Rediscovery of Materia Medica

Jana S N1, Rath P2

Learning Materia Medica is an uphill task during the formative years in the undergraduate course. An effort is made here to ease the uphill journey of the students in their BHMS syllabi. A series of drugs shall be discussed here with an effort to link the symptoms of different drugs to the genius of Medicine. An alphabetical approach has been adopted. Materia Medica by Dr H C Allen i.e., Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica has been considered here. Hence the journey starts with Abrotanum. ABROTANUM Alternate Constipation & Diarrhoea is a feature commonly found in Irritable bowel syndrome. Marasmus is a state that occurs from calorie deficiency and or inflammation where all body fat or lean body mass is lost, skin fold thickness diminished, arm muscle circumference reduced with wasting of temporal and interosseous muscles, serum albumin and 24-hr. creatinine clearance is low in uncomplicated cases. Patients may be simultaneously protein deficient also. As far as marasmus of children of legs is concerned this may be encountered in rare conditions like motor predominant peripheral neuropathies or lower motor neuron disease. Selective weakness and atrophy in distal extremity muscles is more commonly a feature of neuropathies, therefore a careful sensory and reflex examination must always be performed in patients presenting with this phenotype. Rarely, the diabetic polyradiculoneuropathy begins in both legs at the same time. Atrophy and weakness of proximal and distal muscles in the affected leg become apparent within a few days or weeks. The neuropathy is often accompanied or heralded by severe weight loss. Diabetic polyradiculoneuropathy is a presenting feature in up to 1/3rd of patients with Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus in children is usually of Type 1, that also is usually diagnosed below 19 years in up to 2/3rd of cases in the United States. Alternatively this may be a phenomenon in patients confined to bed and presenting with dis-use atrophy. Skin is flabby and hangs loose in folds is a feature again of Marasmus. In Marasmus head weak, cannot hold it up is a feature of neck extensor and flexor weakness. Prominent neck extensor weakness is common in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Myasthenia Gravis. Some patients of Hyperparathyroidism develop neck extensor weakness (part of the dropped head syndrome, inability to raise head from prone position). Neck flexor weakness is commonly encountered in postural defects, sedentary lifestyles, use of multifocal lenses, found in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Marasmus of lower extremities only is usually associated with Common Peroneal Nerve Injury which is usually found in patients who are very thin as may be found in Anorexia Nervosa which goes well with Abrotanum, also in Diabetic neuropathy or in Polyarteritis Nodosa; marasmus of lower extremities in Polyarteritis Nodosa is associated with foot-drop.

Ravenous hunger; loosing flesh while eating well is a feature of hypermetabolic and catabolic conditions like Tuberculosis, Diabetes Mellitus, Hyperthyroidism, Sepsis etc. Painful contractions of the limbs from cramps or following colic ; this may be found in a baby who is suffering from either severe acute diarrhea or chronic diarrhea and becomes electrolyte deficient. Rheumatism, for the excessive pain before the swelling commences; from suddenly checked diarrhea or other secretions; alternates with haemorrhoids or dysentery is a finding of Reactive arthritis and Enteropathic Arthritis. Gout: joints stiff and swollen with pricking sensation; wrist and ankle joints painful and inflamed is found in polyarticular gout. Very lame and sore all over is a feature of Fibromyalgia or the rheumatic diseases found in Abrotanum. Great weakness and prostration and a kind of hectic fever with children; unable to stand is a feature of fever associated with any infection which is associated with wide fluctuations in temperature, chill and sweating; ; naturally the child becomes weak and cannot stand. Child is ill-natured, irritable; cross and despondent; violent, inhuman; would like to do something cruel is found in Mood disorders like Bipolar disorder where the presentation is only of mania which is a possibility in Abrotanum. Some patients suffer only from recurrent attacks of mania, which in its pure form is associated with increased psychomotor activity; excessive social extroversion; decreased need for sleep. Face old, pale, wrinkled is again a feature of marasmus.

1. Delhi

Jana S N ; Lecturer, Practice of Medicine, Dr B R Sur Homoeopathic Medical College, New

2. Rath P ; Research Officer(Hom.),Central Research Institute(Hom.) under Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy,A1/1, Sector-24, Noida

Reference(s) 1. H C Allen : Keynotes and characteristics with Comparisons of some of the leading remedies of the Materia Medica ; Eighth edition; B Jain Publishers(P) Ltd.,2009 2. Harrisons : Principles of Internal Medicine ; Mc Graw Hill, 18th edition, Rediscovery of Materia Medica