Actaea Racemosa

Actaea Racemosa.

Cimicifuga racemosa. Actaea monogynia. C. serpentaria. Macrotys racemosa. Botroflus serpentaria. Black snake root. Black Cohosh. (Canada, Georgia, Western States of America.) N. O. Ranunculaceae. Tincture of the root. Trituration of the resinoid, Macrotyn.

Abortion, tendency to. Angina pectoris. Appetite, disordered. Back pains.

Breast, affections of. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Change of life. Chest, pains in.

Chorea. Delirium Tremens. Diaphragm, rheumatism of. Dyspepsia.

Epilepsy. Faintness. Headache. Heart, affections of.

Hyperpyrexia. Hypochondriasis. Hysteria. Lumbago.

Melancholia. Meningitis. Menstruation, disorders of. Myalgia.

Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of. Perichondritis. Pleurodynia.

Pregnancy, disorders of. Puerperal mania. Rheumatic gout. Rheumatism.

Sciatica. Side, pain in. Sinking sensation. Sleeplessness.

Spinal irritation. Stiff-neck. Tinnitus aurium. Tremors.

Uterus, affections of. Vomiting of pregnancy.

One of the most marked symptoms of Actaea rac. is found in the mental sphere: a sense of gloom and dejection, as if there was a black pall over everything; showing the appropriateness of the remedy in hysteria and hypochondriasis. There is also fear of death, as with Acon. Incessant talking, changing from one subject to another, as in delirium tremens. I have greatly relieved an inveterate case of epilepsy in which the aura was a "waving sensation in the brain," which is a leading symptom of the remedy.

Many symptoms appear in the head and eyes. Feeling as if going crazy with headache. Headache reflected from pelvic organs. The headache is frontal, vertical, or occipital, and is accompanied by great pain in eyeballs > pressure;

< slightest motion. Peculiar sensations are: as of lifting up of skull; as if top of head would fly off; as of a bolt through from base of skull to vertex. Inspired air seems to penetrate skull and into brain, causing a cold sensation. Intense pain in and around eyes (lancinating), < moving head or eyes.

In cases of tinnitus aurium it has proved curative in old-school practice, in 15 to 30 drops of the tincture, whether due to direct or reflex irritation (L'Art Méd., July, 1898). In the face there is malar neuralgia, ceasing at night. There are many symptoms of disordered digestion, bad taste and breath and coated tongue; sticky saliva, viscid mucus in throat. Sinking at epigastrium is very marked.

The generative organs in the female are particularly affected by Actaea. Uterine and ovarian pains are very marked. Infra-mammary pains. Tenderness of uterine region.

Pains fly across hypogastrium, extending from one side to the other. Painful and irregular menstruation. Leucorrhoea, with feeling of weight in uterus. Labour-like pains.

Left ovarian pains. Given before term it renders labours easier; cures sickness of pregnancy, and prevents after-pains and over-sensitiveness. According to Lippe a characteristic indication is: "The recently delivered uterus becomes actually jammed in the pelvis with great pain." Puerperal mania has been cured by it. It has also ensured living births in women who have previously borne only dead children, from no discoverable cause, given in daily doses of 1x for two months before term.

In the respiratory sphere a dry, teasing cough, < at night, and < on every attempt to speak, is the most characteristic feature. The rheumatic action of the drug is shown in chest and heart pains and pains in the joints and limbs. I have found a pain at the nape of the neck very characteristic. Rheumatism affecting the vertebral joints and especially in the neck.

Cerebro-spinal meningitis; head and neck retracted. There are sharp pains in chest, especially in heart region and down left arm, which is numb (Aco., Puls., Rhus) as if bound to the side. Palpitation from least motion. Heart ceases suddenly.

A patient who was taking 6-drop doses of the Ø tincture complained of a feeling "as if his heart had stopped." The pains of Act. r. are like electric shocks here and there: sharp, lancinating in various parts; chest and uterine pains shoot from side to side. There is a general bruised feeling all over as if sore; < by touch. Rest >, motion < Cold air seems to penetrate the system; is very sensitive to it.

But headache is > in open air; < in warm room. The symptoms are < at night (malar neuralgia > at night); in the morning. Pains in arms and tendo Achillis, < as evening approaches.

< During the menses. Eating >. It is suited to the climacteric period; to nervous persons; to children during dentition.

It is allied to Act. spi. and the other Ranunculaceae. Acon. antidotes the sleeplessness, and Bapt. relieved the headache and nausea of the drug. It is like Acon. in fear of death and restlessness; Bry. and Puls. in rheumatism;

Cauloph. in uterine affections, also Sep., Nat. m., Lil. t., Ign., Gels. (uterine headache); Lyc. (pains go from side to side);

Ars. (fears to be alone); Calc. (visions of rats and mice).

In a case of Tansy Poisoning (taken by a pregnant woman in fifth month to procure abortion), with high fever, rheumatic pains, bearing-down sensation, and abdominal soreness, Act. r. promptly relieved after failure of Acon. and Bry. Pregnancy went to term.

The resinoid of Act. r., Macrotyn., has been used in the lower triturations in preference to the tincture, in cases of lumbago more especially.

Anxiety. Fright. Disappointed love. Business failure. Over-exertion. Child-bearing.

Sensitive to least noise.—Singing in l., later in both ears.—(Tinnitus from irritation of auditory nerve, direct or reflex.)

Alternate diarrhoea and constipation.—Frequent, thin, dark, offensive stools.

Rheumatism.—Weakness, trembling, and spasmodic action of the muscles.—Nervous shuddering; tremor all over the body.—Alternate tonic and clonic spasms.—Epileptic and hysterical convulsions.—Sharp, lancinating pains in various parts, associated with ovarian or uterine irritation.—Affects the l. side most.—Pains come on suddenly.—Pains like electric shocks here and there.—Chorea.—General bruised feeling of the whole body, as if sore.