Acalypha Indica

by John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

Cupameni. Indian acalypha. (East Indies.) N. O. Euphorbiaceæ. Tincture of fresh plant.

Clinical

Cough / Diarrhœa / Flatulence / Hæmoptysis

Characteristics

The chief employment of this Euphorbian has been in violent dry cough followed by bloody expectoration. Expectoration of pure blood in the morning, and dark clotted blood in the evening. Cough most violent at night. Dulness of chest on percussion; constant severe pain in chest. Progressive emaciation. A proving by several Indian physicians has brought out a number of symptoms in the alimentary tracts characterised by: burning, sense of weight at stomach, flatulence, and sputtering diarrhœa.

Relations

Compare: Mercurialis ann., Mancin., and other Euphorbians. Ham., Ipec., Millefol., Phos., Aco.

Acalypha Indica across the other classic books

Acalypha Indica appears in 4 of the 13 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 — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Acalypha Indica, Linn. Nat. order , Euphorbiaceæ. Preparation , Tincture from the plant. Authority. Dr. Tonnère, of Calcutta. (See Am. Hom. Rev., vol. 2, and A. H. Z., 61, 104, and 77, 31.) Severe fit of dry cough, followed by spitting of blood (from 10 drops of the tincture).”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Indian Nettle A drug having a marked action on the alimentary canal and respiratory organs. It is indicated in incipient phthisis, with hard, racking cough, bloody expectoration, arterial hæmorrhage, but no febrile disturbance. Very weak in the morning, gains strength during day. Progressive emaciation. All…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Acalypha Indica Linn. Euphorbiaceæ. A weed common in the East Indies, like nettle. Proved and applied by Tonnere, of Calcutta, and Payne, of Bath. Holcombe's cure. Gloomy and despairing, but very unwilling to die. θ Hæmoptysis. Leucorrhœa, sometimes thick, sometimes watery. θ Consumptive patient. Cough, with bloody…”

Acalypha Indica in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Acalypha Indica in 10 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXPECTORATION (5), CHEST (2), COUGH (1), MIND (1), STOMACH (1).

CHEST - HAEMORRHAGE
EXPECTORATION - BLOODY,spitting of blood
EXPECTORATION - BLOODY,spitting of blood - morning
CHEST - HAEMORRHAGE - coagulated
EXPECTORATION - BLOODY,spitting of blood - bright-red
EXPECTORATION - BLOODY,spitting of blood - dark
EXPECTORATION - MORNING
STOMACH - APPETITE - increased (hunger in general)
MIND - SADNESS,mental depression
COUGH - DRY

Search all 7 classical repertories

More remedies in this book

Previous remedy: Absin Next remedy: Acet-ac

Abies-c Abies-n Abr Abrot Acetan Acon-c Acon-f Acon-l

Explore the full Similia platform

Access 13 classic materia medica books, 7 classical repertories, AI semantic search, and basic case management — free.

View Pricing