Homoeopathy — Page 129
Berberis Vulgaris 129 Berberis Vulgaris (Bar Berry) The plant of Berberis Vulgaris grows in hilly areas. Its fresh leaves are used in the treatment of typhoid fever. Berberis is normally used in the form of Mother Tincture and most homoeopath physicians use it in the treatment of kidney problems. However, it is a very effective remedy for gall bladder stones and deeply-rooted illnesses of the liver. When liver dysfunction has affected the heart also, Berberis Vulgaris will be useful, though by itself it is not a tonic for the heart. Primarily, it is a remedy for liver dysfunction. The ailment of the heart, secondary to the liver failure would certainly be responsive to Berberis Vulgaris. Berberis is also very effective for joint pains. Its use promotes the excretion of injurious acidic substances through the urine and the body feels relieved. The joint pains decrease. The Berberis patient feels irritation and itching as if something is creeping inside the nose. Often, the cold settles in the left nostril and becomes chronic. The mouth is dry and the tongue sticks due to dryness. It feels burnt and abrased. Sometimes, there is frothy sputum at the mouth with the consistency of thrashed cotton which does not, however, make the mouth moist. Sometimes blisters develop on the tongue. In men, there is undulating pain along the course of the spermatic cord, which becomes worse during infection of the kidney and the bladder. The patient cannot empty his bladder completely and keeps on straining to evacuate himself fully. Sometimes the urine contains pus or mucus and sometimes, also red cells. The urine smells extremely foul. The undulating type of pain at the shoulders, arms, hands, legs, feet and the nails, associated with generalised weakness, are the special symptoms of Berberis Vulgaris. The typical sign of Berberis pain is that it starts at one point and spreads out, radiating like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. The kidney pain also behaves in the same way. The throbbing pain radiates downwards towards the bladder and upwards towards the back and the liver. The pain radiating downwards reaches the testicles through the nerves. Often, the patient feels intense desire to pass urine when he