Know Your Remedies: Iris Versicolor (Iris.)

Common Names: Iris; harlequin blueflag; larger blueflag.

General Information

The symptoms of Iris Versicolor (Iris.) mostly come from the gastrointestinal and nervous systems. The whole digestive tract may burn – anywhere from the mouth to the anus –  and can involve sour, acrid or burning vomit or stool. Right-sided headaches and migraines that are preceded by visual disturbances are also helped by this remedy.  Vomiting will not relieve the pain of the migraine and profuse urination may occur after the migraine or headache. The headaches may be triggered by sweets, and milk will worsen indigestion.

Head Problems

  • Headaches and migraines – especially on the right side.
  • Pain in the right temple or above or below the right eye.
  • Migraine with sour and acrid vomiting.
  • Visual disturbances and blurring before the headache.
  • Headache after eating sweets.
  • Headaches or migraines that occur once a week, especially on weekends or Sunday.

Eye and Vision

  • Visual disturbances and blurring before a headache.

Gastrointestinal (Digestive) Problems

  • Burning through the length of the gastrointestinal tract – from mouth to the anus.
  • Sour, bilious and acrid vomiting, especially with a headache or migraine.
  • Vomiting with headache or migraine which doesn’t relieve the pain.
  • Profuse ropy saliva.

Skin Problems

  • Shingles (herpes zoster) usually on the right side of the abdomen.

Where do I find it?

Iris Versicolor (Iris.) is available from our online store as a single remedy in either pills or liquid and as part of the following Complex (combination remedy): Headache – Migraine.

Home Treatment Guidelines

Acute, Self-Limiting Conditions

Conditions like colds or minor injuries, which are short-term and typically improve on their own, can be managed at home with homeopathy. However, in emergencies or if symptoms worsen, contact your healthcare provider.

Chronic Conditions

These home treatment instructions do not apply for ongoing issues, whether mentioned above or not, like persistent allergies or chronic pain. You should consult a qualified homeopath for a personalized treatment plan to achieve the best results with homeopathy for chronic conditions.

How to Take the Remedy for Acute Conditions

  • Take one pill or five drops of the remedy. The frequency depends on symptom severity. As examples:
    • For life-threatening symptoms, take every 1 minute and seek emergency help immediately.
    • For mild symptoms, take every 4 hours.
  • Stop taking the remedy once you feel better. Resume if symptoms return.
  • If no improvement after four doses, choose a different remedy or consult a professional homeopath.
  • For more details on dosing, refer to: How Often to Dose with a 30C Homeopathic remedy.
  • For information on the different potencies, read: Guidelines on which potency to use

Additional Notes From Past Masters

Homeopathy is a 200-year-old system of medicine.

Early homeopaths recorded detailed notes on how remedies worked, including initial tests, remedy relationships, and their experiences. These writings were shared to improve homeopathic practice and now offer fascinating insights into past uses of homeopathy.

Here’s an example, edited and modernised for clarity, from Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics (1898) by E. B. NASH M.D.:

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics by E. B. NASH M.D.

Iris Versicolor (Iris.)

Burning of mouth, tongue, throat, clear down into stomach, and of anus if there is diarrhoea.

Vomiting of stringy, glairy, ropy mucus; hangs in strings down to receptacle on the floor.

Gastric or hepatic sick headaches with blur before the eyes at the beginning. Vomiting sour, or bitter.

* * * * *

Iris is another remedy which causes great nausea and vomiting. It is sometimes very serviceable in cholera infantum. The substance vomited is generally very sour, so sour that it excoriates the throat.

The gastric troubles of this remedy are often accompanied with a burning of tongue, throat, oesophagus and stomach, and, if diarrhoea is present, with burning of the anus. This burning of the alimentary canal is very characteristic of this drug.

The vomiting is not always sour, but may be bitter or sweetish. There is also profuse flow of saliva.

I once had a case of stomach trouble in a middle-aged lady. She had frequent attacks of vomiting of a stringy, glairy mucus which was very ruby, would hang in strings from her mouth to the receptacle on the floor. Then the substance vomited became dark-colored; like coffee grounds.

She became very weak, vomited all nourishment. She also had profuse secretion of ropy saliva. Thinking she had cancer of the stomach, she made her will and set her house in order, to die. Kali bichromicum was given with no benefit whatever, but Iris cured her completely in a short time and she remains well ten years since.

Iris is also one of our best remedies for sick headache. These headaches seem to be of gastric or hepatic origin, and often begin with a blur before the eyes. I used to give the remedy in the 3d.; but of late years have given it in the 50m. and am better pleased with the result, because it is more prompt and lasting.

It is recommended in sciatica, but I have had no experience with it in this affection. It seems to act most powerfully upon the alimentary tract. I have never used it in skin troubles.