Homeopathic Nux Vomica: Facts, Health Benefits, Uses

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Homeopathic Nux VomicaIn homeopathy, several potentially fatal, poisonous plants constitute the most useful homeopathic remedies available today. Homeopathic nux vomica is among the most common remedies made from a poisonous plant.

Nux vomica is derived from the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree—also called the poison nut, semen strychnos, quaker buttons, and maqian zi in Mandarin.

The homeopathic remedy perfectly exemplifies the homeopathic principle of “like cures like.” In other words, although the nux vomica tree seeds have potential harmful effects, when highly diluted, they can effectively treat various health conditions as a homeopathic remedy.

For instance, homeopathic nux vomica is among most popular remedies homeopaths recommend for digestive disorders, including gastritis, constipation, abdominal cramps, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is also a top remedy for hangovers, women’s health problems, headaches, emotional stress, colds and flus, and more. Read on to learn more about nux vomica, and its many health benefits and uses.

What Is Nux Vomica?

The medium-sized Strychnos nux-vomica tree is part of the Loganiaceae plant family. It will grow in open habitats, and it is native to Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. The tree has a short and thick trunk, along with oval-shaped leaves that are about two to three and a half inches long. The flowers from the plant will bloom during the colder months, and they smell foul.

The tree contains a fruit that is the size of a small apple with a hard and smooth shell. The fruit appears green, but orange when ripe. The flesh of the fruit contains five hard seeds that contain the very bitter alkaloids, brucine and strychnine.

Strychnine is sometimes used to kill animals such as rodents, foxes, and wild dogs, and is considered a lethal poison for humans in doses of 30 mg to 120 mg. Brucine is less poisonous, according to experts. However, it is known to cause peripheral motor nerve paralysis.

In the Middle Ages, nux vomica was a natural remedy for treating the plague. Although it is still used within traditional Chinese medicine and herbal medicine today, herbal nux vomica must not be taken in dosages of 30 mg or more, or for over a week at a time.

Over 30 mg may lead to side effects such as back and neck stiffness, dizziness, anxiety, restlessness, seizures, convulsions, breathing problems, liver failure, jaw and neck muscle spasms, or even death. Herbal nux vomica should not be used in those with liver conditions, or for pregnant or nursing women.

Small doses of the dried Strychnos nux-vomica seed, bark, or beans are used as a diuretic, appetite stimulant, and for treating migraine headaches, insomnia, eye diseases, digestive issues, or various heart diseases.

Herbal preparations from the dried nux vomica seeds are made into tinctures, liquid extracts, and tablets. Purchase herbal nux vomica from reputable manufacturers since accidental strychnine poisoning has been reported.

10 Uses and Health Benefits of Homeopathic Nux Vomica

Homeopathy founder Dr. Samuel Hahnemann demonstrated the effectiveness of nux vomica in 1805, and it was later featured in his book, the Materia Medica Pura. Since that point, nux vomica has been a very important remedy within homeopathic medicine.

What are the health benefits of nux vomica? The homeopathic remedy is best suited for people with workaholic personalities that drive themselves to stress. Although they have much success in their professional life, they are quite uptight and intolerant of criticism. Yet, at the same time, they are perfectionists that are often critical of others. The person will tend to overwork their bodies at work and play.

They often have high sex drives and consume too much coffee, alcohol, and rich food, while also abusing drugs. The indulgence can create sleeplessness, tension, and digestive disorders.

If the profile matches, nux vomica is often the remedy of choice for insomnia, digestive disorders, hangovers, women’s health problems, cold and flu, headaches, and emotional stress. It is also used for bladder problems, liver conditions, prostate issues, stroke, vertigo and fainting, lower back pain, asthma, and allergies and food sensitivities.

People that require nux vomica are also prone to symptoms such as hypochondria, and fear crowds, insects, and failure. The following is further detail about the key health benefits of homeopathic nux vomica.

1. Digestive Disorders

Nux vomica is a major homeopathic remedy for digestive disorders, including ulcerative colitis, IBS, vomiting, constipation, hemorrhoids, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, stomach ulcers, and gastritis caused from the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

A study published in the journal Homeopathy in 2010 found that Calendula officinalis 10c and nux vomica 10c both led to a significant reduction of H. pylori bacteria. The person’s symptoms are often aggravated from stimulants and food cravings for fatty, spicy, or rich foods. The person may also experience a loss of appetite, and they may have an addiction for laxatives.

2. Emotional Issues

Nux vomica is often used for emotional-related problems, including mental fatigue, grief, depression, anger, impatience, and irritability. The person lives a sedentary lifestyle, and is often considered ambitious, intense, critical, and jealous. They are also hypersensitive to light, noise, and touch.

3. Women’s Health Issues

The nux vomica is also well known for treating various problems associated with women’s health, including early, irregular, painful, or heavy menstruation with cramping pain. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may be triggered from a violent temper, whereas faintness will come before her menstruation.

Nux vomica is also used frequently for pregnancy symptoms, fatigue, morning sickness, constipation, leg cramps, frequent urination, and arm numbness.

4. Cold and Flu

Nux vomica is often used for the early stages of a cold or flu. It is used for symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, headaches, a dry and tickly cough, chills, and watery or sensitive eyes. It is also used for the flu when there is a shivery fever and aching muscles.

5. Insomnia

Nux vomica may be suitable for disrupted sleep and insomnia triggered by worrying about work-related issues, or an excessive lifestyle with too much coffee, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and other stimulants. The patient will also fall asleep early in the evening but will wake up around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. feeling irritable, and unable to fall back asleep until the morning.

6. Bladder Conditions

Nux vomica is a common remedy for urine and bladder infections, especially for incontinence and cystitis with irritability. It’s been said that bladder infections are responsible for six to nine million doctor’s visits each year among American women.

The classic sufferer is only able to pass small amounts of urine despite frequent urge. Symptoms improve from applying pressure on the bladder, but worsen after taking stimulants or eating spicy foods.

7. Liver Problems

Nux vomica is also used for an enlarged, congested, or inflamed liver that feels sore and heavy. The liver problem may be due to coffee, drugs, alcohol, or a bad diet.

8. Effects of Drug or Alcohol Abuse

Nux vomica may restore balance when a person has over-indulged in alcohol, coffee, or drugs. The remedy is seen as a good hangover cure, especially when there are also cramps, chronic indigestion, constipation, nervousness, and appetite loss. Patients are also prone to exhaustion due to stress.

9. Headaches

Nux vomica could be the best remedy for headaches brought on by stress, sleep loss, anger, digestive upset, or drugs or alcohol consumption. The person will also feel lightheaded and faint with a dull pressure in the head that feels as if a nail has been driven into the forehead.

10. Low Back Pain

Nux vomica is used for low back pain that forces you out of bed around 4 a.m. The sufferer must sit up to turn over. There are also muscle spasms, lameness, and a heavy, numb pain. Symptoms improve from short naps, warmth, and applying pressure on the sore back, but symptoms worsen from movement and cold.

Homeopathic Nux Vomica May Work for You

Homeopathic nux vomica can be purchased at most health food stores, and found in the supplement section. You will find it in liquid or pellet form. You can also get nux vomica from your qualified homeopath, if they determine the remedy best fits your emotional, mental, and physical symptoms.

In general, the dosage for nux vomica is one pellet or five liquid drops of the remedy every 30 minutes for intense symptoms to four hours for mild symptoms, or as recommended from your homeopath.

Once there is improvement, stop taking the remedy, and only take again if symptoms have returned. Contact your homeopath immediately if there is no improvement after three doses. A different dosage or remedy may be required for persistent or chronic symptoms.


Read More:

10 Homeopathic Remedies for Headaches

Top 10 Homeopathic Remedies for Low Back Pain


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