BERBERIS VULGARIS

INTRODUCTION

COMMON NAME- Barberry

FAMILY- Berberidaceae

PROVER- Berberis vulgaris was proved with great assiduity by Dr. Hesse, and published in
the Journal for Materia Medica in 1834;

PARTS USE- Tincture of the bark of the root.

PREPARATION- The usual preparations of Berberis are made from the root bark. 

PLANT DESCRIPTION- Berberis vulgaris, also known as common barberry, European

barberry or simply barberry, is a shrub in the genus Berberis. It produces edible but sharply
acidic berries, which people in many countries eat as a tart and refreshing fruit.
The shrub is native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia;[4] it is
also naturalised in northern Europe, including the British Isles and Scandinavia, and North
America. In the United States and Canada, it has become established in the wild over an area
from Nova Scotia to Nebraska, with additional populations in Colorado, Idaho, Washington
state, Montana, and British Columbia.[5] Although not naturalised, in rural New Zealand it has
been widely cultivated as a hedge on farms. It is cultivated for its fruits in many countries.

● Berberis belongs to vegetable kingdom,the natural order of berberidaceae, to which

order also belongs caulophllum and podophyllum.It occupies a very important place,
though of limited scope in our Homeopathic Materia Medica.The main influence of
the remedy is upon urinary system.
● DR. HERING- Berberis vulgaris was proved with great assiduity by Dr. Hesse, and
published in the Journal for Materia Medica in 1834; translated and added in extracts
to the Allentown editions of Jahr’s Manual, hence frequently used in the United
States. In 1843 Noak published a much better extract of Berberis vulgaris ; no cures
followed this. In 1854 Dr. J. H. Weber, in Allg. Hom. Zeitung, analyzed its
symptoms. In 1879 H. V. Miller published Berberis vulgaris cases in Lilienthal’s
Quarterly ; these were translated into German and printed in the Allg. Hom. Zeitung,
July, 1879.

● Dr. Clarke - usual preparations of Berberis are made from the root bark. Berberis
mahonia has a great local repute in the popular treatment of the low fever (typhoid) of
the Rocky mountains, an infusion of the fresh plant being used.

● B. Simmons has verified a symptom of Berb. which may be regarded as

characteristic. A gentleman of 52 complained of rheumatic pains in his legs and loss
of walking power. After he had walked a short distance he was compelled to stop
from a feeling of intense weariness, heaviness, lameness, and stiffness of the legs,
which fell sore as if bruised. A single dose effected a complete cure

● Dr. Stuart Close - Records the cure with Berb. 200 of a woman who had cutting,
burning pains in the balls of the feet on stepping. On, standing with most of the
weight on the heels she had no pain. On rising in morning sensation in soles as if
stepping on needles. There is great weakness, like fainting, after a walk, with
perspiration and heat on the upper part of the body; cold, pale, sunken face and
oppression of breathing. Great relaxation, with disinclination to do anything. On the
indication "tumours and sessile growths," Ozanam cured a case of polypus of vocal
cords, red, with a sessile base. Thuja had failed. Berb. 200 was given at first with
good effect,

● DR.KENT-

● When we have finished the study of Berberis we will see that it is not a very extensive
remedy, but it is a very important one. Like Benzoic acid, it fits into the gouty and
rheumatic sphere. 

● DR.FARRINGTON- contains an alkaloid called BERBERINA, which, by the way,

is also found in Hydrastis Canadensis. Some chemists have even asserted that what is
 sold as Muriate of Hydrastine is not Hydrastine at all, but Muriate of Berberine. This
Berberine, when given in large doses to animals, produces restlessness, convulsive
trembling, thirst, diarrhoea, and, finally, paralysis of the posterior extremities. Man is
far less readily poisoned by it than are the lower animals.

SPHERE OF ACTION

● It acts especially upon the kidneys ,urinary bladder, liver and gall bladder.It is a left
sided drug.

● DR.PHATAK-It acts upon urinary organs, when there is tendency to the formation of
calculi and lithaemia.

● It affects the liver markedly - promotes the flow of bile, therefore it is a useful remedy
for fleshy persons with good liver, but with little endurance.

● Often useful in arthritic and hepatic affections with urinary, haemorrhoidal, or

menstrual complaints.

● Venous stasis occurs in pelvic region, causing haemorrhoids.

PATHOGENESIS

● It action on urinary organs ,results in irritation and subsequent inflammation and

formation of renal stone ; it produces gall –stone colic. It also has marked action on
the liver promoting the flow of bile or when there is stasis of bile ,producing gall-
stone. Therefore, it is an excellent medicine for jaundice and gall- stone.
 CONSTITUTION

● PHYSICALMAKE –up- Berberis vulgaris is especially suited to those people who

are pale, having earthy complexion with sunken cheeks, having blue rings around
eyes.

GUIDING SYMPTOMS-

● In Berberis vulgaris, the renal or vesical symptoms predominate.

● Pain in small of back; very sensitive to touch in renal region; < when sitting and lying,
from jar, from fatigue.

● In Berberis vulgaris Burning and soreness in region of kidneys.

● Numbness, stiffness, lameness with painful pressure in renal and lumbar regions.

● Rheumatic and gouty complaints, with diseases of the urinary organs.

● Berberis vulgaris also has Colic from gall-stones.

● Bilious colic, followed by jaundice; clay-colored stools; fistula in ano, with bilious
symptoms and itching of the parts; short cough and chest complaints, especially after
operations for fistulae ( Calcareaphosphorica, Silicea ).

● Stitching, cutting pain from left kidney following course of ureter into bladder and
urethra ( Tabacum, – r. kidney, Lycopodium ).

● Berberis vulgaris Renal colic. < left side ( Tabacum – either side), with urging and
strangury. ( Cantharis ).

● Rubbing sensation in kidneys ( Medorrhinum ).

 ● Berberis vulgaris Urine: greenish, blood-red, with thick, slimy mucus; transparent,
reddish or jelly-like sediment.

● Movement brings on or increases urinary complaints.

● Berberis vulgaris Relation. – Similar: to, Cantharis, Lycopodium, Sarsaparilla,

Tabacum, in renal colic.

● Acts well after, Arnica, Bryonia, Kali bichromicum, Rhus, Sulphur, in rheumatic
affections.

● Dr. Phatak-Patient is mentally and physically tired- not inclined to do anything.

● Prematurely old and worn out men and women.

● Pains rapidly change their locality and character.

● Symptoms rapidly alternate, thirst alternates with thirstlessness; hunger alternating

with loss of appetite etc.

● Symptoms rapidly alternate, thirst alternates with thirstlessness; hunger alternating

with loss of appetite etc.

● Pains; are Radiating, from one point; shooting outward or all over; sticking; burning -
smarting, soreness.

● Numbness; insensible to extreme heat and cold.

● Gurgling or bubbling sensations.

● Mucous membranes become dry - mouth, vagina etc.

● Discharges or skin is dirty gray.

● Cold feeling in the bones, eyes, ears etc.

● Chest affected after operations - piles, fistulae, etc.

● Sees things in twilight.

PARTICULAR
● Mind

● Mental labour, requiring close thinking very difficult; the least interruption, breaks the
chain of thought.

● Apathetic.

● Indifferent.

● Objects seem twice as large as natural.

● Sees terrifying apparitions in twilight; esp. children.

● Head

● Sensation as if the head were becoming larger.

● Cold temples.

● Vertigo, with attacks of fainting.

● Sensation as of a tight cap on head

● Eyes

● Dry.

● As of a sand between the lids, and eyes.

● Eyes feel cold as from a cool wind, with lachrymation on closing the eyes.

● Quivering of the eyelids when reading.

● Eyes sunken; with dark-bluish circles around.

● Ears

● Stopped up feeling with pressure.

● Nodes on auricle.

● Tumour behind the ear.

● Sensation of coldness or bubbling in.

● Nose

● • Dry.
● • Crawling, itching in nostrils.

● Face

● Dirty gray, sickly.

● Bilious.

● Suppurating acne.

● Sensation as if cold drops were spurted into the face when going into the open air.

● MOUTH

● Sticky.

● Viscid, foamy, cottony saliva.

● Tongue; feels scalded; painful pimple on tip.

● Gums dirty gray.

● Small white nodes in the gums.

● Teeth feel as if too long or too large.

● Taste bitter.

● THROAT

● Sensation of plug in the side of the throat with dryness.

● Stomach

● Nausea; before breakfast; after dinner.

● Pains from stomach to back; or the reverse.

● Nausea before breakfast amel. after.

● ABDOMEN

● Torn loose feeling in the epigastrium.

● Colic,pain from gall bladder to stomach agg. pressure.

● Biliary calculi.
● Stools; dirty gray, smarting tough; watery, with jaundice.

● Fistula in ano; with itching; with chest complaints.

● Colic, biliary or urinary arresting breathing.

● Urinary

● Pain from kidney, extending along urethra, or to liver, stomach, spleen; arresting
breathing.

● Renal colic.

● Burning, soreness, or bubbling in kidney region.

● Clear discharge from meatus before urinating.

● Urine; thick, turbid, yellow; red, mealy, sandy or slimy sediment.

● Sensation as if some urine remained after urination.

● Urethra burns when not urinating.

● Pains in thighs and hips, on urinating.

● Prostate gland enlarged, with pressure in perineum.

● Dysuria.

● Male

● Neuralgia of testes and spermatic cord.

● Testicles drawn up.

● Pain change sides.

● Genitals cold and sweaty.

● Prepuce and glans cold and numb.

● Penis hard and contracted, bends upwards.

● Female

● Menses; too slight; of watery blood or brown or gray mucus, replaces menses.

● Vagina sensitive; cutting pain during coition; vaginismus.

● Enjoyment absent during coition.

● Neuralgia of ovaries and vagina.

● Pain changes sides.

● Prostration after coition.

● Dysmenorrhoea, with blood looking like gray serum.

● Urinary symptoms, with menses and leucorrhoea.

● Respiratory

● Hoarseness; polypus of larynx.

● Obstruction of breath when raising arms.

● Short dry cough, with stitches in chest.

● Heart

● Stitches about the heart.

● Pulse becomes very slow.

● Neck and back

● Stitches in neck and back agg. respiration.

● Backache, with severe prostration agg. sitting or lying.

● Sore spot under scapula.

● Crushing, stitching, paralysing pain, in lumbar region.

● Pain from iliac crests down front of thighs; when urinating.

● Post-operative pain in lumbar region.

● Extremities

● Neuralgia, under finger nails, with swelling of finger-joints.

● Outer side of the thighs cold, ulcerative pain in heels.

● Pain in balls of feet on stepping.

 ● Intense weariness and lameness of legs after walking a short distance.

● Stitches between metatarsal bones as from a nail agg. standing.

● Skin

● Flat warts.

● Itching, burning and smarting agg. scratching amel. cold application Eczema of anus
and hands.

● Eruptions leave a brown stain.

● Fever

● Chilly.

● Sensation of coldness in various parts as if spattered with cold water.

● Lower parts of the back, hips, thighs, warm.

● Everything excites sweat

● GENERAL MODALITIES-

● Worse

● Motion; jarring; stepping hard.

● Rising from sitting.

● Standing.

● Fatigue.

● Urinating.

● Twilight.

RELATIONSHIP

● Compare: Ipomea-Convolvulus Duratinus-Morning Glory. --(Pain in left lumbar

muscles on stooping. Kidney disorders with pain in back. Much abdominal flatulence.
Aching in top of right shoulder renal colic; aching in small of back and
extremities), Aloe; Lycopod; Nux; Sarsap. Xanthorrhea arborea (severe pain in
kidneys, cystitis and gravel. Pain from ureter to bladder and testicles; pain in small of
 back returns from least chill or damp). Xanthorizaapifolia-Shrub Yellow Root--
contains Berberine. Dilatation of stomach and intestines, atony, enlarged spleen.

● Antidotes: Camphor; Bell.

DOSE

Dose.--Tincture, to sixth potency.

RUBRICS-

MIND-ANXIETY -sleep- before-evening

MIND-DEATH-desire -menses-during

MIND-DELUSIONS-images,phantoms sees-twlight