Rhus Tox 30, 200, 1M Uses, Benefits, Dosage & Side Effects

Rhus Tox (Toxicodendron radicans) is a perennial shrub with climbing stems, having no rootlets. It is found mainly on the Eastern side of North America.

Rhus tox is commonly known as ‘Poison Ivy’ or ‘Poison Oak’ and was introduced by Dr. Hahnemann. It is a plant kingdom remedy, and it belongs to the family Anacardiaceae also called as Cashew nut family.

The word ‘Rhus’ comes from the Latin word that means, a tree or shrub of Rhus genus having red color flowers and leaves, and ‘Tox’ means ‘toxicity’ or ‘poison’.

Rhus tox is prepared from the tincture of fresh leaves of the plant, gathered at sunset just before flowering.

It is one of the most important polychrest remedies and has actions on many areas of the body. It has marked action on joints, fibrous tissues, and tendons.

Rhus tox is called the painkiller of homeopathy as it is a front-line homeopathic medicine in treating general body pains and aches.

Rhus Toxicodendron contains a chemical compound called urushiol that is present in the sap of Rhus tox. This chemical constituent can induce contact dermatitis a painful rash, to the people who touch it. So, if this is taken in raw form, it can lead to cause an allergic reaction in the body also termed as Rhus tox poisoning.

Rhus Tox Constitution/Personality 

Rhus Toxicodendron is adapted to persons of rheumatic and gouty diathesis. The persons are easily susceptible to obesity, gout, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The patients of Rhus tox are very sensitive to cold air, and their complaints get worse in cold air and open air.

Rhus tox is suitable for patient who suffers from rheumatic conditions like joint pains, and lameness in the tendons, muscles, and ligaments.

Guiding symptoms of Rhus Tox

The patients of Rhus tox are physically very restless. Their complaints of joint pains, muscle aches, and uneasiness drive them to move here and there, cannot stay long in one position, and that is why they never find perfect ease and rest.

Rhus tox is a polychrest remedy and is suitable to treat old rheumatic conditions, inflammation of glands, abscess, and vesicular eruptions on the skin and is very effective in typhoid fever.

There is great restlessness, anxiety, and apprehension in the patients of Rhus tox. They must change position to get relief from pain, this symptom is an indicating symptom of Rhus tox.

Rhus tox is indicated when the patient describes the pain as if sprained and the muscles and tendons were torn from its attachment.

Rhus tox has very good action on the skin and is also indicated in treating many skins related disease like erysipelas, patient usually suffers from urticarial rashes and herpes zoster.

Rhus Toxicodendron is an important fever remedy and is indicated in remittent fever associated with a great amount of restlessness.

Rhus Tox 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 mental symptoms of Rhus tox patients are worse at night. There is great apprehension, anxiety, and fear at night. They are filled with suicidal thoughts, want to end their life by suicide, want to drown themselves but can’t due to fear of death.

Their mind is full of sad thoughts, love to be alone, and weep in sadness without knowing why.

Rhus tox is indicated to treat the patient suffering from depression, having discouragement, and dissatisfaction from the world.

It is indicated to persons who are impatient and desire to accomplish several kinds of business. They are chiefly intellectual and keep thinking about working hard in their daily occupation.

These constant thoughts lead to cause mental exertion, forgetfulness, weakness, and dullness of memory and at the extreme, there will be a considerable coma.

Head symptoms 

Rhus tox is indicated to treat vertigo. When the patient lies down, there is excessive vertigo with a fear that he will die. Vertigo is less severe while walking or standing.

Along with vertigo, the head is also affected, there is the dizziness of the head with feeling as if he would fall.

It is useful in treating headaches, the head seems full and too heavy that he holds the head upright to relieve the weight, and there is unconsciousness when he turns his head.

Patient when complaints, on shaking the head he feels that the brain is loose and it is hitting on the skull, there is a sensation that something is turning around his head. Rhus Toxicodendron will be effective to give relief from this symptom.

There is a burning headache with a tearing sensation that gets worse in cold weather while sitting or lying down, and better by warm application and by motion.

Rhus tox is also indicated to treat the pimples on the scalp and erysipelas of the head with vesicles. The scalp is very painful to touch and the patient complains that there is biting itching and crawling sensation on the scalp when walking in the open air with the head uncovered.

Eyes symptoms

Rhus Toxicodendron is a valuable remedy for numerous affections of the eyes. In a general way, it is characterized by external swelling of the eyelids and submucous cellular tissue.

The patient gets affection from getting wet or by cold air, resulting to cause paralysis of the lid due to cold. There is twitching, jerking, and heaviness of the eyelids with dryness and febrile chill.

Rhus tox is effective in treating conjunctivitis and iritis, the eyelids become granulated and there is a sac-like swelling of the conjunctiva.

Rhus tox is occasionally useful in case of glaucoma, the patient having blurred or distorted vision, and the left eye is mainly affected.

Ears symptoms

Rhus tox is indicated to be given in inflammation of the middle ear. There is shooting and throbbing pain behind the ears. The patient also complains of sudden earache as if a thread is drawn through them.

Rhus tox is an effective remedy for tinnitus, there is the sensation of ringing in the ear and patients feel as if mice are squeaking inside the ear.

There is also a thick yellow discharge drained out from the ear due to an infection of the internal ear.

Rhus Toxicodendron is also very effective to treat the erysipelas of the auricle.

Nose symptoms 

Rhus tox is indicated to the patients who have symptoms of violent and repeated sneezing with fluent coryza.

The nose bleeds when hawking or clearing the throat. In the case of the most severe coryza, large quantities of nasal mucus run from the nose involuntarily.

Rhus Toxicodendron can be given in nasal catarrh with offensive greenish nasal discharge.

Mouth symptoms 

Rhus tox is a very effective medicine to be given in toothache, especially since the lower incisors are more sensitive. Teeth are sensitive to cold and warm drinks. There is soreness in the gums and on a touch of the tongue, there is a pain in the teeth.

Rhus tox is also effective in receding gums resulting in looseness of teeth. There is soreness with burning that extends to molars.

The corners of the mouth get ulcerated during fever due to fever blisters. Rhus Tox can do wonders to treat this condition.

The tongues of Rhus Toxicodendron patients are characteristically dry or dark coated, with a triangular red tip. The patient is inclined to spit tenacious mucus, due to excessive salivation in the mouth with sour eructation.

Face symptoms

The face of the patient seems sunken, with sickly and expression blue rings around the eyes. Rhus is indicated to treat the erysipelas of the face that appears from the right side of the face to the left side.

The skin on the cheek is red and hot with roughness, and there is a burning cramp in the cheek after eating followed by itching, that get disappeared after scratching.

Rhus Toxicodendron is indicated to treat facial neuralgia.

Rhus tox is also indicated in rheumatism of the lower jaw. There is cramp-like pain at the articulation of the lower jaw, with a feeling as if it will be dislocated

Throat symptom

The patient is obliged to clear the throat in the morning, there is profuse hawking of the mucus, and the more the patient hawks to rinse out the mouth, the more the mucus in the throat becomes tenacious. This symptom is highly indicated towards the medicine Rhus Toxicodendron.

There is dryness and sensation of swelling in the throat associated with bruised pain and soreness while swallowing. On swallowing and yawning, there is a stitch in the throat as f the person has swallowed a needle.

Rhus tox is indicated to treat diphtheria, with bloody saliva, inflammation of parotid glands, and restlessness.

Chest symptom

Rhus tox is indicated in racking cough that gets aggravated at night. The cough is provoked by tickling and irritability in the air passage. It produces tension in the chest and burning rawness in the larynx.

The respiration becomes difficult after walking; patients are obliged to breathe deeply as if they would suffocate.

Rhus Toxicodendron is also a highly indicated medicine to treat typhoid pneumonia, associated with white mucus expectoration and hemoptysis 9coughing up blood).

Heart symptoms

In the patients of Rhus Tox, there is marked anxiety and apprehension can be seen and the patient becomes restless due to which there is palpitation, he feels a weight on the cardiac region, and the pulse becomes slow and irregular.

The palpitation is so violent while sitting still that the body of the patient move with every pulse.

Rhus tox is indicated in rheumatic affection of the heart like rheumatic heart disease and hypertrophy of the heart in rheumatic diathesis.

Stomach symptoms

Rhus tox patients have a great appetite and ravenous hunger but the appetite gets disappeared after the slightest food and the person feels full. There is pressure in the stomach after eating as from undigested food.

There is vomiting of undigested food, everything that person eats feels raw and gets eructated. A person desires cold milk and there is an aversion to meat.

There is great thirst also with dryness in the mouth that continues despite drinking. There is a great thirst for milk or beer to quench it.

Rhus tox is indicated when the person becomes nauseated after eating or drinking coffee while sitting and lying down. The person is constantly obliged to toss about in nausea.

Abdomen and Rectum symptoms

Rhus tox is used to treat abdominal colic due to excess accumulation of flatus or gasses. There is rumbling and griping in the abdomen with pain in the region of ascending colon.

The skin of the abdomen seems too tight and too painful that get ameliorated by walking, bending double, and after stool.

The person feels a heavy lump in the abdomen in a spot as of incarceration of flatus, which makes the patient restless. There are bruised, cramp-like drawing pain below the umbilicus that extends toward the pubic region.

Rhus tox is effective in treating peritonitis and enteritis with restlessness and involuntary slimy diarrhea, and with great exhaustion.

Rhus tox is also used to treat blind hemorrhoids that protrude after every stool. There is soreness and itching pain in the anus. It is indicated to treat the fissure of the anus due to sore protruding piles.

Rhus tox is effective in treating morning diarrhea with cutting and colic in the abdomen and griping before each stool. It is associated with tenesmus and tearing pain down the thighs that are mainly seen in typhoid fever.

In constipation, there is an ineffectual desire to pass stool, with headache and loss of appetite. There is an excessive accumulation of flatulence in the rectum and rumbling in the abdomen. The stool contains some gelatinous substance and sometimes it is mixed with blood.

Urinary symptoms

Rhus tox is an effective medicine to treat urinary tract diseases like urethritis or inflammation of the urethra. There is an increase in the frequency to micturate, and the patient is obliged to urinate three times at night.

During and after micturition there is burning pain in the urethra. Urine is dark and scanty and becomes turbid when passed and there is severe pain when passes the last drops.

Rhus tox is used in acute nephritis or inflammation of the kidney associated with the pain and soreness in the renal region with edema or swelling in the body.

It is also used to treat paralysis of the urinary bladder and inflammation of the bladder also known as cystitis in case of urinary tract infection.

Male symptoms

Rhus Toxicodendron is a highly effective medicine to treat male sexual problems especially when there is an inflammation in the external genitals whether it is erysipelatous or oedematous.

There is swelling of the glans and prepuce at the root of micturition makes the urination difficult. There is itching and burning in the prepuce and the formation of vesicles in it that discharges a transparent fluid. There are moist eruptions on the scrotum also and makes the patient scratch it to get relief from the itching.

The erection is painful at waking and in sleep without any amorous dream and with a frequent and urgent desire to urinate.

Female symptoms 

Rhus tox is indicated when a woman complains of pudendal itching or itching in the external genitalia due to eczema, with great swelling and followed by soreness and smarting.

Rhus tox is an effective medicine to treat the prolapse of the uterus, there is labor like drawing pain extending down to the uterus when standing. In a pregnant woman, there is bleeding from the uterus at the new moon without pain.

Rhus tox is used to treat many menstrual-related disorders due to hormonal imbalance like polycystic ovarian disease, amenorrhea, and dysmenorrhea in which the menses cause biting pain in the genitals and the uterus.

Hand and Leg symptoms

Rhus tox is one of the top listed remedies indicated to treat rheumatism and rheumatoid pains. There is sprained pain in the upper arm when the arm is carried upward and backward and trembling with jerking sensation after moderate exertion of it. The pain in the left arm is associated with heart disease.

There is lameness, stiffness, and pain in the extremities on beginning to move during rest. There is paralysis with numbness of affected parts.

Rhus tox can be given when there is twitching in the thumb and tearing pain in the joints of the fingers, along with numbness in the index finger and the middle finger causes difficulty in writing.

There is cramp-like pain in the leg, with an inability to rest in any position, a patient wants to lie down or continuous walk-in open air. The condition gets worse when tries to get up after sitting or begin to move.

There is drawing like paralysis on sitting in the foot, the patient can’t ascend the stair easily. Rhus tox is used when there is a loss of coordination in the extremities.

Rhus tox is used to treat sciatica especially left-sided becomes worse in cold, damp weather.

Back symptoms

Rhus tox is used to treat the lower backache that feels worse when standing from a sitting position, and by initial movement.

There is stiffness and pressure on the muscles of the neck and burning and stinging pain in the back due to constipation. The patient always wants to lie down on a hard surface or move continuously to get relief.

Patient complaints due to overexertion, over lifting, and overstraining they get sprain in the muscles back.

Rhus tox is also effective in treating muscular rheumatism in the back, especially the lumbago. There is great pain on attempting to rise which gets aggravated by cold air and ameliorated by warmth.

Skin symptoms

Rhus tox is the remedy highly used by homeopaths to treat herpes zoster. That develops after chickenpox. It is indicated to treat many vesicular and pustular eruptions of the skin especially when the vesicles are tended to form scabs. There is a burning, stinging, and itching sensation in it

It is used in acne rosacea, urticaria, erythema and is valuable when there are glandular inflammations that threaten to suppurate particularly in the typhoid form of scarlatina.

Rhus tox is indicated to treat boils, carbuncles, and an abscess that threaten to suppurate that are characterized by general restlessness and great irritability.

Fever symptoms

Rhus Toxicodendron is frequently indicated in typhoid fever accompanied by relentless shooting, stitching, and tearing pain in the entire body.

There is intermittent fever, chill begins in one leg with dry teasing cough. The patient feels chilly as if cold water is poured over him. External chill with internal heat and inclination to stretch the limbs.

Rhus Tox 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

There is general aggravation during wet weather, at rest, on beginning the motion, by overexertion and cold.

Amelioration By

The condition of Rhus tox patients becomes better by continuous motion, by changing of position, stretching the limbs, and by warmth.

Relationship with Other Medicine

Rhus Tox Complementary Medicines

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

Remedies complementary to Rhus tox are:- Bryonia, Calcarea carb, Mag carb, and phytolacca

Rhus Tox 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.

Medicines similar to Rhus tox is :-.Arnica, Bryonia, and Dulcamara.

Rhus Tox Followed well by

These are the medicines given after the first medicine finished its action.

Rhus tox is followed well by Calcarea; Belladonna; Bryonia; Graph; Nux; Phos; Puls.

Rhus Tox Antidoted by

When there appear of new symptoms, you should study the new symptoms combined with the old one, and the second remedy covering more of these new symptoms is given. This second remedy is the antidote.

Rhus tox is antidoted by Camphor, Coffea; Merc, and Bryonia.

Rhus Tox antidotes 

Rhus tox antidotes: – Bryonia; Rhodo; Ant-tart;

Rhus Tox Inimical to

Apis before or after especially in skin affection

Rhus Toxi Dosage & Potencies

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

Rhus Tox 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. 

Rhus Tox 200 Uses

This is considered as higher potency of Rhus tox; they are given when the majority of mental symptoms and physical symptoms of Rhus tox match. 

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.

On giving 200C potency, it’s advisable to wait for the symptoms to subside. It is helpful in conditions of contusion of blood after injuries and small painful boils.

Rhus Tox 1M Uses

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

One should not repeat 1 M potency too frequently. It can be given after 30 days once and waiting for symptoms to disappear.

Rhus Tox Q (Mother Tincture) Uses

Rhus tox in tincture form is taken orally by adding 10 drops in half a cup of water thrice a day till the symptoms subside.

The tincture of Rhus is used as a tonic to treat skin affection like eczema, urticaria, also effective to treat rheumatic pain and can be given during fever of typhoid type.

Rhus Tox 3X/6X Uses

This lower potency of Rhus Toxicodendron works well to give relief in muscle ache due to over-exertion and over lifting. It is also effective to treat joint pains and rheumatism.

Take 2-3 tablets once a day for 1 week, and do not take more than 10 days.

Clinical Indication of Rhus Toxicodendron

• Headache and vertigo
• Epistaxis (nose bleeding)
• Conjunctivitis
• Diphtheria
• Acne rosacea
• Facial neuralgia
• Fever blisters
• Eczema of ear
• Herpes zoster
• Urticaria
• Abdominal colic
• Appendicitis
• Fissure in anus
• Hemorrhoids
• Hernia
• Constipation and diarrhea
• Eczema of external genitals
• Menstrual irregularities
• Pain in extremities due to overexertion
• Gout and Rheumatism
• Typhoid Fever
• Dengue fever

Rhus Toxicodendron Side Effects

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

If any side effects are seen then it can be antidoted by Bryonia; Camphora or by Coffea.