Podophyllum

Podophyllum is a homeopathic remedy that is associated with general symptoms such as loose, smelly stools, abdominal gurgling, and exhaustion.

Examples of conditions for which the homeopathic remedy podophyllum is sometimes used include diarrhoea with cramping pain and gurgling, diarrhoea alternating with headache or constipation. (For more about diarrhoea see causes of diarrhoea.)

More about the substance used to prepare podophyllum homeopathic remedy:

Many sources state that the homeopathic remedy podophyllum is derived from the mayapple plant. The connection between these two superficially different names can be explained as follows: The herbaceous perennial plant Podophyllum was first described as a genus by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus back in 1753. In the past the genus Podophyllum included several species. However, all but one species has now been transferred to other genera, the one remaining species being Podophyllum peltatum, whose common name is mayapple.

The mayapple is a woodland plant whose stems typically reach 1ft or more in height (30-40 cm). Several stems emerge from a creeping underground rhizome, i.e. a modified stem of the plant that generally sits below ground level with shoots or roots emerging from its nodes. Mayapple flowers can be white, yellow or red and mature into small fleshy fruits. Even though the fruits are the only part of the plant that is not considered poisonous to humans, they have been associated with unpleasant indigestion in some cases.

A sketch of the mayapple flower is shown belowon the left.

The remedy is prepared using rhizome of the mayapple plant.

Homeopathic preparations are usually supplied in either liquid or pill form. Regardless of the physical form in which the remedy is taken, its preparation will have involved a series of dilutions during which the original substance was repeatedly diluted and succussed (shaken) in a solvent such as water and/or alcohol.