Thuja occidentalis is also known as Arborvitae, a tree of life, and white cedar. It is an ornamental and medicinal plant. Thuja prefers swamps and other wetlands and is native to Canada and the eastern US, and now widely cultivated as an ornamental tree.

Thuja occidentalis was used by American Indians as an herbal medicine for fever, coughs, menstrual problems, headaches, and muscle and joint pain. The remedy Thuja was proved by Hahnemann and published in his Materia Medica Pura.

In Homeopathy, the fresh leaves and twigs of the one year- old Thuja plant are chopped finely and macerated in alcohol, then filtered, diluted, and succussed. It is important to mention here though the leaves are used medicinally in homeopathy but they are toxic and must not be ingested just by plucking from the plant.

General Information of Thuja occidentalis

Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen, coniferous American tree. It is 20-50 feet in height. It grows on rocky banks of rivers and in low swamps, from Pennsylvania northward. It is used as a hedge plant. These trees provide habitats for many species of birds. The crown is narrowly conic to pyramidal, with densely

crowded branches. The bark is gray to reddish-brown, 6-9 mm thick, fibrous, separated into flat, connected ridges. It grows upon the rocky banks of rivers and in low swampy tops, blossoming from May until June and maturing its fruit in autumn.

Leaves are evergreen, scale-like, and abruptly pointed, 2mm long, opposite in alternating pairs, bright green above and pale green below, sometimes becoming yellow-brown in winter, with a spicy fragrance when crushed. Seed cones are ellipsoid 9-14 mm long, brown, seeds 8 per cone, 4-

7mm long, with lateral wings about as wide as the body.

Another variety of Northern white cedar is also found which is western red-cedar. It is known as Thuja plicata. It has dull yellowish-green leaves on both surfaces.

Northern white-cedar grows in eastern-south eastern Canada.

The essential oil of northern white cedar is used in cleansers, disinfectants, hair preparations, insecticides, liniment, room sprays, and soft soaps.

• Latin name: Thuja occidentalis L.
• Family: Cypress (Cupressaceae)
• Plant Symbol = THOC2
• Common names: Arborvitae, white cedar, Tree of life, Eastern arborvitae, American arborvitae, Eastern white-cedar, swamp-cedar, Atlantic red cedar. The name is also spelled as Thuya.

Climate and soil

It commonly grows in cool, moist, nutrient-rich calcareous soils. It grows near lakes and river shores, uplands, cliffs, mostly on 900 meters elevation. It grows on well-drained sites mostly near swamps.

History of plant– Thuja occidentalis was introduced into Europe before 1600. It was introduced by Hahnemann into Homeopathic school.’

Part used in the preparation of remedy:

The fresh leaves and young twigs. The fresh leafy twigs have a pungent scent that resembles camphor. This aromatic leaves and twigs of Thuja occidentalism are pounded to a pulp to make the Homeopathic remedy.

Constituents: A colorless volatile oil is obtained by distillation. It has a smell that resembles that of camphor. The color resembles that of cedar.

Chemical constituents of Thuja occidentalis OIL

1. Dextro-pinene
2. Laevo-fenchone
3. Dextro-thujone
4. Pinipicrin
5. Thujin

Medicinal Usage of Thuja occidentalis

This remedy acts especially on the blood vessels, skin, and mucous membranes. It helps in the contraction of thickened blood vessels. So, it helps in the cure atherosclerosis. It is used as an antiseptic.

The oil of Thuja is irritant. So, it causes irritation of the gastrointestinal system. This oil is responsible for abortion. So great care is required to administer this remedy during pregnancy. Oil of Thuja is also useful in the expulsion of intestinal worms.

The decoction was used in the treatment of malaria. It was also used for the relief of dropsy. The leaves and their ointment were used as a cure for rheumatic pains and swelling.

1. It is also used in the treatment of coughs, scurvy, rheumatism, and fevers.
2. At the time of the Civil, War leaves are in used in chronic enlargement of scrofulous glands.
3. Bruised leaves were used in dressing for ulcers and condylomata.
4. It cures fungal infections and also useful in cases where flesh and nails are overgrown.
5. It is useful in cases of bed-sores, sloughing wounds, fistula, gangrene, genital warts (verucca), anal fissure, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, itching, sore, bleeding moles, extraction of teeth, nasal hemorrhage, incised wounds.
6. It is useful in purpura hemorrhagica. It is useful in cases of umbilical hemorrhage.
7. Along with chloroform and menthol, it is useful in dental surgery.
8. It is useful in the treatment of hydrocele and Urethra caruncle (benign fleshy outgrowth at urethra meatus). Urethra caruncle is common in the female urethra. It is often seen in postmenopausal women. Other names of this condition are-urethral prolapse, and urethral polyp.
9. Other indications of remedy include Palmar eczema, Chronic bronchitis, and fetid bronchitis, bronchorrhoea, chronic nasal catarrh, and retro-nasal catarrh.
10. It can be given in conditions like fistula in anus, fissure in anus, catalepsy, constipation, convulsions, dysmenorrhoea, polyp of the ear, epilepsy, tumors of the eyes. fatty tumors, hemorrhage, herpes zoster.

The action of Thuja occidentalis remedy

Thuja acts on the skin, blood, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and brain. It is an important remedy for various skin complaints where a person has very unhealthy skin. It is very useful in warts, spongy tumors with moist discharge. The main indication of this remedy is the formation of fig warts and condylomata on the skin. It has an antibacterial action. This remedy is given when a patient has various diseases after vaccination.

Side on which this remedy acts-Mostly left side. The patient suffers from left side complaints.

A person who is best suited for this remedy

The patient takes cold very easily. It is best suited to people who are very weak and get tired very easily. Their symptoms are worse in damp weather such as the rainy season. They also suffer from tearing pain muscles and joints. This pain is worse at rest and improves as the weather becomes dry. The patient has a greasy face. The patient suffers from a lack of sleep.

Mentally the patient has fixed ideas. He feels as if a strange person was at his side. He thinks that his soul and body were separated. He always thinks that something that was alive is present in the abdomen. Emotionally this person is very sensitive. When this person hears music there is sudden weeping and trembling in his body.

Medical conditions which Thuja occidentalis remedy covers

Lt sided migraine- Patient feels as if the nail is pierced in bones of the head. This headache gets worse after drinking tea.

Ciliary neuralgia- It is known as cluster headache. It is basically short attacks of pain around the eyes per day. This condition is for 1-2 months followed by painless condition)- with symptoms like eyelids stick together at night. It covers various eye complaints like styes(A red, painful lump near the edge of the eyelid that may look like a boil or pimple ), chalazion. These are raised patches and look bluish-red.

Chronic otitis (ear infection)- With pus discharge. It smells like putrid meat.

Ozena-With thick discharge and obstruction of nose. It has green mucus sometimes attended with blood and pus. When the patient tries to blow the nose he feels pain in his teeth. Dryness of the nose is also seen. The patient feels pressure at the root.

tooth decay- Teeth decay at roots. Whit blisters are seen on the side close to the root. The tip of the tongue is very painful. Teeth are very sensitive. It is a very good remedy for pyorrhoea (alveolaris).

Tea drinker’s dyspepsia- All complaints related to the stomach are because the patient drinks tea. There is a complete loss of appetite. He dislikes fresh meat and potatoes. The patient complained of rancid eructations after fatty food. The patient cannot eat onions. He suffers from diarrhea which is worse after breakfast. The patient complained of flatulence and distention. It can also be given in constipation with violent pain. This pain is so violent that it causes difficulty in passing stool and so stool recedes back.

Piles- swollen, very painful. This pain is worse from sitting. There are burning pains in the anus. At times anus is fissured. It is very painful to touch. It can also be given for warts of the anal region.

Urethritis- It can be given for urinary complaints, where the urethra is swollen and inflamed. Urinary stream splits and small. The patient feels the trickling of urine after micturition. There are severe cutting pains after passing urine. The patient has frequent urination, with pains. There is a sudden desire and urgent condition which cannot be controlled.

Gonorrhea- It is a very good remedy for gonorrhea and its related problems. The PAtient has inflammation of the prepuce and glans( part of the penis). Pain is felt in the penis. It can be given in Gonorrhoea rheumatism (where the patient feels rheumatic complaint like pain in the legs after gonorrhea.). Pain and burning felt near the bladder with a frequent and urgent desire to pass urine.

Vaginitis- Vagina is very sensitive. It is given in cases where has a profuse whitish discharge from the vagina, which at times is thick, greenish. Severe pain is felt in the left ovary. It can also be given in conditions like Polyp.

Asthma of children- Children has dry, hacking cough in the afternoon. Along with cough patient has pain in the stomach.

Chronic laryngitis- with pain in the chest. This pain is worse from taking cold drinks.

Chorea-It covers muscular twitching, weakness, and trembling of limbs. The patient feels as if limbs are made of wood or glass. It would break easily. Pain is felt in heels. It is a very good remedy for the Ingrowing of toenails- nails are deformed, brittle, and soft.

Skin complaints- It covers various skin complaints like polyp, warts, naevi, carbuncles, ulcers. It can be given in freckles and blotches (dry skin with brown spots). Skin is very sensitive to touch. These brown spots are also seen on hands and arms. It also covers herpetic eruptions.

Worse- at night, from the heat of bed, at 3 a.m and 3 p.m, from taking cold, from the rainy season, after eating breakfast, from taking fat, coffee, after vaccination.

Better- on the left side, free flow of secretions, from sneezing, motion, from crossing legs, from touch, rubbing, and scratching.

Dosage of Thuja occidentalis

Thuja 200 potency, 2 times a day, for 10 days.

Precaution while taking the medicine

Thuja is a toxic plant. Symptoms of intoxication from the fresh Thuja plant include vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis followed by absorption disorders, headache, nervous agitation, and chronic convulsions, and symptoms of liver and renal toxicity extending to yellow liver atrophy, arrhythmia, and myocardial bleeding.

In cases of overdose and abuse, the oral intake of Thuja extracts induced severe metabolic disturbances. Intoxication was accompanied by an irritant effect on the gastrointestinal tract, uterus, liver, and kidney. Infants who ingested leaves and twigs of the fresh plants showed mild gastrointestinal disorders and vomiting.

Due to a special extraction procedure, Thuja-containing preparation is safe. Do not try to use it RAW AS PLUCKED FROM THE PLANT.

Try not to take medicine when the symptoms are worse like at 3 o’clock. For better results, it should be taken at night or at bedtime.

Avoid tea, tobacco, coffee, onion, garlic, and exposure to the sun during treatment with this remedy.