- Common Name: American Hellebore
- Family: Melanthaceae
- Source: Tincture from fresh root
- Type: Vegetable remedy
Sphere of Action
Acts especially on the cerebro-spinal nervous system, vaso-motor centers, and muscular tissue, producing vasodilation, slow pulse, convulsions, and motor paralysis. Primarily affects the heart, arteries, and brain.
Temperament & Constitution
- Best suited for robust, plethoric, highly congestive individuals
- Especially useful in persons with hypertension, cerebral hyperemia, and meningitis
Clinical Indications
- Hypertension, especially with full bounding pulse
- Cerebral congestion, meningitis, apoplexy
- Puerperal convulsions with high BP
- Convulsions, epileptiform seizures
- Acute inflammations of lungs, brain, or spine with congestion
- Acute rheumatism and myocarditis
Mind Symptoms
- Delirium with hallucinations
- Great mental excitement alternating with mental depression
- Fear of being poisoned
- Delirium tremens with full bounding pulse
General Physical Features
- Sudden sinking of strength with slow, irregular pulse
- Intense redness of face, carotids throb visibly
- Congestion to head and chest with flushed face and dilated pupils
- Trembling, jerking, and convulsions with congestion
Heart & Circulation
- Powerful depressant of the heart
- Pulse is slow, full, strong, later weak and irregular
- Indicated in hypertrophy of the heart, myocarditis, acute pericarditis
- Threatening paralysis of the heart, especially during inflammation
Characteristic Symptoms
- Vomiting with intense nausea
- Tongue protrudes and quivers, trembles when protruded
- Profound prostration with faintness
- Cold sweat on forehead, face pale
- Pulse very slow, 30–40 bpm, or irregular and weak
Modalities
|
Worse From |
Better From |
|
Movement, exertion, heat |
Cold applications, rest |
|
Lying down, after vomiting |
Sitting upright |
|
Suppression of eruptions |
Bleeding (relieves congestion) |
Keynotes
- Congestion with slow, full, hard pulse
- Face flushed, pupils dilated, carotids throbbing
- Marked effect on circulation: slows the heart, reduces blood pressure
- Tremors, convulsions, cerebral engorgement
Potency & Dosage
- Low to moderate potencies: 3X, 6C, 30C
- Often used in acute conditions for immediate relief
- Rarely used in high potency due to its powerful physiological action
Relationships
|
Compare With |
Complementary/Related Remedies |
|
Gelsemium, Belladonna, Aconite, Glonoinum, Opium |
Gelsemium (slows pulse, relieves congestion), Belladonna (for
cerebral hyperemia), Aconite (fever with anxiety) |
One-Line Summary
Veratrum Viride is a powerful circulatory depressant, useful in congestive states with slow pulse, flushed face, and high arterial tension.
