A large manufacturer of Homeopathic remedies has recently recalled three specific products from markets nationwide: Kids teething tablets, Kids Ear Relief Liquid, and Kids Ear Relief Oral Liquid. The reason for the recall is one ingredient in these homeopathic preparations: Belladonna. Atropa Belladonna, also called Deadly Nightshade, is an extremely toxic plant – in material doses. The recall was due to pressure from the FDA to prove exactly how much of the substance was in these products, and from public misconceptions regarding the nature of homeopathics.

image from:

http://www.hylands.com/products/hylands-baby-teething-tablets

 “The homeopathic products have a very small amount of belladonna, a substance that can cause harm at larger doses. The company is voluntarily recalling the product out of an abundance of caution.” – Recall statement by Raritan Phamaceuticals, November 24, 2016

Herbal medicine as well as orthodox medicine routinely use material doses of extremely toxic substances – consider the radioactive isotopes injected intravenously in “chemo-therapy”. Arnica, ipecac, and snake venoms all fall under this category.

Homeopathy, on the other hand, works from completely different principles. In order to understand why this recall is superfluous, and likely political, we must consider how homeopathic remedies are made:

HOMEOPATHY 101: HOW TO MAKE A HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY

Collect source material, for simplicity we’ll say we’re working with a plant. Make a “Mother Tincture” by covering source material with alcohol and allowing the menstruum to steep for 4 to 6 weeks. Strain out plant material, reserving the liquid extract.

Now, take ONE drop of the Mother Tincture, and add that to 99 drops of pure water. Pound the mixture many times (the founder of Homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann did this on his family Bible). You now have what is called a 1c potency of a homeopathic preparation.

Again, take ONE drop from your 1c preparation and add that to 99 drops of pure water. Pound several times (what you are actually doing is imprinting the energetic signature of the original substance onto the other water molecules, remember Masaru Emoto’s water experiments? We are actually changing the molecular structure of the water molecules at the sub-atomic level – amazing that homeopathy was invented long before we understood electrodynamics or general relativity!)

from:

http://essential-oils.feelingtoinfinity.com/weblog/archives/000053.html

…you now have a 2c potency. Repeating this process twelve times (a 12c potency) takes our original substance beyond Avogadro’s Number, which is the smallest possible dilution at which even one detectable molecule of the original substance remains. How these remedies effect therapeutic action beyond Avogadro’s number is withing the realm of quantum physics – but I have used these potencies and higher for children and animals with wonderful healing effects (which also debunks the “placebo” theory for homeopathics).

It is also worth noting the original impetus for diluting potentially toxic, and yet potentially therapeutic substances, was to avoid causing side effects. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of Homeopathy, discovered the principles of Homeopathy when translating a medical text dealing with the use of Cinchona (from which quinine is derived) in the treatment of malaria. He experimented on himself taking large, material doses of Cinchona for two solid weeks, after which he developed fever and chills – hallmark symptoms of malaria. In other words, he discovered that many substances which have the power to cause certain symptoms also have the power to cure those same symptoms, when administered in properly diluted potencies.

Hahnemann postulated that the truly healing action of any given substance was locked deep within the spirit (or the quantum energy) of the substance itself, and it only needed to be unlocked through serial dilution and succussion (the act of “pounding” after each dilution). (Read more about the Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy)

THE ISSUE AT HAND: BELLADONNA

Belladonna has been used for centuries as a medicine to treat Parkinson’s-like symptoms (muscle rigidity, tremors, night sweats) and as a “cosmetic” eye drop to dilate the pupils (hence the name, “beautiful lady”). However, in material doses the alkaloids in Belladonna are absolutely toxic and may cause death. It is still used by Orthodox Medicine for AMA approved treatments, and in this context does not face such public scrutiny.

The homeopathic dilution of Belladonna in the Teething Tablets manufactured by Raritan Pharmaceuticals and distributed by Hyland’s Homeopathics is 12x. The “x” denotes a dilution factor of ten (whereas “c” denotes a factor of 100). While the 12x dilution does not surpass Avogadro’s number (meaning there still remain measurable molecules of the original substance in the diluted product) – the molecular prevalence of Belladonna is astoundingly miniscule:

“Belladonna is included in the Tablets to ease the redness, inflammation and discomfort of the child’s gum that often occurs during the teething process. Belladonna 12X HPUS is manufactured from the whole plant, of which a small portion is Belladonna alkaloids (the component sometimes associated with side effects). Each Teething Tablet (which weighs about 65 mg) is composed of 0.0000000000003% Belladonna alkaloids as stated on the label. As calculated, this means that each complete teething tablet contains only approximately 0.0000000000002 mg of Belladonna alkaloids.

The amount of Belladonna alkaloids in teething tablets is minuscule, especially when compared to conventional medicines that contain Belladonna alkaloids. To put the calculated amount of Belladonna in a Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablet into perspective, the 0.0000000000002 mg of Belladonna alkaloids is THOUSANDS OF TIMES below even the therapeutic amounts of Belladonna used in conventional anti-spasmodic medicines that doctors sometimes prescribe (0.2 to 5 milligrams of Belladonna alkaloids). The side effects (called anticholinergic side effects) sometimes caused by conventional medicines delivering more than 0.2 mg of Belladonna alkaloids – such as dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary retention – are not associated with homeopathic medicines because of their minute dosage.” – Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets Safety Information in response to their voluntary recall of children’s products containing Homeopoathic preparations of Belladonna

Finally, it is worth mentioning the voluntary recall was due entirely to pressure from the FDA, and there have been no reported cases of death or injury from use of Homeopathic products.

What is your experience? What research have you discovered about homeopathic remedies? What information should we consider on this topic? Your feedback is most welcome!