Cocculus Indicus: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

The remedy Cocculus Indicus is derived from a plant named ‘Indian cockle’ also known as Anamirta Cocculus. It belongs to family Menispermaceae. When powdered seeds of this plant go through potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines that arouses medicinal properties of a crude substance), it is converted into a brilliant homeopathic remedy Cocculus Indicus. It is a leading homeopathic medicine for managing certain health complaints like motion sickness, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, sleeplessness and complaints arising from loss of sleep.

The ‘Cocculus Indicus’ Constitution

This medicine is well suited to sad, nervous, sensitive, fearful, timid people. It is suitable to handle complaints after mental and physical overexertion.

Drug Action

Cocculus Indicus acts wonderfully on the mind, gastric system, female organs, head and limbs. It is one of the best medicines for managing vertigo as well. It can manage well certain sleep issues too. Besides these, its action is noted on neck, back and ears.

Clinical Indications

Motion sickness, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, sleep deprivation, sleep loss, nursing complaints from, jet lag, headaches, weakness, menstrual problems, heavy periods, painful menses (dysmenorrhea), vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea) colic, gas, hernia, constipation and diarrhea, meniere’s disease, joint pain

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Mind Complaints (Mental Fatigue, Memory Issues, Depression, Fear, Anxiety)

Cocculus Indicus has marvellous action on the mind. To begin with it is a brilliant medicine to help cases of mental fatigue that follows loss of sleep. It is an excellent medicine for managing complaints that follow nursing others (taking care of someone who is ill). It is also beneficial for cases of memory weakness. Several memories are forgotten and the mind goes blank at times. This medicine works well in cases of depression also. The sufferer is immensely sad. They remain absorbed in deep sad thoughts. Mind dwells on disagreeable events that happened in the past.  Weeping spells can occur too. This medicine is very suitable for managing anxiety issues. Those needing it have excessive anxiety about the health of others. Its use is also recommended to manage certain fears. These include fear of death, ghosts, and danger. In general, those persons requiring it are highly sensitive in nature. They are most sensitive to noise, touch, insults and disappointments.

Key Indicating Features

Mental fatigue following loss of sleep

Complaints that follow nursing others (taking care of someone who is ill)

Anxiety about health of others

Fear of death, of ghosts, of danger

2. Vertigo

It is a very frequently used medicine for managing cases of vertigo. The most characteristic symptom for its use is vertigo attended with nausea and vomiting. It is also one of the best medicines for vertigo that occurs while travelling in a car or train. Vertigo gets worse on sitting and looking at the moving surroundings in a moving vehicle. A person who suffers from vertigo due to loss of sleep can also be highly benefitted with this remedy.

Key Indicating Features

Vertigo with nausea and vomiting

Vertigo while travelling in a car or train

Vertigo from loss of sleep

3. Gastric Problems (Motion Sickness, Nausea, Vomiting, Pain, Gas, Hernia, Constipation And Diarrhea)

Cocculus Indicus has wide action on the gastric system. It is a highly recommended medicine to manage complaint of motion sickness. It is a problem that can occur when travelling in car, train, aeroplane, boat causing symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dizziness and trouble maintaining balance. Cocculus offers great help when a person has nausea, vomiting, vertigo while travelling. Next its use is considered to help cases of stomach pain. It can be cramping, griping or lacerating type. Cramps are attended with excessive gas. This medicine can be given to manage nausea and vomiting. Nausea gets worse from cold. The vomiting is sour and emits a bad odour. Vomiting may be accompanied by headache.

Another complaint where Cocculus gives good results is gas in the abdomen with excessive rumbling and twisting type of pain. The abdomen is bloated as well. It is a well indicated medicine for managing hernia cases too.

It is suitable to manage inguinal hernia. It is also helpful to manage umbilical hernia attended with excessive constipation. With its action on rectum, it proves effective to manage diarrhea cases. It is majorly indicated when loose stool occurs in the morning soon on rising from bed. Stool is yellow, slimy, fetid and frequent. A sensation of stones rubbing together in abdomen is an important symptom that may be present. Burning and itching at anus may occur. Diarrhea gets worse on standing and better by sitting or lying on the sides. Lastly, it can be used in cases of constipation. There is ineffectual urge for stool. The stool is hard and is expelled with much difficulty.

Key Indicating Features

Motion sickness with marked nausea, vomiting and vertigo when travelling

Stomach pain that can be cramping, griping or lacerating type

Gas in abdomen with rumbling, bloating and twisting type of pain

Sensation of stones rubbing together in abdomen

Inguinal and umbilical hernia

4. Sleep Issues (Sleeplessness, Jet Lag)

It is a magnificent medicine for managing sleep issues. It offers great help in cases of sleeplessness (insomnia). Cocculus is selected when sleeplessness occurs from mental or physical exhaustion. Its use is further considered for sleeplessness from anxiety and restlessness. It is also best suited for helping complaints that arise from loss of sleep from nursing others (taking care of sick) or otherwise too. There is constant drowsiness next day after loss of sleep previous night. Besides these, it is a top listed medicine for cases of jet lag (temporary sleep issues experienced by those who travel across multiple time zones frequently).

Key Indicating Features

Sleeplessness from mental or physical exhaustion or from anxiety

Complaints from loss of sleep from nursing others (nursing means taking care of sick) or otherwise too

Jet lag

5. Head (Headache)

With its action on head, it has given great clinical improvements in headache cases. It is effective in managing headache that occurs from travelling in car, train, boat. It is also well indicated for migraine headache. Person cannot bear slightest light or noise. It may cause nausea and vomiting. Cocculus is also useful when headache occurs from sun exposure. In most cases that require this medicine, the pain is felt in the back of head (occiput) and nape of neck. A sensation of shutting and opening as well is felt in occiput area. Apart from these, it is highly valuable to manage headache experienced by women every time during menses.

Key Indicating Features

Headache from travelling in car, train, boat

Migraine headache when slightest light or noise is unbearable

Headache during menses

6. Female Problems (Excessive Weakness, Heavy Periods, Painful Menses, Vaginal Discharge)

This medicine is beneficial for managing various female problems. Among these the main is excessive weakness during menses where female is too weak even to stand. It is useful for cases of early, profuse and frequent menses. The menstrual blood is clotted along with pain. This medicine can be of great use in managing painful menses (dysmenorrhea). Cocculus can be used when there occurs cutting and cramping type of pain in uterus and ovaries during menses and menstrual bleeding is profuse and dark. Further this medicine is well indicated to manage vaginal discharges (leucorrhoea). The features to use it in these cases is gushing vaginal discharge with intense weakness. This discharge mostly appears in between menses and in some cases in place of menses.

Key Indicating Features

Excessive weakness during menses

Early, profuse and frequent menses with clotted blood and pain

Cutting and cramping pain in uterus and ovaries during menses with profuse and dark bleeding

Gushing vaginal discharge with intense weakness

Vaginal discharge in between menses or in place of menses

7. Neck and Back (Pain)

It also acts well on neck and back. Cocculus gives great relief in cases of pain and stiffness of neck. The neck muscles feel stiff on moving neck. Stiffness is attended with great weakness. A pressure is felt in the nape of neck as well. It proves effective for pain in the lower back with drawing sensation across hips. It prevents walking.

Key Indicating Features

Pain and stiffness in neck along with weakness

Lower back pain with drawing sensation across the hips

8. Ear Problems (Noises, Meniere’s Disease)

Cocculus Indicus is a very effective medicine for cases of ear problems. It is a useful medicine for managing noises in ears (tinnitus). The noises can be ringing, roaring or like that of rushing water. Hearing difficulty may also be there. It is a well-indicated medicine for Meniere’s disease. It is useful when there is ringing in ears, loss of balance and hardness of hearing.

Key Indicating Features

Noises in ear that can be ringing, roaring or like that of rushing water

Meniere’s disease with ringing in ears, loss of balance and hardness of hearing

9. Limbs (Joint Pain, Weak Limbs, Trembling Hands)

Lastly, it has a marked action on limbs too. It acts wonderfully on joints and helps to manage pain and stiffness in them. Persons needing it complain of pain shifting from one joint to another along with swelling, redness and stiffness. The pain gets worse from slightest touch and motion. It is indicated for cases where lower limbs are weak with unsteady and clumsy gait. Another indication for its use is numbness of hands while grasping objects. It is also useful in case of trembling of hands, especially while eating.

Key Indicating Features

Shifting pain from one joint to another attended with swelling, redness and stiffness

Joint pain worse from slightest touch and motion

Weak lower limbs with unsteady and clumsy gait

Hands numb when grasping objects

Hands tremble while eating

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse from travelling in car, train, boat; from loss of sleep; from exertion; from touch, pressure, and jar; during menses and from nursing others (taking care of a sick person)

Relieving factors: Complaints improve by sitting, lying quietly and in a warm room

Dosage

Its use can be done in low as well as high potencies. The potency and repetition varies from case to case depending on the type and duration of complaint. In general, low potencies can be repeated often while high potencies should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Camphor, Chamomilla and Nux Vomica

Followed well by: Arsenic Album, Belladonna, Hepar Sulph, Ignatia, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Rhus Tox and Sulphur