Remedies for Heart Ailments

Digitalis (Foxglove)                                                                         dig.

Guiding Symptoms:

• pulse is WEAK, IRREGULAR, INTERMITTENT, ABNORMALLY SLOW (B,K, A,N)
• Fear of SUFFOCATION at night, can only breath in gasps (K)
• ANXIOUS about the future (B)
• FAINTNESS and vomiting from motion, GREAT WEAKNESS IN STOMACH (B,A,N)
• CANNOT BEAR TO TALK (B,A)
• Sudden sensation as if HEART STOOD STILL IF MOVED (B,A,N)
• Great CONGESTION OF THE LIVER (B,K)

Modalities:

Worse:

when sitting erect, after meals and music (B)

Lying; sitting; BENDING DOUBLE (A)

Better:

when stomach is empty; in open air. (B)

Motion;, walking difficult; compelled to walk even though tired (A)

Psychology:

Sleep is uncomfortable and restless(F,K,N)

Dreams as though falling from a great height(F,K,B)

Has gloomy forbodings (F)

Apprehensive feeling(F)

Frequently breathing deep, sighing and slower than normal. (F,K, A,N,B)

Fear of suffocation at night. (F,K)

Pathology:

Incredible weakness in the chest expressed as a sense of oppression or tightness (F,B)

Feeling of goneness or emptiness often worse after eating(F,B)

Sharp sticking pains in the region of the heart(F,B)

Pulse often slower than the beating of the heart(F,K)

In extreme cases there is cyanosis(A,F,N)

Irregular intermittent pulse in rhythm and volume(F,K, A,N)

Surface of body is cold, lips are blue, veins where they show through are dark. (F,K,A,N)

Notes:

Comparison: Col., Phos., Pod., Rhus, Sil (A)

Case:

One day I saw an old but very strong man staggering across the road toward my office. I thought he was drunk, but on closer observation I noticed that his face looked purple, his lips bluish, and I stepped out and helped him in. He sat down and could not for a few minutes speak a word, but sat and struggled for breath. His pulse was very irregular and intermittent. When he could speak, he told me that for a number of weeks past he had been having these spells, had fallen several times and been obliged to go into the stores and sit, before he could go along the streets. Auscultation revealed hard, blowing sound with first beat of the heart. He had had inflammatory rheumatism in his younger days. He had been obliged to give up all manual labor and dared not go away from home on his business, that of bridge builder. Said he expected to die with this heart disease. I gave him DIGITALIS 2, a few drops in water. In a few days I saw him shoveling snow from the walk in front of his dwelling. “Hello,” he said, “I have no heart disease;” and I saw him often after that and he told me that that medicine cured him of “those spells.”

A young man of good habits was taken with nausea and vomiting. He was drowsy, and after a couple of days he began to grow very jaundiced all over. The sclerotica were as yellow as gold, as was, indeed, the skin all over the body, even to the nails. The stools were natural as to consistence, BUT PERFECTLY COLORLESS, while the urine was as BROWN AS LAGER BEER, or even more so. Where you could see through it, on the edge of the receptacle, it was yellow as fresh bile. The pulse was only THIRTY BEATS PER MINUTE, and often dropped out a beat.

This was a perfect DIGITALIS case of jaundice, and this remedy cured him perfectly in a few days, improvement in his feelings taking place very shortly after beginning

Cratageus Oxyacantha (Hawthorn)                                                                       Crat.

Guiding Symptoms:

• High blood pressure
• Chronic heart disease, with extreme weakness(B)
• Very nervous, with pain in back of head and neck(B)
• Haemorrhage from bowels(B)
• Painful sensation of pressure in left side of chest below the clavicle(B)
• EXTREME DYSPNOEA ON LEAST EXERTION, without increase in pulse(B)
• HEART DILATED; FIRST SOUND WEAK(B)
• Pulse accelerated, IRREGULAR, FEEBLE, INTERMITTENT(B)
• Mental dullness conjunctiva irritation nasal discharges. (B)
• Very sensitive to fairness. ‘If you are not fair with me I will retreat and not talk to you again.’
• Withdrawn and antisocial.

Modalities:

Worse:

in warm room(B)

Better:

fresh air, quiet and rest (B)

Psychology:

Apprehensive, despondent. (B)

Very nervous and irritable, with pain in back of head and neck. (B)

Mental dullness conjunctival irritation nasal discharges. (B)

Insomnia of aortic patients. (B)

Desire for fairness, very easily withdraw for fear of confrontation (Olsen S)

Pathology:

DIABETES, especially in children. (B)

CARDIAC DROPSY. Fatty degeneration(B)

EXTREME DYSPNOEA ON LEAST EXERTION, without much increase of pulse(B)

Pain in region of heart AND UNDER LEFT CLAVICLE(B)

Pulse accelerated, IRREGULAR, FEEBLE, INTERMITTENT(B)

Valvular murmurs, angina pectoris. (B)

Cutaneous chilliness, blueness of fingers and toes; all aggravated by exertion or excitement. (B)

Excessive perspiration (B)

Notes:

Comparison: STROPHANTUS; DIGIT.; IBERIS; NAJA; CACTUS. (B)

Case 1 :

Dr. Hughes.”On December 3, 1899, I was called to visit Mr. H., aged 38, who had been afflicted with heart disease for many years. I found patient cyanotic, his limbs enormously swollen; almost complete suppression of urine; a very rapid intermittent, irregular, and at times almost imperceptible pulse. He was unable to raise himself in bed without symptoms of collapse; he spoke with difficulty; and in fact presented a perfect picture of approaching dissolution from heart failure. An examination showed an enormously enlarged and dilated heart with leakage regurgitation of aortic and mitral valves. I gave 5-drop doses of the Ø tincture of crataegus every three hours, for four days. At the end of this time he was sitting up in bed, the dropsy having entirely disappeared, urinary secretion restored, and pulse fairly good. No relapse had occured up to April, 1900.

Case 2:

In the Medical Era of 1901, Dr. Halbert reported the case of a youth, aged 20, who suffered from congenital (?) valvular disease, aggravated by dilatation, brought on by cycling up-ill and from imperfect compensatory hypertrophy. In the summer of 1900, Dr. Halbert found him in a most critical condition. The praecordium was bulging; the apex beat appeared at the border of the sixth rib; the right heart was greatly enlarged; the dyspnoea was terrible; both aortic and mitral regurgitation existed; and cyanosis was evident. Strychnia, digitalis, and every remedy and adjuvant I could think of having been used with only temporary benefit, I gave crataegus, five drops for a dose, gradually increased to eight drops, four times a day. At the end of a fortnight the improvement was quite pronounced. The cardiac muscle was steadily strengthening, and affording the needed compensation. An unfortunate attack of pneumonia supervened, whereby his life was nearly lost, but he survived, and again crataegus was given, and kept up for some weeks.

He recovered, went into the country for change of air, and when Dr. Halbert met him in town he said that “he was all right, and attending to business.”

In two other cases of organic valvular lesion, one mitral, and one aortic, Dr. Halbert records that crataegus, in material doses, restored the heart to a workable and even comfortable condition.

Strophanthus Hispidus (Foxglove)                                                         Stroph.

Guiding Symptoms:

• Temporal pains with double vision, impaired sight (B)
• failing compensation dependent upon fatty heart (B)
• Anaemia with palpitation and breathlessness (B)
• DYSPNOEA, especially on ascending (B)
• HIVES, brilliant eyes, flushed face. Senile vertigo. (B)
• BRITTLE TISSUE (B)

Modalities:

Worse:

Better:

Psychology:

Nausea with special disgust for alcohol and so aids in treatment of dipsomania (B)

Pathology:

Temporal pains with double vision (B)

DYSPNOEA, especially on ascending. Lungs congested (B)

Females: Aching pain through hips and thighs during climacteric. (B)

Heart weak, rapid, irregular, due to muscular DEBILITY; and INSUFFICIENCY (B)

Notes:

Comparison: DIGIT, (but is slower than STROPHANT. in its action); PHOS. AC. (B)

Case

William G., 16, a delicate looking boy, was admitted to the Homoeopathic Hospital on November 25th, 1893. He had had rheumatic fever two years before; and four months before admission rheumatic pains again came on lasting for three months. Up till a month ago he was able to go about and even run up stairs. A week before admission he was taken with cough and shivering, and during the week he had vomited.

On admission he was unable to lie down in bed, had to be propped up in order to breathe; he had a frequent short, dry cough, without pain. The feet, especially the left foot, were swollen, pitting on pressure. The temperature was normal. He had a white tongue; for three days before admission he had been unable to retain any food on his stomach. There was no pain after food but he had much flatulence which he brought up with a great sense of relief.

Examination showed the following condition :

Heart : greatly dilated, pulsation diffused. Loud double bruit in mitral region, with accentuated second sound. In pulmonary and tricuspid areas the second sound is accentuated and reduplicated.

PAGE 192

Lungs : loud heart sounds at apices, dullness at both bases and moist râles half way up right lung. Loud heart sound at left base also, but in a smaller area.

Expectoration of bright blood seven days. Cough worse by lying down.

R : Strophantus ø, one drop every four hours, was prescribed by the House Physician, Dr. Lambert, to whom I am indebted for the notes of the case.

November 27th.

Swelling of legs nearly gone, cough troublesome through the night. No blood. Bases clearer. Urine alkaline, phosphates, no albumen.

November 29th.

Bases much clearer. No expectoration. No swellings of legs.

December 2nd.

Head aching badly over eyes. Slept badly last night.

December 4th.

Temperature 99.6° last evening. Some consolidation still at bases.

December 6th.

Better. Mitral systolic bruit quite disappeared, only the praesystolic heard now. Yesterday had pains in shoulders and burning sensation in feet. Bases of lungs clear, no crepitations.

December 7th.

Temperature 100.2°.

December 9th.

Doing well. Slight stiffness in shoulders still.

PAGE 193

December 11th.

Temperature rises slightly in evenings. He feels better than he has done for three months.

December 12th.

Praesystolic bruit less harsh. Sounds improved in mitral area. No pain now. Stiffness in shoulder.

The Strophanthus was now discontinued and I prescribed Bry. 30 instead.

December 13th.

Shoulder better but neck stiff.

R : Act. rac. 30, every two hours.

December 14th.

Back better.

He left home cured of all acute symptoms on December 20th.

References:

Materia Medica by Allen

Accessed May 14, 2007 at http://www.vithoulkas.com/homeopathy/allen/index.html

Materia Medica by Boericke

Accessed May 14, 2007 at http://www.vithoulkas.com/materia_medica/boericke/remedies_a.html

Materia Medica by Kent

Accessed May 14, 2007 at http://www.vithoulkas.com/homeopathy/kent/index.html

Materia Medica by Nash

Accessed May 14, 2007 at http://www.vithoulkas.com/homeopathy/nash/index.html

Materia Medica by Farrington

Accessed May 14, 2007 at http://www.vithoulkas.com/homeopathy/farrington/index.html

Viscum Album (Mistletoe)                                                                         Vis A.

Guiding Symptoms:

• Feeling of suffocation when lying on the left side [B, P]
• Tickling sensation about the heart; Feel as if a hand were squeezing the heart [B]
• Sensation of spider crawling over back of hand and foot [B, P]
• Feel a glow that rose up from feet to head [B, P]

Modalities and General Symptoms:

Worse: winter, cold, stormy weather; movement; lying on left side [B, P]; in bed [B]; Becoming chilled while hot, suppression of menses [P]

Feeling of suffocation when lying on the left side [B, P]

Heart hypertrophy; Valvular insufficiency; Palpitations [B, P]

Rheumatic deafness; Gout [B]

Neuralgia; Sciatica [B, P]

Asthma [B]

Epilepsy; Chorea; Tremor [B, P]

Tearing pains [B, P]

Pains alternating from knee and ankle to shoulder and elbow [B]

Epileptic aura or petit mal; [B,P]

Feel as whole vault of skull were lifted up [B]

Chronic endometriosis [B]

Blood would not clot and wounds would not heal [P]

Psychology:

Fear of telephone

Pathology:

Heart

Nerves

Cases:

Couldn’t find!

Comparisons:

Secale; Convallar; Bry; Puls; Rhodod; Guipsine (hypotensive property) [B]

Hedera Helix-Ivy (Intercranial pressure) [B]

Bufo [P]

Sources:

Boericke, W. M.D., Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory, 2005.
Phatak (PTK2)- From Radar 10.0.

Convallaria Majalis (Lilly of the valley)                                                        Con m.

Guiding Symptoms:

• Sensation heart stopped beating, then started very suddenly [B,P]
• Great soreness in uterine region, with sympathetic palpitation of heart [B, N]
• Movement in abdomen like fist of a child [B,P]
• Sees imaginary gray spot, about three inches square [B]

Modalities and General Symptoms:

Worse: Warm room, lying on back [B, P]

Better: in open air [B, P]

Dyspnoea [B,P]

Anasarca [B]

OVERWHELMING PANIC ATTACKS, with a sensation like bursts of electricity in the body [U]

Dilation of heart without compensatory hypertrophy; when venous stasis is marked [B,P]

Heart- feels as it would beat through chest; Angina [B]

Rapid and irregular pulse [B]

Pain in sacro-iliac joint running down leg [B, N]

Sees imaginary gray spot, about three inches square [B]

Hydroa on nose and lip [B]

Epitasis [B]

Grating of teeth in the morning; Coppery taste [B]

Clothes feel too tight [B]

Orthopnoea[B]

Trembling of hands [B]

Chilly in back and down spine, followed by fever, little sweat.  Thirst and headache during chill [B]

Psychology:

Dull intellect [B]

Grieves easily [B]

Hysterical manifestations [B]

Tends to suffer from DEPRESSION, unable to get out of bed

Pathology:

After some emotional injury, there is a withdrawal from life and emotions, there is stupor, sleepiness, unfeelingness, a closing down of the heart. [U]

Comparisons:

Digit; Crataeg; Lilium; Adonis [B]

Sources:

Boericke, W. M.D., Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory, 2005.
Nash, E.B., M.D., www.vithoulkas.com/homeopathy/nash/convallaria_majalis.html
Phatak (PTK2). From Radar 10.0.
Ullman, R. and Reichenberg-Ullman, J., Healing Hearts with Homeopathy, Townsend letter for doctors and patients, Aug-Sept 2004.

Case:

Case: Female, age 27. Depressed, severe problem with alcohol. Unable to have sex with her husband. “I am afraid of being touched, I am afraid of being dominated by a man, a woman who enjoys sex is a whore.” Grew up in harsh, poor condition. She never knew who her father was. Her mother would just escape and leave her alone with her little brother when there was no money – no love, no home, no support. When she was a teenager, her mother and aunt would ridicule her about her breasts growing bigger, which she found very humiliating. ‘For as long as I can remember I always used to go into nothingness when somebody came near or when a situation became too tense. I just turn off. It is like I am not there.’ Sometimes she experiences a pressure in her chest, accompanied by restlessness and palpitations. Remedy/result: Conv 200c On the first day, she began to feel a lot of emotional pain – “it was almost unbearable, I was not able to go into the nothingness anymore.” Head was burning, pressure in temples, palpitations, perspiration. But felt better on the next day, began to be calm and happy. Now has a lot of desire for sex and is able to enjoy sex with her husband. Convallaria has been repeated twice for a beginning state of depression, both times the emotional well being was regained within a day.

Latrodectus Mactans (Black widow)                                                 Lat m.

Guiding Symptoms:

• Heart complaints; Angina pectoris [R, B]
• Violent pain in cardiac region, extending to left axilla, down left arm and with numbness [R, B]
• Non-coagulable blood [R, B]

Modalities and General Symptoms:

Worse: Least motion, even of hands; exertion [P]

Sinking sensation [B]

Cramping pain from chest to abdomen [R]

Cold as marble [R]

Constriction of chest muscles, with radiation to shoulders and back [B]

Occipital pain [B]

Paresthesia of lower limbs [R, B]

Apnoea [R, B, P]

Vomit black vomit [P]

Quick feeble, thread pulse [P]

Dreams of flying [P]

Psychology:

Fears will lose her breath and die [R, B, P]

Sensitive to noise [R]

Anxiety; Restless with cardiac pain; Screams fearfully with pain [R]

Pathology:

Heart

Comparisons:

Aur, Cact, Dig, Kalm, Lach, Spig [R]

Latrodectus Hasselti; Araena; Mygale; Theridion; Latrodectus Kalipo [B]

Tarent [P]

Sources:

Boericke, W. M.D., Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory, 2005.
Phatak (PTK2). From Radar 10.0.
Radar Keynotes 4.0. From Radar 10.0.

Cases:

From: New Old and Forgotten Remedies by Anshutz P.

A fifty years old dentist, of bilious temperament, had slight attacks of angina after severe exposure and overexertion during “the blizzard” in March, 1888. He did not consider them of sufficient importance to consult a physician. Months later he had a suppurative prostatitis, which was followed by considerable prostration and the angina became very severe.  The pain was brought on by exertion of any kind, and was especially frequent after dinner.  The pain was sometimes felt in the left arm, but was usually confined to the cardiac region.  The usual remedies gave no relief, but Latrodectus 3c was great benefit. Under its use the attacks gradually became less frequent and less severe.  He has taken no medicine now  for the last six months and he tells me that although he occasionally has a little reminder of his former trouble, the attacks are so slight that he pays no attention to them.

A 36 year old women: Two years before the onset of the present illness she lost a son in an accident. She never regained her peace of mind. During preceding months she was under great strain, emotionally and physically, caring for her disabled parents. At the end of December, 1948, in a state of physical exhaustion and nervous strain she contracted a cold. Days later, at the anniversary of the child’s death, she was immobilized by an excruciating pain in the right lumbosacral area. The next day she was unable to void urine and to move her legs. Examination showed an area of muscular constriction along the lower lumbosacral area.  The patient was in a state of frenzied restlessness, screaming and crying with pain, unable to lie still, yet aggravated by any motion. There was no urge for stool and urination. The temperature was between 99.5 and 100. A slipped or ruptured disk were ruled out. The modalities were: worse at night; very chilly, yet better open air; tearful disposition; restlessness; and last period had been extremely scanty, almost completely suppressed. Rx Pulsatilla 200. Relief moderate and short lived. Pulsatilla 1M followed by a temperature rise to 101; pains became somewhat more tolerable. The paralysis, increased. The possibility of a myelitis was considered. The neurologist, first leaned towards  myelitis, then, based on her history thought it may be conversion hysteria. He suggested hospitalization for a diagnostic “work up”. Before hospitalization symptoms were reviewed: an extreme drumlike distension of the abdomen, loud belching, nausea, loss of appetite, at times brownish vomiting, a great thirst for cold water which was taken in little sips, an aversion to sweets, an offensive odor from the mouth, and a feeling of heaviness and oppression on the chest. Still tearful with indefinite fears. The pain now cramping and shooting in waves like labor pains.  Phosphorus 200 was given, The next day the pain improving and the bladder function gradually normalized but the inactivity of the rectum remained. After 5 weeks of hospitalization she returned home unimproved and without definite diagnosis. Now she was exhausted Phosphoric acid 200 and later 1M was given. For several weeks the patient improved and became able to rise from her bed and move about. However, the pains were still almost unbearable, particularly during the night, after the first sleep, and with every change of weather towards rain or electric storms. Mentally also she was not better. Additional symptoms: were flushes of heat and an inability to concentrate on any thoughts. Lachesis, Sepia, Mag. carb., and Rhus tox. gave absolutely no response.  Two months after the first onset of her illness, LATRODECTUS mact. 200. was given. There was an immediate and gratifying relief of all mental and physical symptoms. Latrodectus was indicated from the very beginning. Within a few days the patient moved and walked freely and had only slight distress at night. Within 2 weeks she became practically normal.

Acetanilidum (Antifebrinum)                                                 Acetan.

Guiding Symptoms

• Depresses heart, respiration and blood pressure. (1)
• Cyanosis and collapse. (1,2)
• Mucus membranes are blue. (1,2)

Generals

• Increased susceptibility to cold. (1)
• Destroys red blood corpuscles. (1,2)
• Pallor; Fainting. (1,2)
• Edema (2)

Pathology

• Mind: Moral depravity. (1)
• Head: Enlarged sensation. Fainting. Moral depravity. Headache and neuralgia. (1,2)
• Eyes: Pallor of optic discs; contracted visual field and shrinking retinal vessel. Mydriasis. (1,2)
• Respiration: Asthma, seizes and clenches hands of thos about one at any cost. Difficult respiration, as in a bad attack of asthma. As if the diagphram ceased working. (2)
• Heart: Weak, irregular. Blue mucous membranes, Albuminuria. Edema of feet and ankles. Palpitations. Thrombosis. (1,2)
• Extremities: Thrombosis of lower limbs from weak heart. (1)

Comparisons

(1)     Antipryrin. (1,2)

(2)     Anilinum (2)

(3)     Glon. (2)

Sources:
1. Boericke, W. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory B. Jain Publishers Ltd. New Delhi, India. 2001
2.. Murphy, R. Nature’s Materia Medica Third Ed. Lotus Health Institute.  Virginia, USA. 2006.

Phaseolus (Dwarf-bean)                                                    Phasc

Guiding Symptoms

• PALPITATIONS. (3)
• Heart symptoms quite pronounced. (1)

Generals

• Soreness to touch. (1)
• Heart disorders such as pericarditis, pleurisy, palpitations. (3)
• Diabetes. (1,3)

Modalities

• Headache < by any movement, mental exertion, reading or writing, by 10 am the next day, from noon to bedtime (3)
• Heart has an unpleasant throb which is < at night and prevents sleep.
• < pressure (3)
• Headache > in bed (3)
• Pupils < by any mental exertion (1)

Pathology

• Mind: Could only be roused by speaking loudly. Frightened by irregular action of heart. Feeling that she would die with palpitations. (3)
• Head: Aches chiefly in forehead or orbits from fullness of brain.  Something pressing hard against temples. (1,3)
• Face: Features expressed suffering. (3)
• Eyes: Pupils dilated, insensible to light. Eyeballs painful to touch. Scalding pain in right orbit. Very smart itching in inner canthi. Pain over right orbit worse from mental exertion. (1,3)
• Abdomen: Pressure on abdomen gave pain, child shrank from it and drew up legs. Dropsy. Pain like hernia in right inguinal ring, lasting all day. (3)
• Stomach:.Pain in epigastrium when touched, especially in region of pylorus. Severe, dull pain in epigastrium, Vomiting. (3)
• Respiratory: Breathing slow and sighing. Pulse rapid. PALPITATION. Sick feeling about heart, with weak pulse. Dropsical effusion into pleura or pericardium. Right ribs sore. (1,3)
• Heart: FEARFUL PALPITATIONS and feeling that death is approaching. Sick feeling about heart and weak pulse. Rapid pulse. The heart gives an occasional unpleasant throb, then omits a beat. (1,3)
• Male: Complete impotence. Prostate enlargement.(3)
• Urinary: Diabetic urine. Bloody urine. Uric acid gravel. (1,3)
• Extremities: Pain to touch in extremity of head, of right humerus. (3)
• Fever: Cold perspiration. (3)

Cases

1. Clergyman, 69, with many years invalided on account of heart disease, after unusual exertion was greatly exhausted, and became entirely pulseless, and so remained four days in spite of treatment till Phas. 9x was given.  In a few hours, pulse returned.  In thirty-six hours, pulse was regular and strong, and so remained till his death, which occurred two weeks later. (2)

2. Lady, 50, weak, tired, badly acting heart for some years.  Phas. 9x was given, and in forty-eight hours “her heart wheeled into line all right and remains so.” (2)

3. Mr. T., 69, whom was found semi-conscious, yet suffering severely, having been seized with distress in heart region; respiration laboured; pulse 51. Had had attacks previously, but lighter, and the pulse in them had always been slow.  Phas. 6x was given, at first every half-hour, then every hour. Next day patient was nearly well, and said he “could feel every dose working.” (2)

Comparisons

Crataeg. Lach.  Dig.  Spig.  Hyper.  Led.  Nat-s.  Syzyg.  Uran-n.

Sources:
1. Boericke, W. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory B. Jain Publishers Ltd. New Delhi, India. 2001
2. Homeopathy Encyclopedia
3. Murphy, R. Nature’s Materia Medica Third Ed. Lotus Health Institute.  Virginia, USA. 2006.

Carbo-Vegetabilis (Vegetable Charcoal)                                  Carb-v 

Guiding Symptoms

• DESIRE TO BE FANNED; needs extra oxygen, open air (1,2,4)
• Feels apathy and that life is empty – so feels indifferent to life. (5)

Generals

• COLDNESS; cold breath, cold sweat, cold in single parts (1, 2)
• COLD BUT AVERVSE TO BEING COVERED (1)
• GENERAL AGGRAVATION FROM LYING FLAT; must sit up (4)
• COLLAPSE STATES; advanced cardiac failure, cyanosis (1,4)
• FAINTING from indigestion, flatus, sun-stroke, infection (4)
• Obesity (1)
• Weak digestion; bloating, indigestion, flatulence and eructations (1,4)
• Hemorrhages with PALENESS on surface of the body (1)

Modalities

• < evening; night and open air; cold; from fatty food, butter, coffee, milk, warm damp weather; WINE, lying flat with headache (1, 2)
• > eructation, FANNING, cold (1,2)

Psychology

• INDIFFERENCE AND APATHY (4)
• HARSH CUTTING REMARKS (4)
• Poor memory; difficult to concentrate; slow to think; sluggish (2,4)
• Desires exciting or challenging events to overcome apathetic state (4)
• Mind: Aversion to darkness. Fear of ghosts. Sudden loss of memory. (1, 2)
• NEGATIVE and DEPRESSED, (4) feels that life is empty (5)
• Fear of accidents (5)
• Easily frightened or startled (5)
• Eventual great fatigue making patient weak and almost unable to carry out any activity (4)
• Coma (4)

Pathology

• Imperfect oxygenation of the blood and sluggish circulation (5)
• Slow to recover from the effects of operations and anesthetic states. (5)
• Head: ACHES FROM ANY OVER-INDULGENCE. Hair FALLS OUT EASILY. Scalp itchy when getting warm in bed. Head feels heavy, constricted. Vertigo with nausea and tinnitus. Pimples on forehead and face. (1,4)
• Eyes: Vision of black floating spots. Asthenopia. Burning in eyes. Muscles pain. (1)
• Ears: Otorrhea following exanthematous disease. Dry. Malformation of cerumen with exfoliation of dermoid layer of meatus. (1)
• Nose: EPISTAXIS IN DAILY ATTACKS WITH PALE FACE. Bleeding after straining with pale face.Tip of nose red and scabby. Varicose veins on nose. Coryza with cough, especially in moist, warm weather. Ineffectual efforts to sneeze. (1, 2)
• Face: Puffy, cyanotic. Pale, Hippocratic, cold with cold sweat. Mottled cheeks and red nose. (1,4)
• Mouth: Tongue coated white or yellow brown. Teeth are very sensitive with chewing. Gums retracted and bleed easily. Blood oozing from gums when cleaning teeth. Cold breath and tongue.(1)
• Stomach: ERUCTATIONS, HEAVINESS, FULLNESS AND SLEEPINESS. Tense from flatulence, with pain. TREMENDOUS BLOATING AND INDIGESTION. Rancid, sour or putrid eructations after eating and drinking. Nausea in the stomach. CONTRACTIVE PAIN EXTENDING TO CHEST WITH DISTENSION OF ABDOMEN. Crampy pains forcing patient to bend double. SLOW DIGESTION, FOOD PUTREIFIES before it digests. Aversion to milk, meat, rich foods and FAT. SIMPLEST FOOD DISTRESSES. Craves sweets and salt. (1,4)
• Abdomen: Pain as from lifting a weight. ABDOMEN GREATLED DISTENDED. Pain in liver. ACRID, CORROSIVE MOISTURE FROM RECTUM. Discharge of blood from rectum. Burning at anus, burning varices. BLUISH burning piles, PAIN after stool. (1)
• Heart: Distress of the venous side of the heart. Veins are engorged. Pulsation felt over body. Weakness of vascular system. Burning in the region of the heart. POOR, COLLAPSED CIRCULATION. (4)
• Male: Discharge of prostatic fluid at stool. Itching and moisture at thigh near scrotum. Aversion or indifference to sex. (1,4)
• Female: Premature and too copious menses; pale blood. Swollen vulva. Leucorrhea before menses, thick greenish, milky excoriating. Burning hands and soles during menses. Aversion or indifference to sex. (1,4)
• Respiratory: Cough with itching in larynx. Spasmodic with gagging and vomiting of mucus. HOARSENESS, WORSE IN EVENINGS. Deep, rough voice, falling on slight exertion. Wheezing and rattling of mucus in chest. COUGH WITH BURNING IN CHEST. Cold breath. MUST BE FANNED. ASTHAMA IN AGED WITH BLUE SKIN. (1,4)
• Extremities: Heavy, stiff; feel paralyzed. LIMGS GO TO SLEEP. Weak joints. Pain in shins, cramps in soles. COLD FROM KNEES DOWN. Toes are red and swollen. Burning pain in bones and limbs. Eczema and cracks on hands. (1)
• Skin: BLUE, COLD ECCHYMOSED. Itching, worse on evening when warm in bed. HOT PERSPIRATION. Bed sores, bleed easily. Falling out of hair from a general weakened condition. Burning pain. VARICOSE VEINS. (1,4)
• Fever: Coldness with thirst. Chill begins in forearm. Burning in various places. Perspiration on eating. Hectic fever, exhausting sweats. (1)

Cases

1. Patient with hypertrophy of heart greatly troubled with flatulent and eructations after eating the smallest at morsel of food. These eructations caused also violent palpitation of the heart. A very few doses of the 200th Carbo veg. relieved this complication in a very short time. (3)

2. Excessive tearing in all the limbs, early in the morning, followed by slight chills.

Profuse sweat in the afternoon without any heat. Yellow complexion. A number of hepatic spots in the face. Sometimes painful vesicles on the tongue. Pressure at the stomach after a meal. Quantity of flatulence. Pain in the small of the back when stooping. Every night, red stigmata make their appearance in the bends of the knees, and on the arms, violently itching and burning in the warmth,  disappearing in the daytime.Pain in the left hypochondrium, the spleen is excessively swollen and hard. Carb v. 30 removed all the febrile symptoms in eight days. (3)

3. Mrs. E., aged forty, fat, childless, has been treated allopathically for beginning dropsy of the pericardium without relief. She has spells of dyspnoea with palpitation of the heart; red face which is otherwise pale; great anxiety; has to unfasten her dresses. She has several  attacks a day, and they are surely hastened and brought on by motion. But even at night, when lying on the back, they will come on. The tongue is coated yellowish in the middle; digestion weak; she dares eat but little at a time and can’t bear anything fat; after eating a little more than usual. She has painful palpitation of the heart. Abdomen is enormously bloated with gasses. She has continual rheumatic pains in the limbs; on the right elbow there is a large so-called rheumatic induration. After Carbo veg. 3, she had no more of the attacks. (3)

Comparisons

Carboneum, Lycop.   Ars.  China.  Sep. Arg-N.  Calc. Camph.  Nit-Ac. (4)

Sources:

1 Allen, H.C.  Allen Keynotes 9^th ed. B Jain Publishers Ltd. New Delhi, India. 2004

2 Boericke, W. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory B. Jain Publishers Ltd. New Delhi, India. 2001

3. Homeopathy Encyclopedia

4. Morrison, Roger. Desktop Guide to Keynotes & Confirmatory Symptoms. Hahnemann Clinic Publishing: California, USA. 1993

5. Vithoulkas, Materia Medica Viva

Adonis vernalis (Pheasant’s Eye)                                                             Adon.

Guiding Symptoms:

• This remedy is needed for treatment of HEART CONDITIONS; especially INSUFFICIENCY OF THE HEART with scanty urine, edema, tachycardia and arrhythmia (1,2,3). Indicated with concurrent kidney problems or rheumatic conditions that have involved the heart (1,2).  RAPID BUT FEEBLE PULSE; heart failure presenting with bronzing of skin; loss of strength; wasting (1).  Nervous heart complaints (apprehension, anxiety and restlessness) (1).
• Anxiety seems to rise from the stomach; FAINTING FEELING IN EPIGASTRIUM AS IF LIFE FORCE IS SEEPING AWAY THROUGH STOMACH (1).
• MENTAL SYMPTOMS BETTER ONLY AFTER EXERTION (1)
• OILY URINE (1,2)
• Tongue feels scalded (1,2)

Modalities and General Symptoms:

Chest: Great weakness and heart failure (1,2,3).  Waking in the morning with swollen extremities, already exhausted, weak pulse, which is often feeble and rapid (may see slow pulse) (1,2,3). Palpitations < if someone touches the back (1).

Frequent desire to take a long breath (2). Precordial pain, palpitation and dyspnea (1,2). Mitral and aortic regurgitation (1,2). Chronic aortitis (2). Fatty heart pericarditis (1,2). Rheumatic endocarditis (1,2). Myocarditis with arrhythmia, constriction and vertigo (1,2). Pulse rapid and irregular (1,2,3). The patient may have a dry, tickling, cardiac cough or cardiac asthma with feeling of a weight on the chest (2).

Abdomen: Feels as if the BOWELS ARE BREAKING AND IS WORSE ON BENDING FORWARD (1). Gnawing hunger (1,2). Fainting feeling in the epigastrium, as if the life force is seeping away through the stomach (1,2).

Urinary: Scanty, sometimes albuminous urine with casts and the tendency to edema (1,2). OILY PELLICLE ON URINE (1,2).

Head: Feels light; aches across front, from occiput around temples to eyes (1,2). Vertigo on rising, turning head quickly or lying down (1,2). Tinnitus (2,4). Scalp feels tight (1,2). Eyes dilated (1,2).

Mouth: Slimy (2,4). Tongue dirty yellow, sore, feels scalded (1,2).

Modalities: Left-sided remedy (1).  < Cold, < while lying, at rest (1). Heart needs stimulation in order to function better (1).  Vertigo < on rising from bed, on turning the head suddenly and on lying down (1,2).  > eating, pressure, exerting himself and > in open air (1).

Psychology: The patient is exhausted, anxious and restless (1). The patient is sleepless because of rambling thoughts or his sleep is disturbed by horrible dreams (1,2,4). Better only after exerting themselves (1).

When the pathology of the heart progresses depression results and the mind works very slowly (1).  Feeling as if intoxicated (1).

Pathology: Heart affections including pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis, valvular pathology with mitral or aortic regurgitation, cardiac asthma, cardiac dropsy, chronic aortitis, palpitations, tachycardia (1-5).  Indicated in cases where the myocardium has been weakened, and has lost the ability to contract (1,2). Regulates the pulse and increases the power of contractions of heart, with increased urinary secretions (1,4). Heart conditions after rheumatic fever (rheumatic endocarditis) or from inflammation of the myocardium or toxic damage of the heart after an infectious disease, influenza, pneumonia, nephritis, etc. (1,2).  Strengthens the myocardium, increases cardiac contractions and arterial tension; strong diuretic effect. Bright’s disease – heart muscle is degenerating (fatty heart pericarditis) (1,2,5).  Angina pectoris – dilates the coronary vessels (1).

Adonis is indicated when other remedies have failed and the affected heart is suffering from arrhythmia, feeble and rapid pulse (1). For treatment of precordial pain or feeling of oppression on the chest causing dyspnea which forces the patient to take long deep breaths (1,4).

Edema – hydrothorax, ascites, anasarca (1,2,4). Albuminuria (1,2). Haematuria (1,2). Addison’s disease (1). Adrenal neuralgia (1). Hyperaemia of conjunctiva (1).

Cases:

It has not been proved, but indications for use have been defined by experiences involving the treatment of:

-          Rapid and feeble action of the heart, dropsy, scanty urine with albumen, and casts (3)

-          Valvular disease and cardiac asthma (3)

-          There is no record of use in various potencies (3)

Cash provided relief to a 74-year old edematous patient presenting with mitral regurgitation; one- grain doses of Adonidin (extract) were provided at eight-hour intervals, after failure of Arsenicum and Digitalis. Urinary excretion increased from half a pint to 21/2 pints in twenty-four hours. Breathing was relieved and sleep improved (3).

“Hale reported of a beautiful cure in a labourer suffering from chronic valvular disease of the heart with dilatation under the action of Adonis. The heart became diminished in size, the congestion of the lungs disappeared, the edema of the legs vanished, the palpitation of the heart and the dyspnea stopped.” (5).

Cured a case of haematuria accompanied by pain in the adrenal region (1).

Comparisons: Digitalis, Crataegus, Convallaria majalis, Strophantus hispidus (1,2,4). Excellent substitute for Digitalis and is non-cumulative in action (2,5).

Sources:

1)       Vithoulkas, G.  Materia Medica Viva: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

2)       Boericke, W.  Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

3)       Clarke, J.H.  Principles of Practical Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

4)       Vithoulkas, G.  Homeopathic Materia Medica: http://www.vithoulkas.com/content/view/140/lang,en/

5)       Choudhuri, N.M.  A Study on Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

Spigelia Anthelmia Demerara Pink-root, Indian Pink                         Spi.

Guiding Symptoms:

• Violence is a keynote of Spigelia; stabbing, shooting, burning, tearing, neuralgic pains; most noted at the eyes and jaws, neck, face, teeth, shoulders, burning like hot needles through the face and neck in any direction, stitching, tearing, worse from motion, from doing anything, including thinking and mental exertion (1).Violent beating of the heart, shakes the chest; visible to the eye through the clothes and sometimes audible several inches away (1-4). Indicated in patients who are debilitated from becoming cold and who have become rheumatic and fatigued (1,4).
• Left-sided remedy: Heart disorders and left-sided neuralgia of head, face (trigeminal nerve) and eye (1,3).
• Pains increase and decrease with the rising and setting sun (1,3).
• VERY SENSITIVE TO TOUCH. When felt PARTS FEEL CHILLY; SEND SHUDDER THROUGH BODY (1,2,4).
• A remedy for symptoms due to the presence of WORMS (1,4).
• FEAR OF PINS AND NEEDLES (1,2,4)
• The bodily sensitiveness of Spigelia is paralleled by mental irritability (1).

Modalities and General Symptoms:

• Shooting pains in various parts of the body, usually radiating from a single point (1).
• General weakness after moving about in the open air (1).
• Many complaints are manifested in the morning; tired in the morning and full of tearing pains (4).
• Abdominal ailments including helminthiasis (1,4).
• Child refers to the navel as the most painful part (Granat., Nux Mosch.) (4).
• Affinity for the eye, heart, and nervous system (4).
• Persons with light hair; pale, thin, bloated, weak; wrinkled, yellow, earthy skin (2).

Head: Head pain amel. by lying with the head held high; head pain with opening the mouth (4). PAIN BENEATH FRONTAL EMINENCE AND TEMPLES, EXTENDING TO EYES. (Onos.) (4). Hemicrania, semi-lateral, involving left eye; pain violent, throbbing (3-5). Pain as if a band around head. (Carbol. Ac; Cact.; Gels.; Sulph) (2,4). Vertigo, hearing enhanced (4).  Headaches are agg. from least noise; motion; and by stooping; >> when lying with head high, and from washing head with cold water (1,3,5). Nervous headache; periodical, beginning in morning at base of brain; pain pulsating (3,5). Headache at its height at noon, declines till sunset (Nat. M., Tab.) (2,3). Migraine settling over left eye (1).

Eyes: Pupils dilated; photophobia; rheumatic ophthalmia (1,4). SEVERE PAIN IN AND AROUND EYES, EXTENDING DEEP INTO SOCKET; feel too large for the orbits (Act., Com.) (1,2,4,5).  PRESSURED PAIN ON TURNING EYES (1,4,5). Ciliary neuralgia (3,4). The upper lids hang down, as if immovable; the eyes are difficult to open (2).

Nose: Anterior nose always dry; Discharge of bland mucous through posterior nares (post-nasal drip); CHRONIC CATARRH (4). Copious offensive mucus from posterior nares, drops into throat, causing choking at night (Hydr.) (2). 

Ears: An aching pressure in the ear as from a plug (2). The ears seem stopped, ringing with difficult hearing (2).

Mouth: Tongue fissured, painful (2,4). Tearing toothache; worse, after eating and cold (1,2,4). Foul odour from mouth, noticed only by others (1,4). Toothache >> by warmth of bed (1).

Face: FACIAL NEURALGIA (IN THE EYE, ABOUT EYEBROWS, CHEEK, TEETH, TEMPLE, MANDIBLE); left-sided; worse with stooping, touch, from morning until sunset (4,5).  Aggravated at noon, with noise or motion (1,3,5).

Heart: VIOLENT PALPITATIONS; thrusting pains in the chest like a knife, especially at night (1-5). Violent (visible and audible) palpitation of the heart, agg. when bending chest forward (1,5). Chest pain stitching, amel. by lying on the right side (5).  Heart pain agg. with motion or breathing (1). Painful complaints associated with valvular troubles, especially due to rheumatism (1). Precordial pain and great aggravation from movement (1). Pulse weak and irregular (1,3). Pericarditis, with sticking pains, palpitation, dyspnea (1,4). Neuralgia extending to arm or both arms (1,4). Angina pectoris (1,4). Craving for hot water which relieves. Rheumatic carditis; whole left side sore (1,4). DYSPNEA; MUST LIE ON RIGHT SIDE WITH HEAD HIGH (1,3,4). Wave-like palpitation not synchronous with the pulse (1). Acute pericarditis with anxiety and weight in the precordium (1). Pericarditis and endocarditis of rheumatic character (1,4)

Rectum: Itching and crawling (1,4). Frequent ineffectual urging to stool (1,4). Worms – roundworms (Ascarides) (1,4).

Fever: Chilliness on the slightest motion, frequently returning at the same hour in the morning (1,4).

Extremities: Trembling and fatigue (1). Shooting, tearing pains, particularly in the hands and lower legs (1).  Heaviness sensation in limbs as if fractured (1).

Modalities: Worse from touch, motion, noise, inspiration, moving the eyes, cold and rainy weather, turning, washing, coition, lying on the back, moving the arms, concussion, rising sun (2-4). Contact and pressure of clothes is unbearable.  Better from lying on right side with head high (Ars., Cac., Spong.), upon inspiration, setting sun, quiet, dry air (1,2,4).

Psychology: Weak memory; disinclination to work; gloomy, suicidal mood; easily irritated or offended (1). Sadness and discouragement (1).  Agitation and anxiety, with restless care concerning the future, about business (1,7). Timidity (1). Sits as if lost in thought, stares at a single point. Moroseness, to the extent of suicidal mania (1). Difficulty of thinking (1). Unfitness for intellectual labour (1). FEAR OF PINS AND NEEDLES (1). Fear of suffocation; of being touched (7). Confused dreams, which cause him to awake wearied, and which he cannot remember (1).  Irritability during chill (7).  Cheerful during pain (7).  Full of cares about relatives (7).

Pathology: Pericarditis and other diseases of the heart (angina pectoris); rheumatic affections of heart (Kali, Led., Naja); systolic blowing at apex; aneurysm (1,2,4).  Adenoids; ciliary neuralgia; eyes, pains in; headache; hernia, inguinal; iritis; jaw-joint, pain in; neuralgia; otalgia; rheumatism; stammering; strabismus; tinnitus; tobacco habit; toothache; worms (1,4).

Cases: Hering gives this case: “Helminthiasis: dilated pupils; strabismus; putrid smell from mouth, itching of nose, griping pain in belly; throat inflamed, swallows often, pale redness in throat and swelling of mucous membrane; palpitation;” masses of lumbrici were expelled and also threadworms (1).

A case quoted in A.H. (xxii. 417) in which there were darting and aching pains in head, nose, and eyes, and similar pains about the heart with slow, irregular action, but no murmur. Vertigo on stooping and heat of head. Sudden pains at bottom of back. The pains were agg. night and morning and in damp weather (1).

Hochecker (H.R., x. 147) noted the case of Miss O., 27, blonde, tall, robust, who had neuralgia for several weeks, without known cause. Pains came suddenly, twitching and tearing of left side of face, now in ear, then in lower jaw, and were particularly agg. by mastication. A peculiarity was that whenever the pains were about to commence a diarrhoea set in. A single powder of Spi. 6 cured (1).

Comparisons: Compare: Spigelia Marylandica (maniacal excitement, paroxysmal laughing and crying, loud, disconnected talking, vertigo, dilated pupils, congestions); Acon.; Cart.; Cimicf.; Arnica (Spigelia is a chronic Arnica); Cinnab. (supra-orbital pain); Naja; Kali C., Dig., Cact.; Ars.; Spong. (heart); Sabad; Teucr; Cina (worm symptoms); Nux; Ign; Curar (1,3,4). Bryonia, Kalmia and Natrum mur., and Actaea (motion); Belladonna (noise); China (touch, especially light touch) (3). Antidote: Pulsat; Merc; Colch (1,4).

Sources:

1)       Clarke, J.H.  Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

2)       Allen T.F.  A Primer of Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

3)       Nash, E.B.  Nash Expanded Work Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

4)       Vithoulkas, G.  Homeopathic Materia Medica: http://www.vithoulkas.com/content/view/1813/lang,en/

5)       Nash, E.B.  Regional Leaders, Materia Medica: Encyclopaedia Homeopathica.

6)       Geukens, A.  American Institute of Homeopathy Conference, Chicago IL, June 28-July 1, 2008:  http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_pro/spigelia.html

Naja Tripudians Cobra                                                                                   Naja

Guiding symptoms:

• VALVULAR LESIONS
  • Cardiac cases with few symptoms
• >lying on left side
• Left to right
• Sensitive to cold
• Jealousy, ruminates on the past, love and hate are combined.
• <clothing, throat
• Dualistic in duties
  • Conflict with self, tries to reunite and or control her divorced partner even though she hates him.

Modalities and General Symptoms:

• Modalities:
  • <lying on left side
  • <After sleep; after menses
  • <clothing, throat
  • >riding/walking in open air
  • >sneezing
  • >lying on right side
• Strong general symptoms:
  • Very SENSITIVE to COLD
  • FEELS BEST WHEN LYING ON LEFT SIDE
  • <morning, on waking
  • <changes in weather
  • Constriction
    • Throat, chest, larynx
  • Heart symptoms > lying on left side
• Strange, rare & peculiar symptoms:
  • Hear t symptoms > lying on left side
  • SENSE OF DUALITY, OF BEING SPLIT IN TWO
    • Conflict with self; love and hate at same time
    • Noble vs malicious

Psychology:

• Main emotional components
  • Timidity
  • Duty
  • Exaggerates problems; dwells on imaginary troubles
• Nervous, excited, soft.  Lacks intensity of Lach.
• Competitive

Pathology:

• Main areas of pathology on physical level
  • LEFT-SIDED COMPLAINTS
  • HEART
    • Almost a specific for valvular disorders
    • Palpitations PREVENT SPEECH
  • Rheumatic pain

Comparisons:

• Lach
• Spig.  Kalm.  Spong.  Phos.  Crot-H.  Elaps.  Cact

Lachesis Bushmaster / Surukuku                                                              Lach

Guiding Symptoms:

• >discharges, especially menses
• Left-sided complaints
• Warm-blooded.  Purple
• <During and after sleep
• <oppressive weather
• Loquacity, domineering personality.
• Jealousy.  Envy.

Modalities and General Symptoms:

• Strong modalities
  • <SLEEP, AFTER
  • <morning
  • <heat
  • SENSITIVE TO [noise; SLIGHT TOUCH or PRESSURE OF CLOTHES, <NECK, waist]
  • <ALCOHOL
  • >OPEN AIR
  • > FREE SECRETIONS
  • >hard pressure
  • >bathing affected part
  • >COLD DRINKS
• Strong general symptoms
  • High (mental) energy in evening/at night
    • Low energy in morning
  • WARM BLOODED
  • LEFT-SIDED COMPLAINTS
• Strange, rare and peculiar symptoms
  • GREAT SENSITIVITY TO TOUCH
    • Choke from clothing around neck
  • FEARS SNAKES

Psychology:

• Main emotional components
  • SHARP-TOUNGUED, WITTY
  • OVERACTIVE-MIND
  • LOQUACITY
  • SUSPICION, JEALOUSY
• Over-activity of mind.  Loquacity.  Vivid imagination; passionate and intense

Pathology:

• Main areas of pathology on the physical level
  • LEFT-SIDED COMPLAINTS
  • Hypertension
  • Throat pain, <swallowing, liquids or saliva, >swallowing solid foods, <warm drinks, >cold drinks
  • PREMESTRUAL SYNDROME – irritable, jealous, depressed, headache, flushes of heat
  • ASTHMA after jealousy, strong emotions
  • PALPITATIONS, <lying left side

Comparisons:

• Hyos
• Crot-H, Naja, snake venoms
• Cimic
• Lac-C
• Phos., Sulph., Apis., Med., Plat., Cact., Zinc

End of Heart Remedies