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Remedies
Potencies Used in Homeopathy
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Potency Types:
The various different potency systems
- X, C, LM. In Europe they use a "D" for what we use as
an "X" in the USA) are all about how the dilution
process was conducted.
X potencies are made through repeated dilutions of
1:10
C potencies are made through repeated dilutions of 1:100
LM potencies are made through repeated dilutions of 1:50,000
Homeopathic Pharmacy
Terminology
|
Mother
tincture |
Alcohol
extract of a soluble substance not potentized. Usually stored in 87% to
100% alcohol |
|
Liquid
stock bottle |
Potentized
remedy in solution (i.e. Sulphur 12c) preserved with 87% - 100% alcohol |
|
Remedy
solution bottle |
1 pellet
(#10) poppy seed size, of a lm potency or c potency is put in 4oz. of
water + 2 to 3 teaspoons of 90-95% ethyl alcohol (Everclear). Succuss
this bottle 8-10 times before taking out each dose (1-3 teaspoons) to
put in the dosage cup |
|
Dosage
cup |
A 4oz. cup
of distilled water with 1-3 teaspoons from the remedy solution bottle.
Stir vigorously, take 1 teaspoon as 1 dose |
|
Succussion |
To hit
against a resilient object such as a leather bound book or the palm of
your hand |
|
Triturate |
To grind in a
mortar and pestle |
Potency
Symbols
LM
|
1:50,000 (50
millesimal scale)
Also written as LM/1, LM/2, 0/1, 0/2, or
Q1, Q2,
etc.
|
X (D)
|
1:10 (decimal
scale); also written as
D
in Europe
|
C
|
1:100 (centesimal
scale); also written as
CH
in Europe and CK
for Korsakovian Method.
|
1M
|
1,000 C
(centesimal scale)
|
10M
|
10,000 C
(centesimal scale)
|
50M
|
50,000 C
(centesimal scale)
|
CM
|
100,000 C
(centesimal scale)
|
Potency
Number
The potency number
indicates how many times the dilution step was done. For example, to make a 3C
remedy, first a unit of substance is diluted in a mixture of alcohol and water
(or is ground into milk-sugar) in a ratio of 1:100, then a unit of THAT is
diluted in a ratio of 1:100, and then a unit of THAT is diluted in a ratio of
1:100. In other words, the dilution is done 3 times. After each dilution step, a
process of vigorous shaking or grinding occurs call POTENTIATING. This is
the most critical thing (which even modern scientists have discovered) that
imparts the quality
of the substance into the dilution.
Differences in
Potencies:
Because of the different ratios of dilution that can be used, each of the
potency systems creates remedies that have a different quality to them.
We could think of X potencies as the "edgiest" because they still have a
material dose of the substance in them. Above the 23rd dilution,
there is no material substance that can be found scientifically in any remedy.
European Potencies
In Europe and some other parts of the world you will
see the letter D or DH. This refers to decimal or 1/10 which is
the same as X, here in the U.S. Also in Europe the position of the
number and letter designation are reversed. So you will see such designations
as D5 or D10 which are equivalent to 5X and 10X.
C, CH vs. CK Potencies
The CH and CK, these are equivalent to
C, referring to the Centesimal or 1/100 dilution rate. The H and
K indicate the type of dilution method used. H indicates
that the medicine was prepared according to the Hahnemann method and K
the Korsakovian Method.
LM Potencies
We can think of the LM potencies as the most "smooth". You might think of X
potencies as being like more boxy waves, and LM potencies as being very smooth
undulating waves. LM’s have a deep but gentle penetrating action that allows
them to be dosed daily, when needed. Within each of these potency systems,
though, the higher the
potency number (the more it has been repeatedly diluted), the more specific and
narrow and deep the effect. We can visualize it this way:
a low potency is like a gentle wide wave. A high potency is like a wave with
narrow spikes. That's why low potencies tend to have broader gentler effects,
and higher potencies have deeper, more specific, and usually more long-lasting
effects.
What is the “M” potency?
A 1M, 10M, 50M are marked with the Roman numeral “M,” which stands for
1,000. This “M” is being used as a shorthand for 1000C, not for a
dilution ratio of 1:1,000. Therefore, 1M is a 1,000C and means a
substance, diluted at the ratio of 1:100, has been taken through the
dilution and succussion process 1000 times. 10M is a 10,000C, and a
50M is a 50,000C.
A potency of CM means 100,000C, a DM means 500,000C, and an MM means
1,000,000C. To put this into some perspective, the 1C has one 100th of a
part of medicinal substance in it. A 2C has one 10,000th of a part of
medicinal substance in it. A 3C has one 1,000,000th. The number
indicating the amount of medicinal substance in a 30C is a 1 followed by 60
zeros. Imagine how many zeros are in the numbers representing the amount
of medicinal substance in a 200C, a 10M, or a CM!
Because the process of dilution and succussion brings out the medicinal
quality of a substance, the more a substance has been diluted and succussed,
the more its medicinal quality has been developed. This means, the further
along the scale we go, the more powerful the remedy is. A CM is vastly
more powerful than a 6C, even though the CM has been diluted 100,000 times.
The development of medicinal power lies not simply in the dilution, but also
in the succussion. Each step invigorates the substance’s inherent medicinal
power, developing it further as we climb the potency scale. While the CM has
been diluted 100,000 times, it has also been succussed at each of the way,
and therefore has gone through 100,000 steps of invigoration as well.
Remedy Action
Each remedy source
imparts its own wave pattern or signature.
If a remedy source pattern matches a patient's energy pattern, meaning it is
homeopathic to their state and symptoms. We call this the
simillimum.
The simillimum should also match the person’s active miasm/energy pattern and if so, then it will have a curative effect on them.
Remedy
Reaction With Aggravation
If a remedy totally does NOT match, it won't mesh at all with a
person’s state of being and they will feel no effect. If it's close remedy, but
not the simillimum, we call this a simile. A simile remedy might mesh a
bit and have some desired effect. However, sometimes a simile can even cause
aggravations because it's not quite right. Similarly, if the simillimum
matches but it's too high a potency for a person’s state, it might amplify
that state too much and aggravate them. If it's too low, it might not have so
much of an effect.
Simillimum
Remedy
The simillimum remedy is unique for each person is the right remedy, the right
potency and the right dosage amount
– given at the right interval. We can see why homeopathic medicine is
therefore so complicated - and takes patience to unfold - because of these many
variables. The simillimum will always bring curative results in both acute and
chronic care cases!
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