More Information About Homeopathic Medications

Preparation Of Homeopathic Medications

Galenic Forms

I. PREPARATION OF HOMEOPATHIC MEDICATIONS

A. DEFINITION

The preparation of homeopathic remedies is outlined in the monographs of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia: "Homeopathic preparations are medications obtained by the dynamization/potentization methods as defined in the pharmacopoeia. The preparations are labeled by the Latin name of the drug, substance or compound used, followed by and indication of the dilution or potency."

For example: Nux Vomica 12X

B. NATURE OF HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

The raw materials are classified as generally belonging to either the animal, vegetable or mineral kingdoms.

Plants are most often gathered in their natural habitat and generally used fresh in the preparation of the mother tinctures.
The mineral kingdom furnishes simple and complex substances, most often natural. These are the metals like "Cuprum", salts like "Calcarea Phosphorica", acids like "Acidum Phosphoricum" and metalloids like "Sulphur".
Less numerous but equally important are the remedies of the animal kingdom: insects like "Apis", the bee; venoms like "Lachesis", secretions or excretions like "Sepia" or cuttlefish ink.

This great variety in origin of raw materials is a result of the basic homeopathic principle, according to which any substance having a proven pharmacological affect upon a healthy individual may become a medication.

Plants and animal substances are used in the preparation of mother tinctures.
Mineral substances are used in the preparation of mother tinctures.
Mother tinctures are prepared according to the indications of the Pharmacopoeia. Generally this takes three weeks of hydro-alcoholic maceration after determining the moisture content. With few exceptions, tinctures correspond to one-tenth their weight in dehydrated drug. Tincture presses are used to obtain a maximum extraction yield of the components of the plant after maceration. The macerated plants are then expressed by means of high power hydraulic presses.
Triturations are attenuations in lactose; after three successive one hundred fold dilutions, a 3 CH (1 part per million) is obtained. From this concentration onwards, any substance is considered soluble. Thus one may prepare a dilution of 4 CH, after another hundred fold dilution of a 3 CH potency.

C. DILUTIONS - DYNAMIZATION

Homeopathic dilutions are prepared according to the Hahnemannian method. If the successive dilutions are by tenths (one part of substance to nine parts alcohol), they are called decimal solutions. They are labeled by the letter X or D, sometimes followed by H (Hahnemann). Thus, a third decimal solution would be specified as 3X or 3D. If the successive dilutions are made to one-hundredth they are called centesimals. They are denoted by the letters C or CH or they carry no notation. The dilution (potency) being given and the specificity of action discovered, the potentized substance should be as pure as possible. No one should "contaminate" the solutions made. Each dilution is energetically agitated: this is the "Dynamization process". These dynamized solutions to one-tenth or one-hundredth, serve as the base for preparing homeopathic medications.

II. GALENIC FORMS

All of the galenic forms (capsules,tablets,etc..) may be used in homeopathy. Based upon the fact that the sublingual route is the most common, there are dosage forms which are distinctive to homeopathy; Sublingual Drops, Granules and Globules.

- Drops: Generally presented in amber glass bottles of 30ml (1 fl. oz.) or 60ml (2 fl. oz.). Most often the dosage is ten to twenty drops, directly under the tongue or in a little water, very pure, to be kept in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.

- Titurations: These are tablets or medicated powders whose excipient is lactose. Titurations are generally reserved for insoluble substances. The bottles come in different sizes, e.g.: 1oz, 2oz, and 4oz. The tablets or powders are placed under the tongue, and allowed to melt slowly before swallowing.

- Granules are small spheres made from a mixture of saccharose and lactose.

- Globules are also small spheres of the same mixture, saccharose-lactose, but much smaller, around two hundred per gram. They are usually reserved for high dilutions (30X and higher).

Basically, granules and globules are neutral. They are rendered medically efficacious only upon impregnation with potentized dilution.

- Impregnation: This operation makes it possible to transform the neutral globules and granules into "medications". A quality impregnation is achieved by a stable and homogeneous distribution of the homeopathic dilution into the porous surface of its vehicle, the granule or the globule dose.

The dosage rules correspond to the Law of Similars. The more the similarity between the patient's symptoms and the experimental clinical pattern of the medication, the stronger the prescribed dilutions. Thus:

- In cases where local signs dominate, low and medium strength dilutions are prescribed because the similarity is limited (6X or 12X).

- In subacute conditions accompanied by general signs with aggravation or improvement modalities, the similarity is greater; medium strength dilutions are prescribed (15X to 30X)

- In chronic conditions (the individual reacts with his total psychic and physical constitution) the similarity is complete; high strength dilutions are prescribed (30C and higher).

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