Bryonia – Homeopathic Remedy
Bryonia (Bryonia alba)
The plump black berries of this common European plant may appear innocuous, but lurking beneath that tempting exterior lies a darker secret – the fruit is deadly poisonous – as many an unsuspecting wayfarer has found out to their dismay (and that of the loved ones they left behind!)
The healing power of bryonia has been recorded as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman periods, even being described by the famous Greek physician Hippocrates. It is used to treat acute stitch-like pains of slow onset, which are accompanied by thirst and dry skin, mouth, and eyes, exacerbated by the slightest movement and alleviated by rest.
Other names: European white bryony, black-berried white bryony, wild hop.
Description
Large, white-branched roots, of which parts are swollen and extremely poisonous; a climber, aided by corkscrew tendrils, with rotund black berries bursting forth in autumn.
Parts used
Freshly pulped root.
Uses
Homeopaths may prescribe this remedy for:
Arthritis and rheumatism displaying the following symptoms: Inflammation of the joints; swelling, heat, pain.
Chest problems displaying the following symptoms: Chest inflammation; pleurisy, chesty bronchitis; pneumonia with severe pain and dry, hacking cough.
Digestive problems displaying the following symptoms: Indigestion; colic (in both adults and babies); constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting.
Breast inflammation (due to breast-feeding).
People requiring this remedy will feel worse: At the slightest movement, bending.
People requiring this remedy will feel better: With rest; when pressure is applied to the sore area.
People suitable for this remedy are dependable, honest, and hard working. They are also obsessed with financial security and materialistic gain. If these societal ‘measures of success’ are threatened, deep depression, anxiety, and worry will take hold.
The information given on this site about homeopathic remedies is just a general overview. Classical homeopathy takes all the patient’s symptoms into account and prescribes upon the “Totality of Symptoms”, thus finding the precise remedy that matches the patient’s symptoms perfectly.
Here, at The CMA we recommend that anyone interested in learning more about homeopathy and the fascinating remedies that homeopaths use should take an introduction course to homeopathy, which will help you to understand how to become a good home first-aid prescriber. This is ideal for ‘acute symptoms’. However, if you want to learn more – with a view even to becoming a professional homeopath, who is educated highly enough to be able to treat chronic conditions, you’ll need to be prepared to spend many years learning this vast and fascinating topic – along with anatomy, physiology and pathology, history of medicine, homeopathic philosophy, and much more. You’ll find both kinds of courses here on this site – head to our section on Find a CMA Member and search under CMA Registered Training Schools.