Cina maritima

Cina maritima is a flowering plant of the Asteraceae family, native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It yields a potent anthelmintic known as santonin, traditionally used to expel intestinal worms, especially in children. In homeopathy, it acts primarily on the nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and mucous membranes, especially in children with worm complaints and behavioural disturbances.

Proven by Hahnemann and extensively verified in children. Allen, Hering, and Clarke all contributed key clinical confirmations. The majority of provings and confirmations stem from paediatric contexts.

The essence of Cina is the discontented, over-sensitive, nervous child, often afflicted with worms or chronic digestive and behavioural disturbances. There is a pronounced disconnect between inner irritation and outer response: the child lashes out, but cannot be soothed. Cina reflects a disturbed balance between the enteric and cerebral systems, with mental unrest arising from intestinal irritation. It captures the archetype of a frazzled nervous system under toxic pressure—the child who writhes, screams, and suffers in mind and belly alike.

• Nervous system – especially in children: twitching, jerking, spasms
• Gastrointestinal tract – worms, ascaris, pinworms
• Nose – irritation, itching, bleeding
• Sleep – restless, disturbed by dreams and jerking
• Mind – irritability, temper tantrums, contrariness
• Eyes – blue rings under eyes in children
• Face – pale or flushed, with grinding of teeth

Cina typifies the irritable, touchy, and restless child. A core keynote is crossness and capriciousness—the child cries, demands things, and throws them away when offered [Kent]. There is constant discontent, whining, and striking those around. Children cannot bear to be looked at, touched, or even comforted—this irritability intensifies during worm affections. Another classic symptom is boring the head into the pillow during sleep, due to abdominal irritation. Spasms or convulsions may follow emotional arousal or attempts to pacify. Night terrors, screaming, and abrupt waking are common. Cina is also indicated in children who grind their teeth, are overly sensitive to discipline, and become almost animalistic in their temper. Older individuals may display similar contrariness, lack of responsiveness, or hypochondriasis tied to abdominal symptoms.

Sleep is restless, disturbed by jerking, moaning, and fright. Child cries out, grinds teeth, or bores head into pillow. Nightmares, especially of being pursued. Wakes with fright or crying. May sleep with eyes partially open.

Frightening dreams with screaming. Dreams of falling or being attacked. Dreams may provoke convulsions on waking. Dreams of insects, animals, or food.

Cina is especially adapted to children, particularly those with worm symptoms, twitching, and irritability. Restlessness and hypersensitivity dominate. Symptoms often appear periodically, especially at night. Affections of nervous system—tics, convulsions, spasms—are frequent. Cold limbs with hot face is key general. Cina mirrors the high-strung, hyper-irritable child, whose body and mind are in continual motion.

Irritative fever with flushed face and cold limbs. Fever follows worm infestation. High fever with convulsions or twitching. Sweat sour-smelling. Alternating heat and chill.

Chill with trembling or restlessness. Heat with irritability, twitching. Sweat cold or sour, especially during sleep. May wake drenched.

Headache with sudden heat, especially on vertex or forehead. Sensation as if head would burst. Pain worse from motion or sunlight. Involuntary jerking of head backward or sideways. Head sensitive to touch. Boring of head into pillow, particularly during sleep. Fontanelles may remain open longer in children with Cina indications. Worm complaints may provoke reflex cephalic symptoms.

Characteristic blue rings under the eyes—dark, purplish circles indicative of worm irritation or nervous exhaustion [Clarke]. Eyes appear glassy, pupils dilated. Photophobia frequent. Frequent blinking or rubbing of eyes. Strabismus or spasmodic eye movement in nervous children. Eyes red or inflamed from rubbing. Objects may appear too bright or blurred during attacks.

Twitching or itching of ears. Noises in ears before spasms. Pulling at ears is common in Cina children. Hearing sensitive, may cover ears to block sound. Children may scream when spoken to.

A key site of action. Constant picking or rubbing of the nose, often until it bleeds—classic worm sign [Boericke, Hering]. Nose dry, or discharges yellowish mucus. Sneezing frequent. Irritated nasal passages during worm attacks. Coryza with restlessness.

Face pale, often with sudden flushing. Heat in face with cold hands and feet. Twitching of facial muscles, especially about the mouth. Lips may appear bluish or dry. Grinding of teeth, clenched jaw during sleep. Face may look anxious or angry. Face contorted during crying fits. Face hot, with general restlessness or screaming.

Grinding of teeth during sleep, especially with worm complaints. Tongue clean or slightly coated. Increased salivation. Breath may smell foul. Mouth open during sleep. Gums sore or bleeding. Child bites objects or fingers.

Bruxism is a major symptom. Grinding of teeth, both day and night, often loud and audible. Pain in molars during worm episodes. Clenching during convulsions.

Dryness, with difficulty swallowing. Mucus in throat hard to clear. Scraping sensation. Throat sensitive to touch, and cough may originate from tickling in throat. Worm disturbances may provoke reflex throat irritation.

Spasmodic, dry cough, especially at night or during sleep. Cough triggered by talking, laughing, or touching throat. Cough may end in gagging or vomiting. Chest sensitive to pressure. Child may wake suddenly with suffocative cough or breath-holding spells.

Palpitations during fever or spasms. Rapid pulse with flushes of heat. Anxiety felt in chest. Beating in chest provokes restlessness.

Breathing irregular during convulsions. Panting or sighing in sleep. Shortness of breath with abdominal pain. Breath-holding in rage fits or seizures.

Ravenous hunger is one of the classic symptoms, even after eating. Cina children may demand food constantly, especially sweets, yet eating often worsens symptoms. Nausea after eating. Eructations with foul taste. Vomiting of food, worms, or mucus. Stomach tender to touch. Sensation of coldness or emptiness in stomach. Convulsions may follow overeating.

Severe action on intestines. Abdomen bloated, hard, or distended, with visible peristalsis. Children wake screaming with abdominal pain, relieved by passing gas or stool. Bellyaches occur periodically, especially at night. Sensation of something alive in abdomen—linked to worm pathology. Pinching or twisting pains. Child doubles over in pain or lies on abdomen. Pain < touch, > pressure or lying face down.

Itching and burning at anus, worse at night. Child scratches or wriggles on floor. Stools with mucus, offensive, or containing worms. Worms expelled alive. Involuntary stool during sleep. Sudden urgency with straining.

Frequent urging with scanty urine. Involuntary urination during seizures or at night. Urine may smell strong or sour. Cutting pain in urethra. Retention during convulsions.

Craving for sweets, milk, or indigestible things (earth, chalk). Eating worsens symptoms, particularly abdominal. Voracious hunger soon after meals. Aversion to healthy food.

Twitching of penis. Irritation from worms may cause masturbation in children. Testicular pain rare but possible. Night emissions in older patients with nervous irritation.

Itching vulva from worms. Menses suppressed or irregular in nervous girls. Worm infestation may provoke vaginitis or discharge. Involuntary urination during sleep in girls with Cina indication.

Back pain in lumbar region, with stiffness or spasmodic motion. Spine sensitive. Sudden twitching along spine, especially in sleep. Backward arching of spine in seizures.

Constant twitching and jerking of limbs. Startling during sleep. Child throws arms upward in fright. Feet cold while face hot. Spasms or trembling. Sensation of formication in limbs. Stiffness of legs in sleep.

Pale, dry, sensitive. Itching anus, nose, and vulva. Urticaria or eruptions after sweets. Skin conditions linked to worms or digestive upset. Blue under eyes, white around mouth. Scratches nose and anus constantly.

• Chamomilla – Also irritable and oversensitive, but with more heat, one cheek red
• Antimonium crudum – Wormy children, loves pickles and overeating, sensitive to reprimand
• Spigelia – Neuralgia with worm complaints, more cardiac and left-sided symptoms
• Santoinum – More specific for worms with fewer mental symptoms
• Calcarea carbonica – Flabby, sweaty children, less restless
• Hyoscyamus – Spasmodic children with more sexual element, less worm-specific

• Complementary: Santoninum, Calcarea, Silicea
• Antidotes: Camphora, Nux vomica
• Follows well: Aconite, Belladonna
• Inimical: Ignatia (in some cases)

• Chief remedy for worm infestations in children with restlessness and grinding teeth
• Consider for night terrors, head-banging, or biting behaviours
• Excellent in spasmodic coughs with abdominal irritation
• Children who are worse from touch, even parental comfort
• Useful in nervous tics, habitual nose-picking, and abdominal bloating

Mind

• Capriciousness, desires things and then rejects them
• Irritability, aversion to being touched
• Restlessness, especially at night
• Screaming during sleep

Abdomen

• Pain, bloated, hard
• Sensation of something alive
• Worms, ascarides
• Pain better lying on abdomen

Sleep

• Bores head into pillow
• Cries out in sleep
• Jerking limbs during sleep
• Teeth grinding

Extremities

• Twitching, spasms
• Jerking of limbs
• Cold feet with hot face

Skin

• Blue rings under eyes
• Itching anus
• Pale skin
• Scratch nose until it bleeds

• Samuel Hahnemann – Materia Medica Pura: Original proving symptoms
• C. Hering – Guiding Symptoms: Twitching, worm symptoms, mental states
• J.T. Kent – Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica: Capriciousness and nervous irritation
• William Boericke – Pocket Manual: Summary of worm complaints and mental traits
• John Henry Clarke – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Expanded clinical and sleep symptoms
• Allen’s Encyclopaedia: Broad confirmation of generalities and organ affinities