Aralia racemosa
Plant · Araliaceae
The Aralia Racemosa patient suffers from nocturnal asthmatic attacks coming on after the first sleep, with spasmodic cough aggravated by lying down and extreme sensitivity to the least current of air causing violent sneezing. Copious watery, acrid, excoriating nasal discharge of salty taste and drenching night sweats are hallmarks. Prolapse of rectum and suppressed leucorrhoea may also be present.
Key symptoms
- Dry cough coming on after first sleep about midnight
- Asthma on lying down at night with spasmodic cough worse after first sleep
- Sensation of a foreign body in the throat with tickling
- Least current of air causes sneezing with copious watery excoriating nasal discharge of salty acrid taste
- Hay-fever with frequent sneezing
- Rawness and burning behind sternum
- Drenching sweat during sleep
- Extreme sensitiveness to draughts
Worse (aggravation)
- Worse on lying down (cough and asthma)
- Worse after first sleep (cough)
- Worse about 11 pm (cough)
- Worse from least current of air (sneezing)
- Worse in spring (obstruction)
American Spikenard
This is a remedy for asthmatic conditions, with cough aggravated on lying down. Drenching sweat during sleep. Extreme sensitiveness to draughts. Diarrhœa, prolapse of rectum. Aching in rectum extending upwards; worse lying on side lain upon.
Respiratory
Dry cough coming on after first sleep, about middle of night. Asthma on lying down at night with spasmodic cough; worse after first sleep, with tickling in throat. Constriction of chest; feels as if a foreign body were in throat. Obstruction worse in spring. Hay-fever; frequent sneezing. Rawness and burning behind sternum.
The least current of air causes sneezing, with copious watery, excoriating nasal discharge, of salty acrid taste.
Female
Menses suppressed; leucorrhœa foul-smelling, acrid, with pressing-down air. Lochia suppressed, with tympanites.
Modalities
Worse about 11 pm (cough).
Relationship
Compare: Pecten-Scallop (humid asthma. Quick, labored breathing. Constriction of chest, especially right side. Asthma preceded by coryza and burning in throat and chest. Attacks ends with copious expectoration of tough, frothy mucus. Worse at night). Ars iod; Naphthaline; Cepa; Rosa; Sabad; Sinapis.
Dose
Tincture, to third potency.
Spikenard (American name). Grows in rich woodlands throughout U.S.A. - N. O. Araliaceæ. Tincture of fresh root.
Clinical
Asthma. Cough. Diarrhœa. Hæmorrhoids. Hay-fever. Leucorrhœa. Prolapsus ani.
Characteristics
Aralia was used by the old herbalists and by eclectics as a remedy in phthisis and coughs, and also for leucorrhœa and other complaints of women whose secretions are acrid or suppressed. The homœopathic uses have been chiefly based on a proving by Dr. S. A. Jones, in whom it developed an attack of asthma. The symptoms were: Loud wheezing respiration coming on immediately on lying down at midnight; and he particularly noted that inspiration was very loud and more difficult than expiration. The right lung appeared more affected than the left. On turning to left side, left side seemed affected, and right side became quite free. As the attack passed off phlegm came more freely, had a salty taste, and felt warm in the mouth. The characteristic cough, according to Burnett, is "a fit of coughing occurring …
Phatak's chapter on Aralia racemosa is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
