Materia Medica

Cimicifuga – Actea racemosa

Written by Dr. Manisha Bhatia

Cimicifuga. Symptoms & drug picture of homeopathic remedy Cimicifuga.

Cimicifuga is also known as Black cohash or Actea racemosa.

Its main sphere of action lies in the female sexual system esp. upon the uterus and ovaries. According to Kent’s Materia Medica,  it is the remedy affecting mainly the Nerves and Muscles with over sensitiveness to pain.

Cimicifuga is especially suited to plump, delicate, sensitive, nervous and chilly women who complain of aching pain in back, neck, here and there; many of these complaints are dependent upon utero-ovarian irritation.

Cimicifuga is most useful in difficult labor due to rigidity of os as in caulophyllum but the extreme severity of pain – pain that brings on fainting is the differentiating feature. Cimicifuga if given during the last month, shortens labor and also protects against false labor pains, prevents sickness of pregnancy and after pains. “It lessens the frequency and force of the pulse, soothes pain and allays irritability”.

Mind – Cimicifuga patient is very excitable, nervous, and talkative with constant change of subjects. Patient is hysterical and suffers from epileptic spasms during menses. All mental symptoms undergo strange aberrations and aggravations during this period. Cimicifuga patient is very sad and morose and this depression sometimes takes the form of suicidal mania. She feels as if a heavy black cloud has settled over her and enveloped her head, so that all were darkness and confusion. This intensified gloom sometimes lead to real mania, she imagines strange objects about her bed and sees rats and sheep roaming everywhere. Then comes great fear and suspiciousness, such that she would not take medicine. For these symptoms cimicifuga is also be indicating in puerperal mania.

Cimicifuga is particularly applicable in rheumatism affecting the bellies of the muscles. Often the patient comes with a main complaint of pain which is not clearly diagnosable and which seems to have characteristics both of a neuralgia and of rheumatism. Neck, back and uterus being very common sites of pain. The quality of pains is often sharp or stitching. Smaller joints of hands and wrist are involved. Another use of cimicifuga is in the condition known as spinal irritation, it is indicated when upper and lower cervical vertebrae, particularly latter, are sensitive to pressure; this symptom of cimicifuga is usually reflex from uterine irritation.

Menses in cimicifuga patient may be either profuse or scanty although it is generally scanty and during each menstrual period the patient suffers from strong labor like pains; more flow, more pain; great debility between menses. Uterine and ovarian neuralgia, pain across pelvis, from ovary to ovary, or goes upward or downwards along the thighs. Hysteric or epileptic spasms at the time of menses.

Cimicifuga is also a great remedy for headache but the headache is of uterine origin; due to great rush of blood to head; the brain feels too large for the cranium. This congestion to head is the effect of suppression of uterine discharges or suddenly ceasing of neuralgic pains. It is felt in the eye balls and is increased by the slightest movement of the head and eye balls. This headache is better in open air. Cimicifuga also have neuralgic pain affecting malar bones and ciliary muscles. The pain extends from the temple to the eye ball and so severe as to drive her almost crazy.

So in conclusion, we can say that the Cimicifuga is primarily the medicine for delicate and nervous females suffering from rheumatism or any kind of neuralgic pains which come as a reflex from utero-ovarian irritation. And it has a great importance in the cases of difficult labor where the extreme severity of pain is found with the rigidity of the os.

About the author

Dr. Manisha Bhatia

BHMS, M.D. (Hom), CICH (Greece)
Dr. (Mrs) Manisha Bhatia is a leading homeopathy doctor working in Jaipur, India. She has studied with Prof. George Vithoulkas at the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy. She is the Director of Asha Homeopathy Medical Center, Jaipur's leading clinic for homeopathy treatment and has been practicing since 2004.

She writes for Hpathy.com about homeopathic medicines and their therapeutic indications and homeopathy treatment in various diseases. She is also Associate Professor, HoD and PG Guide at S.K. Homeopathy Medical College. To consult her online, - visit Dr. Bhatia's website.

1 Comment

  • dear doctor ,i had done homeo medical course by correspondence .,i use to treat my family members sucessfully with this safe system of treatment ,As above CIMICIMIFUGA i use to give for dysmenorrhoea according to symptoms totality witch gives faster relife .., Thanks to BABA e HOMEOPATHY Dr HANNEMANN…,

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