Sophora japonica

May 21/99

In the fall of 1998, it was suggested that I try using the homeopathic remedy Sophora japonica for a 15 year old girI C., for her anger. I tried several homeopathic pharmacies, but none had the remedy. Luckily, I found Remedia Pharmacy on the internet and Mag. pharm. Robert Müntz KG found the plant and made the remedy for me.

I have used the Sophora japonica (Japanese pagoda tree) on two children, both adopted, both of mixed nationalities, and it seems to have made a difference with both of them, especially D.. Both of these children have lots of anger and feelings of not belonging. I was hopeful that Sophora japonica, because of its image of strength and association with protection and family, could help these children feel more at home with their sad histories and open them to experience more joy and love in their lives.

 

C´s quick, violent temper has been one of the major issues of her life. She is an adopted child, part Native Indian with fetal alcohol syndrome (damage due to the mother drinking alcohol and taking drugs while pregnant). In the past C. has had many remedies and over the years she has improved immensely.

Sophora japonica seemed to help C.s anger to some degree, but it is still her greatest problem. However, another adopted child, D., with similar problems with anger seems to have been helped significantly with Sophora japonica, the Japanese pagoda tree.

The word pagoda means idol + house. A temple in the Far East usually in the form of a pyramid or a tower with the roof over each story designed to turn upward.

Because C. is adopted, the idea of a remedy made from the pagoda tree seemed very fitting. As an adopted child, she wonders about her roots and her family tree is a mystery to her. She longs to belong and although she loves her adopted parents, she regrets that she will never grow up with her real mother. Her grief and anger at being abandoned by her mother, and at being hurt by her mother´s addictions while in the womb, have affected her to her very core. Something has been passed on to her from past generations that has made her very angry and frustrated.

She has learning difficulties, and great difficulties socially. She just doesn't fit in and she is angry and resentful and she is afraid to express feelings of love and joy because of her low sense of self worth as a result of being pushed out of her family tree.

 

When D. was brought to me by his adopted mother, there was much about him that reminded me of C. and made me think of the Japanese Pagoda Tree as well. Interestingly, I later discovered that Sophora japonica is native to Vietnam which is the country where D. was born. Sophora japonica has been very beneficial to him and I have included his case.

 

The Japanese Pagoda tree, also called the Chinese Scholar tree is native to Korea, China and Vietnam. It is the "Tree of Success in Life" in China and is often planted on the graves of high officials. It is a good city tree, most tolerant of poor soil, drought and heat and cold. Sophora japonica is a deciduous tree with large divided, dark, green, shiny leaves, which have downy or glaucous undersides. Creamy white, fragrant flowers appear in long panicles in late summer, followed by attractive, fleshy seed pods 2-3 inches long. It can reach a height of 80 ft, with a span of 70 ft. The fruits yield a yellow dye.

The Flowers, buds, and fruits are dried and used medicinally in decoctions. It is a bitter, cooling antibacterial herb that controls bleeding. It also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, strengthens capillaries, reduces inflammation and relaxes spasms (flowers); soothes irritated and damaged tissues, increases blood sugar levels, expels intestinal parasites and improves liver function (fruits).

Sophora japonica is used for internal hemorrhage, hypertension and poor peripheral circulation; intestinal worms; and liver energy imbalance with symptoms such as tight chest, dizziness, headaches, red eyes and hypertension. It is not prescribed during pregnancy.

Sophora is a cosmopolitan genus of about 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and subshrubs. It is in the Leguminosae family.

 

Leguminosae

In a seminar given by Jan Scholten M.D. in Los Angeles California in November 1998, Dr. Scholten spoke about plant families in homeopathy. Because there is little information on Sophora japonica as a homeopathic remedy, I found his information on the Leguminosae family very helpful. Remedies made from the Leguminosae Family include: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Baptisia, Copaiva, Indigo, Lathyrus, Melilotis, Oxytropis, Physostigma, Robinia, Trifolium.

 

Symptoms of Leguminosae include:

• the feeling of not having enough - ie food, money, etc. Something is missing.
• issue with work - perfectionism and working hard.
• Aversion to work and mental work.
• Stupor., fatigue, weakness - physical and mental.
• Fatigue with sleeplessness. complaints makes them worse.
• Confusion, dullness, memory loss, forgetfulness, dizziness. of being busy.,
• aversion or aggravation from beans, lentils or peas (leguminosae) from meat, protein.
• well since influenza, mononucleosisin wet and cloudy weather.
• consequences - Paralysis (Lathyrus, Oxytropis, Physostigma).
• Epilepsy (Indigo, Physostigma) problems - too much air, fullness, bloatedness, eructations, flatus. (Beans are difficult to digest and must be cooked to digest them.)
• Foul smelling stool (rotten eggs). Diarrhea. Constipation.
• Pain: Abdominal, stomach.

 

Dr. Scholten discovered a strong connection with the leguminosae family and nitrics, amino acids and proteins. A poisoning with amino acids results in weakness. There are two sides to this family - Very hard working, perfectionistic and later on completely exhausted and not being able to do anything. His differential diagnosis includes Nitrics, Psorinum, Iron series and Manganum.

 

Sophora japonica Case

Oct.15/98 - Male, 9 years old.

Adopted child from Vietnam. Complaining of sharp stomach pains, sometimes below sternum, on left side and sometimes right across abdomen at the waist for the past few weeks. Similar pains when 2 years old, which doctor said were due to an undeveloped bowel.

• He has had constant stomach problems since he was very young. Pain is better rubbing it or crouching up in a little ball. Pain sometimes comes after stool.
• Pain in left chest when running. Many chest infections when younger - croup, bronchitis, epiglottitis.
• Convulsions with high fever.
• Very hot blooded. Perspiration drips from entire head when running. Doesn´t like hot weather, sauna. Kicks covers off at night, doesn´t like many clothes on in summer. to take a bath and will go to great lengths to avoid it - hides the plug etc..
• Can´t stand loud noises.
• After fish and oranges, sweets, ice cream.
• Favorite foods are meat and eggs.
• Great aversion to peas and beans.
• Doesn't like milk.
• Burning on urination.
• Dreams of falling off a cliff; jumping while being chased by animals.
• Fear of snakes and spiders, monsters, heights, haunted houses, dark.
• Wakes at night and comes into parent´s room. Can´t do his homework - plays games instead. Can quote movies by heart but can´t remember spelling words for school.
• When he gets frustrated with his school work he tears the books.
• He says of himself I am very violent. I can play fight but it will get out of hand. If my parents are angry at me I would throw something across the room and smash something.
• He doesn't cry much except when he is really angry. Then he cries his frustration out.
• „I know not to chuck the stool through the window. I don´t like to destroy my things but I could walk out of my room and rip the water tank out of the wall and throw it".
• „I am sad and angry if I am corrected by my parents or teacher. If I am not perfect, I am no good".
• When I asked him to describe himself he said „I am cheerful, playful, hyperactive, always hungry, sometimes dangerous, sometimes cranky (irritable). I am not sure, but I think I am sensitive".
• His mother described him as „Definitely a little boy, loves to play. Lazy, won´t do chores, but works hard at what he likes to do. Fussy about what he eats, friendly and outgoing, a very good vocabulary. Bites his nails and sucks his thumb. Perfectionist".

 

I use kinesiology to discover the weak areas of the body. D. had weak areas in his right lung area, spleen, left kidney, small bowel, colon, solar plexus and in the abdominal area of the pain.

I usually give an herbal tincture (1-3 drops, 1-3 times daily) to aid in healing the weak organ(s). I also give a nosode once a week to address the underlying inherited tendencies. Using kinesiology, I test the remedies on the weak spots, and only give a remedy if it tests strong on all the weak areas of the body. After finding a homeopathic remedy, tincture and nosode, I test them all together to make sure they will be compatible.

I tested D. on sulphur, thuja, stramonium, nat-m and aurum. The only remedy that tested strong on all his weak areas was Sulphur. He tested weak on the herbal remedy ceanothus and strong on hydrastis. He was weak on medorrhinum, but strong on syphilinum.

Sulfur 12C (in liquid) to take daily for 10 days.
Syph. 200C - one dose weekly for 4 weeks.
Hydrastis tincture 1-3 drops, 1-3 times daily..

 

Nov. 6/98 -
Stomach got better within a few days. Still has stomach pain when overeats. More angry lately, difficulty stopping anger once he starts getting angry. Daydreaming and fiddling around in class - looks around, slightest sound distracts him. weak on other potencies of Sulphur. of his adoption and anger which reminded me of C., and since I had recently received the remedy Sophora japonica from Robert Müntz, I decided to test him on this remedy. He tested very strong on all areas and so I gave him:

Sophora j. 12C (in vodka) to inhale for 14 days
Syph. 30C to inhale weekly for 5 weeks.

 

Nov. 26/ 98 -

Doing fine. School is fine. Stomach fine unless he is hungry or overeats, gets a pain but it doesn't last long. No problems with diarrhea. Mother said he hasn´t been complaining about stomach as before. Anger is still about the same, but he is a bit calmer most of the time - loses his temper about once a week now. Better concentration. Can sit through things longer, doing homework better. Had two big rages. Upset but restrains himself more. Still as upset and sad as before - moody in past few days.

Sophora j. LM1 to inhale for 14 days.
Syph. 30C continued weekly.
Skullcap tr. 1-3 gtts 1-3 times daily.

 

Dec. 19/98 -
Fine. Stomach fine. Much better with anger. A few rages in the first couple of weeks when he was angrier than usual but then got better. He is more controlled. Upset when pressured. Better overall - more aware and more in control of what he is doing. Not fidgeting as much. Not having scary dreams but worried they might come back. His father is trying to teach him to be more aware of what he is feeling. D. said he doesn't want to name his feelings and gets angry when his father talks about that. Taking consequences with a better attitude.

Sophora j. LM2
Syph. LM2.

 

Jan. 14/99 -
Getting better control of anger - more awareness about what is happening. Before I threw a fit every day but don´t any more. Sometimes he smiles instead of getting angry lately. Not fidgeting as much. Stomach is fine. I think this will be our last visit.

Sophora j. LM3
Syph. LM3

 

April 30/99 -
Telephone Follow up: 

• Mother: D. has had lots of anger for a long time. He was filled with rage that he didn´t know what to do about. After the remedy he started to develop more control without being so aggressive and violent. Now when he is angry he knows to go outside or punch the bed. There is not the feeling of just not knowing what to do. The intensity is less and he is more sensible about handling it. He is still contrary, but not as bad - sometimes he laughs when he is being contrary as if he is just doing it for fun.
• He seems to have grown up a bit and is more mature. Since the remedy he can admit he is wrong and apologise. He couldn't do that before the remedy. The remedy seems to have helped him to get more control and become more aware of the feelings of others.
• His concentration is better but could still improve. While on the remedy he was less fidgety (restless) but lately he is having a harder time with fidgeting.
• He is less of a perfectionist since the remedy. He doesn't give up as easily when trying something new. Before the remedy he would say he couldn't do something without even trying. He was very hard on himself when he made a mistake, but lately this is very short lived and it doesn't seem to bother him as much.
• Bowels are normal and not as foul smelling as before the remedy.
• He never has enough food and is always hungry.
• He is a ´pack rat´ and wants to save everything.
• He has been much healthier since the remedies and has had only one cold which he recovered from very quickly. He normally gets many colds and fevers over the winter.
• Doesn´t have bad dreams anymore. of the dark not as bad.
• Doesn´t like roast beef which used to be his favorite, and he prefers chicken.
• He still doesn't like baths, hates peas, gets headaches from fish and ice cream. Occasional burning with urination. Still wakes up in the night and comes into parents room.
• Mother: The remedy certainly seems to have changed his anger. His concentration is better, but the greatest improvement is in his anger. He has had stomach problems since he was very young but that has gone now. Maybe the anger was related to his stomach. He had uncontrolled anger and we didn´t know where it was coming from.

 

Sue Fuller, d. Hom FIGN (Med), a qualified homeopath who has helped launch the UK's first HND in Complementary Health. Co-founder of the International Guild of Natural Medicine Practitioners and an Associate of the Royal Society of Medicine.