Homeopathy Mother Tincture: Uses And Side Effects

A mother tincture is a form of homeopathic drug preparation. It is an extract of raw and fresh drug substances, which are mostly herbs. Various mother tinctures are prepared according to the guidelines given in the homoeopathic pharmacopoeia. Mother tinctures have many uses and side effects which will be mentioned in this article.

How are mother tinctures prepared?

The mother tincture is a liquid extract, which is prepared by the process in which the soluble and active constituents of a drug are extracted with the help of an appropriate solvent (alcohol and distilled water). The percentage of alcohol that is to be used is mentioned in the pharmacopoeia. The mother tincture is mainly prepared from vegetable sources. Chemical and animal-based sources are also rarely used to prepare mother tinctures.

Initially, Dr Samuel Hahnemann, founder of homeopathy gave his views and instructions regarding how to prepare the homeopathic mother tincture. However, some of his views are discarded now. Now the homeopathic pharmacopoeia provides the guidelines for the preparation of mother tincture. These homeopathic pharmacopoeias determine the stability, solubility and extractability of the active ingredients of a drug.

The mother tincture is then either prescribed as medicine or used as a starting material for the preparation of homeopathic dilutions.

How is mother tincture different from potency?

The majority of the potencies or dilutions are prepared from the mother tincture. Thus the first potency is prepared by mixing 1 part of the mother tincture of a drug and 9 or 99 parts of distilled water and alcohol mixture.
Also, it is seen that mother tincture mainly acts at the physiological level. Hence it is capable to bring fast relief of the symptoms but may not completely cure the disease. Potentised medicine on the other hand acts at the dynamic level and can enduringly cure diseases.

What are the uses of mother tincture?

The mother tincture is prepared in a water and alcohol mixture and is a natural extract; therefore it is easily accepted by the gastrointestinal system. Also, it is known to act fast (within even 3-4 minutes) and continues to be effective for a long. The mother tinctures are particularly beneficial in treating various health problems such as:-

1. Excess Weight

Mother tincture prepared from Phytolacca Decandra is very effective in weight management. It is seen to accelerate the metabolic rate of the body. This helps in burning excess body fat.

2. Dandruff

Mother tincture prepared from Badiaga, Cochleria Armoracia help to relieve the dryness and soreness of the scalp. Hence they are found to be effective in the treatment of dandruff. Both these tinctures are used as external applicants for dandruff-prone scalps.

3. High Blood Pressure

The mother tincture prepared from Rauwolfia serpentina and Crataegus oxyacantha is effective in the management of blood pressure. They are found effective to maintain normal blood pressure levels when taken in a glassful of water twice daily after meals.

4. Acne

Mother tinctures prepared from Berberis aquifolium, Chrysarobinum and Echinacea angustifolia are effective in the treatment of acne. They are beneficial in soothing irritated skin. They are used as topical applicants for acne-prone skin.

5. Alopecia or Baldness

Mother tincture prepared from Jaborandi is found to be effective in reversing baldness. It is commonly mixed with hair oils and applied to the scalp.

6. Scalds and Burns

Mother tinctures prepared from Apis Mellifica, Cantharis and Momordica Balsamina are effective to treat scalds and burns. They help to provide relief to the stinging and burning sensation in the affected skin. These mother tinctures are used as external applications on scalded and burnt skin.

What are the side effects of mother tincture?

Most of the mother tinctures are found to have no side effects. Their prescribed doses are usually therapeutically optimum and safe. However, sometimes mother tincture may cause certain side effects when taken in unwarranted non-prescribed doses. These are:-

• The mother tinctures contain active constituents of the drug. Mother tinctures contain glycolides, alkaloids, plant enzymes and other such phytochemicals in the case of drugs made from plants. They contain complex organic substances in the case of animals and active chemicals in the case of drugs made from chemical sources. These active constituents may be toxic when given in macro doses. Therefore it is important to study the toxic aspects of the mother tinctures before using them as medicine.
• Mother tinctures are found to be effective for emergency use or to provide temporary relief. They don’t provide a long-term or enduring cure for any health concern.
• When given for long mother tinctures are found to produce pathological symptoms in the patients.
• At times the very selection of the mother tinctures can be erroneous.

Also Read What is Mother Tincture in Homeopathy?

What are the forms in which homoeopathic mother tinctures are used?

Mother tinctures are mainly used as liquids to be added to water for internal use. They are also used in creams or in liquid form for external applications.

CONCLUSION

A mother tincture is a form of administering homeopathic medicine. It is a crude extract of organic substances. It is mainly prepared from the vegetable kingdom followed by chemical and animal sources in the given order. The mother tincture can be used as medicine itself to treat several conditions. It also provides the starting material for the preparation of the more dynamic potencies of homeopathic medicines.

The mother tincture is of use especially in emergency cases as it is known to act fast. The mother tincture is used both for internal use and as topical applicants. Various mother tinctures are used to treat health conditions ranging from skin disorders like acne, dandruff, scalds and burn injuries to metabolic problems like obesity.

Mostly the mother tincture is found to be safe for use however at times it can cause potential side effects too if used in a large macro dose than the therapeutic and prescribed dose.

Mother tincture can act at a physiological level only and hence it may not make enduring cures. Also as mother tincture contains material doses and active constituents of the drug if used for long in macro doses it can cause toxic effects.

It can produce pathological symptoms in the patient. In order to avoid these side effects, it is advised to consult a trained homeopathic physician before taking these tinctures.