Bufo rana

Prepared from the venom of the common European toad (Bufo vulgaris), secreted from the parotid and skin glands. The crude secretion contains bufotoxin, bufotenin, and other cardioactive compounds. In nature, this venom serves as a defence against predators. In potentised form, Bufo acts profoundly upon the nervous system, sexual organs, and skin.

First proving recorded by Constantino Hering in 1827 from crude application and ingestion experiments, later expanded by Allen and Clarke with clinical data.

Bufo expresses the destructive union of sexual excess, neurological collapse, and malignant skin disease. The patient is often mentally dull or degraded, physically weak, with uncontrollable sexual urges that precede epileptic fits. There is a septic, degenerative undertone: eruptions are malignant, and ulcers spread rapidly.

• Nervous System: Epileptic convulsions, brain degeneration, violent fits.
• Genital Organs (male & female): Excessive, perverted sexual desire; sexual mania; masturbation-related debility.
• Skin & Glands: Carbuncles, malignant pustules, rapidly spreading ulcers.
• Heart & Circulation: Collapse states; feeble pulse; syncope.
• Mind: Low intellect states, mental dullness, idiocy, erotic mania.

Profound mental weakness, often bordering on idiocy. Children requiring Bufo are dull, slow to comprehend, and may appear vacant, with weak memory [Hering]. In adults, there is a strong link between mental deterioration and excessive masturbation or sexual excess. Erotic mania is a keynote, often violent, with shameless behaviour — obscene gestures, uncontrolled sexual advances, and impulsive self-abuse even in public. Fits of rage occur easily, sometimes alternating with stupor. The patient may become destructive or abusive, with little recollection afterward. Depression can be intense, accompanied by restlessness and loquacity before epileptic fits.

Restless, with lascivious dreams. Jerking of limbs during sleep. Drowsiness in afternoon, sleeplessness after midnight.

Sexual dreams predominate. Dreams may be vivid, lascivious, or violent.

Bufo is one of the foremost remedies for epilepsy linked to sexual excitement or suppression. Attacks are often preceded by sexual aura. Physical strength is poor; there is great prostration after skin infections or fits. Septic tendencies are marked.

Low, septic fevers with offensive discharges. Chill in evening, heat at night, followed by sweating.

Alternate chills and flushes during epileptic aura. Sweat profuse after fits.

Congestion of the brain precedes epileptic seizures, with flushed face, throbbing temples, and dilated pupils [Kent]. Headache is heavy, pressing, often extending to the occiput. There is dizziness on stooping, and vertigo with tendency to fall backward. Sensations of emptiness in the head are common after fits.

Before and during seizures: fixed staring, dilated pupils, rolling of the eyeballs. Lids may twitch. After fits, vision can be blurred or entirely lost for minutes to hours. In skin conditions, there may be oedema around the eyes.

Ringing and roaring noises in ears precede epileptic attacks. Sudden transient deafness may occur post-fit.

Epistaxis in children with cerebral congestion. Nose may be hot, red, and swollen in skin eruptions.

Swollen, bluish-red, often with pustular eruptions or carbuncles. During convulsions, jaws are clenched, lips livid, with foam at the mouth [Allen]. After attacks, face is pale and expression vacant.

Dryness with foul taste in the morning. Aphthous ulcers in debilitated children. Tongue often trembles on protrusion. In epilepsy: biting of tongue during fit.

Grinding during sleep or before fits. Toothache associated with facial eruptions.

Sensation of constriction before convulsions. Spasmodic swallowing. Tonsils enlarged in scrofulous children.

Oppression and shortness of breath before seizures. Suffocative attacks at night. Palpitations accompany sexual excitement.

Weak, irregular pulse; tendency to collapse after fits or in malignant septic conditions.

Slow, deep breathing post-seizure; sighing respirations. Dyspnoea from cardiac weakness.

Gnawing hunger alternating with total loss of appetite. Nausea before fits. Desire for highly seasoned food.

Distension with colic, especially before epileptic seizures. Sensation as if intestines were twisted. Sensitive to touch.

Offensive diarrhoea in scrofulous children. Constipation alternating with loose stools.

Frequent urging to urinate during sexual excitement. Involuntary urination during fits. Urine dark and offensive in low fevers.

Desire for spicy food and stimulants. Aversion to plain food.

Extreme sexual excitement leading to constant masturbation [Hering]. Emissions frequent, debilitating. Genitals may be swollen, with heat and pain after indulgence. Sexual desire can be so overpowering as to precede epileptic fits.

Strongly indicated in women with nymphomania, particularly before menses. Menses early, profuse, with nervous aggravations. Genital pruritus intense, driving to scratching and self-abuse. Fits occur during pregnancy or labour.

Pain in the spine, especially lumbar region, worse before fits. Tenderness along the spine in epileptics [Kent].

Trembling and weakness post-fit. Convulsions start in fingers and toes, spreading centrally. Hands clenched, thumbs drawn inwards during seizures.

Extremely characteristic. Carbuncles, malignant pustules, rapidly spreading ulcers with black bases and great prostration [Hering]. Vesicular eruptions with burning, itching, worse at night. Skin around eruptions bluish-red. Tendency to gangrene in septic states.

• Hyoscyamus – Erotic mania with shameless behaviour; Hyoscyamus is more loquacious, playful.
• Nux vomica – Convulsions from suppressed discharges; more irritable, less sexual mania.
• Stramonium – Violent mania, more fear-based, less sexual focus.

• Complementary: Mercurius, Lachesis.
• Antidotes: Camphor, Opium.
• Follows well: Sulphur in chronic skin cases.

• Major remedy for epilepsy aggravated by masturbation or sexual excitement.
• Consider in malignant skin infections with rapid spread and systemic collapse.
• Useful for septic states in low vitality constitutions.
• Indicated in pregnancy-related epilepsy.

Mind:

• Idiocy.
• Erotic mania.
• Rage alternating with stupor.

Head:

• Congestion before seizures.
• Vertigo on stooping.

Skin:

• Carbuncles, malignant.
• Gangrenous ulcers.

Extremities:

• Convulsions starting in extremities.
• Weakness after fits.

Generalities:

• Epilepsy from sexual excitement.
• Septic states with prostration.

Hering C. – Guiding Symptoms: Sexual mania, malignant pustules, epilepsy.

Allen T.F. – Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica: Proving records, skin symptoms.

Clarke J.H. – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Septic tendencies, carbuncles.

Kent J.T. – Lectures on Materia Medica: Epilepsy linked to sexual excess.

Boericke W. – Pocket Manual: Keynotes, skin and nervous system.

Lippe A. von – Keynotes: Fits with sexual aura.

Hughes R. – Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy: Pharmacological background.

Nash E.B. – Leaders in Therapeutics: Skin malignancy, nervous collapse.

Farrington E.A. – Clinical Materia Medica: Comparisons with Hyoscyamus, Stramonium.

Boger C.M. – Synoptic Key: Sexuality-convulsion relationship.