Lesser Known Drugs in Materia-Medica

Lesser known drugs are those drugs which we so often ignore for a more-often used remedy; it may be a polycrest remedy or some remedy found useful through experience. Lack of proper knowledge or lack of courage to try something different has been attributed to less use of these drugs. I have used lesser known remedies in my practice when there is limited but characteristic information in circumscribed cases.

Edward Whitmont states-

"As a rule, a case defies our efforts to find the curative remedy not because there is no remedy which would cover its symptom totality, but because we have failed to consider or to recognize this remedy".Hahnemann had enunciated in the classification of diseases that there is a separate class belonging to one sided disorders either mental or physical under DYNAMIC chronic diseases.In these cases organopathic or lesser known or rare remedies are useful. Even in fully developed, chronic miasmatic category some of the lesser known remedies are useful to facilitate the cure.The characteristics given under each remedy are all well known and verified symptoms and would serve in the selection of the correct remedy. Given below are few lesser known but very useful remedies.

1. ADRENALINUM [Adren]:

GUIDING INDICATIONS

• Active principle of medulla of supra renal gland employed as chemical messenger in the regulation of the activities of the body.
• Adrenalin action on any part is the same as STIMULATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVE ENDINGS.
• Arteries, heart, supra renal bodies and vaso-motor system are prominently affected.
• The main action is stimulation of the sympathetic endings, notably the splanchnic area, causing CONSTRICTION OF THE PERIPHERAL ARTERIOLES with resulting RISE IN BLOOD PRESSURE. This is especially observed in stomach intestines; less in uterus, skin; nil in brain and lungs.
• Its chief therapeutic use depends upon it's VASO-CONSTRICTION action; therefore a most powerful and prompt ASTRINGENT AND HAEMOSTATIC, and invaluable in CHECKING capillary haemorrhages from all parts where local or direct application is feasible nose, ears, mouth, throat, larynx, stomach, rectum, uterus, bladder.
• Haemorrhagic condition not due to defective coagulation of blood. Complete bloodlessness, ischaemia may be induced.
• ADDISON'S DISEASE with bronzing of skin, loss of strength, wasting, exceedingly rapid pulse.
• Useful in acute attacks of BRONCHIAL ASTHMA with sense of constriction and suffocation. Rescue remedy in status asthmaticus.
• Slowing of pulse (medullary vagus stimulation) and strengthening of heart beat (increased myocardial contractility).
• Local application to mucous membrane promptly induces transient ischaemia, seen in a BLANCHING. Used locally in cases of HYPERAEMIA OF CONJUNCTIVA, dissipating in almost immediately.
• Increased glandular activity, glycosuria depression of respiratory centre.
• Contraction of muscular tissues of eyes, uterus, vagina and relaxation of muscular tissue of stomach, intestines, bladder.
• Locally solutions sprayed or applied on cotton very efficient in bloodless operations about the eye, larynx, nose, throat.
  
• Shock or heart failure during anaesthesia, as it causes very prompt rise of blood pressure by its action on nerve endings in vessel wall.
• Externally used in neuritis, NEURALGIA, reflex pains, gout, rheumatism, as an ointment, along the nerve trunk at point of skin nearest its origin which could be reached.

2. CHOLESTERINUM [Chol]:

GUIDING INDICATIONS

• Nosode- found in blood, brain, yolk of egg, seeds and buds of plants; abundant in bile and biliary calculi.
  < Touch or jar
  < Lying on side
  < Bending or sudden motion.
• Delusions- of talking with dead people.
• Confusion of mind - incoherent delirium.
• Shreiking, shouting, screaming on waking.
• It is a useful remedy for obstinate hepatic enlargements, for cancer of the liver, for obstinate gall stones; for vitreous opacities and obstinate jaundice.
• Cholesterine is the physiological opponent of Lecithin, thus both seem to play some unknown part in the growth tumours.
• Gallstone colic, almost specific, attacks come and go suddenly pushing pain in the region of the bile duct and region of the liver is sore, sensitive to touch or jar < lying on side.
• Burning pain in side of abdomen, on walking holds his hand on side, hurts him so.
• Used for obstinate hepatic engorgements, cancer of liver.
• Obstinate hepatic engorgements, malignant affections affecting the lobe of the liver and what lies between it and the pylorus and the pancreas.

3.COLLINSONIA CANADENSIS [Coll]:

GUIDING INDICATIONS

• Congestions; pelvic; reflex from or combined with haemorrhoids, especially cardiac. Swelled feeling. Piles alternating with heart.
• Prolapse anus or uterus with itching of vulva.
  It produces CONGESTION in pelvic organs especially anus, rectum and uterus; resulting in haemorrhoids, constipation especially in females and dysmenorrhoea.
• Alternating complaints-Piles alternating with heart.
• Chest pain alternate with haemorrhoids.
• After heart symptoms relieved piles or suppressed menses return.
• Sensation of constriction and feeling of enlargement are felt in various parts and organs of the body, limbs, vulva, clitoris etc. eg. -sensation as if limbs were enlarged.
• Sensation of swelling of labia.
• Flushes of heat; with piles, with oppressed breathing.
• Chronic nasal, gastric and pharyngeal catarrh due to portal obstruction.
• Head-Dull pain in head with constipation.
• Assocoation of headache with haemorrhoidal condition.
• It has special value when given before operation for rectal diseases it is apt to reduce after complications.
• Rectum-Sensation of sharp sticks or sand in rectum, with cardiac pains.
• Sense of constriction. Vascular engorgement of rectum.
• Most obstinate constipation with protruding haemorrhoids.
• Constipation or piles during pregnancy with membranous dysmenorrhoea following labor (Nux-v).
• Painful bleeding piles, dysentery with tenesmus.
• Alternate constipation and diarrhoea with great flatulence.
• Itching of anus ( Teucricum, Ratanhia).
• Diarrhoea acrid, destroying hair.
• Stools light coloured, knotty, sluggish lumpy with hard straining.
• Piles bleeding chronic alternating with heart, chest or rheumatic symptoms.
• Prolapsus ani.
• After stools pain in hypogastrium and anus lasting about half an hour.
• Constipation of children from intestinal atony.
• Female genitalia-Pruritus in pregnancy with haemorrhoids unable to lie down.
• Dysmenorrhoea; pruritus of vulva, prolapse of womb swelling and dark redness of genitals; pain on sitting down.
• Constipation or piles during pregnancy.
• Male genitalia-Varicocele.
• Respiratory system-Cough from excessive use of voice `Ministers sore throat'.
• Sharp pain in larynx.