Sanguinaria canadensis

A perennial plant native to eastern North America, Sanguinaria canadensis exudes a reddish-orange sap from its rhizome, historically used as a dye and emetic. The active alkaloids include sanguinarine, which is irritant and cytotoxic.

Traditionally used by Native American tribes for skin conditions, respiratory issues, and as a red dye. Also used in herbal medicine as an expectorant and topical escharotic.

Proved by Dr. Jeanes in 1828, further clinical confirmations by Hering, Allen, and Hale.

• Right-sided symptoms – strongly right-sided head, throat, chest, and shoulder pains
• Respiratory tract – especially trachea and mucous membranes
• Head and circulation – headaches, flushes of heat
• Liver and digestion – nausea, vomiting, bilious states
• Female reproductive system – menopausal hot flushes and headaches
• Joints and muscles – especially right shoulder
• Skin and mucosa – ulceration, burning, and rawness

• Lying on back
• Passing flatus
• Sleep
• Quiet
• Eructation
• Vomiting (temporarily relieves headache and nausea)
• Darkness

• Right side
• Touch
• Jarring
• Light
• Odours
• Motion
• Sun exposure
• Menopause
• Afternoon to evening

• Belladonna – Sudden, violent headaches with red face; more acute, delirious states
• Spigelia – Left-sided headaches, more cardiac involvement
• Lachesis – Left-sided hot flushes, loquacious, and worse after sleep
• Bryonia – Right-sided headaches and chest symptoms, but with dryness and great thirst
• Glonoinum – Congestive, pulsating headaches with sensitivity to heat, but lacks right-sided focus

• Complementary: Bryonia, Sepia
• Antidotes: Camphora, Nux vomica
• Follows well: Belladonna, Pulsatilla
• Precedes well: Lycopodium
• Inimical: None recorded

Sanguinaria canadensis expresses the theme of congestion, periodicity, and burning—especially on the right side. It is the remedy for burning headaches, right-sided neuralgia, and respiratory catarrhs with rawness and dryness. It suits individuals prone to periodic disturbances, such as migraines, menopausal flushes, and bilious vomiting. The body is overheated internally, with dryness, flushing, and inflammation, while the mind withdraws into quiet, restless fatigue. It is especially invaluable in menopausal women, right-sided migraines, and incipient phthisis.

• Use in right-sided migraines, especially rising from occiput to forehead
• Excellent for menopausal hot flushes, especially with headache and red cheeks
• Consider in dry bronchitis or tracheitis with rawness and burning
• Useful in incipient tuberculosis with night sweats and haemoptysis
• Valuable for right-sided frozen shoulder or deltoid rheumatism

Head

• Headache, right side
• Pain from occiput to forehead
• Better from vomiting
• Headaches during menopause

Chest

• Cough, dry, tickling
• Burning in chest
• Pain in right lung
• Haemoptysis

Female

• Hot flushes during menopause
• Pain in right ovary
• Menses profuse, early

Extremities

• Pain, right shoulder
• Burning in palms and soles
• Weakness of limbs

Generalities

• Right-sided
• Periodicity
• Better lying on back
• Worse from light, odours, motion

• T.F. Allen – Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica: Provided full proving data and modalities
• C. Hering – Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica: Detailed right-sided symptom patterns and chest involvement
• John Henry Clarke – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Emphasised headache, respiratory, and menopausal uses
• William Boericke – Pocket Manual of Materia Medica: Clinical indications and keynotes for cough, migraine, and menopause
• E.M. Hale – New Remedies: Observations on mucous membrane irritation and phthisis