Cundurango cund.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Condor Plant (CONDURANGO)

General

Stimulates the digestive functions and thus improves the general health. Allays the pain in gastralgia accompanying cancer of stomach. Modifies secretions of digestive glands. Varicose ulcers. Lupus.

Painful cracks in corner of mouth is a guiding symptom of this drug. Chronic gastric catarrh, syphilis, and cancer. Tumors; stricture of œsophagus. The active principle (Condurangin) produces locomotor ataxia.

Stomach

Painful affections of the stomach; ulceration. Vomiting of food and indurations, constant burning pain. Stricture of œsophagus, with burning pains behind sternum, where food seems to stick. Vomiting of food, and indurations in left hypochondrium with constant burning pain.

Skin

Fissures form about the muco-cutaneous outlets. Epithelioma of lips or anus. Ulcerative stage of carcinoma cutis when fissures form.

Relationship

Compare: Asterias; Conium; Hydrast; Arsenic.

Dose

Tincture, or bark, 5-grain doses before meals in water. Also the thirtieth potency, in tumors.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

Gonolobus cundurango. Condor plant. (High altitudes in Ecuador, S. America.) N. O. Asclepiadaceæ. Tincture and trituration of the dried bark of the stem.

Clinical

Anus, rhagades of. Breast, tumours of. Cancer. Cracks . Epithelioma. Fistula. Headache. Locomotor ataxy. Rodent ulcer. Small-pox. Stomach, affections of . Syphilis. Ulcers.

Characteristics

Cundurango belongs to the "Milk-weed" family, and is thus related to Asclepias Syriaca , and Tuberosa , and also to Calotropis . The action of the latter in syphilitic conditions may be compared with the power of Cundurango over cancer. The Condor plant was introduced into medicine as a cancer remedy by Dr. Bliss, of Washington. Clotar Muller cured with it several cases of "old, obstinate, foul-smelling, ichorous ulcers"; one case of "carcinoma of the lips, an unclean and sinuous ulcer." Burnett, who proved it, and whose symptoms were of a severe nature, observed that it produced "a painful crack in the right corner of the mouth." These cracks he has seen produced in several patients who were taking the drug; and he has cured similar cracks with it. He regards them as a keynote indication, and has cured patients of tumours, some undoubtedly cancerous, who had that symptom as a concomitant. In his opinion Cundur . is antipsoric ( Tumours of the Breast , p. 28). Dudgeon ( H. W ., xxiv. 543) has recorded a cure with Cundur . 1 of an undoubted case of cancer of left breast in a woman of sixty-nine. The nipple was so retracted as to be invisible. A hard tumour the size of an egg on the outer side of the nipple was the centre of lancinating pains radiating from it, the whole breast being very tender to touch. The tumour increased steadily under Hydrast . and Phytolac ., and was only checked temporarily by Conium . Under Cundur . it entirely disappeared. Cundurango has found its chief use as a cancer remedy, especially in cancers originating in epithelial structures. Rhagades at muco-cutaneous orifices and warty excrescences are a leading indication for it. Cutting, stinging, burning, tingling, constrictive, and piercing pains are complained of. The skin manifests much of the action of the remedy: blotches; eczema; pimples; pustules; indolent ulcers; lupus; varicose ulcers; syphilitic affections; epithelioma, and scirrhus. Burnett considers it has a very strong affinity for the tongue. He cured with it a jagged ulcer of the tongue (doubtful whether cancerous or syphilitic); tongue and lips red. One prover had a slight creeping pain along periosteum of right humerus; and I observed "a creeping sensation up the back, and headache in right temple" in a patient taking it in the 1x tincture. An old-school authority, Dr. Guyvenot ( Bull. Gén. de Thérap . No. 32, 1890) credits Condurangin with causing a "veritable locomotor ataxia." It appears late, and he thinks it is due to the formation of some toxic substance by the splitting up of the alkaloid in the organism.

Relations

Compare: Ant. tart. (pustular eruptions); Arum tri. (corner of mouth cracked; sore throat); Bapt. (sore throat; open cancers with very offensive discharges); Ars., Con., Hydrast., Phytol., Trifol. prat., Kreos. (cancer, especially of breast); Hydrast., Kali sul., (rodent ulcer, lupus, cancer of stomach); Thuja (epithelial cancer, fissures at muco-cutaneous outlets); Silic. (fistulous ulcers).

Mind

Feels miserable.

Head

Severe dull headache all day. ─ Violent pain in l. temple; cutting in l. temple and through ball of l. eye. ─ Sensation as if forehead were broad and high; as if l. half were bigger than r. (l. half feels heavy, r. clear).

Eyes

Appearance of objects before eye. ─ Flat epithelioma on lower eyelid.

Nose

Much glairy mucus from nose alternating with unusual dryness. ─ A state of nose giving a nasal sound to voice. ─ Stiffness in nose. ─ Pressive full feeling in bridge. ─ Flat epithelioma l. side of nose.

Face

Deep crack in corner of mouth, warty growths occupying edges. ─ Ulcer on chin, r. side perforating to gums.

Mouth

Slight pain in l. half of tongue. ─ Small painful pustule on r. side of tip of tongue, on upper surface towards edge. ─ (Cancer of tongue.)

Throat

Aching in throat, extending to stomach, with great burning in stomach. ─ Persistent sore throat. ─ Sore throat with burning and aching, and a husky feeling which causes a dry, hacking cough.

Stomach

Anorexia. ─ Slight nausea arising from r. hypochondrium. ─ Cancer of stomach.

Abdomen

Pain in r. hypochondrium.

Stool and Anus

Constipation. ─ Rhagades at anus; terrible pains when bowels are moved; cracks at angles of mouth.

Urinary Organs

Incontinence of urine. ─ Urine scanty; high-coloured, loaded with phosphates.

Chest

Ulcer on false ribs as large as hand, apparently carcinomatous. ─ On r. wall of thorax, esp. round nipple, several swellings in size from pigeon's to hen's egg, some suppurating, nipple being on a hard, painful swelling; axillary glands swollen; emaciation. ─ Tumours of breast on either side.

Heart

Constrictive pain. ─ On rising in morning sharp, distinct pain in heart, followed by passage of flatus.

Back

Dull, heavy, continuing pain in l. scapula.

Limbs

Soreness all over body, like rheumatism, < through l. shoulder and under l. scapula (burning). ─ Rhagades on hips and in bends of knees.

Skin

Some small congenital warty excrescences enlarge and look fresh. ─ Blotches, pimples, and boils in many parts.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

General

Condorplant. Asclepiadaceæ.
The bark of a climbing plant or shrub, found growing in a high altitude in Ecuador, South America.
Provings by J. C. Burnett and J. P. Dinsmore. The tincture is prepared from the dried bark, finely powdered.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Headache, etc ., Dinsmore, Hah. Mo., v. 8, p. 67 ; Cancer on left side of nose, on eyelid , Friedreich, B. J. H., vol. 33, p. 188 ; Eruption on face , Burnett, B. J. H., v. 33, p. 408 ; Cracks in angles of mouth , Burnett, B. J. H., v. 33, p. 407 ; Organon, v. 3, p. 88 ; Carcinomatous ulcer of lip , Cl. Müller, B. J. H., v. 30, p. 639 ; Fistulous ulcer on chin (greatly benefited), Farrington, Hom. Clin., v. 4, p. 127 ; Cancer of breast, face, nose , Humphreys, J. T. Smith, N. E. M. G., v. 6, p. 536 ; Disease of stomach , Fischer, B. J. H., v. 33, p. 551 ; Cancer of stomach , Sænger, N. A. J. H., v. 26, p. 132 ; Friederich, N. A. J. H., v. 22, p. 555 ; Rhagades at anus , Burnett, B. J. H., v. 33, p. 407 ; Incontinence of urine , Burnett, B. J. H., v. 33, p. 408 ; Carcinomatous ulcer on thorax (2 cases), Cl. Muller, B. J. H., v. 30, p. 647 ; Tumor in breast , Burnett, Organon, v. 3, p. 88 ; Scirrhus of right breast (much improved), Miller, Hah. Mo., v. 11, p. 353.

Mind

Feels miserable.

Sensorium

Great dizziness on stooping, or turning head.

Inner head

Sensation as if forehead was very broad and high.
Dull feeling in forehead.
Slight heaviness in left half of forehead, while right half is clear ; sensation as if left half were higher than right half.
Violent pain in left temple.
Sharp, cutting pain in left temple, and through hall of left eye.
Violent pain in left temple, spreading over upper part of brain to right side of head ; as if upper part of skull was being pulled up, with one-half of brain.

Outer head

Large pimple on scalp.

Sight and eyes

In evening, objects before right eye resembling black serpents, jumping in all directions ; could not see from left eye, seemed to be looking through a dense fog.
Appearance before eye like two black horns, with large black balls on upper ends, and a mound of crystals between them, their tops tapering off, and tipped with black.
On awaking in morning, pear-shaped obstruction before eye, with large end up ; looking towards light, it appeared red, on looking from light, it appeared purple.
As of curled hair before right eye, and a blur before left eye, causing letters to run together.
Retina very much congested.
Superficial ulceration of cornea, with varying amount of redness, photophobia and pain, accompanied by sores or cracking of corners of mouth.
Flat epithelial cancer (ulcus rodens) about as large as a farthing on lower eyelid.

Smell and nose

Slight pressive or full feeling on bridge of nose.
Profuse discharge of glairy mucus from nostrils, alternating with a sensation of great dryness of Schneiderian membrane.
Flat epithelial cancer about size of bean on left side of nose.

Upper face

Eruption on face, arising from angles of mouth ; anatomical character of eruption obscured by dirt, saliva and scabs.
Carcinoma of lip, an unclean and sinuous ulcer, about size of a dime, with surrounding hardness and swelling ; burning pains ; lip inverted ; emaciation.

Lower face

Painful crack in right corner of mouth.
Sores or cracking of corners of mouth.
Deep cracks in corners of mouth, warty growths occupying the edges, one as large as split pea, and the other as large as a three penny piece, both flat and exuding a dirty juice ; tongue very tender.
Ulcer on chin, right side, perforating to gums, so that fluids taken in the mouth, run out through the opening ; pain in "the leaders" down the throat ; lumps on chin ; bleeding.

Taste, speech, tongue

Slight pain in left half of tongue.
Small, painful pustule on right side of tip of tongue, on upper surface towards edge.
(OBS :) Cancer of tongue.

Palate and throat

Aching in throat extending to stomach, with great burning in stomach.
Persistent sore throat.
Sore throat with burning and aching, and a husky feeling, which causes a dry hacking cough.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Vomits everything eaten ; hard lumps in left hypochondrium and epigastrium ; constant burning pain ; great emaciation.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Loss of appetite, epigastric pressure, especially after meals, sometimes so severe as to radiate towards left shoulder, stitching pains in left epigastrium, dyspepsia, < by use of vegetables, with vomiting of a clear, watery, acid fluid ; anemia and emaciation, cachectic features, dry, scaly skin ; between processus xiphoideus and umbilicus, especially towards left, hard, knobby, confluent tumors, sensitive to least pressure, percussion-sound dull over tumors, clear and tympanitic over other parts of abdomen ; right lobe of liver smooth, painless, can be left reaching over arch of ribs ; left lobe cannot be separated from tumors ; left fossa supra-clavicularis filled by a conglomeration of swollen, hard, but painless lymphatic glands ; constipation. θ Carcinoma ventriculi with co-affection of epigastric and supra-clavicular lymphatic glands.
Severe pains in stomach ; vomiting of coffee-ground masses ; hard, knobby, large swelling in pyloric region ; complete loss of appetite ; emaciation and cachectic look. θ Cancer of Stomach.

Hypochondria

Pain in right hypochondrium.

Stools and rectum

Rhagades at anus ; terrible pains when bowels are moved ; cracks at angles of mouth.
Painful foul-smelling flatus.
Constipation. θ Carcinoma ventriculi.

Urinary organs

Incontinence of urine ; cracks in corners of mouth ; pustules on face. θ Incipient paralysis.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Constrictive pain at heart.
On rising in morning, sharp, distinct pain in heart, followed by passage of flatus.

Outer chest

Ulcer on false ribs, as large as hand, carcinomatous in appearance, with high, uneven edges, and deep, small islets of half destroyed cellular tissue and muscular fibre as base ; ichorous, acrid secretion ; severe pain.
On right wall of thorax, especially around nipple, several swellings, in size from a pigeon's to a hen's egg, two of which had suppurated and formed uneven, discolored, fetid ulcers, with elevated borders, the nipple itself lay upon a hard and painful swelling ; axillary glands swollen ; whole body emaciated and cachectic.
Crack in left angle of mouth, surrounded by warty excrescence, the whole being covered with a nasty secretion (probably epithelioma), accompanying a very hard, often very painful, tumor in left breast (probably cancer).
Scirrhus of right breast ; whole breast, skin and axillary glands involved ; tumor very hard, incompressible, knobby, immovable, with severe lancinating pains ; nipple retracted ; skin purple in spots and wrinkled ; patient emaciated and cachectic ; ulceration, with fetid, sanious discharge, and much sloughing.

Neck and back

Dull, heavy, continuous pain in left scapula.
Dull pain across small of back.

Upper limbs

Pain in left shoulder, and through side, with burning under scapula.
Tingling in fingers of left hand while writing.

Lower limbs

Rhagades on hips and in bends of knees, discharging an ichorous fluid, irritating the surrounding parts.
Pimples on thighs.

Limbs in general

Soreness all over body, like rheumatism, < through left shoulder and under left scapula.

Rest. position. motion

Turning head : dizziness.
Stooping : dizziness.

Time

Morning : on awaking, pear-shaped obstruction before eyes ; on rising, sharp, distinct pain at heart.
Evening : objets before right eye resembling serpents.

Fever

Vertigo and painful oppression of head, red face, violent pain in small of back, with nausea and fever.

Locality and direction

Left : slight heaviness in half of forehead ; half of forehead feels higher than right ; pain in temple ; pain in eye ; cancer on side of nose ; pain in half of tongue ; hard lumps in hypochondrium ; pain radiates to shoulder ; pain in epigastrium ; lobe of liver attached to tumors ; fossa supra-clavicularis, indurated lymphatic glands ; crack in angle of mouth ; tumor in breast ; dull, heavy pain in scapula ; pain in shoulders ; tingling in fingers while writing ; pimples side of nose.
Right : objects before eye resembling serpents ; as of curled hair before eye ; painful crack in corner of mouth ; ulcer on side of chin ; painful pustule side of tip of tongue ; pain in hypochondrium ; swellings on side of thorax ; scirrhus of breast ; pustules side of nose on cheek.

Sensations

As if forehead was very broad and high ; as if left half of forehead were higher than right half ; as if upper part of skull was being pulled up with one-half of brain.
Pain : in left half of tongue ; in right hypochondrium ; in tumor ; in left shoulder ; through side ; in leaders down throat.
Terrible pains : when bowels are moved.
Violent pain : in left temple ; spreading from left temple over upper part of brain to right side of head ; in small of back.
Severe pain : in stomach ; in outer chest.
Lancinating pain : in tumor.
Cutting pain : in left temple ; through ball of left eye.
Sharp, distinct pain : at heart.
Stitching pain : in left epigastrium.
Stinging pain : in epithelioma.
Burning pain : of lip ; in stomach ; in epigastrium ; in epithelioma.
Aching : in throat, extending to stomach.
Constrictive pain : at heart.
Burning : under scapula.
Tingling : in fingers of left hand.
Painful oppression : of head.
Soreness : all over body.
Heavy pain : in left scapula.
Dull pain : in left scapula ; across small of back.
Pressure : in epigastrium radiates towards left shoulder Pressive feeling : on bridge of nose.
Dull feeling : in forehead.
Heaviness : in forehead.

Tissues

Increases the growth of granulations and hastens the cicatrization of ulcers.
Open cancer, and cancerous ulcers ; it effectually moderates the severity of the pains ; it does not act so well on scirrhous and indurated parts.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Slight pressure : tumors on abdomen sensitive to.

Skin

Erythematous blotches on face and body.
Eczema, especially when rhagades are present, oozing out a fetid fluid ; cachectic or syphilitic dyscrasia.
Pimples : on tip of nose, left side of nose ; on chest ; on thighs.
Pustules : between eyebrows ; on right side of nose ; on border of tip of tongue ; on right cheek ; on abdomen.
Indolent ulcers, with hard callous edges, fetid sanious smell.
Old indolent ulcers, appearing cancerous.
Old, obstinate, foul, ichorous, ulcers.
Varicose ulcers, with granulating hypertrophy, with a syphilitic dyscrasia ; also some improvement in lupus.
Scirrhus and open carcinoma ; open epithelioma ; stinging, burning pains.
Pustular eruption ; erysipelas ; salt rheum, rhagades discharging an ichorous fluid, irritating the surrounding parts ; scrofulosis, small-pox ; syphilis ; teleangiectasis.

Stage of life, constitution

Cachectic state of system, ordinary wounds and ulcers tend to take on a bad appearance.
Scrofulous girl, æt. 3 1/2, probably suffering from iodism ; eruption on face.
Man, æt. 42 ; carcinomatous ulcer on thorax.
Miss W., æt 42 ; rhagades at anus.
Nurse, æt. 45 ; cracks in corners of mouth.
Man, æt. 48 ; cancer of stomach.
Woman, æt. 50, another, æt. 80 ; epithelial cancer.
JS, æt. 54 ; carcinoma of stomach.
Woman, æt. 65, ill for years ; disease of stomach.
Mrs. N., æt. 65 ; incipient paralysis, incontinence of urine, cracks in angles of mouth.
Woman, æt. 50 ; cancer on left side of nose.
Woman, æt. 80 ; cancer on eyelid.

Relations

Compare : Ant. tart . (pimples and pustular eruptions) ; Arum triph . (corner of mouth cracked, sore throat) ; Baptis . (sore throat, open cancers with very offensive discharges) ; Arsen., Conium, Hydrast., Phytol., Trif. prat., Kreos . (cancer, especially of the mammary gland) ; Hydrast . (rodent ulcer, lupus, carcinoma ventriculi) ; Thuya (epithelial cancer, fissures at muco-cutaneous outlets) ; Silic . (fistulous ulcers).