Pulsatilla Homeopathic Remedies

Pulsatilla nigricans is a common remedy in the homeopathic pharmacopeia. It is a perennial herb and belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The plant grows to a height of between 3 and 6 in. in dry, open fields. The flowers are bell shaped and colored from dark violet to light blue. The homeopathic medicine is prepared from the whole plant when it is in bloom.

Primary Indications

• Usually prescribed for conditions involving some sort of swelling, pulsatilla is purported to relieve nasal congestion, chronic mucous membrane irritation, swollen joints or muscles and reduce swelling connected with bruises. Pulsatilla also may help with a general feeling of stuffiness in the ear. Besides these most common conditions, pulsatilla is suggested for asthma, conjunctivitis, hives, irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence, a stuffy feeling in the abdomen, nighttime urinary frequency, irregular menstruation, premenstrual tension and prostatitis.

Confirmation of Remedy

• Symptoms associated with an overdose of a substance direct the choice of a particular homeopathic remedy. In the case of prescribing, pulsatilla may help if someone exhibits a changeable personality, has a greenish-yellow nasal discharge in the morning, gets closed nasal passages at night, and loses some sense of smell or taste. Other characteristics symptoms that lead to a recommendation for treatment with pulsatilla are a fear of being alone or being humiliated, dreaming of cats, being wide-awake in the evening or being easily offended.

Symptomatic Changes

• If being in the open air or a cold room or just moving around a lot improves symptoms connected with some sort of swelling, then this homeopathic remedy is a good thing to try. Likewise, if symptoms get worse with heat, after a meal or in the evening, this is another indicator for this substance.

Concerns

• According to RxList, the Internet Drug Index, there is insufficient evidence to rate the effectiveness of dried application of this plant for a number of medical conditions. However, the same source notes that pulsatilla might be effective against "pain, fever, spasms, and bacteria." The same report warns against any use of the fresh plant. Both effectiveness and the safety of the dried version in this report refer to the dried parts of the plant and not necessarily the homeopathic dilation. Homeopathic remedies are generally considered safe because there is such a miniscule amount, sometimes only on a molecular level, of the substance in each tablet.

Unusual Uses

• In a study titled Homeopathic Treatment for Infertility in a Prize Nelore Bull, by J. Lobreiro and published in "Homeopathy: The Journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy" in January 2007, pulsatilla successfully treated a prize bull that had been infertile for three years.