Azadirachta Indica
PREPARATION.--The fresh bark is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two
parts by weight of alcohol.
(The following synopsis of Azadirachta Ind., is
contributed by P. C. Majumdar, M. D., of Calcutta,
India):
Azadirachta Indica. Syn.: Sanskrit, Nimba; Bengala and Hindi, Nim.
Belongs to the natural order Meliaeae. It is a large tree. Bark is used
for making tinctures
rom which provings were instituted. The leaves,
bark, wood, roots and fruits, in short, every part of this tree, is
intensely bitter. According to Ayurveda (Hindu System of Medicine) the
different parts of this tree possess different medicinal properties.
Bhava Misra, Charak, Susratha and several other Sanskrit authors agree
that its bark, though very disagreeable in taste, is generally used with
success in cases of lassitude, thirst, cough, fever, loss of appetite,
helmenthiasis, boils, bilious derangements, catarrh, vomiting, cutaneous
diseases, hiccough, gonorrhoea, etc.; its leaves are used in some
forms of ophthalmic disease, helmenthiasis and disorders brought on by
deranged bile or use of poisonous things. A decoction of fresh leaves is
used as a favorite wash to cure old ulcers of long standing. It removes
within a short time the sloughs and promotes the healing. The fruit is
purgative, demulcent, and is used in some forms of cutaneous affections.
A kind of oil is produced from the seed of ripe fruits, and this oil is
said to cure lepra, eczema and some other obstinate skin diseases.
Nim is also praised by some of the Allopathic physicians for its tonic,
antiseptic, astringent and anti-periodic properties. Its febrifuge
action is well-known in our country. Kanirages (native physicians) use
Nim as the principal substance in their febrifuge medicines. The vast
range of its action is chiefly due to azaderine, margocine and katechin,
the three active principles found in this tree. Nim was proved by me and
one of my students, U. C. Bagchi. A full report of the proving was
published in the Indian Homoeopathic Review, Vol. iii, No. 1. Here I
give the most reliable and peculiar symptoms obtained in its proving.
Mind: Depressed and forgetful, mistakes in writing and spelling words,
weak and dull, full of anxiety, inactive, could not think or remember
names of persons very familiar, or what has been done in the previous
day. No desire to go out or walk out. Loss of memory.
Head: Giddiness, as if the head were moving to and fro, especially when
rising from a sitting posture; headache, pressure in the head, by moving
it; headache, throbbing in the temporal arteries, especially of the
right side, with a little vertigo; aching, drawing and throbbing in the
whole head; headache, by wet compress, with much pain in the right
eyeball; headache, on moving; headache on the right side with much pain.
Frontal headache, especially on the right side, in the open air.
Throbbing in the vertex, by stooping; scalp is painful and sensitive to
touch, even the hair is painful. Vertigo at 10 A.M.; intense headache,
pain in the whole head; on walking pain is felt in the back part of the
head.
Eyes: Burning in the eyes; burning of the eyes continued throughout even
the next day; burning, dull and heavy. Pain in the eye, by slightest
pressure; red, congested and burning with slight coryza; sense of
pressure in the right eye; eyes red and sunken; pressive pain in the
right eyeball.
Ears: Buzzing in the ears; a peculiar cracking sound is heard in the ear
like tickling with a feather, which is increased on opening the mouth.
Nose: Running of watery fluid from the nose.
Face: Flushings of the face; flushing and heat in the face; face pale.
Mouth: No thirst but mouth is clammy, water has relish; taste good, but
mouth is clammy and bitter. On the sides and surface of the tongue a
painful burning sensation is felt as if scalded; papillae seem to be
enlarged and prominent. Putrid taste in the mouth. Saliva coming out
which tastes salty. Slight difficulty in deglutition, especially water
and meat.
Throat: Bitter taste in the throat; left-sided sore throat.
Stomach: No thirst; appetite very acute and keen; very great thirst for
large quantity of cold water; very great thirst at long interval.
Heart-burn and water-brash. Uneasy sensation in the thorax.
Abdomen: Great uneasiness in the abdomen with flatulent rumbling in the
bowels; twisting pain in the epigastric region; no tenderness in the
abdomen; clutching pain in the umbilical region, obliging to bend
forwards, which affords some relief; abdomen a little distended, passing
of offensive flatus; painful tension in the hypochondriac region.
Stools: Insufficient; bowels very much constipated; stools hard, small
and knotty; stools hard, but natural; stools copious, soft, semi-solid.
Diarrhoea, no satisfaction after stool.
Genito-urinary organs: Great excitement of sexual organ (in male);
sexual desire a little diminished. Urine scanty and high-colored, and
scalding; urine white, clear and copious; urine of strong odor (once
with purple sediment).
Respiratory organs: Very troublesome cough after bathing at 1 P.M. Sputa
white in small lumps expelled with much difficulty. Sighing, breathing
at intervals. Slight hoarseness. Cough with greyish expectoration; cough
with thick sputa; short, dry cough in the afternoon; very troublesome
cough with white sputa and tasteless. Deep breathing at long intervals;
breathing very rapid and hot.
Chest and throat: Aching in the lower part of the right chest, below the
nipple. Stitches in the chest. Crampy pains in the lower part of chest.
Transitory stitches in the chest, especially in the right side.
Pulse, quick and hard, feeble.
Neck and back: Pain and debility in the nape of the neck.
Extremities: Numbness of the limbs, as if the limbs are paralyzed.
Gnawing in the legs. Strength of the hand diminished. Burning of the
hands and soles of the feet. Numbness of the hands only, especially the
right hand. Rheumatic pains in the lower extremities.
Sleep and dreams: Sleeplessness and tossing in bed; dreamy and
interrupted sleep at night. Dreams of quarrels and beating in the latter
part of night.
Fever: Fever commences with very slight chill or without chill from 4:30
P.M., and abates from 7:30 P.M.; afternoon fever. Glowing heat and
burning, especially in the face, eyes, palms of the hands and soles of
the feet, in open air.
Copious sweat, especially on the forehead, neck and upper part of the
body; sweating commences on the forehead, gradually extending towards
the trunk; no sweat in the lower part of the body.
Skin: Itching of various parts of the body, without the appearance of
any eruption; itching of the body. Sudamina on the back.