Arum triphyllum

The fresh corm of Arum triphyllum, a perennial plant native to moist woodlands of North America. It has a three-part leaf (hence triphyllum), a distinctive hooded spathe, and an acrid, pungent root that causes intense irritation to mucous membranes when chewed. Prepared homeopathically, its toxic acridity becomes a potent remedy for destructive mucosal inflammation, ulceration, and irritative fevers.

Proved by Dr. Jeanes and others in the United States (1837 onwards), and later expanded by provings recorded in Allen’s Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.

Arum triphyllum expresses a picture of intense local irritation, excoriation, and restless aggravation, especially in febrile children. The essence is rawness — of mucosa, skin, and temperament. There is a constant need to relieve the irritation by picking or rubbing, yet the action worsens the condition. It is a destructive, sycotic-syphilitic state, where mucous membranes break down rapidly.

• Mouth and Throat: Intense action on the buccal mucosa, fauces, and tongue, producing rawness, ulceration, and sloughing [Hering].
• Nose: Violent, excoriating coryza, with raw, sore nostrils and upper lip [Allen].
• Larynx and Voice: Hoarseness to complete aphonia from mucosal swelling and ulceration [Clarke].
• Skin: Around the lips, nose, and nostrils — chapping, fissuring, and bleeding due to acrid discharges [Lippe].
• Digestive Tract: Acrid burning in oesophagus and stomach, with aversion to food [Kent].
• Respiration: Irritative cough from raw throat and larynx [Boericke].

Marked irritability with a restless, fidgety disposition, especially in febrile children who are constantly picking at their lips or boring into their noses until they bleed [Hering]. The restlessness is not of the frantic Arsenicum type, but driven by intense local irritation and discomfort. Children may be peevish, hard to please, refusing comfort, and reacting with increased fussiness when approached [Kent]. Confusion of mind appears during fevers, with inability to fix attention and a tendency to wander in speech [Clarke].

Restlessness at night from discomfort and soreness of mucous membranes [Allen]. Sleep disturbed by picking at the nose and lips in children.

Marked irritative, acrid discharges affecting skin and mucous membranes, with a destructive tendency in advanced states [Hering].

Fever with hot, dry skin and flushed face; restless and irritable [Hering].

Chilliness alternating with heat in catarrhal fevers [Clarke].

Frontal headaches accompanying coryza, with a heavy, full sensation in the forehead and root of nose [Allen]. Pain is aggravated by warmth of the room and relieved by fresh, cool air. Congestion to the head with flushed cheeks during fever is common [Hering].

Watery discharge excoriating the eyelids, causing redness and soreness [Allen]. Lachrymation may accompany sneezing and nasal burning, as in severe hay fever. Conjunctiva may appear injected, and children often rub their eyes repeatedly.

Occasional earache during coryza, with a raw sensation in the Eustachian tube region. Ear involvement is secondary to nasal and throat inflammation [Clarke].

A keynote is the acrid, burning coryza with raw, ulcerated nostrils and upper lip [Hering]. Discharge is watery, profuse, and intensely excoriating, causing chapping and fissures that bleed. Sneezing is frequent, sometimes violent, with alternating watery and thick discharge. The nasal septum and mucosa may ulcerate in severe cases.

The mouth, chin, and cheeks around the nostrils are raw, chapped, and bleeding due to acrid discharge [Lippe]. Lips are swollen, cracked, and bleeding, with a tendency for the patient — particularly children — to pick at them until they are raw [Hering].

The most characteristic action of Arum triphyllum lies in the mouth and buccal mucosa. The inside of the lips, cheeks, and tongue becomes raw, red, and ulcerated [Hering]. Speech is painful, and the patient may lisp or refuse to speak. Saliva is increased, sometimes blood-tinged. Tongue feels burnt and sore, with the tip and edges raw [Allen].

No specific proving symptoms recorded beyond aggravation of mouth pain when chewing.

Fauces and pharynx are intensely red, raw, and sometimes ulcerated [Hering]. There is burning, smarting pain on swallowing, especially liquids. Voice is hoarse or lost from swelling and irritation of the laryngeal mucosa [Kent]. In diphtheritic conditions, there may be patches and sloughing.

Raw sensation in the chest, worse from talking or breathing deeply [Kent]. Hoarseness or aphonia from laryngeal inflammation.

Short, dry, teasing cough provoked by speaking or swallowing [Hering].

Burning from the throat to the stomach, with aversion to food [Allen]. Nausea may occur when swallowing irritates the oesophagus.

Occasional colicky pains accompanying coryza and fever [Clarke].

Aversion to solid food due to mouth soreness [Allen]. Craves cold drinks for relief of throat burning.

Weakness in limbs from febrile exhaustion [Clarke].

The skin around the mouth and nostrils is inflamed, excoriated, and cracked [Lippe]. Chapped hands in winter may be seen in chronic cases requiring the remedy.

• Arum maculatum – Similar acrid discharges and ulcerations but less marked in mouth-picking habit.
• Kali bichromicum – Ulceration with thick, ropy discharge, less excoriation than Arum-t.
• Mercurius solubilis – Ulceration with profuse saliva but more offensive breath and metallic taste.
• Rhus toxicodendron – Excoriation with vesicles; more rheumatic restlessness.

• Complementary: Hepar sulphuris, Sulphur.
• Antidotes: Belladonna, Hepar sulphuris.
• Inimical: None noted.
• Follows well: Hepar sulphuris in ulcerated throat states.

Particularly valuable in scarlet fever with raw, bleeding lips and nostrils; diphtheria with excoriating discharges; hay fever with excoriated nostrils; aphonia from laryngeal inflammation. In children with the habit of picking lips and boring into nose during fevers, this remedy is often curative [Hering, Clarke].

Mind:

• Irritability in children with catarrh
• Restlessness during fever
• Picking at lips and nose

Head:

• Pain, forehead, during coryza
• Congestion with flushed face

Nose:

• Discharge, acrid, excoriating
• Ulcerated nostrils
• Sneezing, frequent, violent

Mouth:

• Ulceration, lips and buccal mucosa
• Tongue, raw, tip and edges
• Speech difficult from soreness

Throat:

• Rawness, fauces
• Hoarseness, aphonia

Skin:

• Excoriation around nostrils and mouth
• Cracks, lips, bleeding

Hahnemann S. – Chronic Diseases: primary proving notes on mucosal irritation.

Hering C. – Guiding Symptoms: extensive clinical notes on excoriating discharges and picking habit.

Lippe A. – Keynotes: characteristic chapped lips and nostrils.

Allen T.F. – Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica: proving details of rawness in mouth and throat.

Hughes R. – Cyclopaedia: pharmacodynamic emphasis on acridity of crude root.

Clarke J.H. – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: acute and chronic clinical cases.

Kent J.T. – Lectures: mental state and aggravations from speaking.

Boericke W. – Pocket Manual: concise keynote summary of excoriations.

Farrington E.A. – Clinical Materia Medica: comparison with other acrid discharge remedies.

Nash E.B. – Leaders: acute indications in scarlet fever.