Guajacum officinale

by Adolph von Lippe — Keynotes and Red Line Symptoms of the Materia Medica · Compiled posthumously

Historical reference for practitioners and students.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.

Common name: lignum vitae.

Gouty nodosities (Am-M., Caust., Benz-Ac., Lyc., Sars.) (D.).

The affected parts are very sensitive to contact (Arn., Kali-C., Lach.).

Rheumatic affections, with contraction of the flexors and stiffness of the joints (Am-M., Caust., Cimex, Nat-M.) (A.).

JOINTS BECOME DISTORTED BY CONCRETIONS (Apis, Benz-Ac., Calc., Calc-F., Colch., Form., Graph., Led., Lith., Lyc., Sil.) (D.).

The limbs go to sleep.

Great weakness and debility in the legs with disinclination to move (Cocc., Con., Kali-C., Nat-S., Nux-M., Nux-V., Phos-Ac., Plb., Rhus-T., Sep., Thuj.).

Stiffness of the contracted parts (Am-M., Caust., Lyc.).

Tearing and stinging pain in the muscles of the upper and lower extremities, with heat of the parts.

Swelling and softening of the bones (Calc., Calc-P., Sil.).

Caries (Calc., Calc-P., Merc., Nit-Ac., Phos., Sil.).

Small pulse (Ars., Camph., Carb-V., Cupr., Dig., Laur., Sec., Sil., Stram., Verat.) (G.).

Sensation of protruding and swelling of the eyes; the lids seem too short to cover them (N.).

THROAT: BURNING, DRY, PAINFUL TO THE TOUCH (Ars., Phyt., Sulph.) (B.).

One-sided complaints.

Uncomfortable feeling in the body.

Painful duglutition (Bell., Merc.) (Bl.).

Follicular tonsillitis (Kali-C.) (Bl.).

Sweats profuse, on single parts, face, etc. (B.).

Night-sweats (Hep., Kali-C., Merc., Nit-Ac., Phos., Sil., Sulph., Thuj.) (B.).

Dry cough, with sharp, pleuritic pains (Bry., Con., Phos.) (Bl.).

COUGH WITH EXPECTORATION OF FETID PUS (Ars., Calc., Caps., Kali-C., Merc., Nit-Ac., Phos., Sil.) (N.).

Recurrent pleurisy (Calc., Carb-An., Kali-C., Phos., Sil., Tub.) (B.).

Constipation (Alum., Bry., Sulph.).

Hard and crumbling stools (Am-M.).

AGGRAVATION: From motion; in the evening; in the morning; while sitting; in the open air; in the fore-noon; from pressure; and from heat.

AMELIORATION: In the room.

RELATIONSHIP: Similar to: Am-M., Bry., Caust., Hep., Merc., Nit-Ac., Phos., Sil. and Tub.

Guajacum officinale across the other classic books

Guajacum officinale appears in 14 of the 27 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.

Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Resin of Lignum Vitæ (GUAIACUM) Chief action on fibrous tissue, and is especially adapted to the arthritic diathesis, rheumatism, and tonsillitis. Secondary syphilis. Very valuable in acute rheumatism. Free foul secretions. Unclean odor from whole body . Promotes suppuration of abscesses. Sensitiveness and aggravation…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Secretions: Glands. TONSILS. Ovaries. Skin. Fibrous tissue: Ligaments. Joints. Chest. HEAT. Touch. Motion. Exertion. Rapid growth. Mercury. Cold (locally). Apples. Rigid , painfully swelled joints. Arthritic symptoms. FREE, FOUL SECRETIONS, expectoration, sweats, etc. Impending suppuration, quinsy, old bronchitis…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Gum guaiacum. Guaiacum officinale. The gum-resin of Lignum sanctum or Lignum vitæ, a large tree growing in W. Indies. N. O. Zygophyllaceæ. Tincture of the gum-resin. Abscess / Amenorrhœa / Aneurism / Bones, affections of / Bronchitis / Caries / Cholera infantum / Constipation / Contraction / Cough / Diarrhœa /…”
Guernsey — The leading characteristics — a compact bridge from repertory result to remedy study.
“Affections of the thighs. Heavy, dragging, pains in and about the left ear; dragging, drawing pain in the muscles. Great aversion to motion; small pulse. Worse.--In the open air. Better.--In the room. Remedies following:--Calc. carb., Mercur.”
Hahnemann (CD) — The antipsoric proving record — Hahnemann's later materia medica in its chronic-disease setting.
“JUIAC. The sap which flows from the West Indian tree Guajacum officinale, which when inspissated is called Gummi Guajaci, consists in great part of a peculiar kind of resin. For homœopathic use this is triturated dry with sugar of milk for three hours to the one millionth attenuation, and then dissolved and raised to…”
Hahnemann (MMP) — The proving record — numbered observations closest to Hahnemann's primary materia medica.
“(The alcoholic solution of the inspissated juice of the West Indian tree Guaiacum officinale, which consists chiefly of resin.) From vol. iv, 2nd edit., 1825. The homeopathic physician will find even in these few symptoms a sufficient guide to enable him to make a sure curative employment of this vegetable substance…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Gum Resin of Lignum Vitæ. Zygophilleæ. A large tree growing in the West Indies. The tincture is prepared from the resin. Introduced by Hahnemann (Chr. Krankheiten) and proved by himself, Hartmann, Langhammer, Teuthorn, etc. CLINICAL AUTHORITIES. Neuralgia , Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 88 ; Sharp, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol…”
Hughes & Dake — The source evidence — provings and poisonings retained with their experimental context.
“GUAIACUM. Guaiacum officinale, L. Lignum vitæ. Nat. Ord., Zygophyllacea. I. Provings.--1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Med. Pura , vol. iv oforiginal, vol. i of translation. Contains 29 symptoms from self, 113 from 3 fellow-observers, and 3 from authors . 2. IBID., Chronic Diseases, part iii of original, vol. of translation…”
Kent — The mental and general picture — how Kent organizes the remedy’s historical symptom portrait.
“This is a very deep acting remedy, even deep enough to cure the symptoms of and turn into order a constitution that is rheumatic, gouty, and has inherited phthisis. Rheumatism: These patients are subject to diarrhoea; the tendons are too short, or they have abscesses, catarrhal troubles, bronchitis. Drawing, tension…”
Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Forgetfulness, especially of names. Thoughtless staring during the morning. Violent sharp stitches in the brain. Rheumatic pains in one side of the head, extending to the face. External headache, with the sensation as if the blood-vessels were overfilled. Pulsative throbbing in the outer parts of the head, with…”
Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Cough with expectoration of fœtid pus.”
Nash (Respiratory) — The respiratory picture — the cough, the breathing, and the expectoration that separate one remedy from another.
“Guaiacum.—Extremely offensive expectoration in phthisis.”
Roberts — Location, sensation, and modality — the three-fold basis Roberts used to separate remedies.
“Guaiacum is useful in rheumatic affections, especially after the abuse of mercury; in rheumatism with contractions of tendons or fibrous tissues; in the growing pains of children; in women suffering from rheumatic conditions when associated with ovarian and menstrual irregularities; when there is a tendency for…”

Guajacum officinale in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Guajacum officinale in 844 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (218), GENERALITIES (118), HEAD (95), BACK (46), MIND (44).

BACK - PAIN - contracting - Dorsal region - scapulae - between
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Leg - growing pains
BACK - PAIN - contracting
BACK - PAIN - drawing - Dorsal region
EYE - SWOLLEN - sensation of swelling
EYE - OPEN lids
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - rheumatic - mercury,abuse of
FACE - EXPRESSION, - old looking
RECTUM - CHOLERA - morbus
EXTREMITIES - TENSION - Thigh - hamstrings
EXTREMITIES - CONTRACTION of muscles and tendons - Thigh - hamstrings
BACK - PAIN - drawing - Dorsal region - scapulae - between
EXTREMITIES - CONTRACTION of muscles and tendons - Knee,hollow of
RECTUM - CHOLERA - infantum
EYE - SWOLLEN
GENERALITIES - PAIN - stitching - tearing in muscles
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - tearing - Joints
EXPECTORATION - ODOR - offensive
THROAT - INFLAMMATION - Tonsils
HEAD - PERSPIRATION scalp

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