Seminar presented by:

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COMPOSITAE

• Seminar presented by
• DR NIRUPAMA K DESAI
• MD ( Hom Materia Medica)

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Remedies in Compositae Family

• Abrotanum.
• Absinthium.
• Ambrosia Artemisiaefolia.
• Anthemis Nobilis.
• Arctium Lappa .
• Arnica.
• Artemisia contra Judaica. ( cina )
• Artemisia vulgaris.
• Bellis perennis. Brachy glottis
  repens.Calendula.

• Carduus Benedictus.
• Carduus Marianus.
• Centaurea Tagana.
• Chamomilla.
• Cichorium.
• Cinereria Maritima.
• Echinaceae Angustifolia.
• Echinaceae Purpurea.
• Erechthites.
• Erigeron.
• Eupetorium Aromaticum.
• Eupetorium Perfoliatum.

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Contd

• Nabalus. Parthenium Hysterophorus.Pyrethrum
  Parthenium.Senecio Aureus
• Senecio Jacobea. Silphium.
  Solidago.Tanacetum.Taraxacum. Tussilago
  Farfara. Tussilago Fragrans. Tussilago
  petasites. Wyethia.   

• Eupetorium Purpureum. Gnaphalium.
  Grindelia. Guaco. Helianthus Annus. Inula
  Helinium. Lactuca Virosa. Lapsana communis.
  Liatris spicata. Millefolium

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Characteristics

• All members of the Composite family are
  sun-lovers. They are sensitive to the light of
  the sun and react to it. Some turn their heads to
  follow it others draw in their petals at sundown
  remaining closed during the night and also during
  the day when the weather is overcast.
• Cloudy weather agg. ( Arn, Calen, Cham.)
• Foggy weather agg. ( Abrot, Calen, Cham.)

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• They have either a disc flower or a ray flower.
• The fruits are dry, and hard, a type known as
  achenes. The fruits often have plumes of hairs to
  aid in wind dispersal.
• Leaves are alternate, occasionally opposite
  usually toothed, lobed, or divided. They have a
  strong rib anchoring them to the stalk or to the
  heart of the plant.

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Some interesting facts about the Composites

• The name Artemisia is probably derived from
  Artemis, the Greek Goddess of hunting and
  chastity. Women in labor also enjoyed her
  protection. Species of Artemisia, particularly
  Artemisia absinthium promote menstruation and
  facilitate parturition
• Hippocrates very frequently mentions Artemisia of
  use in promoting uterine evacuations. Dioscorides
  and Galen used it as a fomentation for amenorrhea
  and hysteria.

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Contd

• Artemisia vulgaris Since 1992, research has been
  concentrated on the alkaloid, Artemisinin, which
  has also been shown to reduce the availability of
  iron to the malarial parasite, but much more
  effectively than quinine
• Their proving symptoms embrace those associated
  with Cinchona off and suggest that these
  remedies should be studied in relation to future
  homoeopathic treatment of malarial symptoms as a
  matter of urgency.

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Arnica

• Arnica is known as leopards bane, fall herb. Its
  value in relation to wounds was indeed known to
  Greeks and Romans it was reported of the
  dwellers in the Andes that it was customary in
  the event of an accident to gather the herb,
  which grows conveniently at high altitudes, pour
  on boiling water and give the resulting infusion
  to the injured person.

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Arnica

• Arnica has large handsome, golden flowers, which
  grow in the Alpine meadows, but Arnica is unique,
  it stands there so proudly, with its head erect,
  always turned towards the rays of the sun. It
  seems to know that it is something apart from
  other herbs even the cattle never touch it, they
  also know it is something too precious fro them
  to take. (Dictatorial, haughty)

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Eup-perf

• Eup- per is probably not a plant in American
  domestic practice that has more extensive or
  frequent use than this. The attic, or woodshed,
  of almost every country farm house, has its
  bunches of the dried herb hanging tops downward
  from the rafters during the whole year, for
  immediate use for member of the family or a
  neighbor, taken with the cold.

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Millefolium

• The explanation of the species name Millefolium
  is more prosaic. It refers to the countless
  leaves, which are as finely branched as
  capillaries.

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Sphere of action

• Mind
•  Nervous system
• q  Cerebro-spinal
• q  Sensory
• q  Motor
• q  Abdominal
•    Muscles
•   Blood and blood vessels
• q   Veins
• q   Arteries
•        

• Mucous membranes
• q       GIT
• q       GUT
• q       Eyes
•  Spleen
•   Liver
•   Women
•    Children

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Pathogenesis

• Acting on the blood vessels? produces a state of
  relaxation and vasodilatation with tendency to
  hemorrhages. The main action is on the venous
  circulation. The hemorrhages can be bright red or
  even dark red in color. The hemorrhages can lead
  to anemia and impoverishment of the constitution.
• On the nervous system? they produce a state of
  hyper excitability and hypersensitivity leading
  to convulsions, jerking, and hypersensitivity to
  touch, neuralgia, cramps and twitching. The state
  of weakness and paralysis follows this state of
  hypersensitivity.

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Contd

• They affect the mucous membranes? giving rise to
  increased secretions. This is especially seen in
  the form of diarrhea, dysentery, urethral
  discharges, etc.
• They affect the liver ?causing inflammation and
  altering the liver functions, which leads to
  jaundice.

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GENERAL FEATURES

• Mental irritability.
• Nervous excited, fidgety, worried .
• Hysterical tendency
• Sadness, mental depression. 
• Nervous affections
• Affections of children
• Injuries,bad effects of injuries including
  blows, falls, bruises.
• Generally left sided affections. Complaints
  associated with coldness. 
• Marked action upon the blood , muscular fibers of
  the bloods vessels
• Action upon the respiratory mucus membrane
  causing allergic

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Contd

• Predominant action on liver and spleen
• Rheumatic affections
• A general sensation of soreness, lameness, and
  bruised feeling. 
• Most of the remedies of this group is useful in
  cancerous affections. 
• Sensitive to cold open air. 
• Has a general action upon the urinary system. 
• Marked action upon skin
• Marked action upon eye

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MIND

• Injury is the important theme of Compositae.
• One has to understand the meaning of injury at
  the mental and physical level.
• Physical harm or damage to a person, property
  etc.
• Offense against a persons feeling, dignity,etc
• Loss in value inflicted on a business, reputation
  etc
• A violation of rights.

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MIND Contd

• A sore, bruised feeling can be understood not
  only at the physical level after the injury but
  also at the mental level. Sore also means a
  source of continuous irritation, grief or
  resentment. This is also seen at the level of
  subconscious mind.
• Due to the past experiences, they feel a sense of
  danger from the environment that is expressed at
  the conscious as well as subconscious level.
• A person who has received such an injury and
  feels sore about it will definitely get
  aggravated from touch. To be touched indicates an
  arousal of emotions i.e. a mental or moral
  sensitivity. They are extremely sensitive to any
  kind of mental or physical suffering as they are
  in a hyper excitable state.
• They dont want to visit a doctor because they
  dont want to be touched or examined mentally and
  physically.

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• The reaction to any kind of stimulus that touches
  their hyper excitable state will be out of
  proportion to the expected normal reaction. They
  will complain bitterly about their sufferings but
  at the same time they want to deal with the
  problem in their own way. Nobody can please them
  in any way.
• Millefolium has a characteristic symptom of
  striking himself in anger. Striking, knocking his
  head against wall and things.
• The hyper excitable state produces a change of
  moods very frequently. Because of this
  changeability, they cannot decide what is good
  for them or what they really want out of life.
  They dont want any kind of suggestions, which
  are against their wishes, as it tends to stir up
  their emotions. In fact, they can land up doing
  the exact opposite of what is suggested to them.
  They can become violently angry if they are not
  allowed to act according to their whims. They get
  offended and feel insulted very easily.

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• After a prolonged phase of struggle, they start
  losing hope and leave everything to God. All the
  hypochondriasis, hysteria and violence ultimately
  end in a stage of apathy. Nothing pleases them
  any more. The mind is sluggish, dull, and seems
  unable to arouse itself.
• At the other end of the scale of vulnerability is
  a strong feeling of well-being, contentment,
  strength and enjoyment of life. This is a theme
  of vitality, feeling good, being hopeful of
  recovery, or not believing one to be ill even
  when seriously or obviously so.
•  

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Thank you