Lemna Minor – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

Homeopathic medicine Lemna Minor is derived from a plant commonly known as duckweed. This plant belongs to the family lemnaceae or pistiaceae. This whole fresh plant undergoes the potentization process (process to prepare homeopathic medicines that arouse medicinal powers of a crude substance) to prepare homeopathic medicine Lemna Minor. This medicine has an extensive action on the nose and a predilection to treat various nasal problems. It is a renowned medicine in homeopathy most prominently to treat cases of nasal polyps.

Drug Action 

The action of this medicine is pre-eminently marked on nasal mucous membrane where it primarily is helpful to treat nasal polyps and turbinate swelling. Though its particular effect is noted on the nose , it also shows a bit of its action on the throat and gastric system too.

Clinical Indications 

Nasal polyps, swollen turbinates, cold, ozaena (also known as atrophic rhinitis), post nasal discharge (PND), asthma and diarrhoea. 

Scope as a Homeopathic Remedy

1. Nose (nasal polyps, swollen / enlarged turbinates, atrophic rhinitis)

Lemna Minor has a wide action on nasal mucus membrane where it helps to treat numerous nasal complaints. Among these if we have to pick the first most important complaint then it would be nasal polyps. 

It is one of the best homeopathic remedies for treating nasal polyps and often the first choice of medicine to begin with the treatment of this issue. Nasal polyps are soft, benign means non-cancerous, painless growths that develop on the lining of nasal passage or paranasal sinuses. These usually result from long term inflammation of the lining of the nose or paranasal sinuses. Though considered a surgical condition in conventional mode of treatment but with timely use of this medicine even surgical intervention can be avoided in nasal polyps cases and a natural cure can be noticed.
Lemna Minor helps shrink such growths. It aims to treat the root cause behind it (inflamed nasal or sinus lining) to reduce polyp size naturally. Along with this, it offers a substantial relief in the nasal blockage associated with nasal polyps and makes breathing through the nose much easier and better. Even if nasal blockage is present without polyps, this medicine still proves to be equally effective to help this out. A very characteristic feature to use it is the worsening of polyps in wet weather. Additionally it is very beneficial to manage complaints of PND-posterior nasal discharges (dropping of mucus from back of nose into throat). A bad taste in the mouth is felt from PND.
It also helps manage cases where smelling power is lost (anosmia). It can help manage snoring complaints as well. In some cases nasal polyps are associated with asthma. This medicine is also well-indicated for asthma that occurs in rainy weather.

Second nasal problem where it gives excellent results is nasal turbinate hypertrophy or swelling. Nasal turbinates are small structures inside the nose that are formed of bone covered with spongy mucus membrane that functions to warm, cleanse and humidify the air that passes through nostrils to the lungs.  In case these become enlarged, swollen then these block air flow and cause symptoms like nasal congestion, snoring, and changes in smelling power. This medicine remains very successful to reduce swelling of the turbinates or reduce its size. Besides this it helps to alleviate its symptoms like nose blockage, loss of smell.

It is a well-known and highly recommended homeopathic medicine to treat cases of atrophic rhinitis. Also known as ozaena, it refers to a long term nasal condition in which there occurs atrophy (reduction in size or shrinkage) of nasal mucus lining and the underneath bone. The leading feature to use it in atrophic rhinitis is excessive crusts in the nose and profuse mucopurulent nasal discharge means consisting of mucus and pus. The discharge can be thick, yellow, white and sticky too. Next noteworthy symptom is intensely bad, foul, fetid odour from the nose.

Other than above indications it can also be given for excessive nasal discharge with frequent sneezing. In general the nasal complaints increase in damp, rainy weather in cases where Lemna Minor is required.

Key indicating features:

Nasal polyp
Nasal blockage
PND – posterior nasal discharge
Loss of smell
Snoring
Asthma that occurs in rainy weather
Nasal turbinate hypertrophy or swelling
Atrophic rhinitis also known as ozaena
Nasal complaints worsening in damp, rainy weather 

2. Throat (post nasal discharge, dryness)

With its action on the throat it mainly helps to manage post nasal discharge. It has a foul smell. Other than this it is also suitable to manage excessive dryness in the throat. 

Key indicating features:

Post nasal discharge
Intense throat dryness

3. Gastric problems (abdomen pain, diarrhoea)

It has some of its action on gastric system too though not very broad. Here it is preferred to manage pain in the abdomen specifically twisting type followed by loose stool. Next indication for using it is diarrhoea that occurs especially in wet, damp weather. There is loose stool with abdomen pain from gas and stool passes with much noise. It is worse after eating and in the morning time. Heated sensation in the anus can accompany. 

Key indicating features:

Abdomen pain twisting in nature
Diarrhoea in wet, damp weather 

Modalities

Worsening factors: complaints get worse in damp, rainy weather, heavy rains.

Lemna Minor Dosage

This medicine can be used in both low and high potencies as well as tincture form. Among all these tincture forms it is most preferred to reduce polyps size. 

Relationship with Other Remedies:

It follows well: Calcarea carb, Merc Sol and Psorinum