# Homeopathic "medicines" now in drugstore **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860 "2013-10-21T20:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/41 "2013-10-22T14:58:59Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > The obvious criticism is the extreme dilution. But the undiluted form/mother tincture form is also commonly prescribed. Wouldn’t that just be be herbal medicine _prescribed by a homeopath_, and not homeopathic success _per se_? I mean, if a homeopath sets a bone in my leg correctly, my leg healing does not prove homeopathy works. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/42 "2013-10-22T15:03:53Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Herbals and homeopathics are often confused, but if you read the label, you can tell them apart. In Canada, they are issued different types of licence numbers - homeopathic medicines with a DIN-HPM, and other “natural health products” with a NPN. This provides one way to tell them apart. Herbals are obviously much more likely to have some sort of effect, for good or bad. It makes more sense to licence herbals for safety and effectiveness, than to licence homeopathic medicines, which generally do squat. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/43 "2013-10-22T15:05:41Z")
Twenty years ago, way back before I knew better, I would take [Oscillococcinum](http://www.walgreens.com/search/results.jsp?Ntt=oscillococcinum). I would wonder why sometimes it worked like a charm and other times it didn’t work at all. I personally wouldn’t mind to see a class action lawsuit against drug stores that don’t separate actual medicine from homeopathic bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/44 "2013-10-22T15:24:36Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Wouldn’t that just be be herbal medicine _prescribed by a homeopath_, and not homeopathic success _per se_? No, Mother tincture prescription is a part of homeopathy. Homeopaths have mother tincture form with them for most remedies. For ex, I know atleast ‘passiflora’ remedy was given in that form. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/45 "2013-10-22T15:29:21Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > No, Mother tincture prescription is a part of homeopathy. Homeopaths have mother tincture form with them for most remedies. For ex, I know atleast ‘passiflora’ remedy was given in that form. Again I ask: Are there _any_ homeopathetic practitioners/experts/proponents on this planet that can tell the difference between a homeopathetic dilution and an equal amount of purified water? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/46 "2013-10-22T15:32:51Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Do not simply discard homeopathy, it sometimes works (and its not just placebo effect). This is a lie, pure and simple. It is not true in any way. All the crap you’ve posted since then is obfuscation, irrelevant, and meaningless. This is 100% untrue. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/47 "2013-10-22T15:37:58Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > No, Mother tincture prescription is a part of homeopathy. Homeopaths have mother tincture form with them for most remedies. For ex, I know atleast ‘passiflora’ remedy was given in that form. Article from a well respected\* homeopath: [Using Mother Tinctures and Low Potencies(below 12c) Cannot be Considered As Genuine Homeopathic Practice](http://dialecticalhomeopathy.com/2011/09/25/using-mother-tincures-and-low-potenciesbelow-12c-cannot-be-considered-as-genuine-homeopathic-practice/) For those unable to read it: Use of Mother Tinctures as remedies is NOT supported by homeopathic theory. It’s allopathic medicine, and not considered safe or effective by homeopathic principles. It happens, but it is not classic homeopathy. \*In homeopathic medicine, that is. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/48 "2013-10-22T15:43:02Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > No, Mother tincture prescription is a part of homeopathy. Homeopaths have mother tincture form with them for most remedies. For ex, I know atleast ‘passiflora’ remedy was given in that form. and there’s also 1X, 3X potency - meaning 1:10, and 1:1000 dilution of the undiluted extract which may work too. though dilutions like 6C(1 : (100)^6 ?) or even further etc wouldn’t be more effective than placebo I think. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/49 "2013-10-22T15:52:49Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > This is a lie, pure and simple. It is not true in any way. > > All the crap you’ve posted since then is obfuscation, irrelevant, and meaningless. > > This is 100% untrue. You may say you believe it to be false, irrelevant and meaningless etc. I do not have issues with your opinion. But I have no reason to lie and obfuscate people. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/50 "2013-10-22T15:59:29Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > You may say you believe it to be false, irrelevant and meaningless etc. I do not have issues with your opinion. > > But I have no reason to lie and obfuscate people. You’d rather dodge inconvienient questions: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Again I ask: Are there _any_ homeopathetic practitioners/experts/proponents on this planet that can tell the difference between a homeopathetic dilution and an equal amount of purified water? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/51 "2013-10-22T16:04:07Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > There are 100s of homeo remedies. I know a couple that were used by someone I know - Hypericum(St Johns Wart - it has SSRI anti-depressants) and Passiflora(for insomnia - pls read [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passiflora#Medical_and_entheogenic_uses)) . \*Definite \*improvements were felt using these two in the patient. There’s a big difference between herbal and homeopathic. Homeopathic is some sort of woo characterized by the notion that increasingly diluting something makes it more powerful; stuff like Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic cold remedy commonly sold at drugstores in a box intended to look like a legitimate pharmaceutical, is purportedly made from duck liver, but in accordance with the homeopathic woo, is diluted in such a way that mathematically, there _may_ be one molecule from the duck liver active ingredient in your pills if you’re really, really lucky. That sort of thing is sheer bullshit. Herbal medicines are something else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/52 "2013-10-22T16:05:11Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You’d rather dodge inconvienient questions: read reply in post#48. Mother tinctures, dilutions like 1x(1:10), 1c(1:100), 3x(1:1000) have a chance. Dilutions like 6c(1:100^6) or further work as less as placebo i think. Mother tinctures, 1x, 1c, 3x etc are a part of homeo. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/53 "2013-10-22T16:06:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > There’s a big difference between herbal and homeopathic. > > Homeopathic is some sort of woo characterized by the notion that increasingly diluting something makes it more powerful; stuff like Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic cold remedy commonly sold at drugstores in a box intended to look like a legitimate pharmaceutical, is purportedly made from duck liver, but in accordance with the homeopathic woo, is diluted in such a way that mathematically, there _may_ be one molecule from the duck liver active ingredient in your pills if you’re really, really lucky. > > That sort of thing is sheer bullshit. Herbal medicines are something else entirely. Like i said, mother tincture, 1x, 3x are quite common in homeopathy. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/54 "2013-10-22T16:13:18Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > You may say you believe it to be false, irrelevant and meaningless etc. I do not have issues with your opinion. > > But I have no reason to lie and obfuscate people. Nobody thinks you’re lying, we just know you’re wrong. All you’ve offered to support your assertions is an anecdote or two where the person may have been taking an active herbal remedy instead of an _inactive_ “homeopathic” remedy. And regardless of what they were actually taking, or whether or not it’s properly called “homeopathy”, a few uncontrolled anecdotes are worthless, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/55 "2013-10-22T16:14:38Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > Like i said, mother tincture, 1x, 3x are quite common in homeopathy. But not nearly so common as “medicines” like _Oscillococcinum_. From Wiki: > [@](#): > > A popular homeopathic treatment for the flu is a 200C dilution of duck liver, marketed under the name oscillococcinum. As there are only about 1080 atoms in the entire observable universe, a dilution of one molecule in the observable universe would be about 40C. Oscillococcinum would thus require 10320 more universes to simply have one molecule in the final substance. The high dilutions characteristically used are often considered to be the most controversial and implausible aspect of homeopathy. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/56 "2013-10-22T16:22:12Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > All you’ve offered to support your assertions is an anecdote or two where the person may have been taking an active herbal remedy instead of an _inactive_ “homeopathic” remedy. I am saying all that is part of homeopathy as a package -extreme dilution as well as non- extreme ones. the number of remedies too probably exceed 1000, I have seen constituents of only 2 both of which happen to contain the chemicals which are scientifically known to act in the particular disorder. There would be many which do not contain any useful chems. Many would also be yet to be tested for effective chems. All this is part of homeopathy is all I am saying ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/57 "2013-10-22T16:28:31Z")
[Good explanation of homeopathetic dilutions,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions) and [a list of the most common homeopathetic “medicines”.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_homeopathic_preparations) Edited to add: I think y’all can do the math. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/58 "2013-10-22T16:36:01Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > read reply in post#48. That’d be a “no”, then? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/59 "2013-10-23T03:06:31Z")
> [@truthSeeker2](#): > > You may say you believe it to be false, irrelevant and meaningless etc. I do not have issues with your opinion. It is not my belief. It is not my opinion. It is solid, proven, incontrovertible FACT. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860/60 "2013-10-23T12:07:28Z")
There’s an [egregiously bad article](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10383724/I-feel-empowered-in-control-of-my-body-four-women-on-fighting-cancer-with-alternative-therapies.html) about four women supposedly “beating” cancer with alternative remedies, including homeopathy. One of the commenters, responding to a pro-homeopathy viewpoint, suggested the person try “Excrementum caninum.” “On the principle that like treats like, I presume it treats shit-for-brains syndrome.” Ouch. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeopathic-medicines-now-in-drugstore/671860.md?page=4)