Plantago major

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

Common name: plantain.

Has considerable reputation in the treatment of earache, toothache, and enuresis (Br.).

Pains centre in ears and teeth, or alternate between them (B.).

Pyorrhœa alveolaris (Fluor-Ac., Hep., Merc., Nit-Ac., Phos., Sil.) (Br.).

Teeth feel too long (Ant-T., Caust., Cham., Hep., Lach., Mag-C., Mezer., Nux-V., Rhus-T., Sep., Sil. Staph., Sulph.) (Br.).

TOOTHACHE: WORSE IN THE COLD AIR, FROM COLD DRINKS, FROM TOUCH, AND WARM THINGS (K.).

Pain in the sound teeth (Acon., Am-C., Ars., Bell., Bry., Carb-V., Cham., Coff., Hyos., Mag-C., Nux-V., Rhus-T., Sulph., Zinc.) (K.).

Toothache, better while eating (Am-C., Cham., Chin., Coff., Ipec., Selen., Sil., Spig.) (Br.).

Toothache extending to the ears (Bell., Cham., Kreos., Mang., Merc., Rhod., Sep., Staph., Sulph., Thuj.) (K.).

Neuralgic earache, with sticking pains in the ears (Bl.).

Salivation (Merc., Nat-M., Rhus-T.) (Br.).

SALIVA FLOWS WITH THE PAINS (B.).

Dirty taste in the mouth (B.).

Periodical prosopalgia (Ars.), worse 7 A.M. to 2 P.M., accompanied with flow of tears, photophobia (Br.).

Brown, frothy stools (Br.).

Eye-ball very tender to touch (Br.).

Polyuria (Kali-P., Lyc., Merc., Sil.) (B.).

The urine is profuse and colourless (Gels., Merc., Phos-Ac., Sulph.) (Bl.).

Nocturnal enuresis (Calc., Kreos., Sep., Sulph.) (Bl.).

AGGRAVATION: In the cold air; from touch; from warm things; from cold drinks; from 7 A.M. to 2 P.M.; and at night.

AMELIORATION: While eating.

RELATIONSHIP: Similar to: Ars., Bell., Chin., Ferr-P., Gels., Hep., Kali-P., Lyc., Merc., Nat-M., Puls., Rhus-T., Sep. and Sulph.

Plantago major across the other classic books

Plantago major appears in 6 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.
“Plantago major, Linn. Natural order , Plantaginaceæ. Common names , Plantain, Wegerich. Preparation , Tincture of the whole plant, or of the root. Authorities. 2 to 11 , provings by Dr. F. Humphreys, from Monograph, 1871); 2 , Dr. Humphreys, effects of 1st dec. dil., first, second, and fifth days; 2 a , same, effect…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Plantain Has considerable clinical reputation in the treatment of earache, toothache, and enuresis. Sharp pain in eyes, reflex from decayed teeth or inflammation of middle ear. Eyeball very tender to touch. Pain plays between teeth and ears. Pyorrhea alveolaris. Depression and insomnia of chronic Nicotinism. Causes an…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Nerves: Ears. Teeth. Kidneys and bladder. Night. Warm room. Sleep. Eating. Sharp , shifting pains. Soreness. Neuralgia. As of a body between ears; in groins, etc. .................... As if brain turned over. As of a hair before (l), eye. Pains center in ears and teeth or alternate between them. Earache. Saliva flows…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“major. Plantain. Ribwort. N. O. Plantaginaceæ. Tincture of whole fresh plant. Tincture of the root. Ague / Breast, inflammation of / Burns / Ciliary neuralgia / Diabetes / Diarrhœa / Dysentery / Earache / Ear, inflammation of / Emissions / Enuresis / Erysipelas / Erythema / Hæmorrhoids / Impotence / Neuralgias / of…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Plantain. Plantaginaceæ. The greater plantain is common in Europe and North America. The fresh plant is gathered when coming into flower, and from it is prepared the alcoholic tincture. Provings by Heath, Hah. Mo., 1868, vol. 3, p. 332 ; F. Humphreys, Earhart, Fox, Warren, Wood, Bishop, Freeman, Slocum, Bunting…”

Plantago major in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Plantago major in 645 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (133), HEAD (73), MIND (45), ABDOMEN (42), GENERALITIES (32).

GENERALITIES - TOBACCO - agg.
URINE - SEDIMENT - sand - red (brick-dust)
NOSE - DISCHARGE, - watery
RESPIRATION - ACCELERATED - mental exertion,by
GENERALITIES - TOBACCO - chewing agg.
HEAD - PAIN, - sore bruised,sensitive to pressure - morning - waking,on
EAR - PAIN - toothache,with
HEAD - PAIN, - boring,digging,screwing - Forehead - eminence,frontal
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - left thenright
NOSE - CORYZA - sudden attacks
BLADDER - URINATION - frequent - daytime - and night
FACE - PAIN - jerking - zygoma - lancinating
TEETH - PAIN, - neuralgic
FACE - PAIN - stitching - left
RECTUM - HAEMORRHOIDS - internal
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Lower Limbs - motion - amel.
TEETH - PAIN, - warm - things
CHEST - MILK - disappearing
TEETH - PAIN, - sore,bruised
URINE - COLOR, - red - dark-red

Search all 7 classical repertories

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