Lycopodium
Description
Lycopodium (Lycopodium clavatum) is a perennial evergreen plant that grows in pastures, woodlands, heaths, and moors of Great Britain, Northern Europe, and North America. It has a slender stem that trails along the ground and vertical branches that grow to 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm). The plant belongs to the Lycopodiaceae family and is related to mosses and ferns. It is often called club moss. Other names include wolf's claw, stag horn, witch meal, and vegetable sulfur.
The pale yellow pollen collected from the spores is used to make the homeopathic remedy called lycopodium. The pollen is odorless, water resistant, and highly
Early physicians used the plant to stimulate the appetite and to promote urination and the excretion of other body fluids. Lycopodium was also used in the treatment of flatulence, rheumatism, gout, lung ailments, and diseases of children and young girls. In the 17th century the pollen was used as an internal remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, and rheumatism. Externally, the pollen was a treatment for wounds and diseases of the skin such as eczema. The whole plant was used to heal kidney ailments.
General use
Lycopodium is prescribed by homeopaths for both acute and chronic ailments such as earaches, sore throats, digestive disorders, urinary tract difficulties, hepatitis, prostatitis, and eye conditions. The remedy acts on soft tissues, blood vessels, bones, joints, and the liver and heart. This polychrest is also recommended in the treatment of back pain, bedwetting, fevers, food poisoning, mouth ulcers, mumps, colds, muscle cramps, constipation, coughs, cystitis, gas, sciatica, gout, skin conditions, and joint pain. It is often indicated in the early stages of pneumonia.
Lycopodium ailments are frequently the result of anger, horror, chagrin, disappointment, grief, fright, mental exertion, sexual excesses, overeating, or alcohol consumption. Typical lycopodium patients are alcoholic, timid and fearful adults, irritable and domineering children, or intellectuals who are strong in mind but weak in body. The latter generally look older than they are and their hair becomes gray prematurely. Children who require lycopodium are prone to tonsillitis, gas, and bronchial infections. They have tantrums if they do not get their way and dislike naps, often kicking and screaming beforehand or upon waking.
Patients may be predisposed to lung ailments, gas, and gallstones. They have weak digestive systems and often suffer from dyspepsia, colitis, or gastro-enteritis. They become full soon after beginning a meal or have no appetite until eating, whereupon they become ravenous. They may crave sweets and dislike oysters, onions, cabbage, and milk. Their stomachs are often bloated, gassy, acidic, and sour, and are worse from cold drinks, beer, coffee, or fruit. They may become sleepy after eating.
Mentally these persons are irritable, restless, quarrelsome, sensitive, weepy, melancholy, and depressed. Other mental symptoms include dullness, confusion, poor memory, amnesia, anger, hypersensitivity to noise, sadness, and anxiety upon waking. They frequently suffer from performance anxiety and are nervous in social situations. They do not prefer the company of others and although they dread the presence of new persons, friends, or visitors, they are afraid to be alone.
Insecurity and cowardice are general symptoms; lycopodium patients are typically concerned with what others think of them and have many fears, particularly of death, the dark, crowds, or new situations. They may try to hide their fears by becoming haughty or domineering.
Persons who need lycopodium generally have a craving for sweets, desire warm drinks, have little thirst, and desire fresh air. They are frequently constipated and suffer from hemorrhoids.
Ailments are generally worse on the right side of the body, often travelling from right to left or from above downward. Symptoms are worse between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. and worsen with cold food and drinks. Exhaustion and illness may set in after much physical exertion. Symptoms are generally worse from cold conditions with the exception of head and spine symptoms, which are worse from warmth. Symptoms are better from open air, warm drinks, and motion.
