How Remedies are Made

Homeopathic remedies are made from a mother tincture of the medicinal substance to be used. The source of the remedy may be a plant, mineral such as salt or gold, or animal such as the ink of the squid. This tincture is repeatedly diluted in highly purified water and shaken vigorously, a process called dilution and succussion.The more times the mixture is diluted and succussed, the more potent and deeper acting the medicine becomes. The process of dilution and succussion is highly regulated in homeopathic pharmacies.

Bellis Perennis is a common homeopathic
remedy for pain after surgery

Common table salt is used to make
the remedy called Natrum Muriaticum

Potencies

The strength or potency of a homeopathic remedy is designated by a number representing the number of times the tincture is diluted and succussed (shaken vigorously), followed by a Roman numeral that indicates the dilution ratio. For instance, a 30C potency is diluted 1:100 (C is for Centesimal) and succussed 30 times. Although any potency can be ordered, the homeopathic community typically uses readily available potencies such as 30C, 200C, 1M, 10M and 50M.

Remedies are dispensed in
small vials filled with tiny medicated pellets

The LM Potency

Towards the end of his life, Samuel Hahnemann, Homeopathy’s founder, searched for a way to administer remedies for sensitive patients. He developed a new scale of dilution and experimented with administering remedies of this potency in water, taken on a daily basis. Typically we prescribe an LM potency under these circumstances:

• Hypersensitivity
• Deep pathology
• Daily use of conventional drugs
• History of using suppressive drugs
• Experience significant stress which
  could interrupt the action of the remedy