Ambrosia artemisiaefolia

It is commonly known as rag-weed or roman worm-wood. It is an annual herb, extremely variable, from 1 to 3 feet high, erect, simple, and branching; pubescent stem.  The leaves are thin, finely cut, opposite and alternating, twice pinnatifid, smooth above and hairy beneath.  The flowers are greenish-white. 

The drug attracted because of its cytotoxic compounds.  It has many phytochemicals which were weakly active against KB cells; those mentioned in literature are psilostachyin and dihydroparthenolide; sesquiterpenes, lactones, guaianolides, cumanin, dihydrocumanin and peruvin; germacranolides, artemisiifolin and isabelin.  Yogoslav plants contain psilostachyin and psilostachyin C.  Pollen grains contain hydrocarbons, sterols, triterpinoids; ambrosic acid etc.   It is found in India in Khasi hills, in Meghalaya and also near Lucknow.  Abroad, it is found in Canada to Brazil generally in waste places.

The mother tincture is prepared from the whole plant with alcohol content about 65%. It is covered by Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of United States.

Cases presented the following generic symptoms: Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, early in the autumn.  At first dryness, then watery discharges, finally involving the frontal sinuses and the conjunctival membrane.  The irritation extended to the trachea and bronchial tubes, amounting to severe asthmatic attacks. Basically the drug is for allergic rhinitis and causes pollinosis in crude and is used as diagnostic agent. It is also used in hyposensitization and diagnosis of allergies. It is used in hay-fever, whooping cough, pain in the chest, stuffed nose, red and swollen with profuse watery discharge or sniff and dry feeling.  There may be nose- bleed. Hay-fever with intolerable itching of the eyelids, watery coryza, sneezing and watery discharge, irritation of trachea and bronchial tube with asthmatic attacks.  It is potentially an important drug and may be useful as cytotoxic agent under medical supervision.

Recommended dose: Φ in drop doses and diluted up to the equivalent of 3rd attenuation and above.

References:

1. RadarOpus 1.33 (Homoeopathic Software), Archibel S.A. Rue Fontaine St. Pierre 1E, Zoning Industriel de la Fagne, 5330 Assesse, Belgium.

2. W. Boericke, New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory [with Relationship of Remedies], Second Re-Augmented & Revised Edition Based on Ninth Edition, Reprint Edition 2002, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.

3. J. H. Clarke, Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, Reprint Edition 1992, B. Jain Publishers, New Delhi.