Bryonia Alba – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

Bryonia alba is prepared from a plant White Bryony also known as Wild Hops, of the family cucurbitaceae, a herbaceous tendril-bearing vines. The part used to prepare homeopathic medicine is root of this plant procured before flowering. The fresh root of this plant is chopped and then potentized (a process by which homeopathic remedies are prepared). By potentization process the medicinal properties of this plant are extracted leaving behind any of its poisonous effects. Use of Bryonia is been used as medicine since ancient times for treating vertigo, gout, epilepsy and cough. In homeopathy it is used extensively to treat a large number of diseases. Some of the major complaints treated by it are constipation stomach pain, headache, dry mouth, joint pain, back pain and cough.    

The ‘Bryonia’ Constitution

Bryonia is mainly suited to tall, thin people having gouty or rheumatic diathesis i.e. tendency to suffer from joint pains. Next it suits people who are prone to respiratory problems and gastric troubles including constipation and stomach pain.

Drug Action

It has marked action on the lining of joints, respiratory system, and the gastro intestinal tract. On all these parts it helps to reduce the inflammation. It also has a significant action on the mucous membranes and helps to improve its normal secretions, thereby making it valuable to treat dryness of mouth, dry lips, dry stool and dry cough.

Scope as a Homeopathic Medicine

1. Headache and Migraine

It is a one of the most effective medicines to treat headache and migraine. People needing it mostly have a pain in the forehead and back of head (occiput). They feel a heaviness in the head and heat along with pain. Worsening of pain from motion, eye movement and stooping is usually noted. Relief is obtained from pressure. One can also use it for headache with constipation and vomiting.

2. Vertigo

This remedy offers great help in cases of vertigo. It is mainly used when vertigo appears on slightest motion, on rising and stooping. Here, the person feels as though all objects are revolving during vertigo. In few cases it feels as if the head is turning in a circle. Heaviness and pain in back of head attends vertigo in many cases.

3. Rheumatic Iritis

This is a significant medicine to manage cases of rheumatic iritis (inflammation of iris i.e. the coloured ring around the eye’s pupil that follows joint inflammation). In such cases the indicating feature to use this medicine is pain in back part of eye. The pain from eye extend to the back of head. The complaint tend to worsen at night and on motion.

4. Dry Mouth and Lips

This is a top-listed medicine to treat cases of dry mouth and dry lips. Here it is used when a person has marked dryness of mouth that gets momentarily better by drinking. They also complain of tongue sticking to roof of mouth (palate) from dryness. Along with mouth, the lips and tongue are also very dry, rough and cracked. There is bad odour from mouth with above symptoms.

5. Gastrointestinal (GIT) Complaints

When it comes to GIT troubles, Bryonia is well-indicated to treat constipation, stomach pain and nausea, vomiting

It gives remarkable results in cases of constipation. People needing this homeopathic medicine have obstinate constipation. They have dry, hard, large stool. It is dark dry as if burnt. They have to excessively strain to pass stool. Due to excessive straining sometimes rectum protrude with stool. They have unsatisfactory stool with sense of weight in the rectum. Along with above they also suffer from offensive flatus. Sometimes they get headache due to constipation.

Next, it is very beneficial to relieve stomach pains. Persons needing it have cutting, griping, shooting pain in stomach. Pain is most felt around the navel region and compels the person to bend double. They may have worsening of pain from motion. They also complain that colic is worse before passing stool. Other symptoms that they may experience are distension of abdomen and rumbling and gurgling in abdomen.

Apart from above, this remedy also helps cases of nausea and vomiting. Vomiting mainly appears soon after eating and is bitter or sour to taste. Hiccough and belching attend vomiting. Belching is bitter, sour or of food that has been eaten.

6. Liver Disorders

It is an important medicine to manage liver complaints including enlargement of liver and inflammation of liver. The symptoms include pain that is shooting, stinging, tensive or burning in nature. The pains tends to get worse from touch, on breathing and coughing. The liver region is also sensitive to pressure.

7. Neck Pain, Backache, Sciatica

This remedy is known to be a very effective medicine to treat neck pain. In such cases, stiffness is marked with pain. The pain increases from motion and from touch.

Apart from above, one can also take it for relieving pain in the lower back. It also help to ease stiffness in the lower back. It can also be taken when the back pain worsens from motion, turning in bed, stooping and standing. Persons needing it get relief in pain from lying down. Back pain arising from injuries are also well managed with this medicine.
Other than this, it is given for sciatica that refers to a pain that radiates from lower back through the hips down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve. It is used in sciatica cases when pains from lower back extend down to thigh. It worsens by movement and relieved by lying on painful side.

8. Joint and Muscle Pain

This medicine leads the chart of homeopathic medicines to treat joint pains. Cases of joint pain from gout (high uric acid), arthritis (inflamed joints), injured joints and sprains are helped well with this remedy. To use this medicine, the symptoms to consider are sharp, stitching or tearing type pain in joint along with swelling, redness and heat. The joints are tender to touch too. They are also stiff.

In addition to above, it is also a top grade medicine to treat muscle pains and general body aches. Persons needing it have increase in pain  from slightest motion. Absolute rest or lying down helps them get relief.

9. Respiratory Troubles

If we talk about respiratory complaints, then this medicine is helpful for treatment of cough, pneumonia and pleurisy

In case of cough, it is highly recommended in persons having a dry, spasmodic cough (spasmodic means cough ending in vomiting). The cough seems to start from a particular spot in trachea and in some cases by tickling in throat. They frequently mention that their cough worsens after eating, drinking, from talking and at night. Some of them also have complaint of pain in head and chest with sensation as if they would burst during coughing. Sometimes they expectorate tough, hard, scanty sputa with difficulty. The sputa may yellow or brick – dust coloured. It is well-indicated to treat cases of bronchitis and asthmatic cough.

Secondly, it is an excellent medicine for treating pneumonia (infection that cause inflammation of the air sacs in the lungs). It is used in pneumonia with cough and difficult breathing. Along with it, the affected person has a tough, hard, yellow or brick dust coloured expectoration. Sputa may be bloody also. Constriction, oppression of chest and heat in chest are also experienced. Stitching and stabbing pains in chest are felt. Most times the pain worsens during motion, coughing and from deep breathing. High fever may attend above features.
Lastly it is given for pleurisy (a condition in which lining around the chest cavity and the lungs becomes inflamed). The key symptom to use this remedy here is a stitching pain in chest. The pain is worse during cough and breathing. Along with this frequent respiration and dry cough is present.

10. Mastitis (Inflammation of Breast)

It is a very suitable medicine to reduce inflammation of breast. Females needing this medicine have inflamed, painful breast. The pain is tensive, burning and tearing type. The breast feels stony hard and heavy. The breast may also be indurated with lumps in it.

11.  Fever

It is indicated for cases of fever with dry, burning heat and body aches. It is attended with desire to uncover. Along with this taste of mouth is bitter and there is increased thirst for water. It also works well in cases of fever with chill and cough. Next its use is also recommended for typhoid fevers with diarrhoea, dry lips and accumulation of frothy, soap-like saliva in mouth.

Dosage

Bryonia can be used in from 30 to 1M potency. It can be repeated frequently two to three times a day in 30 potency while high potencies should not be taken frequently.

Relationship To Other Remedies

Complementary medicineS are Alumina and Rhus Tox. These medicines help to complete the effects of Bryonia when it has stopped acting further.

Antidotes are Aconite, Chamomilla and Nux Vomica.