Buying & Using Homeopathic Products? Here are some things you should know.

Most homeopathic remedies come from the same plants used in traditional herbal medicine. A few are derived from animal sources or from naturally occurring chemical compounds. Some of the substances used in homeopathic remedies, such as mercury and belladonna, would be poisonous if taken straight, especially in large doses. But when super diluted, as they are in homeopathy, they are very safe. In fact, homeopathic remedies rank among the safest treatments around.

In the United States, all homeopathic remedies are sold over the counter. Here's some basic information that should come in handy when buying and using homeopathic products.

Naming

Homeopathic remedies go by the Latin names or Latin abbreviations of their active ingredients. For example, the remedy Urtica Urens comes from the herb “stinging nettle,” and Chamomilla is derived from “chamomile”.

Diluting

Homeopaths use two abbreviations to describe a remedy's potency: the decimal system (X) and the centesimal system (C). The X system is more popular in the United States, while the C system is more common in Europe. In both systems, potency is expressed as a number followed by an X or a C-for example, 6X or 12C.

A potency of 1X indicates a 1:10 dilution of the original substance - that is, 1 part of the active ingredient mixed with 10 parts of distilled water. Put another way, the active ingredient is diluted to the point where it retains only 1/10 of its original strength. On the label of homeopathic medicine, the number preceding the X indicates the potency. The higher the number, the greater the level of dilution. A potency of 6x, for example, indicates a 1:1,000,000 dilution of the original substance. (Note that the number preceding the X matches the number of zeros in the dilution.) In the United States, most homeopathic remedies - whether that be a homeopathic remedy for nocturia, allergies or vertigo - that are sold for home use have potencies ranging from 3X to 30X.

The C system works in much the same way, except that the number preceding the C equals half the number of zeros in the dilution. So, a potency of 1 C indicates a 1: 100 dilution of the original substance, while a potency of 3C indicates a 1:1,000,000 dilution.

Shaking

Homeopathic medicines are not just diluted. They are also shaken vigorously, or "potentized." Homeopaths believe that shaking transfers the essence of a substance to the water in which it's diluted. Homeopathic medicines of 24X (or 12C) potency may not contain even a single molecule of the original substance.

Handling

After a homeopathic medicine is diluted and shaken, a standardized amount of the medicine is placed on a small sugar pellet. A practitioner of homeopathy in Deland will instruct you to take a certain number of pellets every so many hour - for example, three pellets every 2 hours.

To work properly, homeopathic remedies should be handled with care. Here are some tips:

• Keep bottles tightly capped. Store them at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
• Keep bottles away from perfumes, household cleaners, and other strong-smelling chemicals.
• Wash your hands before handling homeopathic medicines.
• Handle homeopathic medicines as little as possible. Instead of holding the pellets in your hand, shake the recommended number into the bottle cap, then pour them from the bottle cap into your mouth.
• Do not leave bottles open. Remove just the number of pellets that you need, then put the cap back on.

When in doubt about dosage, you can always consult a homeopathy practitioner near you.

Francine Kanter, CCH, RsHom(NA), is Board Certified by the Council for Homeopathic Certification of North America, and has over 15 years of experience. She is also a member of NASH, North American Society of Homeopaths.