A Burning Question
NATIONAL JOURNAL HOMOEOPATHY 1993 Mar / Apr VOL II No 2.
Dr Mahendra Singh.

Are we using the same medicine which were used in Drug provings? Have we ever thought that there can be such a question? Are there reasons for such a question? Since the last few years, article dealing with anomalies in literature and techniques of Homoeopathic pharmaceutics have been published in journals (1*) and organisational souvenirs, but unfortunately for the profession and sadly for this writer they have not elicited any response. Patience is leading to despondence.

It is an established fact that different parts of the same plant produce different kinds of action. It is not difficult to find out hundreds and thousands of examples in the books on materia medica of the indigenous systems of medicine, pharmacology, pharmacognosy and also to some extent in Homoeopathic materia medica. There are examples where different part of the same plant, whether used as medicine or food, have almost diametrically opposite effects. There is hardly any plant in the world whose seeds, leaves, bark or fruit do not differ in their sphere and seat of action. A few examples would serve the purpose of this writing. Potato (Solanum-tuberosum) is the best example. Potato contains almost 100 percent carbohydrate while its leaves have almost 100 percent of protein.

The pulp, root, bark, seeds and leaves of Cassia fistula (2*) (Almatas or Bandarlathi in Bengali) has purgative properties. Roots act as a purgative, tonic and febrifuge while fruit is a cathartic. The bean, ground and mixed with water is taken to purge. The purge can be stopped by a handful of baked leaves of the same three. (3*)

Dolichos (4*) puriens (Mucuna puriens) is a nerve tonic and a diuretic, the seeds are astringent, antihelminthic and hairs are local stimulants and mildly vesicant.

Hahnemann has given instructions for the preparation of each of his medicines in his Materia Medica Pura, Chronic diseases and a general instruction for the preparation, during the proving of the medicines, in his Organon of Medicine Aphorisms 105-145. In aphorism 123 he say "each of these medicines must be taken in perfectly simple, unadulterated form; the indigenous plant in the in the form of freshly expressed juice, mixed with a little alcohol Q to prevent its spoiling; exotic vegetable substances, however in the form of powder, or tincture prepared with alcohol when they were in the fresh state, and afterwards Mingled with a certain proportion of water; salts and gums, however, should be dissolved in water just before being taken. If the plant can only be procured in its dry state and if its powers are naturally weak, in that case, there may be used for the experiment an infusion of it, made by cutting the herb into small pieces and pouring boiling water on it, so as to extract its medicinal parts".

Masters like Hering, Hale and others who proved medicines, used to publish them in the form of monographs with instructions for the preparation of medicines used during drug proving. The plants and animals in general, except the exogenous ones, were fresh and green.

The contention of this letter is that:

1. Hahnemann and others who proved the medicines gave instructions for the preparation of drugs from fresh plants and animals except in a few cases but almost all the manufacturers today, are preparing medicines from dry substances and the suppliers of the vegetable and animal substances are supplying them in their dry form. It is well known that there are very few persons connected with the manufacturing who have seen or can identify the plant. We intend to have a separate write up on this matter.
2. The intention of the patient writing, is to show the the parts used by the provers during proving of the medicine, were different from what the pharmacopoeias advise for the preparation of drugs. I wonder which part of the substance each manufacturer uses for each medicine.
3. That the medicines supplied to the practitioners are erroneously prepared.
4. That many of the failures of the practitioners can be attributed to this defective preparation of the drugs.
5. That there should be methods and means of check the drug substance used, especially of plant and animal kingdom, in the preparation of drugs and punitive measures provided for violation of the dictates of the masters, who supervised the provings.

1. Readers may kindly refer to Standardization of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Pharmaceutics published serially in the Hahnemannian Gleanings from February 1986 to June 1986.
2. KM Nadkarni-Materia Medica, Pg 285.
3. Kirtikar & Basu-Indian Medicinal Plants, (Vol 2 Pg 858).
4. K M Nadkarni-Indian Materia Medica Pg 818.

II. Anacardium-orientale:
Cashew nut without kernel-American Dispensatory (Pg 185). Seeds.
The resinous juice contained in the seed-- B & Ts American Hom Pharma (Pg 77, & Hom Phar United States.
Tr / layer of nut between the shell and the kernel-Allens Encyclo (Vol 1, Pg 312) & Clarkes Mat-med (Vol 1, Pg 101).
Juice of seed- Hahnemanns Chronic Diseases (Vol 1, Pg 277).
Kernel- Hampels Mat-med (Vol 1, Pg 324).
Whole nut-Herings Guilding Symptoms (Vol 1, Pg 285).
Resinous juice of the seeds-Hom Pharm India (Vol 1, Pg 53).
Soft Resin contained in the fruit-- We Schwabes Pharma (Pg 52).

III. Belladonna:
Q / whole plant when beginning to flower-Allens Encyclopedia (Vol 2, Pg 67). B & Ts Amer Hom Pharma ( P 118), Clarkes Mat Med (Vol 1, Pg 256). and Hom Pharmac U States. (P 133).
Recently dried leaves-American Dispensatory (P 248)
Fresh plant when coming into flower- W. Schwabes Pharma. (P 80)
Leaves gathered in June July before flowering, specially leaves near the root and the lower pediculated leaves. Grunner & Jhars Pharmacopoeia & Posology.
Whole plant-Hahnemanns Chronic Diseases (Vol 1, Pg 199). & Hom Pharm India (Vol 1, Pg 77)
Berries-Hempels mat med (Vol 1, Pg 561).
Q / berries, leaves and roots-- Herings guiding symptoms (Vol 2, Pg 366).

IV. Calendula:
Recently dried flowers-American Disp (p 276).
Fresh leaves at the top of the plant with blossoms and bunds-- B & Ts Amer Hom Pharma (P 144). Leaves and flowers-British Hom Pharma (P 129) & Clarkes Mat Med (Vol 1, Pg 366).
Flowers- Hempels Mat Med (Vol 1, Pg 628).
Fresh Flowering tops and leaves- Hom Pharma India (Vol 1, pg 87).
Fresh flowering tops- Hom Pharma United States (P 158).
Herb in bloom- W Schwabes Pharma (P 104).

V. Gelsemium:

VI Stramonium:
Herb in flower & fruit- Allens encyclopaedia (Vol 9, Pg 175).
Recently dried ripe see-American Dispensatory (Pg 604)
Ripe seed- B & Ts amer Hom Pharma (Pg 422) & Herings Guiding Symptoms (Vol 10, Pg 41).
Entire herb-British Hom Pharma (Pg 282).
Fresh plant in flower and fruit-Clarkes Jhars Pharma (pg 129) & Hempels Mat Med (Vol 2, Pg 820).
Seeds- Gruner &u Jhars Pharma (Pg 129) & Hempel;s Mat Med (Vol 2, Pg 820).
Fresh herb in blooming- W. Schawbes Pharma (Pg 326)
Whole plant-Hom pharma india (Vol 1, Pg 138).

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