Arnica montana - Leopard's Bane
"CONSTITUENTS: Volatile oil, acrid resin, and a nauseous bitter substance, resembling cytisin, with gallic acid. A small quantity of an alkaloid called arnicin.
PREPARATIONS: The tincture of arnica is a common preparation. It is in common use for external application. It may be given internally in doses of from one to ten minims. Specific arnica, dose: from one-half to five minims.
Therapy: In small doses, arnica causes increased perspiration, increased secretion of urine, and an accelerated pulse. Its tonic influence upon the nervous system, and directly upon the heart and circulatory organs, make it a useful remedy indeed. In adynamic fevers, we have so few remedies possessing sedative properties, which do not depress, that each should be studied in this line, and arnica is especially available. It must be given in small doses frequently repeated, in the line of its indications. The indications for bryonia, rhus tox, or belladonna, or perhaps cactus, may be present at the same time.
Arnica is selected for internal use when there has been a severe injury, with fever, or in surgical fever, where there has been shock and general prostration. In all cases after severe cutting operations, where there has been destruction of muscular tissue, soreness follows and pain, which is ameliorated to an excellent advantage by the internal use of small doses of arnica.
In low fevers, where the nervous system is greatly at fault, it not only controls the temperature, but increases the nerve-power, overcoming depression and debility, especially in severe, protracted fevers where the exhaustion results from loss of nerve force and where there is marked depression; if there be excessive night sweat, colloquative diarrhea, incontinence of urine or feces, feeble respiratory power where difficulty of breathing keeps the patient awake. It may be given in conjunction with other specifically indicated remedies to excellent advantage, where there is low muttering delirium, where the tongue is dry and where the mouth and throat seem to be clogged with foul, stringy mucus.
When there are typhoid conditions present, with inflammation of the respiratory organs, the influence of this agent is much like phosphorous, stimulating the respiration and encouraging the oxygen carrying power of the blood. Many of the milder forms of acute, or chronic paralysis, are benefited by this remedy.
It is useful in those forms where mania or delirium tremens are present.
In any case where it is indicated externally, it may be given internally at the same time. Its influence is greatly enhanced.
Soreness in the small of the back, lame back, general weakness of the muscles of the back, with soreness prevailing, sickening backache in the region of the kidneys, are all benefited by arnica. It not only relieves the soreness and the bruised conditions, when given internally, but quickly overcomes the ecchymosis.
As an external application, to cuts, bruises, lacerations, and sores, arnica has long been a popular domestic remedy. It is used in full strength, but the best results are not so attained. It is more serviceable when diluted with from one to six parts of warm water. It is a stimulant to the skin, promoting absorption of nutritive material. It undoubtedly assists in carrying off the broken down tissue, which results from the traumatism, and promotes rapid repair. I have observed its influence to be greatly facilitated by combining it with a nutritional substance. In cases where the muscles beneath the skin were severely lacerated, torn and bruised, I have applied one part of arnica with five parts of warm fresh sweet milk, keeping the application warm, covered with a protective dressing, and renewed every two or three hours. It is incredible how rapidly the restoration will take place under these circumstances.
In debilitated conditions, where there are old sores of long standing or cold abscesses, this agent may be applied in conjunction with bovinine and will accomplish excellent results.
It is desirable that the agent should be studied more thoroughly, in the line of its internal use, in surgical fevers with shock, and in conjunction with external applications after general bruising and laceration, and in extreme cases of adynamia.
When there are circumscribed sore spots in the muscular structures of the body—hyperesthetic areas—without apparent cause, this agent is indicated."
(Finley Ellingwood: The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1915)