Dolichos pruriens

by Henry N. Guernsey — Key-Notes to the Materia Medica

Historical reference for practitioners and students. The statements below reflect the named author’s homeopathic teaching and do not establish treatment effectiveness. This text is not medical advice and must not replace appropriate diagnosis or care.

Intense itching of the skin with no appearance of swelling or rash. Constipation with this intense itch, but no rash. Jaundice, yellow in spots or all over, and itching excessively at night.

Dolichos pruriens across the other classic books

Dolichos pruriens appears in 7 of the 21 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen TF — A compiled symptom record drawing on proving reports and other named observations.
“Mucuna pruriens, D. C. (Dolichos pruriens, L.) Natural order , Leguminosæ. Common names , Cowhage, Cow-itch; (Fr.) Pois à gratter or pouillieux; (G.) Juck-borsten. Preparation , Trituration (or tincture) of the whole pod. Authority. Dr. Jacob Jeanes, N. Am. J. of Hom., "I took a portion of the 2d cent. dilution." A…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Cowhage (DOLICHOS PURIENS - MUCUNA) A right-sided medicine, with pronounced liver and skin symptoms. A general intense itching without eruption. Exalted nervous sensibility. Senile pruritus. Hæmorrhoidal diathesis. Pain in throat, worse swallowing, below right angle of jaw, as if splinter were imbedded vertically …”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“pruriens. Mucuna pruriens. Cowhage. Cow-itch. N. O. Leguminosæ. Trituration or tincture of whole pod. Cough / Dentition / Gums, neuralgia of / Herpes zoster / Jaundice / Jaundice, irritation of / Jaw, pain in / Neuralgia / Pruritus / Sore throat The most characteristic symptoms of Dolichos are . a general intense…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Cowhage, or Cowitch. Leguminosæ. A climbing plant, native to the West Indies and tropical America, synonymous with Mucuma pruriens, bears a fruit pod, about four inches long, covered with bristly hairs, from which the alcoholic tincture is prepared. Introduced and proved by Jacob Jeanes. CLINICAL AUTHORITIES…”
Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Gums (upper) irritated, tumid, excessively painful; can scarcely take food or drink in the mouth. Pain in the gums prevents sleep. Painful sensation of the throat below the angle of the lower jaw on the right side; it was; as if a splinter of three-quarters of an inch in length was imbedded vertically in that spot…”
Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Violent itching over the body, without any visible eruption; jaundice; white stools.”

Dolichos pruriens in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Dolichos pruriens in 59 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in SKIN (11), COUGH (9), MOUTH (6), GENERALITIES (5), EXTREMITIES (4).

THROAT - PAIN - splinter, - as from a
RECTUM - CONSTIPATION - pregnancy,during
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Leg - dry
SKIN - BURNING - night
SKIN - ITCHING - eruption,without
GENERALITIES - PAIN - splinters,sensation of
EYE - OPEN lids
SKIN - ITCHING - warm - on becoming
MOUTH - DISCOLORATION - Gums - redness
MOUTH - PAIN - Gums
SKIN - ITCHING - night
SKIN - ITCHING - scratching - agg.
MOUTH - PAIN - sore - Gums
FEMALE GENITALIA - ITCHING
MOUTH - SWELLING - Gums
SKIN - ITCHING
CHEST - PAIN - Lungs - apex
COUGH - AFTERNOON - 4 p.m.until morning
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Upper Limbs - dry
MOUTH - TASTE - bloody - coughing - when

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Dolichos pruriens across the other classic books

Dolichos pruriens appears in 7 of the 21 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen TF — A compiled symptom record drawing on proving reports and other named observations.

“Mucuna pruriens, D. C. (Dolichos pruriens, L.) Natural order , Leguminosæ. Common names , Cowhage, Cow-itch; (Fr.) Pois à gratter or pouillieux; (G.) Juck-borsten. Preparation , Trituration (or tincture) of the whole pod. Authority. Dr. Jacob Jeanes, N. Am. J. of Hom., "I took a portion of the 2d cent. dilution." A…”

Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.

“Cowhage (DOLICHOS PURIENS - MUCUNA) A right-sided medicine, with pronounced liver and skin symptoms. A general intense itching without eruption. Exalted nervous sensibility. Senile pruritus. Hæmorrhoidal diathesis. Pain in throat, worse swallowing, below right angle of jaw, as if splinter were imbedded vertically …”

Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.

“pruriens. Mucuna pruriens. Cowhage. Cow-itch. N. O. Leguminosæ. Trituration or tincture of whole pod. Cough / Dentition / Gums, neuralgia of / Herpes zoster / Jaundice / Jaundice, irritation of / Jaw, pain in / Neuralgia / Pruritus / Sore throat The most characteristic symptoms of Dolichos are . a general intense…”

Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.

“Cowhage, or Cowitch. Leguminosæ. A climbing plant, native to the West Indies and tropical America, synonymous with Mucuma pruriens, bears a fruit pod, about four inches long, covered with bristly hairs, from which the alcoholic tincture is prepared. Introduced and proved by Jacob Jeanes. CLINICAL AUTHORITIES…”

Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.

“Gums (upper) irritated, tumid, excessively painful; can scarcely take food or drink in the mouth. Pain in the gums prevents sleep. Painful sensation of the throat below the angle of the lower jaw on the right side; it was; as if a splinter of three-quarters of an inch in length was imbedded vertically in that spot…”

Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.

“Violent itching over the body, without any visible eruption; jaundice; white stools.”