Leptandra virginica

Veronicastrum virginicum · Plant · Plantaginaceae

BoerickeClarkeNashPhatak

Leptandra Virginica is a liver and portal circulation remedy suited to bilious and malarial conditions. The characteristic symptom is profuse black, tarry stools. Jaundice with liver aching extending to a chilly spine and marked mental depression accompany the bowel disturbance.

Key symptoms

Profuse black, fetid, tarry stools with pain at umbilicus
Jaundice with clay-coloured stools
Aching in region of liver extending to spine which feels chilly
Yellow-coated tongue with great distress in stomach and intestines with desire for stool
Dull frontal headache with vertigo, drowsiness, and depression
Bleeding piles and prolapse of rectum with haemorrhoids
Rectal haemorrhage
Bilious states with enfeebled portal circulation

Worse (aggravation)

Cold drinks (burning stomach worse)
Motion (nausea and faintness worse)
Wet weather
Morning on moving (stools worse)
Meat or vegetables

Better (amelioration)

Lying on abdomen or on side
After stool (brief relief; only colic continues in moderate degree)

William Boericke

Homoeopathic Materia Medica · 1901

Culver's Root (LEPTANDRA)

A liver remedy, with jaundice and black, tarry stools. Bilious states. Enfeebled portal circulation. Malarial conditions.

Head

Dull frontal pain; vertigo, drowsiness, and depression. Smarting and aching in eyes.

Stomach

Tongue coated yellow. Great distress in stomach and intestines, with desire for stool. Aching in region of liver extending to spine, which feels chilly.

Stool

Profuse black, fetid stools, with pain at umbilicus. Bleeding piles. Typhoid stools turn black and look like tar. Clay colored stools with jaundice. Prolapse of rectum with hæmorrhoids. Rectal hæmorrhage.

Relationship

Compare: Podop; Iris; Bry; Merc; Ptel; Myrica.

Dose

Tincture, to third potency.

John Henry Clarke

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1900

Leptandra Virginica. Veronica Virginica. Black Root. Culver's Physic. Tall Speedwell (U.S.A.). N. O. Scrophulariaceæ. Tincture of resinoid Leptandrin. Tincture of fresh root of second year. Trituration of dried root. (A fresh plant tincture should also be made and tested.)

Clinical

Ascites. Bilious attack. Bilious fever. Constipation. Diarrhœa. Dysentery. Dyspepsia. Headache. Jaundice. Liver, affections of. Remittent fever, infantile. Yellow fever.

Characteristics

Leptandra in the form of the resinoid Leptandrin has been the subject of an heroic proving by Burt. As one of the grand characteristics of its relative Digitalis is whitestools, so the grand characteristic of Lept. is black stools. The following experience of Dr. Burt fairly epitomises the drug's action: "For the last two hours" (i.e., six hours after the second dose on the fourth day of proving) "have been in awful pain and distress in umbilical and hypogastric region; drinking cold water < the pain very much; dull, aching, burning …

Continue Clarke in the app

Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Regional Leaders · 1901

Abdomen

Aching in liver extending to spine < in region of gall bladder.

Anus and Stool

Profuse, black, tar-like stool.

Open Nash in the app

S. R. Phatak

Materia Medica of Homoeopathic Medicines

Phatak's chapter on Leptandra virginica is available in the app.

Read Phatak in the app

Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.