SPIDER REMEDIES IN HOMOEOPATHY

Spiders are air breathing arthropods that have eight legs and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other orders of organisms. Spiders are found worldwide on every continent except for Antarctica, and have become established in nearly every habitat with the exceptions of air and sea colonization. More than 43,000 different species of spiders are found in the world. Of these , only a small number are said to be dangerous, and less than 30 have been responsible for human deaths.

Some of the Homoeopathic medicines prepared from spiders are given below.  Their source and clinical indications are included.

ARANEA DIADEMA-From  Diadem spider also known as Papal – cross-spider.  This spider was widely distributed in Europe and America. It was proved by Gravogl.

Aranea diadema  powerfully affect the nervous system. Aranea diadema have a hydrogenoid constitution , which is favorable to malarial poisoning , where every damp day or place favors chilliness. There is abnormal susceptibility to dampness and cold.

All symptoms of Aranea are characterized by periodicity and coldness and great susceptibility to dampness. Patient feels cold to every bones. Coldness not relieved by anything. Feeling as if parts were enlarged and heavier. Wake up at night with hands  feeling twice their natural size. Aranea diadema is a hemorrhagic remedy. Violent hemoptysis of bright red blood in debilitated subjects, bathing and damp places aggravate, coldness as if bones were made of ice.

Pains are like electric shocks. Headache relieved by smoking tobacco. Toothache after lying down at night. Creeping as of ants all over the body. Many symptoms occur on the right side. General amelioration by lying down but foot aches aggravated by lying down.

ARANEA IXOBOLA –Cross Spider.Prover-j. Mezger.  Aranea ixobola mainly act on the digestive system, especially liver and gall bladder. Immediately after meals , nausea with a feeling of repletion and heaviness in the hepatic region and sharp, shooting pain in the gall bladder. Right sided headache, better in open air. Left sided sciatica , worse standing for a long time. Trembling, sensation of an internal trembling. Symptoms worse from rich food, especially fat, after drinking alcohol. Better from coffee, smoking, walking in open air etc.

ARANEA SCINENCIA—Gray spider. The gray spider has sleepiness. Eyes inflamed, weak, watery, lids swollen. Constant twitching of lower eyelids. Rather profuse flow of saliva , sweet taste in mouth. Worse in warm room. Much dull, stupid headache of considerable intensity , especially in upper back part of head, unable to rest for it, could not collect thoughts with it. Felt as if he had been drinking. Sleepiness. All symptoms are worse in a warm room

ARANEUM TELA—Cobweb of black spider found in barns, cellers, dark places. Periodic headache with extreme nervous erythism. Obstinate intermittence. Symptoms appear suddenly with cool clammy skin. Disposition to sleep. Lowers the frequency of pulse by acting on arterial system. Numbness of hands and legs, worse by rest. Continued chilliness. Periodic diseases in broken down persons.Cardiac sleeplessness with muscular energy could not be kept in bed-dances and jumps about the room at night. Dry spasmodic asthma, harassing irritating cough.

LATRODECTUS MACTANS –Black widow spider. Whole female spider is used for the preparation of medicine. This spider is mainly distributed commonly in many of the southern states and also subtropical part of U.S.A. Latrodectus was introduced by Jones and Tafel, Homoeopathic Recoeder 7 1889

Latrodectus mactans mainly affects the heart, producing a typical picture of Angina pectoris. Heart attack. The precordial region seems to be the center of attack. The person becomes restless with heart pains and prostrated. Anxiety about the heart. Fear of suffocating or dying. Violent heart pains , sharp, extending to shoulders or both arms to fingers with numbness. Constriction of chest muscles with radiation to shoulders and back. It is a left sided remedy.

Blood becomes thin and watery. Lowered coagulability. Inflammation of the coronary arteries. Chronic hemorrhaging endothelial plasmatic condition. Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia.

Violent abdominal pain with nausea and sinking sensation at epigastrium. Extreme apnea. Gasping for breath, fear of losing breath or dying.

Coldness of the whole surface of the body. Skin cold as marble.

LATRODECTUS HASSELTI—New South Wales Black Spider. It is effective for chronic blood poisoning. Arrests intense pain in pyremia. Great edema of neighborhood of wound, paralysis of limbs with great wasting of muscles. Delusion of flying is a marked symptom. Violent darting, burning pains preceding paralysis. Vertigo, tendency to fall forward. Septicemia conditions, blood poisoning. Roaring in noises. Loss of memory.

LATRODECTUS KATIPO—New Zealand Spider. Affected area becomes scarlet red with burning eruptions and stinging pains. Lassitude , faintness and twitching. Pulse slow, scarcely more than twelve or fourteen beats to the minute. Nervous twitching all over the body. Lymphangitis with nervous twitching, whole area edematous and swollen. Limbs becomes cold and flaccid in fever. A cold, clammy sweat covered left lower extremity, in morning sweat covered both limbs.

MYGALE LASSIDORA –Bird spider or Black Cuban spider. This spider is seen in Cuba and Brazil. The whole spider is used for the preparation of medicine. Mygale is affective for chorea, especially of the upper limbs. Constant motion of the whole body . Limbs are quiet during sleep, movements worse in morning. Twitching and contraction of the facial muscles and head, which is jerked to the right side. Hot and flushed face.  Convulsive uncontrollable movements of arms and legs. Fear of death. Weakness, palpitation, nervousness. Mouth and eyes open in rapid succession. Words are jerked out in the effort to talk. Nausea with palpitations and dim vision. Unsteady gait, limbs drag while walking.Intense red streaks along lymphatics. Sexual symptoms like violent erections, chordee etc. Protracted gonorrhea. Syphilis.

THERIDION CURASSAVICUM—Orange spider also known as Black spider of curacoa. This spider is seen in West Indies. The entire spider is used for the preparation on medicine. It was proved and introduced by Hering in 1832. Theridion produces hypersensitiveness of the nerves. Sensitive to noise, which penetrates the body. It affects the teeth, causes nausea, chills and pains all over, strikes the painful parts etc, increases vertigo which then causes vertigo. Nervous hyperesthesia. Noises seem to strike on painful spots over the body. Vertigo with nausea and vomiting on least motion , worse by closing eyes. Headache if others walk over the floor , hypersensitive to noise, worse from motion. The person feels that time passes too quickly . Startled by the least thing.  Desire to occupy himself though he finds peace in nothing. Constant desire to eat and drink, but he does not know what to eat.Bites point of tongue during sleep. Hysteria with weakness, coldness and trembling of whole body. Hysteria  during puberty and menopause.  Sea sickness of nervous women . They shut their eyes to get ride of the motion of the vessel. Traveling and motion sickness. Sensitiveness of spine, hyperesthesia, sits sideways in a chair to avoid pressure of back of chair against spine. Affects the bones causing decay, necrosis. Rickets. Bones feel broken. Nods on various parts , especially buttocks. Left side most affected. Tuberculosis. Stitches high up in chest, back through apex of the lung. Pain in upper left chest. Pain in left floating ribs.

TARENTULA HISPANA---Spanish spider. This spider is seen in South America and south of Europe, especially Spain. The entire spider is used for the preparation om medicine. It was proved by Numez in 1864, N. A. Journ. Of Hom. 1872

Tarentula hispana affects nerves, spine, heart, respiration etc. Symptoms of Tarentula appear suddenly with violenceThe patient is restless, fidgety,hurried in constant motion , though walking worse. Rolls on ground from side to side or strikes vehemently with his feet or rolls the head and rubs it to relieve her distress . It is a good remedy for hysteria. Destructive impulses are seen in Tarentula. They are sensitive to music. Lacks control, erractic and impulsive.

Tarentula has violent pains, neuralgias , as if thousand of needles were pricking. Headache, neuralgic, worse by noise, touch, strong light, better by rubbibg head against the pillow.

Tarentula is an effective remedy for chorea. Constant movements of legs, arms, trunk, with inability to do anything. Twitching and jerking of muscles.Restlessness, could not keep quiet in any position, must keep in motion, though walking aggravates all symptoms.

Aversion to colours red, green and black. Symptoms appear periodically. It is a right sided remedy. Chilly, yet desire for and relieved in open air.

Abscess, boils, felons, affected parts of a bluish colour. Nymphomania. Sexual excitement extreme even to mania

TARENTULA CUBENSIS—Cuban Spider. It is seen in Cuba and Mexico. The entire spider is used for the preparation of medicine. It was proved by Monge, American Journal of Hom. N.S. Vol. 2, 387.

Tarentula cubensis mainly affects the cellular tissues. It is useful in septic conditions, when incubation is slow, but further progress is rapid with alarming prostration, atrocious , burning or sharp stinging pains, board like hardness of affected part and copious sweat.

Tarentula cubensis is a remedy for pain of death, soothes the last agony. Restless feet. Intermittent septic chills. Bubonic plague, as a preventive and curative remedy especially during the period of invasion. Bubo.

Tarentula cubensis is adapted to the most severe types of inflammation and pain, early and persistent prostration.Various forms of malignant suppuration. Itching, especially genitals. Diphtheria with intense fever and numb aching pains. Carbuncles, bluish abscess , painful. Gangrene. Sleep perverted by harsh cough. Spasmodic difficulty of breathing. Whooping cough.