Homoepathic Medicines For The Liver & The Biliary Tract

 

Homoeopathic Medicine is probably the best system of therapeutics which has helped mankind ever since civilization has become the order of the day the world over. Apart from the fact that it is the most difficult to master and a challenge to the prescriber it hardly has any deficiencies. It is because of this facet of our Medicine that we need to find the ways and means to achieve the platform of cure with the principles enunciated by the founder of Medicine, Dr.Samuel Hahnemann even as we take confidence from the experiences of various stalwarts who have happened to practice this therapy.

 

A Homoeopath, a good practitioner always feels that in the miasma of today there is always a lacuna in the prescription which will facilitate a more rapid return to normalcy.

 

Whether it is the organic lesion that has a sway over the physiology of the affected organ or seems to encroach over the function of other vital organs and the metabolism as a whole the need for such a homoeopathic dilution seems to remain.

 

 There is always the talk of the one-sided diseases where as such the final result of cure is not possible and the road to relief is sure but a trifle prolonged and more often than not patients seek the blessing of allopathic medicines even as they are on our prescriptions.

 

 The incurable diseases seem to be increasing by the day and in such cases too though palliation with our medicines is always safer it is also a fact that if we can keep the organic lesion silent for a period of time our job is that much more respected.

 

 Patients today are already under so much of allopathic medication that there is always the quality of symptoms which is lacking that is vital for our prescription. Under such circumstances too we need a way out and also need to accept the fact that we cannot advise the patient to cease with the complex medicines he is under as he is sort of addicted to it.

 

 Suppression of symptoms is one thing but suppression of diseases is the main issue with so many formulations of allopathic medicines that the real nosology remains hidden.

 

 One would also seek such a Homoeopathic formulation which would stave away the need for allopathic prescriptions for various metabolic diseases that have almost become the need of the hour to keep the diseases at bay.

 

 All the above seems very fair but touch your heart and feel it; this need seems to arise even in situations wherein the patient seems to be expressing all the symptoms necessary for a simillimum.

 

This article seeks to search for an answer in that area.

For once the Materia Medica right from the time of Hahnemann has been studied along various lines. It has been found that there are group of remedies which always seem to act better on people of certain characteristics. When we talk of Homoeopathy as all encompassing here is one good reason. Ayurveda talks of Vaata, Pitta and Kapha and our own provings reveal certain personalities or better termed as temperaments. The lymphatic temperament corresponds to the blood and this domain is covered by remedies like Calcarea carb.

 

The bilious temperament corresponds to bile and Lycopodium takes the call all the time. The sanguine temperament corresponds to the respiratory system and Sulphur is the first remedy at the door to respond for any ailments of this system. If it is the energy which can only be felt and cannot be seen it is the nervous temperament and the remedies that have a range of action on this temperament are Arsenic and Phosphorus.

 

Needless to say the strength of Homoeopathic prescription is the constitutional remedy. It spreads across the span of the human organism and covers all the physical and mental functions and that is why its action is the most insistent on the vital force so that the mending of the nosological impact on the body is done in a sure way. These are the ground remedies and are the best thing to happen in the field of Medicine.

 

Even after taking into consideration the temperament and arriving at the most probable constitutional remedy you come across the various reasons enumerated above that give you the feeling that there is a need for something more; in tandem with the Constitutional remedy. The answer seems to be a remedy which has an action on the organic and tissue anatomy, local reaction of a certain homoeopathic remedy from the physiopathological point of view. It is also a remedy which can help drain away the toxins after the constitutional has produced the evidence of cure in the human organism. This can also help in seeing that the patient gets on to the road to recovery much earlier too. These are nothing but the functional remedies which have an action on the tissue and elective action on certain organs of the body. Though these seem to be acting quantitatively they help finally as the quality of the functions are restored and the rehabilitation from disease is done better and faster.

 

Let us consider such an issue of Ground remedies, functional remedies and certain remedies which drain the organs of the toxins on the liver and the biliary system.

To start with it will help us if we can consider the functions of the liver.

 

i) It is an organ which produces bile that helps in the primary stage of digestion apart from breakdown of fats, production of cholesterol necessary for metabolism and balance of the proteins in the body.

 

ii) Various kinds of nutritive functions and other functions of excretion of chemicals like residual nitrogen, uric acid, chlorides, cholesterin and lipids are all done by this wonderful organ.

 

iii) It helps in seeing that the disintegrated proteins do not cause a anaphylactic response in the body.

 

iv) Liver transforms glucose into glucocin and stored for later needs.

 

v) It helps in breaking down the toxins into soluble products so that the kidney finds it much easier to excrete them.

 

vi) Indisputable function is the coagulation of the blood and the necessary factors are produced by the liver.

 

Since the living matter, metabolic activities and the excretory products contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, Sulphur, phosphorus to which the chlorides, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron etc. get attached too; any homoeopathic remedy which has an affinity or a content of the above elements would have a selective action on any disease afflicting the organ. Let us enumerate a few remedies which help in the hepatic dysfunctions.

 

GROUND REMEDIES

The principal remedies are:

Minerals: Sulphur, Natrum sulph and Phosphorus

Vegetable: Lycopodium

Animal products: Lachesis and Sepia.

 

SULPHUR

 Psoric state.

 Troubles coexisting with active and transitory congestion of the liver with general arterial hypertension.

 Bleeding haemorrhoids.

 Associated with skin condition.

 Gone feeling in the pit of the stomach worse 11 a.m.; must eat all the time which causes amelioration.

 Liver is hypertrophied and congested. Pain in the region of the liver.

 Milk is badly tolerated and cannot digest eggs.

 Complementary remedies: Nux vomica, Aloes, Podophyllum, Magnesium sulph, Anacardium, Merc sol, Sepia.

 

NATRUM SULPH:

 Hydrogenoid constitution.

 Improves production of bile.

 Retention of water by the liver and tissues.

 Sensation of pressure int eh liver region.

 Fullness sensation in the region of the liver.

 Hypercholesterinaemia.

 Water metabolism.

 Voracious appetite.

 Similar remedies: China: Cholesterinum, Lecithinum, Podophyllum, Calc carb, Dulcamara, Nux vomica, Kali carb, Sulphur, Lycopodium, Lachesis, Sepia, etc.

 

PHOSPHORUS:

 For fatty degeneration of liver, cirrhosis of liver, deep acute insufficiency of liver, chronic affections. Grave jaundice.

 Action on the blood function of the liver.

 Acts on pancreas.

 Gastric pain relieved by cold intake.

 Liver is hypertrophied and painful.

 Acts on uraemia, alcoholism etc.

 Acts on bones, organic food, walls of blood vessels, parenchyma and nerve cells.

 Complementary to China, Berberis vulgaris, Ricinum communis, Bryonia, Digitalis, Chelidonium, Lecinthinum, Arsenic alb, Crotalus horridus, Kali bichromicum.

 

LYCOPODIUM:

 Insufficiency of liver, retention of bile. Cirrhosis of liver, cholecystitis, acute or usually chronic jaundice.

 For an over worked liver.

 Habitual remedy for hepatic insufficiency caused by alcoholism, atrophic cirrhosis, cirrhosis with sclerosis.

 Spores of Lycopodium similar to the hepatic lobule.

 Dry mouth without thirst.

 Desires hot food and drink.

 Flatulence and constipation.

 Cholagogue as it eliminates the unused bile in the intestines more actively. Increases the rapidity of the intestinal transit.

 Dyspepsia caused by cabbage, greasy and farinaceous foods. Aversion to bread. Desire for sugar.

 Gouty diathesis.

 Markedly right sided. < 4-8p.m.

 Related to Chelidonium, MYrica, Chenopodium, Chionanthus, Merc sol, China, Ars alb, Bryonia etc.

 

LACHESIS:

It may sound less important than Lycopodium and Phosphorus but is good in cases of insufficiency of the liver when the functions of the liver and blood are both affected. Also for correlations of the function between the liver and the sympathetic nervous system.

 Suspicious, jealous, vindictive.

 Menopausal. As a remedy for over work.

 Aggravation during sleep. Vertigo.

 For alcoholism.

 Sensitive liver. Cannot keep anything tight around the body.

 Haemorrhoids.

 For the action on blood and unbalanced humors.

 Other similar remedies are Ars alb, Acid mur, Digitalis, China, Arnica, Ignatia and vipera.

 

SEPIA:

 First remedy for portal hypertension.

 Atony, venous insufficiency of the local organs.

 Liver is big, painful, heavy, aggravation of pain and worse by lying on the left side.

 Bearing down sensation.

 Amelioration after sleep.

 Related to Nux vomica, Nux moschata, Gelsemium, Aloe, Pulsatilla (antidote), lilium tig, Murex, Sulphur, Natrum sulph, etc.

 

FUNCTIONAL REMEDIES

 

These act by local elective action of the drugs on the digestive tract and the liver. The principal remedies are Solidago, Chelidonium, Taraxacum, CArdus mar, Hydrastis, Chionanthus, China, Myrica, Berberis vulgaris, Colocynthis, Dioscorea, Bryonia, Chamomilla, Mag mur, Kali bich, merc dulcis, Ricinus communis and Vipera.

 

SOLIDAGO: It is a remedy that helps in the liver do its function at its best i.e by clearing the toxins. It has a similar action on the tissues of the kidney and liver. It is a remedy for opening the renal barrage along with other ground remedies and is not incompatible with any.

 Feels weak and the energy to work diminishes and sensitive to pressure.

 

CHELIDONIUM:

 Acts slowly but surely on the liver and digestive system.

 Relieves constipation.

 Acts on the right lobe of the liver.

 Not just the liver but the topography of the right side of the human anatomy.

 It acts on mucosa of the biliary apparatus and intestinal mucosa.

 Associated with sick headache.

 < movement, change of climate, touch, 4-8 p.m., fatty foods.

 

CARDUS MARIANUS:

 Precancerous stage of liver when jaundice has set in.

 Like Sepia has stasis and acts on the portal veins.

 Worse lying on left side.

 

TARAXACUM:

 Acts as a purifier and a tonic.

 Acts electively on the supernumerary element of the blood like Phosphorus.

 Mapped tongue..

 Pre-cancer and pre-ureamic stages.

 Flatulent distention of abdomen like China.

 Like solidago to open the kidney barrage.

 

HYDRASTIS:

 Acts on any mucus membrane of the body like respiratory, genital, urinary systems etc.

 Thick, ropy, tenacious and adherent. Discharge of Kali bich is more corrosive than Hydrastis.

 Hepatic insufficiency of old age when gastric motility and secretions are reduced.

 Surely in pre-cancerous and cancerous stages.

 It helps the other remedies.

 

CHIONANTHUS:

 For sick headache.

 Acts both on the liver and pancreas

 

MYRICA:

 Seat of action on the naso-pharynx, heart and the liver.

 Vermifuge

 

BERBERIS VULGARIS:

 Acts on digestive tract and the urinary apparatus.

 A remedy for metastases.

 Hydrogenoid constitution.

 

DIOSCOREA:

 Pain causes the patient to bend backwards.

 Pain appears suddenly and can be referred to by the finger tips.

 

COLOCYNTHIS:

 Pain is better by bending double.

 Better by pressure and heat.

 

BRYONIA:

 Better at rest. Better by pressure.

 Better lying painful side.

 Pressure in stomach as from a stone.

 

CHAMOMILLA:

 In angry, irritable children with flatulent distention of abdomen.

 Worse at night.

 

REMEDIES ACCORDING TO PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES

 

CIRRHOSIS:

1) Sclerosis: Aurum mur, Aurum met, Plumbum met, Silicea, Iodum, Arsenic iod, Kali iod.

2) Syphilis: Mercurius with Aurum met and Plumbum met.

3) Induration: Graphites, Taraxacum, Flouric acid, Conium.

4) Fatty degeneration: Phosphorus, Kali bich, Vanadium.

5) Pigmentary: Argentum nit.

6) Cancer: Cardus mar, Taraxacum, Conium, Hydrastis, Cholesterinum.

7) Ascites: CArdus mar, China, Senecio, Apocyanum, Digitalis, Acetic acid.

 

CONGESTION:

1) Passive: Sulphur, natrum sulph, Phosphorus, Digitalis, China, Apocyanum, Kali carb.

2) Active: China, Natrum mur.

 

HEPATITIS:

1) Beginning: Aconite, Bryonia, Chamomilla.

2) Developed: Chelidonium, Mercurius, China, Nux vomica, Iris v.

3) Chronic: Amm mur, Cholesterinum, Kali mur, Kali bich, Hydrastis.

4) Grave: Vipera, Arsenic alb, Lachesis, Phosphorus.

5) Alcoholic: Nux vomica, Acid sulph, Amm mur, Flouric acid.

6) Portal Hypertension: Aloes, Leptandra, Collinsonia, Sepia, Pulsatilla

 

CHOLECYSTITIS:

1) To see that bile is secreted well: Solidago, Cardus mar, Berb vulg, Taraxacum, Hydrastis.

2) To relieve inflammation: China, Baptisia, Arsenic alb.

 

INVESTIGATIONS

 

Serum Bilirubin:

Usually raised in hepatobiliary disease, jaundice, biliary obstructiono and ingestion of certain drugs.

 

SGOTor AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)

SGPT or ALT (Alanine aminotransferase)

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

Gamma glutamyl transferase

The above are enzymes which help the cells do their work and if they are injured in hepatitis or cirrhosis there is an increase in concentration of the above in the circulation.

 

SERUM PROTEINS including Albumin, Globulin and Total proteins: Since the function of the liver is to make proteins in hepatobiliary diseases this is affected and thereby the above proteins are reduced in concentration.

 

Prothrombin time: Since liver makes clotting factors it is essential to study coagulation.

 

Alfa-fetoprotein: Increased in liver cancer.

 

Ultrasound Scan, CT Scan, MRI: To study morphological changes.

 

CASES

 

Hepatitis A with Nephritis:

 

Mr.Suri, aged 41 years complained of yellowish tinge of urination and coloourless stools, fever increasing in degress for four days and it was 102F with bodyache. There was a constant, dull aching pain in the region of the right hypochondrium. Reports suggested that Bilirubin rose to 8.9mg/dl and other enzymes were high, more than ten times the normal parameters suggesting an acute Hepatitis. Anti HAV IgM was positive which suggested an active viral hepatitis, A form. He was given a few doses of Nux vomica.

 

On third day the patient returned saying that he had developed profound weakness and unable to attend even to his daily chores which compelled him to rest for a while. There was a slight pedal oedema. Serum Creatinine was 1.9mg/dl which was not the case earlier. He was referred to a Gastroenterologist for an opinion. He suggested an US Scan which revealed enlarged and echogenic kidneys along with mild hepatosplenomegaly. He averred that it would be due to Auto Immune Nephritis secondary to hepatitis. He suggested a Kidney biopsy after a week. The patient was given Solidago as this is the remedy which helps relieve the stress on the kidneys and it drains the toxins as they become more soluble.

 

In a week of the remedy, Creatinine was 1.6 and Bilirubin fell to 2.9 and the enzyme levels came down to three times the normal limits. Total proteins improved too. Two weeks after administration of Solidago a Scan was repeated which showed normal kidneys and no splenomegaly. Mild hepatomegaly was referred to.

 

In three weeks of medication all the parameters came to normal. This case signifies the importance of application of functional remedies like Solidago in incipient auto immune ailments and organic changes.

 

INFANTILE HEPATITIS DUE TO CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION:

 

A two and half month old child; premature by six weeks at birth, 1.2kg. at birth suffering with neonatal jaundice was being consulted for. Serum Bilirubin was 7.3mg/dl, Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy showed that hepatic extraction of tracer was mildly impaired which cleared from the liver after a gap of 24 hours. There was evidence of the tracer in the intestines by one hour. Gall bladder was not visualized. It was suspected to be Biliary atresia with impaired hepatocyte function. The probability of the morbidity was supposedly very high in this infant. Cytomegalo virus (TORCH Capsule) was positive. The prothrombin time was prolonged. Alkaline phosphatase was 1990 which denoted that the increase in enzymes was due to probable blockage of the biliary flow at the hepato biliary or biliary junction.

 

Mercurius 200; one dose at bedtime for five days and after Chelidonium 6c was given. There was consistent fall of the enzyme levels apart from Bilirubin within two weeks and in three months time all the parameters were normal. Bilirubin, enzymes, proteins and the cytomegalovirus titres were close to normal when they were measured six months ago. The child has put on weight and is on par with age as far as mental and physical development are concerned too.

 

Mercurius was selected because of the infective pathology to improve the flow of the bile juice across into the intestines. This is enough proof that apart from improving the hepatic function which has been suppressed due to infection, with help of smaller remedies like Chelidonium, a suspicious case of atresia could be managed.

 

CARCINOMA OF THE LIVER:

 

Mrs.Madhuri, aged sixty years underwent certain investigations for dyspepsia which had lasted for six months. Endoscopy and Colonoscopy did not reveal any problem. Liver Functions Tests were normal. CT image showed that she had multiple small to large unenhancing lesions with faint hyperdensities, suggestive of metastatic lesions. ?? Primary neoplastic lesions. Gall bladder shows mild wall thickening with soft tissue density involving the fundus and part of the body with the rest of the body showing normal density with multiple calculi. Serum tests showed that the Carcinoembryonic antigen was positive for malignancy apart from alfaprotein which confirmed it. She underwent a course of Chemotherapy in Dec. 2008 and had to discontinue as she was unable to tolerate it. Ever since she has been on Homoeopathic medicines.

 

Dr.Ramanlal Patel an authority in the field of treatment of Cancer as far as Homoeopathic system of Medicine is concerned says that it would help to address the problem right away with Carcinosin; the same was done as a dose of IM was given. Later berberis vulgaris was given as the growth was in the gall baldder and supposedly too the principal remedy for metastases into the liver is the same remedy. Hydrastis mother tincture was given along with the same.

 

A CT Scan done in April 2008 shows that there are still multiple lesions in the liver parenchyma but he soft tissue mass suspected to be due to carcinoma in the gall bladder is not to be seen now. The serum tests also reveal that the activity of the disease is not there and almost near normal now which is enough indication that the disease is under check and inactive which is the primary purpose of any medication.