Baptisia tinctoria

The homeopathic remedy Baptisia is prepared from the herb wild indigo (botanical name Baptisia tinctoria), which grows perennially and is indigenous to most regions of North America. This shrub-like plant usually grows up to a height of about three feet and bears modified yellow-hued blossoms that are typical to all members of the lentil family (Fabaceae). Usually, the plant bears flowers during the period between May and September. There was a time when this plant was found growing naturally in open fields and forest lands, but now the species of Baptisia are gradually becoming scarce. The primary reason for this is excessive harvesting of the plants owing to high demand for their use in herbal dietary supplements. Currently, the industry is making an endeavor to cultivate this plant with great success. The name of this plant 'tinctoria', which has been derived from the Latin term 'tingere' denoting, 'to dye', is ample indication of the fact that the well-known indigo dye is obtained from Baptisia tinctoria. Both, the Native American people as well as the early European settlers in the New World employed wild indigo mainly in the form of an antiseptic to rinse wounds. In contemporary times, practitioners of herbal medicines use Baptisia internally as well as externally in the form of an antiseptic as well as a stimulant for the immune system. In the 1850s, Dr Douglas, Dr. Burt, Dr. Hadley and others approved this homeopathic remedy following a trial undertaken on a small-scale and in 1857, Dr. Thompson introduced it into the repertory. The homeopathic remedy Baptisia is recommended more or less solely to treat sever feverish ailments accompanied by a typical array of symptoms, which may include bewilderment or also inertia, as if the person is drunk. The ailment causes intense stupor and weariness which may even make the patient fall asleep while conversing. In addition, the patient usually experiences nightmares and hallucination as well as a feeling that his/ her body is being dispersed into pieces. Often this sensation may result in problems in falling asleep, in addition to having feelings of being suffocated or gasping. The characteristic symptoms that are cured by the homeopathic Baptisia include a yellowish-brown coating on the tongue, foul smelling breath and a bitter-taste in the mouth. In addition, the face of people requiring this homeopathic remedy may be swollen and darkly reddened, accompanied by sagging eyelids. Initially, Baptisia was developed to treat typhoid fever, but is now generally employed for treating severe fevers, acute influenza as well as gastrointestinal infections. This homeopathic remedy is also prescribed to cure sore throats as well as septic infections.

Uses

While the homeopathic remedy Baptisia is mainly used to treat severe feverish conditions, it also has other uses. When the plant Baptisia tinctoria (wild indigo) is used in large amounts, it is toxic and mostly has an adverse effect on the gastrointestinal tract. The Native American people were the first to discover the therapeutic attributes of this herb and, in addition to using the root of the plant medicinally, they also used it to prepare a dye. Even the contemporary herbalists employ the root of Baptisia tinctoria in the form of an antiseptic, antibacterial as well as a soothing agent mainly to cure throat infections. Baptisia, as a homeopathic remedy, is mainly used to cure severe complaints, particularly feverish ailments. Some of the symptoms of the acute ailments treated by this medication include delirium, falling asleep while talking to someone and also not being able to sleep as the patient has a feeling that their mind is scattered. Some of the condition-specific uses of Baptisia are discussed briefly below. Baptisia is an appropriate homeopathic remedy for any high fever or flu, which usually occurs all of a sudden and is accompanied by sporadic and acute coldness. When people suffer from this type of acute fever, their face may become deeply flushed, while their tongue is inclined to be dark red or may even turn brownish. The tongue is perhaps coated and dry in the region of its center. In such conditions, the patients experience intense lassitude and have a feeling as if their whole body is aching and bruised. The muscles also become painful, firm and heavy. The patients may find their beds to be extremely hard, as a result of which they have fits of restiveness and occasionally double up forcefully with a view to alleviate their soreness. When you are suffering from a state of unconsciousness, flushing and fever, Baptisia is the best homeopathic remedy to turn to. This medication is effective for sore throats, especially when the tonsils turn distended and deep red in color. In such cases, the gums as well as the throat are likely to be affected by ulcers that may not always be painful. The lips of patients suffering from this condition may possibly turn blue, be cracked and also bleed. Occasionally it may not be possible to swallow solid foods without choking, although the patients are able to endure drinking small quantities of liquid. While the patient may have an intense thirst and drink profusely, but is likely to pass very little urine. When people have such throat infections, they may also have a related ear infection, particularly in the right ear. The homeopathic remedy Baptisia is effective not only in easing the symptoms, but also treating the original problem. When people suffer from intestinal infections, they have draining bouts of diarrhea accompanied by severe fever and perhaps even hallucination. In such conditions, the tongue is likely to have a yellowish coating and the patient may have an astringent taste in the mouth. They pass extremely foul smelling stools and experience intense pain and irritation in the region of the anus while passing stool. Their stool may also contain blood, while a pink colored rash may appear on the abdomen, which is possibly a sign of typhoid fever. Turning to the homeopathic remedy Baptisia helps to cure all these symptoms and provide relief to the patient. People suffering from septic conditions may find the homeopathic remedy Baptisia beneficial. This medication is effective in treating reeking ulcers that occur inside the mouth and throat accompanied by smelly discharges. In such conditions, the breath, sweat as well as the urine of the sufferers are likely to have a disgusting smell. The symptoms of septic conditions begin all of a sudden and are accompanied by stupor and exhaustion. This condition may occur owing to any incomplete miscarriage or septicemia. The unique thing about the homeopathic remedy Baptisia is that not any particular type of personality benefits from this medication - instead, generally there are a number of very specific symptoms or distinctiveness where this medication is useful. People who require Baptisia may be suffering from symptoms like hallucination, confusion and may even appear to be inebriated and in a trance - all attributable to severe fever. Very frequently, such people also endure nightmares and restlessness and may possibly fall asleep even while talking to someone. It is worth mentioning here that Baptisia is a not-so-significant homeopathy remedy having very restricted applications. This medication is more or less solely used for treating conditions wherein the individuals have high fevers accompanied by exhaustion and bewilderment. People requiring this homeopathic remedy are generally tired and puzzled and habitually get into a semi-comatose stupor while conversing with others. They suffer from confused nightmares that occur together with a feeling of their body being scattered into pieces. This often makes the patients fall asleep and recover only on waking up. Such absence of harmony is evident even when the patients are awake. This condition is generally more distinct in children. Precisely speaking, the homeopathic remedy is prescribed for people suffering from acute fevers and abrupt chilly feelings accompanied by a reddened face and tongue. Such patients also have a foul smelling breath. In addition, they have a feeling as if all their muscles are aching and are bruised. They also have a sensation that their bed is very hard and bumpy, as a result of which they usually become very restive. In such situations, the patient has a tendency to double up in fetal position in order to get relief. In case the patients are also suffering from diarrhea, their stool has a disgusting smell and the region around the anus is irritated and painful. However, they do not experience pain while passing stool. Before concluding, it may be reiterated that the homeopathic remedy Baptisia is more or less prescribed exclusively for treating severe as well as low fevers, typhoid fever and flu accompanied by symptoms like restiveness, painful muscles, a feeling of heaviness, a sickly feeling that is beyond description, and foul smelling discharges. When the patients requiring Baptisia have stomach problems, they find it extremely difficult to have solid foods, but are able to swallow liquids. The condition of people who require this homeopathic remedy usually worsen when they are confined in a room, exposed to soggy heat, are out in the open air and are under pressure.