The remedy Sarsaparilla Officinalis is derived from the plant Smilax Officinalis also known as ‘wild licorice’. It belongs to family Smilaceae. The dried rhizome of this plant undergoes potentization (a process to prepare homeopathic medicines by which the medicinal properties of a crude substance are aroused). It gets converted into a very beneficial homeopathic medicine Sarsaparilla Officinalis. It is an important medicine for managing certain complaints of urinary system, mainly cystitis and kidney stones.
The ‘Sarsaparilla Officinalis’ Constitution
It suits children with enlarged abdomen and have facial contours like an elderly person. Next it suits well persons who are thin, weak and look older than their age.
Drug Action
Main action of this medicine is on the urinary organs, genitals and skin. Besides, it acts on head and limbs as well.
Clinical Indications
Cystitis, kidney stones, bladder stones, kidney pain, nephritis, cracks on hands and feet, skin rash, spermatorrhea, genital herpes, swollen spermatic cord, headache, painful menses, cancer of breast, bone pain, joint pain.
Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy
1. Urinary Organs (Cystitis, Kidney And Bladder Stones, Nephritis, Kidney Pain)
Sarsaparilla acts markedly on urinary system and helps to settle many issues related to it. The main indication to use this medicine is intense pain and burning at the end of urination. The pain may extend from the urethra to the abdomen. There is frequent and ineffectual urge to pass urine. The bladder is sensitive, tender, and distended. Cramps or contractive pain in bladder is felt. Sarsaparilla works well in treating cystitis (inflammation and infection of urinary bladder). It can handle both recent as well as chronic cases of bladder infection, kidney stones and bladder stones. It is mainly indicated for renal stones with right-side kidney pain that extends downwards. Urine contains red, white or grey sand-like particles. Blood may also pass in urine. Next, it can be given for cases where urine flow is weak and urine passes in thin, feeble stream. A person is able to pass urine freely only in standing position, but it dribbles while urinating in sitting position. Urine is scanty, slimy, turbid, sandy, may have pus and blood. It is also relieves complaint of painful urination in children. The child needing it screams out of pain before and during passing urine.
Key indicating features
Cystitis with pain and burning at the end of urination
Kidney stones with right side kidney pain that extend downwards
Scanty, slimy, turbid, sandy urine, sometimes with pus and blood
Red, white or grey sandy particles in urine
Right-sided kidney pain extending downwards
Painful urination in children with screaming before and during passing urine
2. Skin (Cracks, Skin Rash)
Sarsaparilla has marked affinity to treat various skin issues. The foremost indication to use it is cracked skin on hands, fingers, feet and toes. Cracks can be deep attended with pain and burning sensation. The cracks are mostly visible on sides of fingers and toes. The skin is also dry and hard. Skin complaints that occur in summers can be magnificently dealt with it. Another indication to use it is skin rashes in spring season. It can also be given for skin rash or eruptions which is dry and itchy from exposure to open air.
Key indicating features
Cracked skin on hands, fingers, feet and toes with pain and burning
Skin complaints occurring in summers
Skin rash in spring season
Skin rash or eruptions from exposure to air
3. Male Problems (Blood In Semen, Herpes, Balanitis, Seminal Emissions)
This medicine can effectively treat some male problems. The most important indication here is blood in semen. Sarsaparilla is prominently indicated for genital herpes (a sexually-transmitted infection caused by herpes simplex virus) when eruptions are present on the prepuce (foreskin which is a skin fold covering head of the penis). It can also be used for balanitis cases in which there is inflammation, redness of glans penis. Another striking feature to use this remedy is seminal emissions along with sexual dreams. Weakness and pain in the back are the other accompanying symptoms. Sarsaparilla acts well to manage itching on scrotum and perineum, after scratching small pimples appear which ooze a moist substance. There is an intolerable offensive odour on genitals. Lastly, it is valuable to manage pain in spermatic cord after emissions or when spermatic cord swells with pain, and sensitivity in case sexual excitement is not satisfied.
Key indicating features
Blood in semen
Herpes infection with eruption on prepuce
Balanitis with red, inflamed glans penis
Seminal emissions with sexual dreams, weakness and backache
4. Female Problems (Cracked Nipples, Scanty Menses, Painful Menses, Breast Cancer)
For females, this medicine is beneficial to heal cracks of nipples, scanty late menses, and painful periods. It is used for late and scanty menses. There may be soreness on thighs and itchy eruptions on the forehead. It is helpful to relieve painful menses. There is pain in lower abdomen, back and thighs, vomiting or loose stool attend it. Sarsaparilla is an important medicine to heal eruptions on face that are worse during menses. As per homeopathic therapeutics, its use is also indicated for managing cases of breast cancer.
Key indicating features
Painful menses with pain in lower abdomen, back and thighs, vomiting, loose stool
Face eruptions worse during menses
5. Head (Headache, Eruptions)
By acting on head, Sarsaparilla can help to manage headache and eruptions on scalp. The characteristic to use it during headache is pain in back of head (occiput) radiating either to eyes or to root of nose. A tight band is felt around head. It can also be given for throbbing pain in the head. Nausea and sour vomiting may attend headache. Use of this medicine is also considered when there are moist eruptions on scalp with pus discharge which causes inflammation wherever it touches. The eruptions are marked on forehead. Scalp is sensitive to touch and falling of hair may be noted.
Key indicating features
Headache when pain from back of head radiates to eyes or to root of nose
Moist eruptions on scalp with pus discharge
6. Limbs (Joint Pains, Bone Pains)
It is mainly indicated to treat joint and bone pains. It is useful for treating stitching pain in joint of arms, hands, fingers, which gets worse from motion. Sarsaparilla is beneficial for managing knee joint pain, attended with swelling, heat and tenderness. Pain can be felt in both knees at the same time or it can alternate between two sides. It gets worse from movement especially going up and down a staircase. Besides, it can check pain in the bones that gets worse at night and in damp weather.
Key indicating features
Stitching pain in joints of arms, hands, fingers that increases from movement
Knee pain with swelling, heat, tenderness, gets worse by going up and down the staircase
Bone pains that get worse at night and in damp weather
Modalities
Worsening factors: Complaints are worse at end of urination, at night, in cold wet weather, in spring, from touch, motion, before menses
Relieving factors: Complaints are better from warmth and uncovering neck and chest
Dosage
It can be used from low to high potencies. If using it in low potency, its repetition can be done frequently. But in higher potencies, frequent repetition is usually not recommended.
Relationship With Other Remedies
Antidoted by: Belladonna, Merc Sol and Sepia
It antidotes: Merc Sol
Followed well by: Allium Cepa, Belladonna, Hepar Sulph, Merc Sol, Phosphorus, Rhus Tox, Sepia and Sulphur
Sarsaparilla has been mentioned to me for cystitis. There are several suppliers online but I am somewhat apprehensive in case they are not a genuine product.
Dr saab your homeopathic medicine are very informative and easy language thanks
I have been taking SARSAPARILLA for UTI. Under a homeopathic dr. I started with cantharis at the first sign of uti then went to stayphasagria for about a week then to SARSAPARILLA. It’s pretty much gone aside for some irritatiion and the first morning urination still had a mild burn at the end. Flow is full stream and drinking lots of water and cranberry. Is it safe to stick with SARSAPARILLA? It’s been about 21 days.
Sarsaparilla has been mentioned to my wife for cystitis. There are several suppliers online but she is somewhat apprehensive in case they are not a genuine product.
Sarsaparilla has been mentioned to my wife for cystitis. There are several suppliers online but she is somewhat apprehensive in case they are not a genuine product.