would have been dormant for 10 years, but became active due to some
exciting cause of which the mother would be probably ignorant.This condition could have been better avoided if proper antimiasmatic
remedy was given during pregnancy. A generation with better qualities could be
molded, if they are nurtured, right from embryonic life.
By learning the miasm, prediction of diseases that would occur in later life can
be done.As we are very sure of the
different manifestation of the existing miasm, a physician out of experience
could predict what new change will be found in the patient.We see that the disease occurs from centre to periphery, but the
manifestation of disease begins from the less important organs and later shift
to the more important vital organs.This
is because, the vital force will expire the internal derangement to the more
exterior.We also know from the
Hering’s law of cure, that cure occurs from the reverse order of its
appearance.Thus from a detailed
case taking, ordinal number of symptoms could be easily elicited.Again we can also predict the worsening effect or further derangement of
our vital energy that would occur in the absence of proper treatment.An example for the condition would occur in the absence of proper
treatment.An example for the
condition would suffice in which, it is often found that those with uterine
fibroid are often found to develop warts on dorsum of their palms, around the
neck etc., by the diminution of the size of the growth.No pathology can explain this, but a scientific explanation of the
underlying miasm.It is often
interesting to see that an experienced physician after case taking would ask the
patient about certain diseases that were already present in his family, even
before him mentioning about it.This
is because; a proper study of miasm will help us plot a graph of the previous
symptoms and the symptoms that might occur, against the time axis.
...................................................................................................................................................................
What more do we need? It is as if we are back to square one! The greatest
scientists of the world speak about what our master has said a couple of
centuries back! Yes, it is credit, that what Dr. Hahnemann said during his times
is acknowledged in this 21st century.Let
us remember what apostle Paul said to be Galatians “Let us not become weary in
doing what is good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest, if we do
not give up.” Let us hope, this is the proper time to reap the harvested of
that Dr. Hahnemann sowed in the field of homoeopathy.
Every physician who sincerely wishes to make cure rapid, gentle and permanent
should never forget our master’s motto. “DARE TO BE WISE” Top | Back
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