Aletris farinosa

by Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our 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Historical reference for practitioners and students.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.

Star Grass. Hæmadoraceæ.

The most bitter plant ; much more so than Aloes, Gentian or Quassia. (-BIGELOW.)

MIND [1]

Weariness of body and mind.

SENSORIUM [2]

Vertigo, sleepiness, vomiting and purging ; even stupefaction.

Dizzy when stooping.

SIGHT AND EYES [5]

Eyes feel sore and look dim.

INNER MOUTH [12]

Spits a good deal and raises froth.

APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]

Want of appetite with weakness.

Want of appetite. θ Prolapsus uteri.

EATING AND DRINKING [15]

Least food distresses stomach ; fainting attacks with vertigo ; sleepy, emaciated ; disgust for food, nausea ; obstinate indigestion ; constipation ; debility.

Indigestion. θ Prolapsus uteri.

HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]

Obstinate vomiting during pregnancy.

ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]

Flatulent colic in weak, emaciated persons.

(OBS :) Hysteric colic.

STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]

Fearful pains in rectum and anus ; during a movement terrible pains as if forcing a passage.

FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]

Premature, profuse menses, with labor-like pains.

Amenorrhœa or delayed menses, from uterine or ovarian atony ; weariness of mind and body ; abdomen distended, bearing down ; lassitude.

Prolapsus from muscular atony.

Menorrhagia from a congested state of uterus and ovaries ; profuse black blood and coagula ; fulness and weight in uterine region.

Leucorrhœa from loss of fluids or defective nutrition ; debility from protracted illness.

Leucorrhœa. θ Prolapsus uteri.

Menses too early and too profuse. θ Prolapsus uteri.

Sterility from uterine atony.

PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION [24]

Habitual tendency to abortion, sensation of weight in uterine region, and tendency to prolapsus.

Myalgic pains, simulating "false pains," during pregnancy.

COUGH [27]

Raises a great deal of froth ; feels as if wanting to cough, but cannot.

REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]

Stooping : causes dizziness ; has a great sense of weakness.

NERVES [36]

Debility, especially of females, from protracted illness or defective nutrition ; no organic disease.

Great debility. θ Prolapsus uteri.

Debility after diphtheria.

(OBS :) Fits.

(OBS :) Epilepsy with young persons.

FEVER [40]

(OBS :) In many fevers.

SENSATIONS [43]

Pain in rectum as if forcing a passage.

Fearful pains : in rectum and anus.

Myalgic pains : during pregnancy.

Soreness : of eyes.

Fulness : in uterine region.

Weight : in uterine region.

TISSUES [44]

(OBS :) Chronic rheumatism.

(OBS :) Dropsy.

STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]

Most suitable for chlorotic girls and pregnant women.

Weak, emaciated people.

RELATIONS [48]

Similar to Helon., Cinchon., Hydrast., Sabin., Senec., Pulsat . and Cauloph .

In collecting the root not to be mistaken for Helon. dioic .

Aletris farinosa across the other classic books

Aletris farinosa appears in 9 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.
“Aletris farinosa, L. Nat. order , Hæmadoraceæ. Common names , Colic root, Star grass. Preparation , Tincture from the root. Authority. Hale (New Remedies, from the Eclectics). Excessive nausea, with giddiness, followed by vomiting and purging. Colic in the hypogastrium. Pressure in the uterine region. Premature and…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Stargrass An anæmic, relaxed condition, especially of the female organism, is portrayed by this remedy. The patient is tired all the time , and suffers from prolapsus, leucorrhœa, rectal distress, etc. Marked anæmia. Chlorotic girls and pregnant women. Power and energy weakened. Confused feelings. Cannot concentrate…”
Boger (GA) — Which general headings this remedy belongs under — the analytical scaffolding.
“STRETCHING, bending, backward, Amel.”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Female organs (R). Blood. Loss of fluids. Passing flatus. Bending backward. Debility. Always tired. Heaviness of parts. Uterine reflexes. Hæmorrhage. Anæmia. .................... Frothy saliva. Abdominal colic. Terrible pain during stool. Constipation. Early, profuse menses. Tendency to abortion. Related: Chin. Helo…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Star Grass Blazing Grass. Colic Root. Unicorn Root. (United States.) N. O. Hæmodoraceæ. Tincture of root. Abortion / Anæmia / Colic / Constipation / Convulsions / Debility / Dysmenorrhœa / Dysuria / Endometritis / Fever / Hæmorrhoids / Hysteric colic / Indigestion / Leucorrhœa / Menorrhagia / Myalgia / Pregnancy…”
Guernsey — The leading characteristics — a compact bridge from repertory result to remedy study.
“The curative range of this remedy crops out in the female sexual organs; more particularly when there is nervous debility from protracted illness or defective nutrition. Stomach.--The least food causes distress, fainting spells with vertigo, disgust for food, constipation. Obstinate vomiting during pregnancy…”
Hale — The introduction story — early pathogenetic and clinical evidence for medicines new to Hale's generation.
“(Star Grass, or False Unicorn.) Botakical Description. — Root, perennial, small, black outside, brown inside, branched, crooked. Root leaves, from six to twelve, spreading on the ground like a star, but all unequal in size, sessile, lanceolate, entire, very smooth, thin and translucent, with many longitudinal veins…”
Hughes & Dake — The source evidence — provings and poisonings retained with their experimental context.
“ALETRIS. Aletris farlnoia, L. Star.grass. Nat. Ord., Hsmudor^icict. I. Provings, — I. Man. Took^ Nov, ird, 10 dropi of 1, at a. 30 p.tii,> and t% drops at 4. At 4.30 slight nausea with pressure lo forehead; nausea increa&cd till 6, when a meal relieved it for i h., it then retxiracd and lasted all e., sight or thought…”

Aletris farinosa in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Aletris farinosa in 55 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in FEMALE GENITALIA (30), STOMACH (6), GENERALITIES (3), ABDOMEN (2), BLADDER (2).

FEMALE GENITALIA - HEAVINESS - Uterus
FEMALE GENITALIA - METRORRHAGIA - climacteric period
FEMALE GENITALIA - METRORRHAGIA - coagulated
FEMALE GENITALIA - STERILITY
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - labor-like - menses,before - during
GENERALITIES - WEAKNESS,enervation - afternoon
GENERALITIES - CHLOROSIS
FEMALE GENITALIA - ABORTION
FEMALE GENITALIA - PROLAPSUS - uterus
STOMACH - LOATHING of food
FEMALE GENITALIA - LEUCORRHOEA
FEMALE GENITALIA - MENSES - frequent,too early,too soon
FEMALE GENITALIA - FULLNESS - uterus
STOMACH - ERUCTATIONS - frothy
BLADDER - URINATION - involuntary - sneezing,when
FEMALE GENITALIA - ABORTION - inertia of uterus
FEMALE GENITALIA - CONGESTION - Uterus - menses - during
GENERALITIES - FAINTNESS,fainting - evening
FEMALE GENITALIA - ATONY of uterus
FEMALE GENITALIA - METRORRHAGIA - passive

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