Introduction

Dr.N.S.Ghosh, author of “Understanding Rubric part –1” has written many articles in various scientific Journals. She had served as lecturer in Dept of Materia Medica at Homoeopathic Medical College Abohar, Punjab. Now she runs her private clinic at Kolkata after her marriage. She involves very much academically with application of her knowledge on patients. Usually Homoeopaths do not prescribe Alfalfa, as being used in patents and Mother Tinctures. Some homoeopaths believe that use of Mother tinctures are non homoeopathic with out understating the real fact similimum. Here the authour explains her clinical experience.

Alfalfa, the buffalo grass is one of the most misused mother tincture given to ‘fatten up’ thin individuals. Little is known about this plant to be a constitutional remedy, although this herb was and still is a time-honoured medicine in many cultures. Originally from Persia, this plant was taken to China around 200 A.D. where its tea was used to strengthen the digestive tract, stimulate appetite and to heal ulcers.

It reached the USA at around 1850 where the natives soon found its nutritive value and started using the powder of its seeds to fortify their flour for bread and also, started its use as an excellent fodder to fatten their livestock (hence, buffalo Grass). Its leaves are trifoliate like the clove leaves (though longer and with a blunt tip).

If one looks at the characteristics of this plant, one will find a wealth of symptoms hidden therein. Let’s have a look-
Alfalfa improves the soil on which it is planted. The roots go deep to 68 ft and helps breaking up heavy clay to bring valuable nutrients from the subsoil to the top. Also, like other legumes, it fixes nitrogen in the soil, enriching it. This deep-rooted, succulent perennial plant, standing tall up to 3 ft gives the visual impression of great strength. It is rich in Vit A (the cell-saviour), B6, D, K and rutin (it strengthens the capillaries and reduces inflammation of the stomach lining), magnesium, silicon, chlorine, sodium and in essential enzymes that helps in the assimilation of food.

From this, one gets the picture of its abilities in making an individual full of vigour with good appetite and digestion, who is mentally alert and physically active. The tea made from Alfalfa taken post-meal as is done in China, helps in digestion and assimilation of proteins, starches, fat and sugar. In my early practice, I had prescribed Alfalfa Q as an ‘on-demand’ medicine in lean persons interested in putting on weight and with poor results.

The first patient who responded well to Alfalfa Q and drove my attention to its drug picture was a thin, 14 yr old boy of poor physique. His thin physique was of great concern to his mother. She told that as a child, he was well nourished, active and a good eater. He used to continuously nibble at food. But since adolescence, all this seemed to go wrong. In the last two years, he had become mentally and physically weak and looked lost and gloomy most of the times. It was difficult to keep his attention even to the happenings around him.

The father told that the boy’s dislike for food had gradually worsened as the constant munching-like-cow in the past must have completely spoiled his digestion powers. The boy complained of burning and a nagging discomfort in the abdomen after food so much that he could not eat properly, could not any more concentrate on his studies, felt dull and lagged behind in class. Also, he had lost weight, which was bad. He had high coloured strong smelling urine. He had mumps at 8 years of age. No causative factor could be found. He was advised regular, simple home cooked food with no spices, artificial colours or flavours. No refined foodstuff. Daily intake of sprouted dals. Lots of clean drinking water.

I gave Alfalfa Q, 8 drops B.D. for 1 week… till his constitutional remedy could be found. But the follow-up recase taking did not bring out any additional data and hence, I decided to keep him on Alfalfa. Follow-up a month later brought a much-relaxed person with a better appetite as the burning and discomfort in abdomen had nearly disappeared. He was mentally feeling fresh and active. The urine was clearer. He had put on 2 kg in the last three weeks, seeing the colour back in his life and no indication for any other remedy, he was kept on Alfalfa only.

After 6 months of constant check he was advised to stop Alfalfa, as it was no more needed. He was given Tub IM once in between.

Since then, I have used it in few more cases with very good results.

Key Notes :
Mentals :

• Sad, Depressed
• Prostration
• Dull, drowsy
• Irritable, and especially in the evenings

Physicals :

• Disturbed sleep
• Appetite poor or increased but assimilation poor
• Urine-polyurea, high urine & phosphates
• Flatulence, Abdominal discomfort
• Dull pain in head
  The Botanical name is Medicago sativa and the Common Name is California Clover, Lucerne, and Buffalo Grass.