Ilex aquifolium
Plant · Aquifoliaceae
Ilex aquifolium is a remedy for intermittent fever with marked ophthalmic symptoms including infiltration of the cornea, staphyloma, and nightly burning in the orbits. The leaves have traditionally been equated with Cinchona for intermittent fever. A notable modality is that all symptoms are better in winter.
Key symptoms
- Intermittent fever
- Infiltration of cornea; staphyloma
- Nightly burning in orbits
- Rheumatic inflammation of the eye; psilosis
- Spleen pain
- Diarrhoea; jaundice
Worse (aggravation)
- Summer (intermittent fever seasons)
- Heat
Better (amelioration)
- Winter (all symptoms better)
American Holly
Intermittent fever. Marked eye symptoms, spleen pain. All symptoms better in winter.
Eye
Infiltration of cornea; staphyloma; nightly burning in orbits, rheumatic inflammation of eye; psilosis.
Relationship
Ilex Paraguayensis-Yerba Mate--(Persistent epigastric pain; sense of dryness of mouth and pharynx, anorexia, pyrosis, nervous depression, neurasthenia. Somnolence; incapacity for work, diminution of urinary secretion, headache and pruritus. Hemicrania. Renal colic. Is said to be of use as a prophylactic against sunstroke, being a safe stimulant to the circulation, to diaphoresis and diuresis). Ilex vomitoria--Yaupon--(Emetic properties-Possesses also tonic and digestive qualities, free from sleepless effects. Has an active principle said to act as a powerful diuretic-employed in nephritis and gout). Ilex Cassine--(Christmas berry Tea)-Excellent diuretic and substitute for tea.
Holly. N. O. Aquifoliaceæ. Tincture of fresh leaves, berries, and young shoots.
Clinical
Diarrhœa. Eyes, affections of. Intermittent fever. Jaundice. Psilosis. Spleen, pain in. Staphyloma.
Characteristics
The best-known members of the Ilex genus are the common Holly and the Ilex Paraguayensis, or Paraguay tea, from which the drink called Maté is made. The leaves of Ilex aq. are reputed to be equal to Cinchona in the treatment of intermittent fever. Haller commended the juice of the leaves in jaundice, the berries are purgative and emetic. Hale quotes Rafinesque as saying, "The decoction and wine have been used for cough, pleurisy, colic, gout, and rheumatism." Cooper has cured with it pain in spleen. His keynote indication for it is: "Symptoms > in winter." He improved with it a bad case of chronic deafness having this peculiarity. A feeling of irritation in urethra with constant dropping from orifice, probably prostatic, in a man about 50, disappeared after a dose of Ø. Hale quotes an article by Dr. …
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
