BERBERIS. (BERBERIS VULGARIS.) – A Text-Book of Materia Medica. By Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite

A Text-Book of
Materia Medica.

(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative.)

By Pr. 
Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.

BERBERIS. (BERBERIS VULGARIS.)

Natural order.- Berberidaceae.

Common name.- Barberry.

General Analysis.-

Through the ganglionic system

Berberis produces engorgement of the venous capillaries, and
shows its especial action upon the mucous lining of the hepatic
system, the kidneys, and urinary tract.

It also acts upon the mucous membrane of the throat, and upon the
muscular system.

Characteristic symptoms.

Mind.- (Berberis)

Indifference (Phos., Phos. ac.) ; apathy.

Head.- (Berberis)

Vertigo and dizziness.

Sensation as if the head were becoming larger.

Tearing pains in forehead and temples, often changing locality.
(Puls.)

Cold sensation in right temple.

Nose.- (Berberis)

Dryness of the nose.

Face.- (Berberis)

Pale, earthy complexion, with sunken cheeks, and hollow,
blue-encircled eyes. (

Ars., Cinch., Sec., Sulph.)

Mouth.- (Berberis)

Dryness of the lips.

Sticky, frothy saliva, like cotton.

Throat.- (Berberis)

Swelling and fiery redness of palate and tonsils ; tonsils pain
when speaking or swallowing ; sensation of lump in side of throat,
with dryness, roughness, and scraping. (Bell.)

Stomach.- (Berberis)

Thirst, with dryness of the mouth.

Eructations.

Abdomen.- (Berberis)

Violent sticking, pressive pain in region of gall bladder. (Bapt.)

Pains, mostly sticking, in left side of abdomen, often extending to
lumbar region, or to the groin, the liver, the spleen, or the stomach.

Deep-seated, sticking, or tearing pain from the ilium, near spine,
obliquely inward toward sacrum,

Stool and Anus.- (Berberis)

Frequent urging to stool.

Violent burning pain in the anus, as if parts around it were sore.

Tearing, stitching, burning, crawling, or itching in and around
anus.

Hard, scanty stool, like sheep’s dung. (Chel., Op., Plumb.)

Watery evacuations. (Ars., Cinch.)

Urinary Organs.- (Berberis)

Sticking, digging, tearing, or pulsative pain in region of one or
the other kidneys.

Burning pain in bladder. (Acon., Ars., Canth.)

Violent sticking, cutting pains from the kidneys into the bladder
and urethra.

Cutting and burning in the urethra. (Can. sat., Canth.)

Pain in loins and hips while urinating.

Urine pale-yellow, with a slight transparent, gelatinous sediment,
with no deposit, or a turbid, flocculent, claylike, copious, mucous
sediment, mixed with white or whitish-gray, and later a reddish, mealy
sediment.

Urine bright-yellow (Ars.) ; blood-red ; profuse mucous sediment.

Male Organs.- (Berberis)

Dragging or lancinating pains in spermatic cord, extending into
testicles. (

Ham.,
Merc., Puls.)

Smarting, burning pains or stitches in spermatic cord.

Weakness and coldness of genital organs. (Caps.)

Female Organs.- (Berberis)

Sensation of burning and soreness in vagina ; painful to
touch.

Menses too scanty and painful ; gray mucus or blood.

Back.- (Berberis)

Bruised pain, with stiffness and lameness in small of back ; rises
from a seat with difficulty. (Rhus tox.)

Backache worse while sitting or lying. (Rhus tox.)

Painful pressure and tension in lumbar and renal regions, sometimes
with sensation of

numbness, puffiness, warmth, stiffness, and lameness, extending at times into the lower limbs.

Limbs.- (Berberis)

Tearing, stitching, or throbbing pains, or bruised feeling in
extremities.

Therapeutic Range.- (Berberis)

Arthritic and rheumatic affections, particularly with urinary
complaints ; especially applicable when renal and vesical symptoms are
prominent ; in passage of gall stones, and vesical calculi ; nephritis
; nephritic colic ; tonsilitis ; bilious and gastro-intestinal
derangements ; jaundice.

Compare.- (Berberis)

Aloe, Ars., Bry.,

Caps. Cinch., Nux v., Puls.

Antidote.- (Berberis)

Camph.

Berberis Antidote.-

Acon.