Sources of the Homœopathic
Materia Medica
BY
Dr Susheel S Neogi
www.similima.com 1
MATERIA MEDICA
Homoeopathic Materia Medica is a
compilation of various symptoms collected
mainly from proving from healthy human
beings and from other sources.
www.similima.com 2
Sources of Homoeopathic materia
medica.
Empirical source
Doctrine of signature
Accidental source
Proving on healthy human beings
Clinical observation
Toxicological source
Chemical/Biological source
Proving on plants
Proving on healthy animals
www.similima.com 3
Empirical source:
It is traditional source.
This can be observed from the general
therapeutic study of the medicine.
In olden days, the medicinal values of
many medicines were known.
Guess work or fiction
www.similima.com 4
Doctrine of signature:
Relation between the external physical
properties of the drug substance and the signs
and symptoms present in the patient.
This is present in a few drugs and by studying it
we can study the pathogenesis and
symptomatology of those drugs to a certain
extent.
www.similima.com 5
Doctrine of signature:
Yellow flowers of Chelidonium acts well in
jaundice.
Red looking plants or red extracts act well
on blood.
Tarentula Hispania is prepared from the
Spanish spider which is very sensitive to
drum beats, similarly patient is
oversensitive to music.
www.similima.com 6
Doctrine of signature:
E.g. Hypericum Perforatum
The leaves of this plant have multiple
perforations, seen when the leaf is held in front
of the sun.Hence the drug proved to be of great
use in perforating injuries.
E.g. Euphrasia
The petals of its flower have a black spot on
them, resemblance to the human pupil.
Hence Euphrasia - good drug for eye
complaints.
www.similima.com 7
Accidental source:
Medicines prepared from substances whose
curative action is discovered accidentally,
E.g. Blatta Orientalis in asthma
Physostigma - group of children - Liver pool ate
beans, found on a ship-. Led to loss of muscular
power, prostration and feeble slow pulse in
2/3rds, and produced cold and diarrhea in one
third of them. These symptoms were later
considered as curative symptoms of the drug
Mercury –venereal diseases
www.similima.com 8
Chemical source:
Knowledge of chemistry. I.e. physical and
chemical properties
Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of the
drug by the. Action etc.;
The actual signs and symptoms produced by
the drugs in the body while proving may be
different.
by studying the chemistry of the drugs we can
get some idea of its action on the body
www.similima.com 9
Chemical source:
Eg-Acids have a corrosive, violent action on any
tissue and leads to burning, inflammation,
ulceration, excoriation with fetidness and
putrefaction.
For e.g. Carbolic acid
Profound prostration, collapse; surface pale and
bathed in cold sweat,
Pains are terrible; come suddenly, last a short
time, disappear suddenly
Putrid, offensive discharges
These highlight the fetidness and putrefaction
that is common to all acids.
www.similima.com 10
Toxicological source:
Signs and symptoms due to the toxic
effect of the drugs
Where overdosing has occurred.
Helpful in understanding the action of the
drug upto some extent.
www.similima.com 11
Proving on healthy animals:
Proving on lower animals we get the
knowledge of the pathological changes
occurring in the animal body .
Few objective symptoms are also
available
www.similima.com 12
Proving on plants:
Proving of drugs on plants. .
Study the changes taking place on the
morphological and histological planes.
Idea of the pathological symptoms
produced by the medicine can be on
obtained.
www.similima.com 13
Clinical observation:
In practice after prescribing
of the medicine to the patient,
New symptoms produced by the medicine
which have not been produced by the
medicine while its proving.
These are clinical symptoms and they
also help in building the Materia Medica
www.similima.com 14
Proving on healthy human beings:
Obtain signs & symptoms of
homoeopathic medicines
Real and most scientific way of getting
signs and symptoms of the medicine.
Recording can be done in a systematic
way.
Most reliable source to build Materia
Medica.
www.similima.com 15
DRUG PROVING
Drug Proving now termed, as Homoeopathic
Pathogenetic Trials (HPT) is a process in which
drug substances are put into trial over healthy
volunteers and their pathogenetic effects are
observed and noted for therapeutic purposes
Study the effects of medicinal substance on
healthy human beings to understand the various
properties of the drugs.
www.similima.com 16
DRUG PROVING
Unique method,
Natures law of cure i.e., a drugs capacity
for eradicating a disease, lies in its
capacity to produce the same in healthy
organism.
Similia Similibus Curentur - likes are cured
by likes
www.similima.com 17
Drug proving
METHODOLOGY
Double Blind Technique
healthy human beings selected
Case taking –selection of Ideal Prover
Randomised sample selection- different
regions, socio-economic strata, religion &
food habits
www.similima.com 18
Drug proving
Pre-trial medical examination:-
conducted by Honorary Consultants-Medicine,
Medicine, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Otorhino-
laryngology, Dermatology, Pathology and
Gynaecology (in case of female provers).
Coded Drugs-
Drugs are provided to the provers in coded phials
www.similima.com 19
Drug proving
Grouping- placebo & actual drug to
distinguish between the false and true
symptoms.
Recording of the symptoms
by each prover in prover day book
www.similima.com 20
Drug Proving
The Proving Master analyses &records the
responses of the provers in the prescribed
proforma.
Post Trial evaluation of provers by
honourary consultants
www.similima.com 21
Drug Proving
The data collected during the course of
provings is processed, analyzed and
compiled at Central Drug Proving-cum-
Data Processing Cell
later on published for the use of the
profession
www.similima.com 22
Drug Proving
Reliability???
Authenticity ???
www.similima.com 23
Drug Proving
Source of drug substance-
Preparation-
-maintaining -optimum conditions,
-standardization of preparation
www.similima.com 24
Drug Proving
Prover –
Ideal prover-
Healthy- ? Apparently healthy
Education status
www.similima.com 25
Drug Proving
Willingness/motivation of prover
Acedemic
Monetary
Forced
Voluntary participation
www.similima.com 26
Drug Proving
Consent form
Patient information sheet
Rights of participant
www.similima.com 27
Drug Proving
Meticulousness of prover
Authenticty – of data
www.similima.com 28
Drug Proving
Proving Master
Collection of Data
Meticulousness in data collection and
processing
www.similima.com 29
Drug Proving
Proving Master
Aim of study
Authenticity of data published
Negative and positive findings
www.similima.com 30
Drug Proving
Proving Master-
Management of aggravations
Taking responsibility
Abiding by ethics
www.similima.com 31
Drug Proving
Study can only be conducted at
physiological plane
Post trial follow ups for long duration
necessary
www.similima.com 32
Drug Proving
DEDICATION
DETERMINATION
DELIGENCE
www.similima.com 33
THANK YOU
www.similima.com 34