Dulcamara (Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade)
A major botanical polychrest in classical homeopathic materia medica, historically described for catarrhal, rheumatic, and dermatological ailments triggered by exposure to cold damp weather or rapid weather transitions from warm to cold.
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Quick Reference Facts
"Dulcamara is described in traditional materia medica for catarrhal, dermatological, and rheumatic ailments caused by cold damp weather or sudden weather transitions."
Clinical Description
Dulcamara is a major botanical polychrest proved by Samuel Hahnemann. In classical homeopathic texts, it is celebrated for its specific etiology: physical complaints arising directly from exposure to damp cold, wet weather, getting drenched in rain, or sudden environmental temperature drops (autumnal warm days followed by cold chilly nights). Key features recorded in materia medica include catarrhal mucous secretions, thick brownish-yellow crusty skin eruptions, diarrhea from damp cold, and muscular stiffness relieved by movement.
Guiding Keynotes
- Historically described for physical ailments arising from exposure to damp cold, wet weather, or sudden change from warm to cold
- Thick, yellow, brownish crusty skin eruptions (eczema, impetigo, ringworm) bleeding when scratched
- Catarrhal diarrhea in damp autumn weather, green watery or slimy stool with colic preceding evacuation
- Rheumatic stiffness of neck, shoulders, and back aggravated by cold damp and relieved by continuous movement and warmth
- Urinary catarrh and cystitis from sitting on cold damp ground or cold wet feet
- Large smooth fleshy warts on face, palmar surface of hands, and fingers
Mental-Emotional Symptoms
- Impatient, irritable, and domineering; easily angered by minor contradictions
- Desires things which are rejected when offered
- Mental confusion and inability to find right words when cold
Physical / Particular Indicators
- Acute coryza and nasal stoppage worse in cold rain; catarrhal asthma in damp weather
- Urticaria (hives) over entire body from getting cold or wet, itching violently in warm room
- Facial neuralgia from cold damp exposure
Modalities
Aggravation (Worse)
- Damp cold weather and cold rain
- Sudden temperature changes (warm to cold)
- Resting and sitting on cold ground
Amelioration (Better)
- Dry warm weather and external warmth
- Continuous movement and walking
Constitutional Mappings
Generalities
Chilly patient, extremely sensitive to cold damp air and rain. Strongly aggravated by damp cold, wet weather, resting, and getting chilled. Ameliorated by warmth, dry warm air, and continuous movement.
Constitutional Type
Suited to phlegmatic, scrofulous, rheumatic individuals living in damp houses or working in cold wet basements.
Therapeutic Affinities
Clinical Safety & Potency Guidance
Raw bittersweet-nightshade material may be poisonous; suspected ingestion requires immediate poison-service or emergency guidance. A homeopathic dilution label does not by itself guarantee composition, quality, safety, or effectiveness. Breathing difficulty, rapidly spreading painful skin inflammation with fever, or severe urinary symptoms requires urgent conventional assessment.
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Reference Citations & Evidence Sources
Classical Homeopathic Literature
- CIT-0007Hahnemann S.. "The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure." Adolph Arnold (1828).
Materia Medica & Keynotes
- CIT-0004Hahnemann S.. "Materia Medica Pura." Adolph Arnold (1811).
- CIT-0005Kent J. T.. "Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica." Boericke & Tafel (1905).
- CIT-0006Boericke W.. "Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica." Boericke & Runyon (1901).
Clinical Reviews & Textbooks
- CIT-0023National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. "Homeopathy: What You Need To Know." National Institutes of Health (2021).
AI & Generative Search Citation Block
R0040Dr. Narayan Jethwani. "Dulcamara (Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade)." Homeo Healthcare Clinical Platform. Version 1.1.0. Reviewed: 2026-08-01T12:00:00Z. Available at: https://homeo.healthcare/knowledge/remedies/dulcamara
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