ophidia-group.pdf.......................

Ophidia /oʊˈfɪdiə/ (also known as Pan-Serpentes) is a group of squamate reptiles including modern snakes and reptiles more closely related to snakes than to other living groups of lizards.

5. They are a fascinating part of natureThey are a fascinating part of nature
Their colour, movements and secretive habits Their colour, movements and secretive habits
makes them more mysterious than other makes them more mysterious than other
animalsanimals

6. They have great role in mythology…

7. …and medicine

8. 26002600 species of snakes in the world species of snakes in the world
216 216 are found in Indiaare found in India
52 52 are poisonousare poisonous
Majority of snakes inhabit the warm Majority of snakes inhabit the warm
parts of the worldparts of the world

9. Most of the snakes are non Most of the snakes are non
poisonous and harmlesspoisonous and harmless

The poisonous snakes are The poisonous snakes are Cobras, Cobras,
Vipers, Kraits, Coral snakes Vipers, Kraits, Coral snakes
and Sea snakesand Sea snakes

11. They never stop growing
Grow the fastest in the first two years of their lives.
They need new skins once in a while
The outer thin layer of their skin becomes too tight
so they grow a new one and crawl out of the old
(Shedding/Sloughing)(Shedding/Sloughing)

12. Cannot hear any sounds; but they can receive Cannot hear any sounds; but they can receive
vibrations transmitted through the ground vibrations transmitted through the ground
Have a distinct visual systemHave a distinct visual system
Depends mostly on the forked tongue to pick up the Depends mostly on the forked tongue to pick up the
scent from the air and groundscent from the air and ground
Can feel pain and are acutely sensitive and can Can feel pain and are acutely sensitive and can
suffer from changes in temperature and humiditysuffer from changes in temperature and humidity

13. Morphology of snake’s head

15. Physical properties
1.Odorless, tasteless & viscid. Pale yellow colour.
2.Specific gravity – 1.03- 1.07

16. Chemically, the snake poisons are
cyanhydrates of soda and other salts.
Chemical properties
1.It contains peptides
2.It is acidic to litmus paper
3.It also contains inorganic phosphorus and
metallic ions like Na+, K+, Zn++, Ca++. Mg++, Fe++,
Co++, etc.

17. Constituents
1.Fibrinolysins
2.Proteolysins
3.Neurotoxins
4.Cholinesterases (Predominant in Elapid viper)
5.Hemolysins (Predominant in Viper venom)
6.Thromboplastin (Predominant in Viper venom)
7.Agglutinins
8.Cardiotoxin
9.Coagulase hyaluronidase ( helps venom to spread
rapidly)

18. NEUROTOXIC
COBRA, KING COBRA, KRAIT etc.
HAEMOTOXIC
VIPER
MYOTOXIC
SEA SNAKE

19. This depends on the site of injection and the amount
injected.
If the venom directly enters the blood stream, effect may
be rapid and lead to sudden death.
 In most of the cases, the absorption of venom is slower
and especially in Viperine bites With extensive local
reaction, considerable amount of venom may remain
locally which will be absorbed into the circulation in due
course.

20. Neurotoxins block
transmission at the
NM junction
Flaccid/Respiratory
paralysis
Unphysiologic
drowsiness

21. Vasodilation
Direct action of venom on
myocardium
Bleeding/hypovolemia
Vipers: profound hypotension
within minutes

22. Increased vascular
permeability
Swelling and brusing
Myotoxins and
cytotoxins
Ischemia/
thrombosis
Venom ophthalmia

26. 1) Lachesis [ lachesis/ lachesis muta, proved by Hering]
2) Crotalus horridus [ Bush master-proved by Hering]
3) Crotalus cascavella [ rattle snake or pit viper, proved by Mure, comes under the N.O.-
Crotalidae]
4) Naja tripudiens [ naja; cobra; Elapidae]
5) Elaps corallinus [ Snake; Micru rus corallinus]
6) Bothrops lanceolatus [ viper yellow.Lach lanceolates)
7) Vipera torva (german viper)
8) Vipera communis(common viper)
9) Vipera jedi
10) Cenchris contortrix [ head snake; Ancistrodon]
11) Bungarus fasciatus [ krait]
12) Toxicophis [ snake]
13) Hydrophis cyanocinctus
14) Clotho arictans [ adder]
15) Ophiotoxinum

27. Surukuku snakeSurukuku snake

28. Indian CobraIndian Cobra

29. Coral snakeCoral snake

30. Bush masterBush master

31. Brazilian snakeBrazilian snake

32. Copper head snake

33. Krait

34. Yellow viper

35. Russel viperRussel viper

36. Sea snakeSea snake

37. Moccasin snakeMoccasin snake

38. DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

39. The patient of ophidia
group is worse from
warmth, by hot drinks and
in summer
The snake is
extremely sensitive
to heat, so it lives in
deep burrows where
it is cooler

40. The patient is
aggravated by fasting
and amel. after eating
The snake is more
ferocious and poisonous
when hungry

41. The snake coils itself
from left to right
Symptoms proceed
from left to right
(Except crotalus
and elaps)

42. Patient is aggravated by
touch and slight sound
The snake is very
sensitive to touch and
vibrations

43. Patients can swallow
solids easily
The snakes can
swallow relatively large
creatures easily

44. Alcoholism
The antagonist of
snake venom is
alcohol..!!!

46. Constitution
Hemorrhagic constitution, skin shows purple or
mottled appearance
They are very much restless people
Face is sickly, pale, anxious, bloated, dark or bluish

47. Ailments from

48. Miasm
Syphilitic and Tubercular background

49. Temperament
Melancholic
Hemorrhagic

50. Thermal relation
All ophidians are hot patients (Except Elaps
and Naja which are chilly

51. Sphere of action
Nerves especially pneumogastric and spinal
accessory, cellular tissues, skin, circulation, CVS,
brain, liver, glands, and throat muscles etc.

52. Patho-physiological action
Neurotoxic venomNeurotoxic venom muscular weakness and
paralysis involving the muscles of the face, throat,
respiration, legs etc
Vasculo-toxic venomVasculo-toxic venom Enzymatic destruction of cell
walls and coagulation disorders destruction of
endothelium of blood vessels
Myotoxic venomMyotoxic venom Generalised muscle pain, foll. By
myoglobinuria 3-5 hours later  respiratory failure

53. Decomposes the blood
Hemolytic venomHemolytic venom Breakdown of RBCs, separating
plasma and hemoglobin which brings down the
oxygen carrying capacity cyanosis
Produces local inflammation, agonizing pain, and
erysipelas, swelling at the site of injury, rapidly
passing into gangrene, foul ulcers, and absorption of
the venom by lymphatic glands or through the veins
resulting in pyemia
Patho-physiological action

54. Paralyzing action upon the nerves. Irritates the
peripheral nerves, inflammation of malignant
character
ie cellulitis, erysipelas, gangrene.
Due to the action on pneumogastric nerve it causes
irritation of throat, larynx, bronchus and heart.
Its action on blood produces ecchymosis and jaundice
Patho-physiological action

61. • of disease and death

62. DELIRIUM

64. IRRITABLE AND QUARRELSOME

66. ATTRACTIVENESS

67. Double standard

68. HALLUCINATION
S, DELUSIONS,
INSANITY &
DELIRIUM

71. DESIRES SOLITUDE

72. HYDROPHOBIAHYDROPHOBIA

74. GREEDYGREEDY

76. Paralysis
Typical bulbar paralysis in Naja
Right sided: Crot h., Crot.c., Elaps corallinus, Bothrops
Left sided: Lachesis
Naja– spincter control will be lost
Vipera– paraplegia of lower extremities
Bangarus– acute polioencephalitis and myelitis.

77. Constriction of throat - larynx & sphincters
Lachesis
Cenchris contortrix
Elaps
Crotalus horridus
Vipera
Naja
Bothrops

78. Hemorrhages
Haemorrhages of dark, decomposed black blood
oozing from all orifices of the body
Echymoses

79. Inflammations and fevers of low
destructive type
Lachesis: septic states
Crotalus horridus: low septic states
Bothrops: Cold, swollen skin with hemorrhagic
iniltrations
Vipera: lymphangioma,boils, carbuncles

80. Nerves, specially affected by snake poisons
Vagus nerve
Spinal accessory
Pneumogastric nerve

81. Yellow staining or colour of skin
Most marked in Crotalus horridus, less in Lachesis
and Vipera communis and Vipera torva.

82. Palpitation, dyspnoea and valvular lesions.
Naja: Heart rhythm is regular, but the force of contraction
indicated in remote effects of advanced valvular lesions.
There’s a well marked frontal and temporal headache with
the cardiac symptoms. Patient is always gasping for breath.
Lachesis: Indicated in rheumatic heart diseases. Palpitation
with fainting spells especially during the climacteric
period; Cyanosis.
Crotalus horridus: Palpitation,especially during menses.
Heart’s actions feeble.
Vipera-Cardiac dropsy 

83. Appearance of face
Sickly, pale, anxious, bloated, swollen, dark red or
bluish esp. in Lach, Bothrops, Vipera.
The face is yellow in Lachesis and Crotalus

84. Alteration of spinal reflexes
Dimness of vision, excitability of brain or spinal cord
resulting in mental restless ness and physical
sensitiveness
Torpidity, numbness twitching and formication. 

85. Periodicity
Vipera : Symptoms return anually for years
Toxicophis: Pain and fever return an nually, sometimes
changing location with disappearance of the first symp
toms.
Lachesis: Complaints, especially the intermittent fever,
returning in every spring. 

86. Swelling
Clotho arictans: Excessive swelling is the characteristic
feature
Toxicophis: Oedematous swelling
Naja: No haemorrhage; only oedema. 

87. Climacteric ailments
Lachesis: Haemorrhages, haemorrhoids; hot flushes,
hot per spiration; burning in vertex, headache at or
after menopause.
Crotalus horridus: Intense flushings and drenching
perspiration. Profound anaemia. Prolonged
metrorrhagia; dark offensive fluid; faintness and
sinking at stomach.
Vipera: Climacteric ailments. 

88. Action on liver
Hepatomegaly and Jaundice
 Lachesis- Liver regions sensitive. Can’t tolerate clothing
around waist
Crotalus- Haemolytic jaundice; yellow conjunctiva and
skin
Vipera: Violent pain. Enlarged liver with jaundice and
fever pains extend to shoulder and hip 

89. Sleep aggravation
Lachesis: As soon as the patient falls asleep, breathing
stops
Croralus horridus: Sleeps into his symptoms
Naja: Suffocative spells after sleeping 

90. Dysarthria:
Bothrops: Hemiplegia with aphasia; in ability to
articulate without any affect tion to tongue.
Vipera: Speech is difficult
 Naja: Blurred speech (bulbar paralysis)

93. •When awake
•Cold
•Appearance of discharges

95. AntagonistAntagonist
Alcohol

96. AntidoteAntidote
Radiation heat
Ammonia
Potassium permanganate

97. ReferencesReferences
Clinical Materia Medica– E.A Farrington
Pocket Mannuel of Homoeopathic Materia
media-William Boerick
Group study in Homoeopathic Materia
Medica– Dr. J D Patil
www.similima.com
www.hpathy.com
www.toxinology.com
Various sites on internet