Anacardiaceae family homeopathy remedies

Sumach/Sumac –a preparation of the dried& chopped leaves & shoots of plants of genus rhus , used in dyeing & tanning & formerly as  an astringent 

Cashew family – Sumach family

Important remedies  

1. Anacardium orientalis(marking nut)
2. Anacardium occidentalis(cashew nut)
3. Comocladia dentate(guao)
4. Karaka (kopi)
5. Mangifera indica(mango)
6. Rhus aromatica(fragrant sumach)
7. Rhus glabra(smooth sumach)
8. Rhus radicans(Poison ivy)
9. Rhus toxicodendron(Poison oak)
10. Rhus venenata(Poison sumach)
11. Rhus diversiloba(Californian poison oak)
12. Schinus molle(chilly pepper)

Sphere of action : Skin ,CNS, git, gut, musles, joints, bones, blood 

Pathology & pathogenesis

• It causes vesicular eruption which turns pustular,& eczematous later.
• Produces erythema which turns into erysipelas.
• Produces inflammation in joints& paresis in muscles.
• MANGIFERA & RHUS GLABRA- atonic conditions with relaxed muscles & poor circulation.
• RHUS AROM -Senile incontinenece due to vesical atony

Common characteristic features

Ailments from

•  Overuse of brain,
•  Excessive mental& physical strain
•  Sedentary habits
• Mental excitement.

Temperament

Irritable ,easily angered

Thermal status

Chilly  or ambithermal

Miasm

Psora  – rhus tox

Syphilis –anacardium & mango

Diathesis

Rheumatic  – Rhustox

Understanding of the family

• Botanically, this family produces VIOLENT affections by the slightest contact & even at times being close to the growing plant without even touching it. Such is the virulence of these remedies that the symptoms not only last for days together but also recur periodically after a single episode of contact with them
• Another peculiarity is presence of resinous or milky fluid in the bark which turns black on exposure to sunlight staining the linen or skin & therefore useful as dyeing agents. This aspect shows its ability to have a deep long lasting mark on the constitutions (homoeopathically), often causing damage& disfiguring

Two fundamental issues from which all other symptoms arising are

• Lack of confidence

Main symptoms are

1. Various delusions & illusions that he may not succeed, had committed a crime, he is away from home, familiar places seem strange
2. Religious melancholia
3. Fear of exam’n with brain or nervous exhaustion from over study
4. Delusion that he is double or possessed of two wills, devil is speaking in one ear, angel in the other prompting to murder or acts of benevolence. This state is producing confusion of self identity.

• Strong fear of being injured  (external threat)

1. Fear of people, lack of confidence in himself & others.
2. Fear of being pursued, killed by someone, of being poisoned
3. These states in return produces
4. Cruelty, malice, inhumanity, & violence in anacardium & violent skin affections in rhus group
5. Brain fag
6. Restlessness
7. Loss of memory
8. Illusions & delusions
9. Doubtfulness
10. Absent mindedness
11. Plug like sensation
12. Stupidity with inability to think
13. Suicidal thoughts-great melancholy gloomy state of mind with no will to live    –anac, rhustox,  rhus ven

Common sensation- tight, stiff, unable to move- caught locally, and unable to move. Frequent change of position.  Feeling of caught is from outside. 

COMPARISON

1.Constitution–Mental
ANAC — People who have an inferior complex and work hard to prove themselves. They have often been put down from an early age and lack self-confidence. This makes them feel detached from themselves, as if they are split into two wills. Students who give up their studies due to memory loss often need this remedy. This type may display cruel behaviour and confused readily.

RHUS TOX — Usually cheerful, lovely, joky and quick witted and are good company although a bit timid at first. There are often serious hard working people. They may feel an inner restlessness and agitation, become irritable frustrated, depressed gloomy if suffering from a long-standing illness.
RHUS VENENATA – Gloomy, has no desire to live

2. Temperament – Irritability.
3. Thermal Reaction – Chilly.

Aggravation from cold,

Amelioration from – warmth
Comocladia – Heat < & open air >
4. Mind – Common to both Anac and Rhus Tox – irritability, sadness and mental depression. Anxiety, Fear of being poisoned. Lack of confidence, Delusion as if pursued by someone, Delirium, Weakness of memory, Suspicious

5.Dreams
ANAC – Anxious dreams, disgusting, horrible with cries, lively dreams with meditation and activity of mind followed by pain in head after walking. Dreams of projects, of fire, of diseases, of death and of dangers.
RHUS TOX – Dreams of great exertion, rowing, swimming etc or working hard at daily occupation. Dreams of fire.
RHUS GLABRA – Dreams of flying in air.
COMOCLADIA – Dreamy refreshing sleep with pleasant dreams almost clairvoyant.

6. Side Affinity

ANAC – Left sided.
RHUS TOX – Affects generally right abdominal ring, Left chest, arm, lower extremities and left side of body. Affects joints of right side.
COMOCLADIA – Right Side

7.Skin
Erysipelas – Anac Similar to Rhus Tox
ANAC – Erysipelatous eruption of malignant type. Yellow vesicles of intense burning and itching.
ANAC OCCI – Cures Erysipelas spreading from right to left (opp to rhus tox)

> warm applications

< scratching. Anacardium proved to be a valuable antidote to poison Oak
RHUS TOX – Phlegmonous Erysipelas, especially when it begins in the ankle moves gradually up the leg, running up in deeper tissues.

Rhus Tox cures cases spreading from left to right. Vesicular eruption with much swelling, inflammation, burning, itching. Aggravation night, cold, wet, rainy weather. Amelioration warmth, dry weather.
COMOCLADIA – Malignant Erysipelas with pain similar to Rhus Tox. Scarlet redness of the body with burning and itching. Both produce weakness, numbness and restlessness.
VENENATA – Face swollen, eyes nearly closed with great swelling. Nose red and -shining. Vesicular eruptions. Erysipelas, itching > hot water.

Warts
ANAC – On palms
RHUS TOX – Warts especially on hands and fingers, large jagged often pedunculated exuding moisture, bleeding readly.

Eczema
ANAC -has intense itching eczema with mental irritability ( similar to Rhus tox )
RHUS TOX – Of entire scalp

8. Eye symptoms
ANAC – Pressure in eyes as from a plug. Objects appear too far off
RHUS TOX – Usually left eye is affected. Also in rheumatic ophthalmia of right eye. Amelioration by warmth.
COMOCLADIA – Pain in right eye with a sensation as if it were larger or were being pushed out of the head. < near a warm stove or warmth.

 9. GIT
ANAC – General > after eating , < empty stomach
RHUS TOX – Pain in stomach < after meal > lying down
RHUS GLABRA – Foetid flatus

SCHINUS – Painful vomiting followed by painful diarrhea. Profuse diarrhea, which continues all night.

10. Affection of Joints
ANAC – Aggravation commencing motion.
RHUS TOX– Similar to COMOCLADIA.
Both has < rest and night >motion
But, Rhus Tox has > from warmth and    Comocladia has < from warmth and > open air.

11.General Modality
ANAC – > Eating, Lying down and when falling asleep, < Motion, Warmth, Cold and night.
RHUS TOX- < During rest, On beginning to move after resting,

General <  morning on rising, cold wet weather, change of weather, damp stormy weather, Night.

 > Continued motion, Dry clear weather, Warmth.
COMOCLADIA – < Rest, Night, Heat.    > Motion and Open air.

CHARACTERISTIC PARTICULARS OF INDIVIDUAL REMEDIES

ANACARDIUM ORIENTALE

• Common name – MARKING NUT
• Sudden loss of memory; everything seems to be in a dream; patient is greatly troubled about his forgetfulness; confused, unfit for business.
• Disposed to be malicious, seems bent on wickedness.
• Lack of confidence in himself and others.
• Feels as though he had two wills, one commanding him to do what the other forbids.
• When walking, is anxious, as if someone were pursuing him; suspects everything around him.
• Weakness of all the senses.
• Hypochondriac, with haemorrhoids and constipation.
• Strange temper, laughs at serious matters and is serious over laughable things. Thinks herself a demon; curses and swears.
• Sensation : as of a hoop or band around a part (Cac., Carb. ac., Sulph.); or as of a dull, blunt instrument pressing; as of a plug in inner parts.
• Headache : relieved entirely when eating (Psor); when lying down in bed at night, and when about falling asleep; worse during motion and work.
• Gastric and nervous headaches of sedentary persons (Arg. n., Bry., Nux).
• Apt to choke when eating and drinking (Can. s., Kava kava, Nit. ac.).
• Swallows food and drink hastily; symptoms disappear while eating (Kali p., Psor.).
•  Stomach : sensation of fasting “all gone”, comes on only when stomach is empty and is >> by eating (Chel., Iod.); >> during process of digestion (rev. of Bry., Nux).
• Warts on palms of hands (Nat. m.).
• Relations. Compare : Rhus r., Rhus t. and Rhus v.
• Symptoms are prone to go from right to left (Lyc.).
• Anacardium follows well : after Lyc. and Puls.
• Anacardium follows, and is followed by Platina. 

ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE(CASHEW NUT)

• Acts powerfully on the skin producing erysipelas, blisters, and swelling with intolerable itching
• Used as an antidote to Rhus poisoning
• Used as an application to corns, warts,& ulcers
• Weakness of memory
• General paralytic state

COMOCLADIA DENTATA

• Common name – GUAO
• Important eye and skin symptoms.
• Affections of antrum.
• Sacro-iliac and abdominal pain.
• Throbbing pains worse by heat.
• Pain in joints and ankles.
• Eyes
• Ciliary neuralgia with eyes feeling large and protruded, especially right. Worse, near warm stove; feels as if pressed outward.
•  Sees only glimmer of light with left eye.
•  Glaucoma, sense of fullness; eyeball feels too large.
•  Motion of eyes aggravates.
• Skin
•  Itches, red and pimples.
•  Redness all over, like scarlatina.
•  Erysipelas.
•  Deep ulcers, with hard edges.
•  Leprosy.
•  Red stripes on skin. [Euphorb.]
•  Eczema (papular) of the trunk and extremities; also pustular type. 

Rhus toxicodendron— Poison Oak.

• Adapted to persons of rheumatic diathesis; bad effects of getting wet, especially after being overheated.
• Ailments : from spraining or straining a single part,  muscle or tendon (Cal., Nux); overlifting, particularly from stretching high up to reach things; lying on damp ground; too much summer bathing in lake or river.
• Affects the fibrous tissue, especially (Rhod.-serous, Bry.); the right side more than the left.
• Pains : as if sprained; as if a muscle or tendon was torn from its attachment; as if bones were scraped with a knife; worse after midnight and in wet, rainy weather; affected parts sore to touch.
• Lameness, stiffness and pain on first moving after rest, or on getting up in the morning, >> by walking or continued motion.
• Restless, cannot stay long in one position.
• Back : pain between the shoulders on swallowing; pain and stiffness in small of back < sitting or lying, >> by motion or lying on something hard.
• Great sensitiveness to open air; putting the hand from under the bed-cover brings on cough (Bar., Hep.).
• Muscular rheumatism, sciatica, left side (Col.); aching in left arm, with heartdisease.
• Great apprehension at night; fears he will die of being poisoned; cannot remain in bed.
• Vertigo, when standing or walking; worse when lying down (better when lying down, Apis); < rising from lying, or stooping (Bry.).
• Headache : brain feels loose when stepping or shaking the head; sensation of swashing in brain; stupefying; as if torn; from beer; returns from least chagrin; < from sitting, lying, in cold, >> warmth and motion.
• Dreams of great exertion; rowing, swimming, working hard at his daily occupation (Bry.).
• Corners of mouth ulcerated, fever blisters around mouth and on chin (Nat. m.).
• Tongue : dry, sore, red, cracked; triangular red tip; takes imprint of teeth (Chel., Prod.).
• Great thirst, with dry tongue, mouth and throat.
• External genitals inflamed, erysipelatous, oedematous.
• A dry, teasing cough, before and during chill, in intermittent fever; cough, with taste of blood.
•  When acute diseases assume a typhoid form.
• Diarrhoea : with beginning typhoid; involuntary,  with great exhaustion; tearing pain down the posterior part of limbs during stool.
• Paralysis : with numbness of affected parts; from getting wet on lying on damp ground; after exertion, parturition, sexual excesses, ague or typhoid; paresis of limbs; ptosis.
• Skin– red, swollen with much itching
• Vesicles, herpes; urticaria; pemphigus; erysipelas; vesicular suppurative forms.
• Glands swollen.
• Cellulitis.
• Erysipelas, from 1eft. to right.; vesicular,  yellow vesicles; much swelling, inflammation; burning, itching, stinging.
• Relations. Complementary : to, Bryonia., calc flour, phyt( rheum0
• Inimical : to, Apis, must not be used before or after. In urticaria follow with Bovista.
• Antidotes : Bathing with milk and Grindelia lotion very effective. – Rhus is best antidoted by the similimum; the potentized remedy given internally. The dermatitis should never be treated by topical medicated applications; they only suppress, never cure
• Aggravation. Before a storm; cold, wet rainy weather; at night, especially aftermidnight; from getting wet while perspiring; during rest.
• Amelioration. Warm, dry weather, wrapping up; warm or hot things; motion; change of position; moving affected parts.
• The great characteristic of Rhus is that with few exceptions the pains occur and are < during repose and are >> by motion.
• Sepia, often quickly >> itching and burning of Rhus, the vesicles drying up in a few days. 

RHUS VENENATA  (poison-elder)

• The skin symptoms of this species of Rhus are most severe..
• Itching; relieved by hot water.
• Vesicles. Erysipelas; skin dark red.
• Erythema nodosum, with nightly itching and pains in long bones.
• Intense itching, aggr. by scratching and by application of water, either hot or cold. During winter dry eruption on back of hands, disappearing in spring(lilienthal)
• Rhus-v. has many symptoms referring to the bones and according to Hering, it affects those parts where the bones are directly covered with skin, as the forehead, backs of fingers, etc. 

RHUS GLABRA (smooth sumach)

• Epistaxis and occipital headache.
• Ulceration of mouth, aphthae, scurvy
• Dreams of flying through the air. [Sticta.]
• Profuse perspiration arising from debility. [China.]
• Fetid flatus. It is claimed that this remedy will so disinfect the bowels that the flatus and stools will be free from odor.
• It acts well in putrescent conditions with tendency to ulceration. 

Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumach)

• Renal and urinary affections, especially diabetes.
• Enuresis due to vesical atony; senile incontinence.
• Haematuria and cystitis come within the range of this remedy.
• Urine – Pale, albuminous.
• Incontinence. Severe pain at beginning or before urination, causing great agony in children.
• Constant dribbling.
• Diabetes, large quantities of urine of low specific gravity. [Phos. ac.; Acet. ac.]