Sarsaparilla

sars
Common name: Wild LiquoriceKingdom: PlantFamily: Smilaceæ(Allen, Keynotes (1910), p. 254)

Renal colic; marasmus and periosteal pains due to venereal disease. Eruptions following hot weather and vaccinations; boils, and eczema. Urinary symptoms well marked. Read on in Homoeopathic Materia Medica, General

These texts come from 4 classic Materia Medicas dating from 1899 to 1931, reproduced in full because they are in the public domain. They record what their authors observed and taught, as historical reference for students and practitioners of homeopathy — not current clinical evidence. Nothing on this page is medical advice: for any health problem, see a qualified doctor.

Where each author writes about Sarsaparilla

A map of this page. Each number counts the sections, or the paragraphs the author labelled himself, that one book gives a topic, and opens the first of them. Kent and Farrington wrote lectures, so only what they labelled is counted.

TopicBogerAllenBoerickeKent
Keynotes11nonenone
Mindnonenone1none
Generalnonenone11
Modalities2none1none
Headnonenone1none
Mouthnonenone1none
Abdomennonenone1none
Urinarynone111
Malenonenone1none
Femalenonenone1none
Extremitiesnonenone1none
Skinnonenone1none

Relationships

Complementary:
Mercurius solubilis (Boericke),
Sepia (Boericke, Boger)
Antidoted by:
Belladonna (Boericke, Boger),
Mercurius solubilis (Boger)
Compatible:
Sulphur (Allen)
Related:
Calcarea carbonica (Boger),
Petroleum (Boger)
Similar:
Berberis vulgaris (Allen)

As each book states it.

A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica

Cyrus Maxwell Boger · 1931

Words in capitals are Boger's highest grade.

SarsaparillaKeynotes

Cite

Cyrus Maxwell Boger. A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica. 1931. Sarsaparilla — Keynotes. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-fd4ec122-afed-4b35-b7f3-3e51222ffee6.

Thin frail, shrivelled and old looking. Marasmus. Tendency to gravel and itching eruptions. Parts feel screwed together. Nightly bone pains. Rheumatism. Very sore, gouty nodes. Sycosis. .................... Pain depresses him. Pain from occiput to eyes or root of nose, which is swelled. Painful urination, extorts screams, > standing; < before menses; passes drops of blood or white, acrid material at close. Urine dribbles while sitting. Renal colic (r). Gassy urine. Crusty urinary sediment. Sand in the stools. Moist, foul genitals. Bloody semen. Retracted or cracked nipples. Backache with colic. Deep cracks on fingers and toes, < sides. Cutting under nails. Ulcerated finger-tips. Blotchy, hard or shrivelled skin, < about neck. Itching, scaly spots. Irritating pus. Chill starts from region of bladder; to back.

SarsaparillaWorse

Cite

Cyrus Maxwell Boger. A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica. 1931. Sarsaparilla — Worse. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-5bcb8980-1af4-4cf2-af72-7d305a39e947.

At close of micturition. Spring. Cold wet. Mercury. Night. Suppressed gonorrhœa. Yawning.

SarsaparillaBetter

Cite

Cyrus Maxwell Boger. A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica. 1931. Sarsaparilla — Better. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-60b4ace8-dedc-46dd-87e4-84dc3007c5b4.

Uncovering neck or chest. Standing.

SarsaparillaRegion

Cite

Cyrus Maxwell Boger. A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica. 1931. Sarsaparilla — Region. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-47d03622-f715-46de-8898-b7a72c09ff85.

Genito-urinary organs. Skin. Right side; lower.

SarsaparillaRelationships

Cite

Cyrus Maxwell Boger. A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica. 1931. Sarsaparilla — Relationships. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-78d590f7-487d-453f-8926-c6a88182d561.

Antidotes: Bell. Merc. Complementary: Sep. Related: Calc-c. Petr.

Allen's Keynotes

H.C. Allen · 3rd edition (1910) · Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel

SarsaparillaKeynotespp. 254–255

Cite

H.C. Allen. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica. 3rd edition (1910). Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel. Sarsaparilla — Keynotes, pp. 254–255. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-de95192a-b351-4566-8b89-3e1311f69bc7.

Sarsaparilla

Wild Liquorice. Smilacece.

For dark-haired persons, lithic or sycotic diathesis.

Great emaciation; skin becomes shriveled or lies in folds (Abrot., lod., Nat., Sanic.).

Headache and periosteal pains generally from mercury, syphilis or suppressed gonorrhoea.

In children; face like old people; enlarged abdomen; dry, flabby skin (Bar. c.. Op.).

Herpetic eruptions on all parts of body; ulcers, after abuse of mercury, in syphilis.

Rash from exposure to open air; dry, itch-like eruptions, prone to appear in spring ; become crusty.

Severe, almost unbearable pain at conclusion of urination (Berb., Equis., Med., Thuja).

Passage of gravel or small calculi; renal colic; stone in bladder; bloody urine.

Urine: bright and clear but irritating; scanty, slimy, flaky, sandy, copious, passed without sensation (Caust.) ; deposits white sand.

Painful distension and tenderness in bladder; urine dribbles while sitting, standing, passes freely; air passes from urethra.

Sand in urine or on diaper; child screams before and while passing it (Bor., Lyc.).

Gonorrhoea checked by cold, wet weather, or mercury, followed by rheumatism.

Neuralgia or renal colic; excruciating pains from right kidney downwards (Lyc.).

Intolerable stench on genital organs ; fluid pollutions; bloody seminal emissions (Led., Men).

Retraction of nipples; nipples are small, withered, unexcitable (Sil.).

Rheumatism, bone pains after mercury or checked gonorrhoea; pains < at night, in damp weather or after taking cold in water.

Itching eruption on forehead during menses (Eug. j., Sang., Pson).

Rhagades : skin cracked on hands and feet ; pain anol burning, particularly on sides of fingers and toes; skin hard, indurated.

which follows well.

Compare: Berb., Lyc., Nat. m., Phos.

Frequently called for after abuse of Mercury.

Homoeopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927)

SarsaparillaMind

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Mind. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-99f95ab1-db06-4ede-bbeb-aebf01f5c55e.

Despondent, sensitive, easily offended, ill humored and taciturn.

SarsaparillaGeneral

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — General. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-8880b169-85eb-49ec-a425-d896a24edf77.

Renal colic; marasmus and periosteal pains due to venereal disease. Eruptions following hot weather and vaccinations; boils, and eczema. Urinary symptoms well marked.

SarsaparillaModalities

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Modalities. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-15859daf-193a-4540-9100-07766bbc67a8.

Worse, dampness at night, after urinating, when yawning, in spring, before menses.

SarsaparillaHead

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Head. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-1cba421d-1b11-4f33-9bba-09e552d293bc.

Pains cause depression. Shooting pain from above right temporal region. Pains from occiput to eyes. Words reverberate in ear to the root of nose. Periosteal pains due to venereal disease. Influenza. Scalp sensitive. Eruptions on face and upper lip. Moist eruption on scalp. Crusta lactea beginning in face.

SarsaparillaMouth

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Mouth. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-d9f52d64-af34-46c6-a66d-b051441509f7.

Tongue white; aphthæ; salivation; metallic taste; no thirst. Fetid breath.

SarsaparillaAbdomen

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Abdomen. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-3326b84e-d7b9-40d1-b4e7-8de48f9cc5c0.

Rumbling and fermentation. Colic and backache at same time. Much flatus; cholera infantum.

SarsaparillaUrinary

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Urinary. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-3a0dc626-c7ed-4ac2-8501-897b0502fd7c.

Urine scanty, slimy, flaky, sandy, bloody. Gravel. Renal colic. Severe

pain at conclusion of urination. Urine dribbles while sitting. Bladder distended and tender. Child screams before and while passing urine. Sand on diaper. Renal colic and dysuria in infants. Pain from right kidney downward. Tenesmus of bladder; urine passes in thin, feeble stream. Pain at meatus.

SarsaparillaMale

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Male. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-b4d7fdb4-d187-47d0-9936-0c6128707c8a.

Bloody, seminal emissions. Intolerable stench on genitals. Herpetic eruption on genitals. Itching on scrotum and perineum. Syphilis; squamous eruption and bone pains.

SarsaparillaFemale

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Female. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-8f8bcdc8-6e3e-45c3-9d54-0657eeb1f590.

Nipples small, withered, retracted. Before menstruation, itching and humid eruption of forehead. Menses late and scanty. Moist eruption in right groin before menses.

SarsaparillaExtremities

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Extremities. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-c63349cf-7682-4d24-b46c-9827204777f3.

Paralytic, tearing pains. Trembling of hands and feet. Burning on sides of fingers and toes. Onychia, ulceration around ends of fingers, cutting sensation under nails. Rheumatism, bone pains; worse at night. Deep rhagades on fingers and toes; burn under nails. Tetter on hands; ulceration around ends of fingers (Psorin). Cutting sensation under nails (Petrol). Rheumatic pains after gonorrhœa.

SarsaparillaSkin

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Skin. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-4535bf19-3140-412c-bfac-5803db344c7d.

Emaciated, shriveled, lies in folds (Abrot; Sanic), dry, flabby. Herpetic eruptions; ulcers. Rash from exposure to open air; dry, itching; comes on in spring; becomes crusty. Rhagades; skin cracked on hands and feet. Skin hard, indurated. Summer cutaneous affections.

SarsaparillaRelationships

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Relationships. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-f2a5c599-95d2-4916-a912-faf9df515cd4.

Complementary: Merc; Sep. Compare: Berb; Lycop; Nat m; Petrol; Sassafras; Saururus-Lizard's tail–– (Irritation of kidneys, bladder, prostate and urinary passages. Painful and difficult micturition; cystitis with strangury). Cucurbita citrellus-Water-melon. Infusion of the seed acts promptly in painful urination with constriction and backache, relieves pain and stimulates flow Antidote: Bell.

SarsaparillaDose

Cite

William Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th edition (preface dated San Francisco, June 1927). Sarsaparilla — Dose. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-fe3b3d35-99d8-4af7-acf7-861b57e11df5.

First to sixth potency.

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica

James Tyler Kent · 2nd edition (preface dated 1 September 1911)

SarsaparillaLecture

Cite

James Tyler Kent. Lectures on Homœopathic Materia Medica. 2nd edition (preface dated 1 September 1911). Sarsaparilla — Lecture. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/sarsaparilla#s-756a34f2-1485-4c76-b50a-522ceb608899.

Sarsaparilla

Generalities: Sarsaparilla is suitable in low forms of chronic disease, especially in complex states resulting from mixed miasms; especially in cases of sycosis and syphilis; cases made complex by Mercury, sycosis syphilis, and psora. Weakness stamps itself on the whole economy, as in Merc., Lach. and other remedies.

Weakness: The tissues become flabby, refuse to heal when injured, ulcerate from slight causes. After an injury an open sore remains and is indolent or becomes phagedenic and spreads like. Ars., Lach and Merc. cor.

Weakness over the whole body; a paralytic feeling. In the mental sphere it manifests itself in a dazed state, he is unable to comprehend, the mind is slow, it is a weakness bordering on imbecility, which in the end it may reach. Weakness of the mind and the tissues. All the organs are slowed down, weak, sluggish, become congested. Weakness and dilatation of the veins, tendency to form varices in the limbs, varicose ulcers, hemorrhoids, varicose veins of the face and body.

The face is often red and discolored in patches. When the circulation is feeble the parts turn blue, over the shin bones; on the backs of the feet, toes; blue spots like approaching senile gangrene, Useful in old age when black and blue spots appear on the backs of the hands and elsewhere.

Moist, itching, scurfy, and scabby eruptions. The skin of the backs and the palms of the hands becomes thick and indurated with a bran like scurf resembling psoriasis, intermingling with blue spots.

This remedy has many features as to cold and heat. The use of heat internally aggravates all complaints, but there is an external coldness relieved by heat; taking warm food and drink aggravates; wants cold food, but heat applied externally is grateful.

Secale also produces great weakness of tissue, with venous stasis ulceration and gangrene. But the two remedies, though similar in appearance, differ in regard to heat and cold.

The stomach is in a most miserable condition. Flatulence, continuous nausea, eructations and vomiting of sour food. Always complaining of fermentation and uneasiness of the stomach as if he had overeaten or as if the food had spoiled; digestion is slow and feeble.

Organs become tumid and congested. The throat, tongue, and mouth look as if about to ulcerate; purple spots look as if they would break down, but remain intact for weeks and months. Oedema of tissues, of lower extremities, pitting on pressure dropsical conditions; Bright's disease. Suitable in old syphilitics whose complaints have been suppressed by Mercury; mind and body in a state of prostration; paralytic weakness of the lower extremities, no endurance; the heart palpitates on exertion; suffocation on the least exertion; always tired; ulcers here and there on the body; the skin is flabby and full of distress at night. Bone-pains worse at night. Sars. antidotes the Merc. and establishes reaction.

Children: Marasmus of children from hereditary syphilis; emaciation about the neck; dry, purple, copper-like eruptions; no assimilation. The child is always passing sand in its diaper, yellowish, or whitish like chalk; the child screams when it is about to urinate, because it remembers how painful the passing of urine is. Sometimes at the close of urination it gives forth an unearthly yell. This symptom is found in old broken down constitutions, a clutch in the bladder just as it shuts down causes him to carry out; pain at the end of urination.

Old debauches, enfeebled by wine and women, with weak heart, lungs, brain, and bladder, emaciated and shrivelled. Prematurely old, a man of forty looks to be eighty, feet swollen, totters about on a staff. Nux will palliate in early periods of breakdown, but the time comes when he is weak in body and mind and must have such remedies as Sars., Lach., Secale, etc. Children emaciated; face looks like old people; big belly; dry, flabby skin; mushy passages. Eruptions appear in the Spring. All the venous remedies are braced up by Winter and go down in the Spring, as Lach., Secale and Hamam.

Urinary: Catarrh of the bladder and kidneys. Involuntary urination of children at night in bed, in feeble children. There is a spasmodic condition of the sphincter when sitting to urinate, which makes the act impossible in that position, but when he stands up the urine flows freely. This is especially important when the symptom occurs in women, because they have great difficulty in urinating while standing. Copious urine at night; he floods the bed, but during the day be can pass it only when standing. It is fifteen years since I reported the following case and the man has remained well ever since: "A man, aet. 52, addicted to whiskey for years, had a copious flow of blood from the bowels some four months ago; the exertion of walking a few blocks causes suffocation; after the loss of blood, feet began to swell, both limbs to middle of thigh very oedematous, has had two or three nondescript chills; a few months ago, sudden paralytic weakness of left arm and leg, passed off in three hours leaving a numbness in left hand and a tearing pain in left side of face and head; no appetite; bloody discharge with stools; feels as if in a dream all the time; loss of memory; face covered with varicose veins and very red; general venous stasis; feeling on the top of the head as if struck with a hammer; must pass urine several times in a night; urine thick and cloudy after standing; but clear when first passed; has bad much worry from financial troubles; cannot pass urine, when sitting at stool, but flows freely when he is standing, albumen in the urine."

When Sars. can take such a man, 52 years old, and restore him to health it is worth considering. "Jerking sensation along the male urethra." "Each time she makes water, air passes out of the urethra with a gurgling noise."

This symptom is common in catarrh of the bladder; it is caused by fermentation of the mucus and consequent formation of gas. "Frequent ineffectual urging to urinate with diminished secretion,"

This medicine has many times dissolved a stone in the bladder; it so changes the character of the urine that it is no, longer possible for the stone to build up, and it grows smaller by the continual dissolving off from the surface.

I have seen the high colored, bloody, and mucous urine cleared up after the administration of Sars., but on standing, the sand would appear. When the urine again becomes cloudy, it is time for another dose. The urine holds in solution, that is, actually dissolves the substance of the stone.

Some years ago there was an old man upon whom a surgeon was expected to operate. They had sounded his bladder and said that he had a stone, but he came to the conclusion that he would not permit the operation. In spite of their warnings he sent for me and I took charge of his case. His symptoms called for Sars. The enormous amount of sand he passed in the next year was wonderful. It mitigated the catarrh and kept the bladder comfortable. At the end of a year, after a night of great suffering, he passed a stone the size of a pea. He passed several small stones after that and then returned to health. A young man passed so much crusty deposit that I ordered him to use one commode and let it settle, pouring off the urine. At the end of a month there was a layer a sixteenth of an inch thick. This patient under Sars. had no stone. The sand continued to pass, but was held in solution and deposited only on cooling. In the course of time it disappeared. He was of a gouty nature and this was relieved.

Sars. has gouty nodes with extreme soreness. After the remedy has been given, there is a deposit of sand in the urine, which shows the good action of the remedy and should not be stopped.

"Obstinate constipation with violent urging to urinate; urging top stool with contraction of the intestines; excessive pressure from above downward, as if the bowels were pressing out; during stool, violent tearing, cutting, in the rectum.

Stool small, with much bearing down." "Old, dry, sycotic warts remaining after Mercurial treatment for gouty pains."

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