There are many types of homeopathic products on the market, from single medication vials to combination remedies. Some products are made for anyone to take, infants or adults, and other remedies are created for a specific age group, like children or babies. Homeopathic products follow the adage “like cures like” and contain a minuscule diluted amount of an ingredient that, if taken in large doses, would cause the illness you’re trying to remedy.
For tinctures or remedies to be considered official homeopathic products, they must be made in accordance with the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS). The HPUS is a detailed, four volume book written by a group of homeopaths, pharmacists and physicians that sets the standards for manufacturers of homeopathic products. The HPUS outlines how products should be made and lists the only ingredients they’re allowed to contain. Homeopathic products, for instance, cannot contain any additives or synthetic fertilizers.
Homeopathic products are available in tinctures, pellets, pills, tablets or liquid dilutions. Single medication tinctures typically contain the homeopathic medication in a base, usually of lactose or alcohol, and are available in different potencies. Potencies are marked with a letter, usually X or C, and a number. The letter represents a potency scale and refers to the proportion of medication used in a dilution. X is considered a lower potency and stands for 1:10. C is medium, standing for 1:100. According to homeopathy, the more a solution is diluted, the stronger it will be. Examples of single medication products include Arnica 30X, belladonna 30C and nux vomica 200C. The higher the number, the stronger the medication.
To use a single medication remedy, you have to consider all the symptoms you’re experiencing and choose the remedy that best fits your situation. Homeopathic products work best when you take the right one. The differences between medications can be slight.
If you don’t want to learn the difference between each remedy or you want to take the guesswork out of combining different medications, you’ll find many multiple ingredient remedies to choose from. These products contain different homeopathic ingredients formulated to treat a specific condition. A flu remedy, like Hyland’s Homeopathic Flu Care, may contain Bryonic alba 3X to relieve headaches, Eupatorium perfoliatum 3X to relieve body aches, Euphrasia officinalis 3X to help with a runny nose, among other ingredients. Boiron Coldcalm Homeopathic Cold Remedy contains Allium cepa 3C for sneezing and runny nose, Apis mellifica 6C to relieve nasal congestion and other ingredients.