Bryonia Alba

A climbing wild vine of the gourd family, traditionally used in homoeopathy when every movement hurts, with dryness, thirst and a dry, painful cough.

Bryonia alba, white bryony, is a vigorous climbing vine of the gourd family, found in Europe and northern Iran. It has a thick, fleshy root, small greenish flowers and black berries. The plant is poisonous; homoeopathy uses it only in specially prepared form, made from the root.

Its hallmark in homoeopathy is stitching or tearing pain that is much worse from the slightest movement and better for lying still. Homoeopaths traditionally use it for a dry, hard cough that hurts the chest, fever with great thirst, bursting headaches, aching joints and dry, hard stools.

• Dry, painful cough
• Fever with thirst
• Pain worse on movement
• Bursting headache
• Joint aches