Chest Palpitations in Ischemic Cardiac Damage — A Case of Asparagus Officinalis

A case from homeopathic surgery, Department of Complementary Medicine, L. Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy.

Introduction

Small remedies are important in homeopathy even though they are usually underestimated in the repertory and, consequently, under-prescribed (1).

Asparagus belongs to the family of Liliaceae. Asparagine, which also occurs in Convallaria and Robinia (2), is its active principle. It is known as an homeopathic remedy with a marked tropism with urinary organs, especially in male (2). Moreover Asparagus is indicated for palpitations (2).

We present here a peculiar case treated with this remedy.

Case

Male, 64 years old, retired engineer, in a delicate state of health. He suffered from a cardiac infarction two years ago. I visited him on March 2007.

He was on therapy with cardiaspirin, beta blockers and….notwithstanding he has experienced chest palpitations almost every day for a year. Heart palpitations occurred frequently while eating or reading and they were often associated with oppression of the chest.

All the tests performed by his cardiologist ( ECG, ECG under exertion, Holter) were negative. His cardiopathy was defined as a compensated post-ischemic cardiopathy. However, palpitations made him anxious and worried.

The patient had suffered from stomach ulcer, and he sometimes felt stomach pain especially in the evening, starting around 6 p.m., and at night. His pain was typically localized in a very restricted area at the epigastrium.

Many years before, at about 15 years of age, he suffered from headache once or twice a month. The headache was preceded by scotomas or flashes and accompanied by vomiting.

The patient has been followed by urologists, because of a prostate swelling complicated by urethral stricture.

His general constitution : Chilly person, craving for cold drinks, ice and ice creams. He had both desire for, and aggravation from pepper and spiced food.

On the emotional level he described himself as a very anxious person. He liked to work and feel busy. He was sympathetic to other people’s problems. He also mentioned memory weakness, especially for names.

Rubrics found for the prescription ( Radar Software 10 ):

Chest palpitation eating while: Aspar first

Chest oppression with palpitation: Aspar first

Head pain morning accompanied by scotoma: Aspar first, the only remedy listed

Prostate swelling: Aspar first

The general sensitivity of the patient suggested a plant remedy. The presence, of a small remedy like Asparagus, in different organ’s rubrics, lead to me to choose this remedy, even though I had no experience with it.

I prescribed Asparagus 200k, 5 drops twice a day for ten days, then 5 drops once per day.

Follow up, one month later

The patient was very incredulous when he told me about the total disappearance of his heart palpitations. He said that he felt well in general and was less anxious than in the past.

Prescription: Asparagus MK, five drops every day.

Follow up three months later ( June 2007 )

The patient appeared to be very calm. He told me that he felt very well, both physically and emotionally. Chest palpitations did not relapsed anymore, and the urological problems were almost resolved. He said he had experienced a strong improvement in his energy.

Prescription: Asparagus MK, five drops for three days consecutively, alternate to ten days without remedy.

One year later I called the patient: He confirmed all the previous improvements. He did not have any cardiac arrhythmias, nor stomach ache or urological problems.

That was the last contact with the patient.

Discussion

Asparagus is considered a small remedy in homeopathy. In this patient we chose it on the basis of few rubrics. The choice was determined according to the totality of symptoms, symptoms involving more than one organ, ( heart, Head, urinary organs ) and the remedy’s pathological essence ( 3 ). The numerous symptoms affecting the patient’s stomach were cured. The remedy has a relation to Robinia, with which it shares common family charactistics. (2). In this patient it worked very well, healing the patient’s chief complaint, the cardiac arrhythmias and also making improvements on the mental level. (4).

The important point is that Asparagus was not chosen as a homeopathic palliative or symptomatic remedy. It was indicated for the totality of symptoms and the peculiar modality of the concomitant symptom (head pain with scotoma ), which is one of the most important criteria in prescribing homeopathic remedies (4).

Bibliography

1. Vithoulkas G. Techniques for successful repertorization. Archibel Medical Software, online www.wholehealthnow.com

2. Allen T.F. Hand book of Materia Medica and homoepathic therapeutics. B.Jain Publishers, Reprint Edition 2001, New Delhi.

3. Piraneo S. Spigelia Anthelmia Cases. Homeopathy for Everyone, August 2010.

4. Thakar M. Meeting the Lion of homeopathy. An interview with Dr. Praful Vijaykar. Homeopathic Links 2003, 16, 155-161.