Sources of Homeopathic Medicines
Homeopathic medicines are prepared from the following sources :-
1. Mineral kingdom
2. Plant kingdom
3. Animal kingdom
4. Others
1. Mineral kingdom : About 20% or so, of the Homeopathic medicines are prepared from minerals, including metals, non-metals, and their compounds. The medicines are derived from Acids, Elements, Compounds, Minerals etc. Some of the medicines prepared using minerals are Aurum Metallicum (Gold), Kali Carbonicum (Potassium), Natrum Muriaticum (Common salt), and Silica (sand). Almost all known metals and many important compounds have been used in Homeopathy for their therapeutic properties.
2. Plant kingdom : About 60% or so, of the Homeopathic medicines are prepared from one or more parts of plants, such as leaves, roots, seeds, berries, herbs, flowers, fruits, barks, algae, fungi and whole plants. All types of plants, benign, poisonous and carnivorous are used, in full or in part, in the preparation of Homeopathic medicines. Some of the plant-based Homeopathic medicines are Aconite Napellus, Belladona, Lycopodium, Occimum Can , Pulsatilla Nigra, Allium Sativa, Bryonia Alba, Gelsemium, Coffea Cruda, Rhus Toxicodendron etc.
3. Animal kingdom : Certain animal products, which are obtained without killing animals, are also used to prepare Homeopathic medicines. The drugs are prepared from living and dried whole animals, different parts, secretions etc. and also from the venoms of poisonous animals as well as milk and milk products. These include snake poison, spider poison, etc., which are used in extremely minute doses to prepare Homeopathic medicines. Examples include : Tarantula Hispania, Lachesis, Ambra Gresia, Bufo Rana, and Naja Naja etc.
4. Others :
(a) Diseased tissues ( Nosodes ) : Some Homeopathic medicines are prepared using tissues or secretions containing bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Thus homeopathy used miniscule amounts of microorganisms long before the introduction of vaccines. Some commonly used Homeopathic medicines prepared in this manner include Tuberculinum, Syphillinum, and Variolinum.
(b) Hormones and healthy tissues ( Sarcodes ) : Certain Homeopathic medicines are derived from healthy human discharges as well as tissues. Examples of medicines prepared in this manner include Thyroidinum and Adreanline.
(c) Imponderables : It means "that which is not weighable" i.e. the substances which have no perceptible weights. They are immaterial power or energy. Such invisible substances and energy sources, i.e. magnetism, x-ray, radiation, etc. are used to prepare certain Homeopathic medicines by specific methods.
More About Homeopathic Medicines