Ranunculaceae group in Homoeopathic Materia Medica.

RANUNCULACEAE, THE
BUTTERCUP FAMILY
“A FAMILY WITH GREAT
DIVERSITY OF FLOWER
DESIGN"
Dr DON J SCOTT BERIN G BHMS(MD)
DEPARTMENT OF MATERIA MEDICA
WHITE MEMORIAL HOMOEOPATHIC
MEDICAL COLLEGE VEEYANOOR, ATTOOR.

Aesculapius
God of Medicine in ancient Greek

THIS POWER POINT
IS
DEDICATED TO

 MY LIVING GOD
 MOST RESPECTED
 MOM
 DAD
 GURU

 POEM OF RANUNCULACEAE
 - John Clare 1821
 When daisies pied, and violets blue,
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue,
And Lady-smocks all silver-white,
Do paint the meadows with delight
Love’ Labour’s Lost, v., 2 - ‘cuckoo-buds’ =
buttercups
 The buttercups, the little children’s dower
- Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
Rober Browning, ‘Home Thoughts, from Abroad’

 Both milkmaid’s shouts and herdsman’s call
Have vanished with the green
The king kups yellow shades and all
Shall never more be seen
For all the cropping that does grow
Will so efface the scene
(John Clare 1821, ‘Helpston Green’ — a moist part, if this
really refers to Caltha palustris)
 Whatsoever man fasting eats this wort, leaves his life
laughing
(Quoted by Gilmour (‘British Botanists’, 1956), from a
medieval manuscript - of Ranunculus sceleratus, with
reference to facial strictus induced by its toxin)

INTRODUCTION
 Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot
family; Latin rānunculus "little frog",
from rāna "frog") is a family of over 2,000
known species of flowering plants in 43
genera, distributed worldwide. The Buttercup
family may be considered "simple" from an
evolutionary standpoint, but it includes some
flowers that are highly complex in
appearance, such as the delphinium and
columbine. Yet these flowers are still
considered "simple" because all the parts are
independently attached.

 Buttercups can have either regular or
irregular flowers with anywhere from 3 to
15 sepals, often colored like petals, and 0
to 23 actual petals. There are often, but not
always, numerous stamens and 3- to
numerous simple pistils (apocarpous). The
floral parts are all independently attached
below a superior ovary. Most have bisexual
flowers, except some species of meadow
rue (Thalictrum) and Clematis. Worldwide,
there are 35-70 genera in the Buttercup
family and about 2,000 species. Twenty-
three genera are found in North America.

 For the purposes of identification, the most
accurate pattern to look for is the multiple
simple pistils at the center of the flower. In
more advanced plant families there is
typically only one pistil, the result of a
reduction in numbers along with the fusion
of several pistils to make a single
compound pistil. A flower with multiple
pistils is very likely a Buttercup, but could
potentially be confused with species from
the Rose subfamily of the Rose Family.

A secondary pattern that is often easier
to see, but not as consistent, is the
hooked tips on the pistils. If you are
not sure if you are looking at several
separate pistils or some that are only
partially fused together, then look for a
hook at the tip of the pistil. Many
species have hooked pistils, and the
hooks often persist as the ovary
matures after pollination.

 The predominant property in the plants of the
Buttercup family is an acrid protoanemonin
glycoside oil. Most of the species are listed as
poisonous, but most are safe to taste. The
buttercup taste is biting and acrid, stronger in
some plants than others. Taste it and spit it out.
The acrid properties of the buttercups are
unstable and are destroyed by drying or cooking,
so the very mild buttercups are edible as salad
greens or pot herbs. But be careful not to over do
even these, as the residual acrid properties may
cause a mild inflammation of the kidneys or liver.
Mucilaginous plants can be ingested to counter-
effect the acrid buttercups

 . Medicinally, the acrid nature of the plants
makes them great for stimulating poultices,
similar to a "mustard plaster". These
poultices can be used on bruises, aches or
arthritis to stimulate healing activity inside,
but be careful, because the poultices can
cause blistering if left in place too long. The
poultice can even stimulate activity in
cases of mild paralysis. The acrid quality is
also beneficial for getting rid of lice.
Goldenseal (Hydrastis) is a popular
medicinal herb from this family. It is favored
for the very bitter and highly antiseptic
berberine alkaloid, also found in a few
related genera and in the Barberry Family.

DISTRIBUTION
 Distribution pattern

Genera: It has almost 20 genera.
 Species: Almost 1200 species are exists in this
family.
 Distribution: The member of this family are
distribured in cold regions.
 Presence/Existance: Its members are broadly
found in Himalayan region of PAK and IND.
Nilgiri hills a part of Tamil Nadu.

Important Species
 Thalictrum delavayi (Chinese meadow-
rue)
 Ranunculus muricatus. Butter cup
 Delphinium ajacis, Larkspur
 Ficaria verna (Pilewort)
 Ranunculus muricatus (a weed)
 Aconitum uncinatum (a wild herb)

SUB GROUPS
ANEMONIAN
CLEMATIDEAE
HELLEBOREAE
RANUNCULUA
E

WARNING
 A number of plants in this family,
especially Aconitum and Delphinium cont
ain concentrations of toxic terpenoid
alkaloids. These alkaloids depress the
central nervous system; they are often
used for nervous disorders,
antispasmodics and sedatives. Some of
these plants can be cautiously used
internally (by professionals only!) as
heart and respiratory sedatives.

 A. Diagonostic Characters:
 Herbs, leaves exstipulate, incised
blades, sheathing bases, flowers
hypogynous, spiral or spirocyclic;
sepals often decidous, usually
petaloid; calyx and corolla free;
stamens indefinite, free; carpels
polycarpellary, apocarpous; fruit
aggregate.

B. Vegetative Characters:
Habit:
The plants are annual or
perennial herbs or a climbing
shrubs (Clematis, Naravelia),
rarely trees. They perennate by
means of tuberous roots
(Aconitum) or rhizomes.

Root:
Tap root, adventitious or tuberous (Ranunculus
spp. and Aconitum). The tap root system is in
the initial stage but sooner or later replaced by
the adventitious roots.
Stem:
Herbaceous, in some climbing (Clematis) or
underground rhizome or erect, branched.

Leaves:
Generally simple, alternate, or
opposite (Clematis) exstipulate
rarely stipulate (Thalictrum),
sheathing leaf base, petiolate
rarely sessile (Delphinium). In
some aquatic species leaves may
show dimorphy (Ranunculus
aquatilis); unicostate or
multicostate reticulate venation.

C. Floral Characters:
Inflorescence:
Solitary terminal (Anemone), axillary (Clematis),
raceme (Aconitum, Delphinium) and cymose
(Ranunculus spp.).
Flower:
Pedicellate, ebracteate rarely bracteate,
hermaphrodite, (unisexual in Thalictrum). Mostly
actinomorphic (Ranunculus) rarely zygomorphic
(Delphinium and Aconitum) hypogynous,
complete, pentamerous.

Calyx:
There is no distinction of calyx and corolla in most of the
flowers. Sepals 5, caducous, polysepalous, petaloid,
imbricate or valvate aestivation.
Corolla:
Petals 5, polypetalous, variously coloured, caducous or
wanting; nectaries present at the base of petals. Petals
are united to form spur (Delphinium).
Androecium:
Stamens indefinite, polyandrous, spirally arranged on the
thalamus, inferior; anthers dithecous, extrorse and
adnate.

Gynoecium:
Polycarpellary (one carpel in Delphinium and 3 to 5 in
Aconitum), apocarpous rarely syncarpous (Nigella),
ovary superior, marginal placentation (axile in Nigella).
Fruit:
Aggregate, etario of achenes (Ranunculus), etario of
follicle (Aconitum), follicle (Delphinium), septicidal
capsule (Nigella) or berry (Actaea), etario of drupes
(Adonis), etario of berries (Hydrastis) and simple pod
(Xanthorhiza).

Seed:
Small, oily and endospermic.
Pollination:
Generally entomophilous (Delphinium,
Aconitum, Aquilegia) and anemophilous
in Thalictrum.

Medicinal
Aconitum hererophyllum and A. napellus
yield a number of alkaloids specially
aconitin. This is used in acute and
inflammatory diseases. The roots of
Thalictrum yields “mamira”, which is used in
opthalamia. Anemone pulsatilla is mostly
used in feminine diseases and in gastric
derangements. Pulsatilla obtained from
Anemone pulsatilla is a good medicine for
menstrual disorder.

Cimicifuga racemosa gives the
black Snake root containing
resins. This has been
recommended for treatment of
cholera and nervous pain.
Helleborus niger and H. foetida
produce glycosides useful as
purgatives in veterinary practices.
Delphinium staphisagria is used
as antiparasitic ointment.

Chemodiversity
of
Ranunculaceae
Medicinal
Plants

The Ranunculaceae or buttercup family is far-flung across
the globe except in the tropics with many genera sporting
different flower designs
• The family is noted for many garden ornamentals as well
as toxic plants, whose poisonous principles, used in
small doses, may be therapeutic
• None are used for food
• The family is nearly entirely herbaceous, most of the
members perennial
• California is home to a number of genera with
several beautiful species for the garden

Although the flower designs are diverse, several features help to make
identification relatively easy
• The leaves are often either palmately lobed and veined or
ternately compound, and lack stipules
• The flowers feature (usually) 5 separate sepals and petals (petals
sometimes replaced by colored sepals), numerous spirally
arranged stamens, and several to many simple pistils with superior
ovaries
• The fruit typically becomes either a single-seeded achene or a
multiseeded follicle (one native exception)
• The family most likely to be confused with it is the Rosaceae, whose
herbaceous members often also have numerous stamens and
simple pistils but rosaceous plants have stipules, and (in the
herbaceous species) an apparently double calyx

Here is an example of similar flower design
in the two families: on the left is buttercup,
on the right potentilla from the rose family

As mentioned, there are different flower designs in
the Ranunculaceae, which relate to
pollination
• One line features rather flat flowers, the stamens and
pistils open to all sorts of different pollinators. Genera
include Ranunculus, Anemone, Caltha, and Clematis
• Another line has elimintaed colorful petals and sepals
and is wind pollinated. The principal genus for that
design is Thalictrum
• Another line has added special nectar spurs to a
symmetrical flower in the genus Aquilegia,
• Finally some genera have irregular flowers with hoods or
spurs that attract butterflies and bumblebees. Our two
genera are Delphinium and Aconitum

The type genus Ranunculus or buttercup
features green sepals and colorful, usually yellow
or white petals, and produces achene type fruits.
Here you see the common California buttercup,
R. californicus

California buttercup blooms in early spring and
is widespread in oak woodlands and
grasslands. Here you see a potential pollinator.
Note that this species has 10 or more petals as
compared to most other buttercups.

Typical buttercup leaves
are deeply palmately
lobed.

While California butterucp lives in dry
woods, R. orthorhynchus
bloomeri lives in coastal
wetlands.

The creeping buttercup, R. flammula
sports tiny flowers on creeping
stems by marshes and other
wetlands

Another creeping buttercup, R. repens, is an
aggressive perennial from Europe spreading by
runners in moist coastal woods

Several buttercups live in moist
mountain meadows like this R.
alismaefolius. Note the unlobed
leaves, an unusual feature of this
species.

Meanwhile, the alpine buttercup, R.
eschscholzii, favors rocky
slopes that are irrigated
underneath by snow melt.

Perhaps the most unusual buttercup is the
water buttercup, R. aquatilis that lives in
slow streams and ponds, covering the
water in season with snowy white flowers

Here you see the two kinds of leaves on
water buttercup— surface leaves that
resemble other species and underwater
leaves that are divided into slender
filaments

Our other genera with flat flowers lack petals and
instead substitute colorful sepals to attract polliinators.
Anemone or wind flower has several attractive species.
Here you see a flower of woodland anemone, A.
deltoides from northern conifer forests.

A close view of A. deltoides flower
shows the numerous stamens
and central mound of
numerous, tiny green pistils

The more delicate rue-anemone, Anemone
oregana, grows in coastal forests from the Bay
Area northwards and features smaller white to
purple-tinted flowers. Note the trifoliate leaves.

By contrast, Anemone drummondii or
Drummond’s anemone, lives on loose
scree slopes in the high Klamath
Mountains. It is actually easy to grow in
containers and blooms in summer.

Occasional individuals of Anemone
drummondii feature blue-
purple flowers.

The western anemone or pasque-flower, Anemone
occidentalis, is another high-mountain dweller, widely
scattered from Mt Shasta south into the high Sierra.
Note the feathery, much-divided leaves, a feature it
share with
Anemone drummondii

Western anemone has flowers on
stalks to a foot high. This
species has proven very
difficult to cultivate.

Anemones produce achenes with fuzzy hairs, in the case
of
western anemone, plumed styles that carry seeds on the
wind.
Note the huge number of fruits from a single flower.

The so-called marsh marigoldm Caltha howellii, is
not a marigold at all but rather, looks like a white
anemone. It is distinguished by follicles in fruit
and unique kidney-shaped leaves.

Here’s a close view of a marsh marigold
flower. The flowers appear just after snow
melt in high, wet mountain meadows

Our last genus with flat flowers is Clematis or
virgin’s bower, noted for being a woody,
deciduous vine, the only member of the family
with this habit. Here you see a vine smothering
a shrub.

Our most common species, Clematis lasiantha,
grows in chaparral throughout the foothills and is
usually dioecious. Here you see a male flower with
its numerous stamens.

Like western anemone, Clematis produces numerous
achenes per flower, each tipped by a long plumelike
style for wind dispersal.

A second clematis is Clematis ligusticfiolia, a
widespread riparina species that blooms in
summer rather than spring.

Although both clematises have similar
fruits, the flowers of Clematis
ligusticifolia are much smaller than
those of Clematis lasiantha.

The genus Thalictrum meadowrue is mainly wind
pollinated, featuring greenish flowers with long
protruding stamens and pistils. Here you see the highly
ternately compound leaves of foothill meadowrue,
Thalictrum polycarpum, in early spring

Our common meadowrues, Thalictrum fendleri from
mountain meadows
and Thalictrum polycarpum from foothill woodlands are
both dioecious.
Here you see the long stamens of the male flowers.

The female flowers ripen into
green, one-seeded achenes in
fruit

The columbines in the genus Aquilegia (meaning eagle for the
nectar spurs) are a unique group with 5 spreading colored sepals,
5 petals, each ending in a nectar spur, and numerous long
stamens. Here you see the widespread red columbine, Aquilegia
formosa

Red columbine makes a splendid forest garden plant,
living in
woods in the coastal foothills and climbing into the high
Sierra.
This flower is a favorite with hummingbirds.

The serpentine red columbine, Aquilegia
eximia, is scattered on serpentine seeps,
featuring similar looking red flowers and blue-
green leaves.

Columbine leaves are often bluis green and
ternately compound, overall similar in
pattern to meadowrue.

Aquilegia pubescens, the alpine columbine,
has horizontally held pale flowers with extra
long nectar spurs. It is hawkmoth pollinated.

Often alpine columbine
also has a pale yellow
form

Where alpine and red columbines overlap in distribution,
hybrids may occur. This clump of alpine columbine shows
the influence of the red columbine by its pink sepals.
Happily, the alpine columbine grows well in Bay Area
gardens.

The baneberry, Actaea rubra, is an unusual
member of the buttercup family that doesn’t fit
any particular mold. Living in moist forests, it
sends up large highly compound leaves in
midspring.

Baneberry blooms in late spring to early
summer with narrow
panicles of tiny white flowers.

Unlike any other Ranculaceae, baneberry
produces shiny red berries, which are highly
toxic but add a flash of color to the summer
garden.

Another unusual member of Ranunculaceae is
the gold-thread, Coptis laciniata, which forms
sprawling semiwoody colonies in the deep
shade of coastal forests

Goldthread’s umbels of tiny white flowers are
followed by papery follicles

Our last two genera are the ones with irregular flowers.
We’ll start with Aconitum columbianum or monkshood,
which favors wet meadows and streamside in the
mountains.

The name monkshood refers to the hooded upper
sepal, the other sepals smaller and of a different
shape. Meanwhile, the petals have been modified into
small, nectar-secreting glands hidden inside the sepal
hood.

Only one species of monkshood lives in California but
there is considerable color variation in the flowers.
Bumblebees are the primary pollinators.

While there’s only one species monkshood, California is home to quite a
number of larkspurs in the genus Delphinium (the name means dolphin for
the sleek shape of the flowers)
• Larkspurs all share a similar floral plan: 5 showy sepals, the upper
producing a long nectar spur, and 4 smaller, two-lipped petals partially
hiding the numerous stamens
• Larkspurs occur from coastal bluffs and grasslands into the high
mountains, sometimes in woodlands, sometimes in wet meadows, and
other times in rocky scree
• Identification of species from keys is difficult because you’re required
to dig up the plant to see whether it has easily removed tuberous roots
or a strong tough taproot.
• Larkspurs seldom last long in gardens but are very ornamental
• Larkspur flower colors include white, purple, blue, scarlet red, yellow,
and pink

Here you see a close side view of desert larkspur,
Delphinum. parishii
flower, revealing the petals partially hiding the stamens

Two common blue to purple foothills larkspurs are Delphinum
patens on the left, and Delphinum variegatum or royal
larkspur on the right

The seep larkspur, Delphinum uliginosum, is an unsual blue-
flowered species blooming in early summer on temporary
streams on serpentine rock on Walker Ridge and other parts of
the inner north Coast Ranges.

The northern larkspur, Delphinum trolliifolium,
is a robust plant living on the
edge of moist forests

The spectacular meadow larkspur,
Delphinum glaucum, is a common sight
in high mountain meadows growiing up to
5 feet high in summer.

The California larkspur, Delphinum
californicum, despite attractive
delphinium-like leaves has rather
disappointingly drab, hairy flowers on 3-
foot stalks and lives in brushy woods in
the Bay Area

Our only yellow larkspur, Delphinum luteum, is
a dwarf growing on coastal bluffs near
Bodega Bay but is easy to grow in
gardens.

Closely related is the scarlet larkspur
(Delphinum nudicaule), a hummingbird flower
common on rocky semi-shaded slopes in the
foothills.

Scarlet larkspur leaves are typical of the
genus, broad, rounded in outline
and deeply palmately lobed.

A similar species from Southern California, Delphinum
cardinale or cardinal larkspur, produces taller flowering
stalks to 4 or more feet high, blooms in summer, and
grows in dry chaparral

Finally, the rare pink larkspur, Delphinum purpusii,
makes an appearance on semishaded rocky slopes in
Kern River canyon and similar places in the southern
Sierra foothills.

Altogether then, the buttercup family provides the gardener
with many attractive and often easy-to-grow
species
• A few buttercups are found in the trade, along with the
red columbine, the baneberry, the foothill meadowrue,
and a few larkspurs including the scarlet larkspur
• Although alpine columbine, the various anemones, and
many larkspurs as well as monkshood are difficult to
source, most grow perfectly well in Bay Area gardens

RANUNCULACEAE
FAMILY IN
HOMOEOPATHIC
MATERIA MEDICA

Outline
The Buttercup family is like a window back in time.
None of today's species were around 100 million
years ago, but the Buttercups and other primitive
groups like the Magnolias have retained the most
ancestral characteristics over time. The Buttercups
are considered very "simple" because the floral
parts-the petals, sepals, stamens and pistils-are all
of an indefinite number and separate from one
another. Also, the stamens and pistils are spirally
inserted in a cone-like receptacle, although it is
often very small to see. More advanced plant
families have reduced, more specific numbers of
floral parts, and the parts are often fused together.

Introduction
They feel that the world is raw. It is too harsh and
insensitive to other people. They therefore seek guidance
from others, they seek protection and comfort. There is a
conflict between their childish and weak personality that
needs comfort and protection on the one hand and the
desire to be someone in the community on the other hand.
They want to be seen as successful and strong but can
easily be brought out of balance by shocks, unexpected
threats or being criticised. It is the conflict between the
child and the adult in them. He has to be able to rely
completely on himself at one hand but feels alone in the
world and has to survive all the dangers and problems.
They can easily suppress their emotions and sexuality in
order to fulfil the rules of the community and to be
accepted. But the suppression is usually not very perfect,
leading to emotional outbursts, hysterical and attention-
seeking behaviour.

Phytochemistry
Ranunculaceae contain protoanemonin,
which is toxic to humans and animals.
Contact with plant sap may cause
inflammation and blistering of the skin,
while ingestion can cause irritation of
the mouth, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Other poisonous or toxic
compounds, alkaloids and glycosides,
are also common.

Homoeopathic
Medicines made out
of Rananculaceae grou
p of plants and their
preparation, properties
and clinical indications

Background
All most all plants of the “ Ranunculi” are poisonous and
some of its members are slightly narcotic. Aconite is one
of the deadliest and most rapidly acting poison.
Aconitum ferox is the most poisonous species known,
containing greatest proportion of ‘aconitine.’ Aconitum
lycotonum is the only aconite, which does not contain
‘aconitine’. Aconitum napellus is much more poisonous
to carnivorous animals than to the herbivores (Teste). It
has been used throughout history as an arrow poison.
The root contains nine times more poison than the
leave. Hunter dipped their arrows in to the plants before
hunting wolves and hence the common name “wolf’s
bane”.

1. Aconitum cammarum
2. Aconitum ferox
3. Aconitum lycoctonum
4. Aconitum napellus
5. Actea racemosa
6. Actea spicata
7. Adonis vernalis
8. Aquilegia vulgaris
9. Caltha palustris
10.Clematis erecta

11.Clematis vitalba
12. Helleborus foetidus
13. Helleborus niger
14. Helleborus orientalis
15. Helleborus viridis
16. Hepatica
17. Hydrastis Canadensis
18. Paeonia officianalis
19. Pulsatilla nigricans
20. Pulsatilla nuttaliana

21. Ranunculus acris
22. Ranunculus bulbosus
23. Ranunculus ficaria
24. Ranunculus flamula
25. Ranunculus glacialis
26. Ranunculus repens
27. Ranunculus scleratus
28. Staphysagria

Aconite -used as an arrow poison
Actea racemosa – root of the plant was
used by Native American as a medicine
for rattlesnake bite (hence the common
name “rattle root”) and for menstrual and
labor pain. The root was also chewed as
a sedative and alleviates depression. In
herbalism the root is still used as a
diuretic, a cough suppressant and to
reduce inflammation and rheumatic pain.

Staphysagria – was taken internally to cause
vomiting and purge the bowels and used
externally in the form of an ointment as an
antidote to stings and bite.
Hydrastis – the yellow juice extracted from the
root was once used as a dye. The yellow root
of this herb was used by the Native American
tribe as a tonic for indigestion and the
treatment of cancer, liver disorder, fever and
heart problems.
Pulsatilla – in 18th century it was used to treat
catarrh, ulcers, tooth decay and depression.

CONSTITUTION:
PERSONS LEADING A SEDENTARY
LIFE, TIMID, STRONG, ROBUST, OR
DELICATE, PLETHORIC, SANGUINE
DARK HAIR AND EYES WITH RIGID
MUSCULAR FIBERS.

TEMPERAMENT
IRRITABLE AND NERVOUS

DIATHESIS
RHEUMATIC, GOUTY,
TUBERCULAR

SAPONIN ANEMONIN
NEOPELLINE ANEMON CAMPHOR
POTASSIUM SULPHATE
ACOTININE EPHEDRINE
ANEMONIC ACID
ISOANEMONIC ACID
ACONITIC AND SUCCINIC ACID

THEME
FRIGHT
ANXIETY
RESTLESS
GREAT FEAR
SHIFTING PAINS
WEEPING TENDENCY
ILLUSION OF MOUSE
RUNNING

IRRITABILITY
CHANGEABILITY
EASILY ANGERED
WANTS
CONSOLATION

CHILL ICE CREAM
STARCHY FOOD
ABORTION INDIGESTION
TEA AND COFFEE
GETTING FEET WET
EATING FATTY FOOD
ABUSE OF QUININE
IRREGULAR MENSES
WORM AFFECTION

MUSCLES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
MUCOUSMEMBRAN

IT HAS MARKED ACTION ON
MUSCLES AND NERVES
PRODUCING
ACHING,NAUSEA,VERTIGO,
DEBILITY,SORENESS,TWITCHIN
G,
CONVULSION,FEVERISH
FEELING, BRUISED SENSATION.

THEY ACT ON MUCOUS AND
SEROUS MEMBRANE CAUSING
MODERATE TO SEVERE
INFLAMATION
BECAUSE OF THEIR CORROSIVE
PROPERTY, PRODUCING
INCREASED OR PROFUSE
DISCHARGE, SEVERE
INFLAMMATION, TUMIFACTION
AND

CHARACTERISTI
C
MENTAL
SYMPTOMS

DEPRESSION AND
GLOOMINESS
UNCONSCIOUSNESS
ANXIETY AND HYSTERIA
IRRITABILITY
FEARFUL
MELANCHOLY

DEPRESSION AND GLOOMINESS DUE
TO
ANXIETY, EXTREME TOUCHINESS
AND
TIMIDITY ARE DUE TO TREMENDOUS
WEAKNESS, LOW INNER STRENGTH
OR
LACK OF WILL POWER.

IDEAS ARE VERY RAPID,
IMPAIRED FUNCTIONS IN
ALMOST ALL DRUGS OF THIS
FAMILY. COMPLETE
UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND
THOUGHTLESSNESS

THERE IS ANXIETY, LACK OF
WILL,
BALANCE OR GREAT
DISTURBANCE
IN THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM
WHICH
LEADS TO HYSTERIA ILLUSION
OF BLACK CLOUD SETTLED ON

EASILY IRRITABLE, ANGER AND
IRRITABILITY IN HIGH DEGREE,
EASILY GET VEXED LEADING TO
WEEPING, QUARRELSOME,
SCOLDING,BITING, ETC.

TIMIDITY AND FEAR OF
DARK,
GHOSTS, FRIGHTENED
EASILY WITH ITS
CONSEQUENCES.
MAINLY FEAR OF INSANITY,
FEAR OF DEATH, AGONISING
FEAR FROM TRIFLES,
SUICIDAL TENDENCY.

SADNESS AND MELANCHOLY IS
THE
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF
THIS FAMILY, THESE REMEDIES
ARE HOPELESS OR DO NOTHING.
SADNESS, DEPRESSION,
GLOOMY, SAD WITHOUT CAUSE,
INDIFFERENT, DISINCLINED TO
MEET EVEN AGREEABLE
COMPANY AND AVERSION TO
COMPANY WITH DESIRE FOR

Mental features
of some of the
important
Medicines

Hypersensitiveness to all external
impression ( Ranunculies are
hypersensitive both mentally and physically)
Aconite – to music, noise, touch, pain etc.
Clematis— to touch.
Pulsatilla— to heat and noise.
Ranun. bulb— to touch.
Staphysagria– to rudness, to touch.
Punishment from, violence from and sexual
abusement from. (Because of this
hypersensitiveness staphysagria subjected
to ailments from being abused or ailments
after humiliation.)

Violent anger and ailments after
anger
Violent anger – Aconite, Pulsatilla
and Staphysagria.
Ailments from anger– Aconite,
Cimicifuga, Pulsatilla and
Staphysagria
Anger vexation from — Aconite,
Cimicifuga, Ranunculus bulb and
Staphysagria (Vexation –long

Absent minded
Aconite Actea spic
Clematis
Hellibores Hydrastis
Pulsatilla
Ranunculus bulb
Ranunculus spicata.

Aversion to company
Aconite Actea racimosa Clematis
Hellibores Pulsatilla Staphysagria
(Amelioration when alone –
Hellibores and Staphysagria)
Staphysagria is the only
Ranunculi, which have desire for,
company i.e. both desire and
aversion to company.

Ailments after fright
Aconite Actea racimosa
Actea spicata
Capriciousness
Aconite Actea racimosa
Pulsatilla
Staphysagria

Dreams
a) Amorous
Aconite, Clematis, Hydrastis, Pulsatilla, Staphysagria
Amorous dreams with pollution —Pulsatilla and
Staphysagria
b) Of animal
Hydrastis Pulsatilla Staphysagria
c) Frightful
Aconite, Actea racemosa, Hellibores, Hydrastis,
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb, Ranunc. spicata,
Staphysagria
d) Snakes
Ranunculus ac, Ranunculus bulb, Ranunc. spicata

CHARACTERIST
IC
PHYSICAL
SYMPTOMS

•MENSES
•SLEEP
•SEXUAL DESIRE
•PARALYSIS AND
NUMBNESS
•TONGUE
•DESIRE FOR STIMULANTS
•THIRST
•URINE
•STOOL

IRREGULAR MENSES IN
MANY DRUGS.
SOMETIMES
AMENORRHOEA,
SCANTY MENSES,
MENORRHAGIA,
METRORRHAGIA AND

SLEEPLESSNE
SS IN MAXIMUM
NUMBER OF
DRUGS

STRONG
SEXUAL
DESIRE IN
SOME
REMEDIES

THERE IS NUMBNESS
AND COMPLETE
PARALYSIS OF THE
ORGANS.

YELLOW DIRTY WHITE TONGUE
WITH INCREASED SALIVATION,
LACHRYMATION, ERUCTATION.
PAIN IN EYES, HEART AND
STOMACH. DIM VISION AND
NIGHT BLINDNESS.

THERE IS
STRONG
DESIRE FOR
ACIDS AND
STIMULANTS IN

INCREASED THIRST IN
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF
DRUGS. SOMETIMES
BOTH
THIRST AND
THIRSTLESSNES MAY BE
FOUND.

URINE WITH MUCOUS.
THERE MAY BE PAINFUL
URINATION IN NEWLY
MARRIED COUPLES.

SOMETIMES THERE IS
INVOLUNTARY
URINATION WITH
WHITE SEDIMENT IN
URINE

LOOSE, BLOODY STOOL
CONTAINING MUCOUS
WITH BURNING PAIN IN
RECTUM, STOOL IS
LUMPY WITH MUCOUS.

CONSTIPATION
AND
DIARRHOEA
MAY BE FOUND

Physical features
Thermal reaction —Most of them are
chilly.
According to Gibson Miller
Side affinity –Complaints more on right
side
Miasm – Psora is the predominant miasm
Psora– Aconite Actea racimosa
Hellebores
Psora and sycosis– Pulsatilla
Ranunculus bul Staphysagria
Hydrastis covers all three miasm- psora,

Dipsomania or Alcoholism
Aconite Actea racemosa Hellibores
Hydrastis Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb
Staphysagria
Delirium tremens
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb
Aggravation from tobacco
Aconite Clematis Hellibores
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb Staphysagria

Aversion to milk or
aggravation from milk
Aversion milk– Aconite Pulsatilla
Staphysagria
Aggravation from milk—
Aconite Hellibores Pulsatilla
Staphysagria
Aggravation from sour or acid
Aconite Pulsatilla Staphysagria

Perspiration on single
part or one sided
One sided —Aconite Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb
Single parts —Aconite Hellebores Pulsatilla
Lower part of the body — Ranunculus bulb
Perspiration unilaterally — Pulsatilla
Upper part —Aconite Pulsatilla
Lain on part — Pulsatilla
Aggravation or ailments from suppression of
sexual desire
Hellibores Pulsatilla Staphysagria
Shocks after injury or shocks from injury
Aconite Ranunculus bulb Staphysagria

All types of menstrual
irregularities
Amenorrhea
Pulsatilla Staphysagria
Too early too soon
Aconite Actea racemosa Clematis
Hellibores Hydrastis Pulsatilla
Staphysagria
Too late
Profuse- long lasting or scanty and short duration

Anti cancerous
Caltha palustris uterine cancer
Clematis Cancer of breast and
womb
Hydrastis Cancer of stomach
Actea spicata Cancer of stomach

Great dryness of the
tongue and mouth
Aconite Hellibores Hydrastis
Dryness morning on waking
without thirst — Pulsatilla
Dryness on center — Aconite

Many of them are anti
convulsant
Aconite Cimicifuga Hellibores
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb Ranunculus
spic
Staphysagria
Convulsion after anger – Staphysagria

General aggravation
during or after sleep
Aconite Clematis
Hellibores

General aggravation from
motion
Aconite Cimicifuga Clematis Hellibores
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb Ranunculus spic
Staphysagria
General aggravation
evening and night
Aconite Cimicifuga Clematis Hellibores
Pulsatilla Ranunculus bulb Ranunculus spic

Tendency to take cold easily
Aconite Cimicifuga Clematis
Emaciation rather than
obesity
Emaciation– Clematis Hellibores

Prominent action on
breast
Actea racemosa - Inflammation of breast.
Paeonia – Breast ulceration.
Pulsatilla — swelling of breast with tensive pain,
as if the milk rushed in to them and caused
pressure while nursing. Lumbs of breast on girls
before puberty.
Ranunculus – Acute pain principally in axilla and
breast, so severe in breast she dreaded cancer.
Clematis – cancer of breast

WARM ROOM, FROM
WARMTH IN GENERAL,
IN THE EVENING, NIGHT,
EXTREME COLD.

CARDIAC DYSPNOEA
CATARRHAL CONDITIONS
COLIC
COUGH
DEPRESSION
HODGKIN’S DISEASE
HYDROTHORAX

HYPERAEMIA
INFLUENZA
INTERMITTENT FEVER
TYPHOID
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
RESTLESSNESS
NEURALGIA

NIGHT BLINDNESS
PARALYTIC CONDITIONS
PURPURA MILIARIS
RHEUMATIC CONDITIONS
WITH SWELLING
SKIN COMPLAINTS
SUPPRESSION OF URINE
TACHYCARDIA

Ranunculaceae group in Homoeopathic Materia Medica.

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Ranunculaceae group in Homoeopathic Materia Medica.