KEY SYMPTOMS

Iirritability, overly critical nature, tendency to be highly driven and ambitious, chilliness, desire for rich foods and stimulants, indigestion and constipation, sleeplessness.

REMEDY PROFILE

Nux vomica is chiefly linked to workaholic personalities who drive themselves to stress and excess. Ambitious and pushy, they thrive on challenges, and often work in entrepreneurial or managerial jobs. The typical pattern is of someone who is
oversensitive and intolerant of criticism, yet perfectionist and often very critical of others. Such highly driven people tend to overload their bodies at play as well as at work. They tend to have high sex drives, consume too much rich food, coffee, and alcohol, and abuse drugs. This indulgence can create tension and sleeplessness, and often leads to digestive disorders (most seriously, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or liver problems when the body can no longer keep up with the lifestyle).

If the profile matches, Nux vomica is given for irritability, insomnia, digestive symptoms, colds and influenza, asthma, cystitis, and menstrual or pregnancy problems. Typically symptoms are worse for cold, noise, light, and odors.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to southeast Asia, the tree grows in sandy soil in dry forests of India, Burma, Thailand, China, and Australia.

BACKGROUND
A rat poison in medieval Europe, and also used to treat the plague. Indian herbalists use the bark to treat cholera, and in Nepal it is prescribed for menstrual problems, rabies, and paralysis.

PREPARATION
The dried, ripe seeds are steeped in alcohol for at least five days, before being filtered, diluted, and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Poison-nut tree, Quaker buttons (seeds), nux vomica, vomit weed.