Ignatia Amara 30, 200, 1M Best Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

Ignatia Amara (Strychnos Ignatia) is commonly known as St. Ignatius bean. Ignatius is detected from the bean of the large climbing shrub that is native to China and the Philippine Islands. It belongs to the family Loganiaceae, the same family that produces Nux vomica, Gelsemium, and Spiegel.

The word Ignatia is named after St. Ignatius Loyola of Spain who was responsible to bring the beans from the Philippines to Europe. As a result, Ignatia is often called ‘the beans of St. Ignatius’

The word Amara comes from the Latin word that means bitter. 

The chemical constituents of Ignatia are Brucine and Strychnine, a bitter substance that is often used in rat poison.

Ignatia is the most important polychrest remedy that has an action on almost every part of the body and especially on the mind.

Ignatia is the great remedy for moods and contradictions of mental stress and strain that are connected with shock, disappointment, or distress.

Ignatia Amara Constitution/Personality 

Ignatia is a women’s remedy, best suited to sensitive women of dark hair and complexion, having an easily excitable nature, and who are quick to perceive.

It is suitable for nervous women who are burdened with suppressed or deep grief particularly when they dwell upon their troubles in secret. That means they keep their annoyance themselves and do not break out violently in public.

Guiding symptoms of Ignatia 

Ignatia is one of the best remedies for conditions brought about by emotional upset such as grief, shock, jealousy, insult, embarrassment, fear, anger, and depression.

Ignatia is used by many homeopaths to treat depression and mental stress if there is deep grief or suppression of emotions seen in the patient.

Ignatia is one of the chief remedies for hysteria. There is the rapid change of physical and mental conditions that are opposite to each other and the patients can’t control their emotions. Sometimes the laughing becomes spasmodic and ends in screams indicating towards Ignatia.

Ignatia is the remedy used to treat the convulsion and spasm, there is twitching of muscles particularly of eyelids and mouth. Convulsion is produced by violent emotions, after grief, fright, and embarrassment.

Ignatia is the great contradictory remedy that means the complaints and their amelioration do not match with each other. For eg. The roaring in ears is relieved by music, the complaints piles are relieved by walking and sore throat is better by swallowing.

Ignatia is also a wonderful fever remedy, used in chills in fever especially when there is thirst in the chill phase and gets worse by covering, only the artificial heat can relieve the chill.

Ignatia patients do not tolerate or bear the smell of tobacco and smoking at any cost. It causes headaches.

Medicine Uses

This article will cover from head to toe all the complaints body. And wherever the symptoms are matched, this medicine can be used-

Mind symptoms 

The Ignatia patient is highly emotional, sensitive, silent, and sad and weeps when alone.

They get sick from hearing bad news, vexation, and suppressing their emotions.

Ignatia patients take too much responsibility on them, take many more things than they could normally do are affects them a lot. They get frustrated in their job and then there is a mental breakdown. They think they had neglected their duties, they become irritable and do not want to talk to anyone.

Ignatia is suited for the patients who get disappointment in love and slight contradiction makes them angry with themselves, they want to shout and cry but keep it to themselves and weep silently in their room.

There is anxiety as if they had committed some crime. They keep themselves busy to forget their grief but end up in emotional breakdown and brooding.

Ignatia patients get highly affected when their emotions get hurt or disturbed. A lot of thoughts going on in their mind and they keep thinking that develop pathologies in them like cramps on the whole body, unable to breathe properly, and eventually spasm.

Head symptoms 

Ignatia is a great remedy for one-sided headaches (migraine) mainly developed due to the smell of tobacco smoking, coffee, and close attention.

The headache feels as if a nail is driven out through the sides. The headache gets worse by loud talking eventually causing nausea and vomiting in the patients.

Ignatia is also indicated to treat vertigo with transient headaches and burning in the eyes that lasting all day.

Headache and vertigo get aggravated by stooping which means bending the head forward brings headache.

Eyes symptoms

Ignatia patients generally live in deep thoughts that is why eyes sometimes appear staring.

There is pressure in and above eyes while waking up and especially in looking at the light.

The pain extends from the head into the left eye and the eyes start to run and kids become swollen.

Ignatia is also effective in conjunctivitis with itching in the eyeballs.

It is effective in treating dimness of vision. The patient is intolerable to the glare of light, in the evening while reading the letters in which the eyes were directed become invisible.

Ears symptoms

Ignatia is a very good remedy for pain in the new ear and itching in the auditory canal.

Noise is intolerable to Ignatia patients. Music causes an unusual and agreeable sensation to them.

There is roaring and ringing in ears that get better by music.

Nose symptoms 

Ignatia is an effective remedy for dry catarrh and fluent coryza.

The nostrils are ulcerated and patients are unable to draw air through the nose on closing the mouth.

There is the sensation of ulceration and soreness in the inner angle of both nostrils.

Mouth symptoms 

The Ignatia patient often complains of biting the inside of the cheeks and posterior part of the tongue while talking and chewing.

The inner surface of the lower lip is underrated and suppurates with sore pain.

There is a tendency to toothache and looseness of teeth, painful whenever touched with the tongue.

Ignatia is indicated if the inner surface of the mouth seemed sore and is covered with offensive smelling mucus in the morning on waking.

Face symptoms

Ignatia is indicated to those patients whose faces get flushed and become red with slight contradiction.

It is an effective remedy for facial muscle distortion on attempting to speak and neuralgia of the face.

There is twitching of the muscle of the face and lips. There is sweat on the face on small spots only while eating.

Throat symptom

Ignatia is indicated in follicular tonsillitis. The throat is inflamed and the tonsils are hard and swollen with small ulcers on them.

There is a feeling as if a lump in the throat, cannot be swallowed and get ameliorated by eating solid foods.

Ignatia is an important remedy for treating the conditions of globus hystericus with a tightening or choking feeling.

It is also effective in treating Goitre where there is inflammation of the thyroid gland due to deficiency of iodine.

Chest symptom

There is an uninterrupted provocation to a hacking or dry cough in the larynx, that do not discover by coughing but only by suppressing the cough.

Ignatia is indicated when there is a desire to cough after lying down especially in the evening with the feeling as if feathery dust is inspired that does not relieve by coughing. It gets more excited the more the patient allows himself to cough.

Ignatia is given to treat loud snoring inspiration during sleep. Inspiration is impeded, as from a load lying upon the chest but expiration is easier.

Ignatia can be given if there is pressure in the middle of the chest generated after eating and gets aggravated by inspiration.

Heart symptoms

Ignatia can be given to the patient having a slower and smaller pulse than usual, especially in the afternoon and palpitations (rapid heartbeat) during dinner.

Stomach symptoms

Ignatia is an effective remedy for treating water brash or acid reflux with the eructation of bitter fluid and food.

There is indigestion with an aversion to the normal diet and longing for a great variety of indigestible food or raw foods.

Ignatia is indicated to the patient who develops hiccough after eating and drinking, from tobacco smell and coffee.

There is also an empty gone feeling at the epigastrium and the strongest part about it all is that it is not relieved by eating.

Abdomen and Rectum symptoms

Ignatia is one of the top listed remedies for treating constipation. Constipation that is of a paralytic origin, obstinate, and with great pain mainly develops in patients who are habitual coffee drinkers.

Ignatia is also a great remedy for flatulence. There is excessive flatulence which presses upon the bladder with pain extending towards the chest.

Ignatia is indicated to treat blind piles that mean piles that do not bleed with pressure and soreness in the anus and rectum. 

Piles prolapse with every stool and there is the inability to evacuate stool without danger of eversion and prolapsus of the rectum.

The piles of the Ignatia patients are characterized by sharp stitching pain, shooting up to the rectum. Ignatia is also indicated for fissures of the anus and prolapsus ani without constipation with acute pain shooting upward.

There is violent itching of any caused by swelling which produces convulsion in children.

Urinary symptoms

Ignatia is indicated when there is burning and itching in the forepart of the urethra during and after urination.

Ignatia can be given in the case of incontinence of urine in women and children.

Urine passes more frequently than usual with burning micturition in the morning. Urine is lemon yellow with white sediments in it.

Male symptoms

The male patients of Ignatia complain of retraction of the penis while urinating, the prepuce is researched and the glans remains uncovered as in impotence indicating towards Ignatia.

Ignatia is indicated to treat male impotency, with a feeling of weakness of the hips and complete loss of sexual desire.

There is an irresistible desire for an emission, with a relaxed penis and patients also complain of erection of the penis for several minutes.

Female symptoms 

Ignatia is a female remedy and has a wonderful action on the genitals of females and helps to cure many female-related disorders.

Ignatia is indicated for chronic, corrosive leucorrhea with violent constructive pressure in the uterus and labor-like pains.

Ignatia is effective in delayed or irregular menses and helps to promote menstruation.

Ignatia is indicated when menses is scanty and there is a clot in menstrual discharge with offensive ness.

Hand and Leg symptoms

Ignatia is a great remedy for cramps and spasms. There is jerking, twitching, and spasms of a single limb on falling asleep.

Ignatia is indicated when there is intolerable pain in the bones and joints of the arm upon which he lies, in the morning in bed and it only disappears on lying upon the painless side.

There is the spasmodic motion of the index finger back and forth in the evening after lying down. There is trembling of fingers while writing and therefore it is also indicated to treat Parkinson’s disease.

There is paralytic stiffness and jerking of the leg patient routers when walking and falls easily and stumbles over the slightest obstacles.

Ignatia is indicated when there are attacks of cramps in the muscle of the foot and under the toes while sitting.

Ignatia can be given to the patient having recurring sciatica during cold weather and aggravated at night. The patient has to get up and walkabout.

Back symptoms

There is stiffness of the nape of the neck and painless glandular swelling on the neck.

Ignatia is indicated to treat cervical spondylosis with sharp pressive pain in the cervical vertebrae and throbbing pain in the sacrum, during rest in the morning in bed and when walking in the open air.

Skin symptoms

Ignatia is indicated for pinoles and boils on the inner portion of the thigh. The pimples are papulous and painful only when touched.

There is itching here and there over the body if the patient is somewhat heated on walking in the open air. The itching is easily relieved by scratching which is the characteristic symptom of Ignatia.

Fever symptoms

Ignatia is the remedy for certain types of intermittent fever, with peculiar symptoms of thirst during chill but not during fever.

Ignatia is indicated when the patient complains of nettle rash and itching during fever.

During the fever, the patient desires to be covered and frequently there are peculiar mental symptoms also characterized by neuralgias of the head or extremists which may serve to indicate this remedy.

Ignatia is also indicated in typhoid fever in women or young men with severe paroxysm that continues through the whole night. The least jar aggravates the complaints.

Ignatia Amara Modalities

Modalities are the factors that, increase or decrease the complaints in a patient.

They are categorized as aggravating factors and amelioration factors.

Aggravating factors make the condition of the illness worst, while the amelioration factor makes the condition of the disease better.

It can be time, any part of the day, season, position, or any applications, etc.

Aggravated By

The condition of Ignatia Amara gets aggravated by strong odors such as the smell of tobacco, coffee, and brandy.

The patient of Ignatia gets highly affected by slight contradiction which leads to mental emotion and grief which makes their conditions worse.

Amelioration By

The conditions of Ignatia Amara get better by warmth, change of position, applying hard pressure in the affected part, and by walking especially in the case of hemorrhoids.

The sore throat gets ameliorated by swallowing.

Relationship with Other Medicine

Ignatia Complementary Medicines

This remedy completes the process of cure that is started by the first medicine given.

The remedies complementary to Ignatia are Aurum, Natrum Mur., Phos acid., and Sepia.

Ignatia Similar Medicines

These remedies have many similarities in action but are different in origin, which means the source from which the medicine is prepared is another.

Remedies similar to Ignatia are Calcarea carb, Chamomilla and Stramonium.

Ignatia Compatible Medicines

These are the remedies that are suitable to be used together.

Ignatia is compatible with Arsenic, Belladonna, Calcarea carb., Cinchona, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Sepia, and Sulphur.

Ignatia Incompatible Medicines

The remedies incompatible with Ignatia are Coffea, Nux vomica, and Tabacum.

Ignatia Antidoted by 

The bad effects of Ignatia are antidoted by Camphor, Chamomilla, Coffea, and Pulsatilla.

Ignatia antidotes

Ignatia Amara antidotes the effects of brandy, coffee, chamomile tea, tobacco, and Zincum.

Ignatia Amara Dosage & Potencies

The dosage and potency of the medicine depend on the individual case.

Ignatia 30 Uses

Lower potency is given when very few symptoms of the patient match with the medicine and help the doctor only to diagnose the disease condition. 

This potency requires frequent repetition, 3-4 times a day, till the expected result is seen. 

Ignatia 200 Uses

This is considered as higher potency; they are given when the majority of mental symptoms and physical symptoms of Ignatia Amara

Higher potencies are advisable to be not repeated very often; they act for a long duration of days, so the second dose is repeated every 7-days or every 15-days once.

Ignatia 1M Uses

This is very high potency. One should give it only after careful case analysis, where all medicinal symptoms of Ignatia and that given by the patient match perfectly. 

One should not repeat 1 M potency. It is given 30 days once and waiting for symptoms to disappear.

Ignatia Amara Q (Mother Tincture) Uses

The mother tincture of Ignatia Amara is used by many homeopaths to relieve the mental symptoms associated with mental distress, effects of grief, sadness, and constant brooding.

It is mainly used to relieve the emotional stress and depression in patients and should only be given when all the symptoms of Ignatia are matched with the patient’s symptoms.

Take 10 drops of mother tincture in half a cup of water three times a day till the improvement occurs. 

Ignatia 3X/6X Uses

This lower potency of Ignatia works well to treat the conditions like insomnia and mood swings and has a therapeutic effect on patients suffering from depression.

Take 2-3 drops of dilution directly on the tongue thrice a day for 3 months.

Clinical Indication of  Ignatia

• Stress
• Depression
• Migraine
• Vertigo
• Blurred vision
• Fluent Coryza
• Pimples 
• Facial neuralgia
• Dry spasmodic cough
• Follicular tonsilitis
• Goiter
• Acidity
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Hemorrhoids
• Dysmenorrhea
• Leucorrhea
• Sexual impotence in male
• Sciatica
• Fever

Ignatia Amara Side Effects

Homeopathic medicines are prepared by potentization where the dynamic curative power of the medication is aroused, so homeopathic medicines produce negligible side effects.

If any side effects of Ignatia are seen, then it can be antidoted by Pulsatilla.

Remember that homeopathic remedies should be prescribed based on individual symptoms and characteristics. It’s crucial to consult with a qualified homeopath for proper evaluation and personalized treatment. Homeopathy focuses on treating the whole person, so a detailed case study is necessary to select the most appropriate remedy.

Homeopathic medicines should be taken only when prescribed by a homeopathic physician. Self-medication may aggravate the original conditions.