Latrodectus-mactans
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 Jan / Feb VOL 4 NO 1.
Dr Guruprasad M N
'Lat-m

NO: ARACHNIDA
Proved by: S A JONES and A J TAFEL

Introduction: A Spider of the genus Retitelariae, of the family theridiidae.
Preparation: Mother tincture is prepared from the live spider.
Sphere of action: Heart, Vasomotor and Blood
By acting on the heart produces a typical picture of Angina pectoris. Blood becomes thin, watery.
Toxicological effects:
Certain spiders of the genus Latrodectus have the power to inflict poisonous bites, which may bring about the death of a human being. Cases (September 4, 1853) in which a man was bitten on the prepuce. At first there was itching, nausea, abdominal pains, precordial pain extends to axilla, fingers with numbness of the extremities cold skin; bite produced tetanic effects.

By acting on the heart it produces symptoms of Angina. Spider poisons are akin to the serpent poisons in their property of producing a disorganization of the blood.

Key Notes:
1. Precordial pain, cardiac pain, violent pain, sharp to shoulder or both arms, with numbness: Angina pectoris.
2. Extreme apnoea with fear of loosing breath.
3. Coldness of entire surface: skin cold as marble.
4. Anxiety: screams with pain.
Mind:
Extreme anxiety, screams fearfully, exclaiming that she would lose her breath and die. Anxiety and screams with pain.
Chest:
Extreme apnoea, gasping respiration, fears losing breath. Violent precordial pain extending to axilla and down left arm, fingers with numbness. Pain from precordium extends to the back of head, Restless with cardiac pain and prostration. Pulse quick, feeble, rapid thready. Pulse is so frequent it could not be counted and so feeble it could scarcely be felt.
Sinking sensation in the epigastrium, cramping pain from the chest to the abdomen.
Extremeties:
Pain in left arm, feels as if paralyzed. Weakness of legs followed by cramps in the abdominal muscles. Parasthesia of the lower limbs.

Skin:
Coldness of the entire surface, skin cold as marble. Redness and itching of part bitten.
Relationship:
Compare: Latrodectus hasselti, Aran, Mygale; Their, Katipa( Newzeland spider)
Conclusion:
The resemblance between the symptoms of Angina Pectoris and the effects of the poison of Latrodectus mactans are striking enough to justify the presentation of a comparison; and it is hoped that physicians of wide reading will pardon what may seem to them a piece of supererogation for the sake of many a humbler practitioner whose opportunities have not been so happy.

Case
Mrs Z, 37 years old, hailing from a poor socioeconomic family presented in OPD of our hospital on 25- 2-2002 with an acute presentation of the following complaints.

On Examination:
Temp: Afebrile. Pulse: 97/min, regular, feeble, all peripheral pulse felt.
RR: 18/minute.
BP: 130/80 mm of Hg, Pallor ++, Paedal oedema - pitting on pressure ++, No cyanosis,
No clubbing. No significant lypmhadenopathy.

CVS:
I: No scars, no dilated veins, no precordial bulge, apex beat is not visible, pulsation at suprasternal area.
P: Inspectory findings were confirmed. Apex impulse shifted laterally, Tenderness over the precordial area (She is not allowed to touch), No precordial bulge.
P: Normal cardiac dullness,
A: S1 S2 heard (even the touch of stethoscope at the precordial region couldn’t tolerated by the patient), splitting of 2^nd heart sound
Investigation:
Hb: 9.8gm%, TC: 9,800, N 55, L 42, E 3, M 0;
Urine: Normal study.
ECG: T-wave inversion in lead 5 & 6 chest leads, Q waves in chest lead 3,5, Left axis deviation.
Diagnosis: Ischemic heart disease

Patient As A Person:
1^st & 2^nd Abortion: 6month. 3^rd alive.
4^th abortion (7 month), 5^th abortion (6month), 6^th abortion (3rd month).
All deliveries conducted at home. Tubectomy done 8yrs back.

Life Situation:
Patient hails from a poor socioeconomic family. She has 3 brothers. She got married at the age of 16, and her husband is a coolie. Her son is now 16 years old and working with his dad.
By occupation she does beedi rolling at home.
She developed her complaints 2 years back. Sudden onset. Diagnosed as MI. Since then she was on sublingual tablets for the last 18 months, but found it too costly, so she completely stopped tablets for the last 3 months. In these 3 months she got 2 attacks again. She was hospitalized but pain continued so she came for Homoeopathic treatment.
Basically she is a very kind natured person, mixes well with others, she cries whenever others asks about her complaints; worries about her health. Whenever she gets the chest pain, she feels she is going to die; if somebody gives her little courage, she feels relieved.
She is also worried about her future as, if something happens to her, who will look after her family. She is now staying in slums, she doesn’t have her own home.
Physical Generals:
Desires: Vegetables, Aversion: Meat, Fatty food.
Perspiration: Increased on back.
Bowels & micturation: Regular.
Menses: Regular cycle, profuse flow, all her complaints aggravate during menses.
Management:
Since the complaints are acute and she is in severe distress, advised for immediate hospitalization with regular monitoring of vital parameters.

Follow Up

Conclusion:
Even in Homoeopathy we can manage an acute emergency condition like IHD, with a well indicated clinically verified medicine, for this we require faith in the system as well as cooperation from the patient.