Homeopathy Preparation

Homeopathy uses animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic substances in its preparations, generally referring to them using Latin names. Examples include arsenicum album (arsenic oxide), natrum muriaticum (sodium chloride or table salt), Lachesis muta (the venom of the bushmaster snake), opium, and thyroidinum (thyroid hormone). Homeopaths say this is to ensure accuracy.

Homeopathic medicines or their stocks/mother tinctures are prepared from natural or synthetic sources that are referenced in pharmacopoeial monographs or other recognized documents. Not considering imponderabilia, the source materials for homeopathic medicines may consist of the following:

Plant material: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, bark, pollen, lichen, moss, ferns and algae;

Microorganisms: fungi, bacteria, viruses and plant parasites;

Animal materials: whole animals, animal organs, tissues, secretions, cell lines, toxins, nodoses, blood products;

Human materials: tissues, secretions, cell lines and endogenous molecules such as hormones;

Minerals and chemicals: Homeopathic pills are made from an inert substance (often sugars, typically lactose), upon which a drop of liquid homeopathic preparation is placed and allowed to evaporate