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.

In folk medicine, toad skin or extracts have been used in poultices for tumours, and in Chinese traditional medicine for cardiac conditions (as “Chan Su”). Crude venom is toxic and has been used experimentally for its digitalis-like cardiac glycosides.

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

• 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.

• Loosening tight clothing around the neck and waist [Hering].
• Cool open air in certain skin conditions.
• Gentle occupation to distract from sexual urges.

• Night, especially before midnight (aggravates fits, sexual excitement).
• Approach of menses (aggravates nervous symptoms).
• Suppression of sexual desire (worsens restlessness and mental state).
• Suppressed eruptions or discharges.
• Touch and pressure on inflamed skin lesions.

• 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.

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.

• 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.