Sambucus Nigra – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

The remedy Sambucus Nigra is derived from a plant named elder that belongs to family caprifoliaceae. Fresh leaves and flowers of this plant undergo a potentization process (a process to prepare homeopathic medicines by which the medicinal properties of a crude substance are aroused). After that it is converted into a wonderful homeopathic medicine called Sambucus Nigra. It is one of the best homeopathic medicines to manage nasal blockage, dry cold in babies and respiratory issues in children mainly cough and asthma.

The ‘Sambucus Nigra’ Constitution

This medicine is highly suitable for children having medical problems related to the airways. 

Drug Action 

This medicine is known to have the most marked and vast action on the nose and respiratory system, larynx, lungs. Other than this its action though not very wide is noted on the gastric system and the limbs. 

Clinical Indications

Dry cold, asthma, cough, croup, chest oppression, tuberculosis, colic, hoarseness, weight loss and swelling.

Scope as a Homeopathic Remedy

1. Nose (dry cold)

This medicine acts wonderfully on the nose and is highly recommended  to manage cases of dry cold. Though it can be given to persons of any age, it is most prominently indicated to manage dry cold especially in children and infants (children under one year of age). The nose is blocked and obstructed. This causes much difficulty in breathing. In babies there occurs difficulty when breastfeeding due to nasal blockage. The child may get startled all of sudden as if suffocated. Next it is very helpful for cases in which there is nasal obstruction from thick, sticky mucus in the nostrils. 

Key indicating features

Dry cold, especially in children
Nasal obstruction from thick, sticky mucus in the nostrils

2. Respiratory System (asthma, cough, croup, tuberculosis, hoarseness of voice)

Sambucus has a magnificent action on the respiratory system. Firstly, it is very effective medicine to manage asthma in children. The children needing it are most troubled at night time. Child feels suffocated, wakes up suddenly and sits in bed gasping for breath and looks blue. With this there is a suffocative cough with crying and difficult breathing. Whistling while breathing is present. This medicine can be given for cough cases when cough is dry and is worse at midnight, lying in bed and from dry cold air.
This medicine is well indicated for croup cases as well. Croup is an infection of the upper airway in which swelling around the larynx, trachea and bronchial tubes leading to barking cough and troubled breathing. In croup cases its use is recommended for rough cough, whistling respiration and wheezing. The affected child cries a lot with these symptoms.
Next it can be used for the management of tuberculosis of the lungs. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis.
This medicine can be considered as a supportive help in tuberculosis management along with the conventional mode of treatment. Here it is given when there is fever, cough day and night with excessive expectoration having sweet or salty taste. There is excessive weakness, loss of appetite and weight loss. A pressing pain or oppression in the chest is felt. Excessive sweating occurs at night time. Lastly it is valuable for cases of hoarseness of voice due to excessive sticky mucus in the larynx. 

Key indicating features

Asthma in children
Asthma with cough, suffocation at night, with sudden waking and gasping for breath and blue appearance
Croup with rough cough, whistling respiration, wheezing with excessive crying in children
Tuberculosis when there is fever, cough day and night with excessive sweetish/salty expectoration, weakness and pressing pain or oppression in chest
Voice hoarseness from excessive sticky mucus in the larynx

3. Gastric system (pain, loose stool, vomiting)

With its action on the gastric system it helps to manage pain in abdomen, loose stool, and vomiting. It is suitable to manage abdomen pain with gas and nausea. Pain is pinching or pressive in nature. Pressure is felt in the stomach. It can be given for managing loose stool when stool is watery, slimy occurring frequently with passage of much gas. For vomiting it is used when there is mucus-and-food vomiting in the morning followed by bile.

Key indicating features

Abdomen pain with gas and nausea
Loose stool with watery, slimy stool occurring frequently with passage of much gas
Vomiting in morning of mucus and food followed by bile

4. Limbs (pain, swelling, trembling)

If we talk of limbs this medicine can be given for cases of pain in legs and ankles when pain is tearing type.
Next indication for its use is pain in the wrist of lancinating nature. Swelling in feet extending to legs is yet another indication to use it.
Lastly it proves useful for cases of trembling of hands when writing. 

Key indicating features

Tearing pain in legs and ankles
Wrist pain lancinating type
Swollen feet and legs
Hands trembling when writing

5. Perspiration (excessive sweating)

This medicine is well indicated for cases in which there occurs excessive sweating with marked weakness. Sweating is present over the whole body, starting from the face and spreading to the entire body. The sweating is constant when the person is awake. When the person goes to sleep it stops and dry heat starts. 

Key indicating features

Excessive sweating with marked weakness
Sweating over whole body during waking hours and dry heat during sleep

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints are worse from dry cold air, motion, during sleep, rest, from drinking cold drinks when overheated.

Relieving factors: Complaints are better from sitting up in bed, wrapping up

Sambucus Nigra – Dosage

Its use is recommended in both low and high potencies. It is a short acting medicine and its action lasts for one day. If used in low potency it can be repeated often as per the complaint while high potencies should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Arsenic Album and Camphor

Followed well by Arsenic Album, Belladonna, Conium, Drosera, Nux Vomica, Phosphorus, Rhus Tox and Sepia

It can be compared with some other homeopathic medicines including Ipecac, Mephitis, Opium and Sulphur