Ranunculus bulbosus

Ranunculus bulbosus is a member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family, known for its acrid, blistering sap. It grows in meadows and fields, flowering in spring. The bulb and plant contain volatile acrid juices that, in their crude form, irritate skin and mucosa. In homeopathy, it is a remedy with strong action on the skin, muscles, serous membranes, and chest, particularly suited to intercostal rheumatism, shingles, and pleurodynia.

Proven by Hahnemann; further symptoms developed through toxicological effects and clinical confirmations by Hering and others

Ranunculus bulbosus embodies the hyperirritability of skin and serous membranes. Pain is sharp, stitching, and localised, arising from the suppression of eruptions, exposure to damp air, or emotional strain. The keynote is sensitivity—to touch, weather, and emotion. The patient may be irritable, restless, and preoccupied with bodily discomfort, which is often out of proportion to objective findings. It suits those who suffer from recurring herpes, intercostal pains, and skin conditions that flare with weather changes.

• Skin – eruptions, vesicles, itching, burning, herpes zoster
• Chest and pleura – intercostal muscles, stitching pain, pleuritic conditions
• Serous membranes – pleura, peritoneum
• Muscles and fibrous tissue – soreness, rheumatism, myalgia
• Eyes – neuralgia around the orbit
• Scalp and head – crusty eruptions, sensitive to touch
• Nervous system – pain with numbness and vesicular eruptions

Irritable, anxious, and easily provoked. Mental state becomes gloomy, melancholic, or suspicious. Affections often arise from suppression of skin eruptions, especially herpes or shingles, leading to restlessness or nervous excitement. Emotional sensitivity corresponds to physical hyperaesthesia—everything is “too much.” Patients may brood or become preoccupied with minor offences. Anxiety may worsen in the evening, alongside physical symptoms.

Restless from itching or pain. Frequent waking with soreness or cough. Dreams of storms, danger, or accidents. Sleep disturbed after overexertion or emotional excitement.

Vivid, often anxious or fearful. Dreams of falling, losing control, or being pursued. Wake with chest or skin pain. Dreams may mimic daily discomforts.

Highly sensitive to changes in weather, especially stormy or damp conditions. Muscular soreness, stitching pains, vesicular eruptions, and skin sensitivity are all characteristic. Suits individuals who are irritable, restless, and worsened by exertion, cold air, or suppressed eruptions. Worse in the evening and at night. Affections often appear on the right side, though not exclusively.

Fever from suppressed eruptions or during shingles. Chills in evening, with flushes of heat. Heat localised to chest or skin area. Fever with sweat and restlessness. Face flushed, eyes glassy.

Chill in the evening. Sensitive to cold drafts. Heat worse from motion. Sweat profuse at night or during attacks. Sweat offensive. Sweat aggravates itching or burning.

Sharp, stitching pains in the scalp, especially on the right side. Scalp extremely sensitive, cannot bear a hat or combing. Burning or crawling sensations as if insects were moving across the scalp. Vesicular eruptions with yellow crusts may appear, particularly on the vertex. Scalp feels tight or constricted. Periodic headaches, worse in damp weather.

Orbital neuralgia, especially left-sided, with stitching or shooting pain extending to temples or face. Eyes feel sore and bruised. Photophobia during headaches. Lachrymation in open air. Tingling and burning in the eyelids. Pain worsens with movement or reading. May suit those with chronic blepharitis or post-herpetic neuralgia around the eye.

Tearing pain behind ears extending into mastoid region. Ears feel sensitive to cold wind. Possible vesicular eruptions behind ears or on lobes. Earaches with stitching pain, worse from cold air and touch.

Burning, tingling, or raw sensation in nostrils. Nose may feel stuffed yet discharge is scanty. Coryza alternates with chest or eye symptoms. Sensitive to odours. Ulceration inside nostrils possible in chronic cases. Occasionally herpes labialis accompanies nasal symptoms.

Tingling, crawling sensations on the cheeks. Vesicular eruptions around mouth or nose. Neuralgic pain, particularly right side. Face pale or flushed during episodes. Sensitive to touch or wind. Muscles of face may feel sore, with drawing sensations.

Tongue dry, coated yellowish. Burning or stinging on the tip or edges. Sensation of rawness or soreness in the mouth. Saliva thick, sticky. Metallic or bitter taste. Vesicles may appear on inner lips or buccal mucosa. Teeth feel elongated or sore.

Sensitive to cold air. Pain in upper molars extending to temples or ears. Worse at night. Teeth may ache in conjunction with sinus or intercostal pains. Pain often neuralgic or tearing.

Tickling in throat provoking dry, hacking cough. Sensation of rawness and soreness. Worse at night or lying down. Voice may be hoarse. Throat sensitive to cold air and drafts. Pain may extend to ears or chest.

A major sphere of action. Ranunculus bulbosus is especially known for intercostal rheumatism, pleurodynia, and muscle soreness between ribs. Pain is stitching, shooting, or burning, made worse by movement, touch, or deep breathing [Hering, Clarke]. Chest feels tight and bruised. Cannot bear pressure or clothing. Lying on painful side sometimes relieves. Pain may extend to shoulder or abdomen. Worse from damp weather or suppressed eruptions. Chronic cases may show thoracic neuralgia after herpes zoster.

Palpitation during pain episodes. Sharp stitching pain near apex. Oppression of chest. May feel as if heart were compressed. Symptoms associated with pleural irritation. Pulse may be irregular during attacks.

Shortness of breath due to intercostal pain. Cannot take a deep breath. Sensation of tightness across thorax. Spasmodic cough from sternal pressure. Breathing shallow from fear of pain. May cough from change in weather or dampness.

Appetite variable, often poor. Nausea with vertigo or after eating rich food. Cramping in epigastrium, worse in stormy weather. Distension and pressure. Aversion to warm food. Burning after eating spicy food.

Colic-like pain in upper abdomen. Stitching pain around hypochondria. Pain in right lower quadrant worse from motion. Abdomen bloated with flatulence. Muscles sore to touch. Cold air increases discomfort.

Burning at anus. Constipation alternating with diarrhoea. Stools hard, scanty. Haemorrhoids with stitching pain. Pain during and after stool, especially in cold weather. Rawness around anal margin.

Frequent urging with scanty flow. Burning during urination. Pain may shoot up urethra. Urine yellow, with strong odour. Bladder sensitive to cold. Urinary symptoms may appear after suppression of skin eruptions.

Desires cold drinks. Aversion to warm food. Appetite low during outbreaks. Worse from spicy food. Craving for sour or salty food. Better from eating light meals.

Itching and burning of scrotum. Vesicles or eruptions on genitals. Spermatic cord painful or sensitive. Sexual desire diminished during skin outbreaks. Neuralgia in groin during change of weather.

Menses delayed or suppressed. Intercostal pain worse during menstruation. Breasts sore and tender. Vesicles or eczema on nipples. Pruritus vulvae. Pelvic pain from muscle strain. Discharges acrid and irritating.

Soreness of dorsal spine. Pain between scapulae, extending to sides. Cold air aggravates. Small of back feels bruised. Stitching pain from back to sternum. Back pain may coincide with shingles. Worse from damp or cold.

Limbs ache, especially in cold, damp weather. Small joints feel stiff. Hands numb or tingling. Fingers may show vesicles or eczema. Nails brittle. Shoulder and upper arm pain with chest involvement. Sciatica-like pain in legs. Ankles feel weak. Worse from lifting, sudden movement, or cold wind.

One of the hallmark features. Skin sensitive, especially to touch and cold air. Vesicular eruptions, shingles, eczema, or urticaria, often with burning, itching, and smarting. Vesicles may burst, form yellow crusts. Often affect chest, back, scalp, or extremities. Post-herpetic neuralgia is a key indication. Skin becomes dry and cracked in cold weather. Dermatitis may follow suppressed eruptions.

• Rhus toxicodendron – Similar vesicular eruptions, worse from rest and damp; more restlessness
• Bryonia – Stitching chest pain worse from motion, but less skin involvement
• Apis mellifica – Burning, stinging skin with swelling; more oedema and thirstlessness
• Arsenicum album – Burning eruptions, restlessness, but more systemic and anxious
• Mezereum – Herpetic eruptions with neuralgia and crusting, but more bone pain and facial eruptions
• Sulphur – Skin eruptions with burning, but more offensive discharges and general heat

• Complementary: Bryonia, Rhus tox
• Antidotes: Camphora, Nux vomica
• Follows well: Sulphur, Pulsatilla (after suppression)
• Inimical: Phosphorus (antagonistic weather modality)

• First choice in intercostal neuralgia, especially post-herpetic
• Excellent in shingles when vesicles burn and sting
• Consider in pleurodynia with sharp, cutting pain worse from motion
• Useful in weather-sensitive eczema or scalp eruptions
• Can be beneficial in chronic rheumatism where weather aggravates

Skin

• Eruptions, vesicular
• Itching, burning, stinging
• Herpes zoster
• Sensitive to cold air

Chest

• Pain, intercostal
• Pain, stitching, motion agg.
• Pleurisy, muscular

Mind

• Irritability
• Anxiety with skin eruptions
• Brooding

Extremities

• Pain, rheumatic
• Tingling, hands
• Eczema of fingers

Back

• Pain, between scapulae
• Pain, dorsal spine

Generalities

• Weather changes aggravate
• Worse damp, cold air
• Suppressed eruptions, from

• Samuel Hahnemann – Materia Medica Pura: Provided core proving data, especially intercostal and skin symptoms
• C. Hering – Guiding Symptoms: Expanded on herpes, neuralgia, and chest pain modalities
• J.H. Clarke – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Rich details on skin, pleura, and muscular involvement
• Boericke – Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica: Practical indications for chest and skin affections
• T.F. Allen – Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica: Comprehensive proving and toxicological profiles