Homoeopathy is the branch of medical science that works on the [principle of “Similia Similibus Curentur” , which means, ‘ Let Like be Cured by like. This Therapeutic Law of Cure is quite similar to Nature’s Law of Cure , which states, ‘ Like cures Like’.

In § 26, Dr. Hahnemann describes Therapeutic Law of Nature as 

“A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished in the living organism by a stronger one, if the latter (whilst differing in kind) is very similar to the former in its manifestations.”

This article is concerned with briefing the source of these potential drug substances for imparting STRONGER dynamic influence.

Homoeopathic medicines are procured from majorly 6 sources-

1. Vegetable

2. Animal

3. Minerals

4. Nosodes

5. Sarcodes

6. imponderabilia

Vegetable Kingdom

These include trees, plants, stems, roots, flowers, shrubs, herbs,. Around more than 75% of homoeopathic medicines are prepared from the Vegetable kingdom. This kingdom is further divide on the basis of the part and/or type of plant used, as-

• Whole plant (including root)  - eg aconite

• Whole plant (excluding roots) - eg ocimum sanctum

• Roots only - eg bryonia

• Stem only - eg sabina

• Modified stem (rhizomes - eg zingiber, bulb - eg allium cepa, tubers - eg solanum tuberosum)

• Leaves - eg thuja

• Bark - eg cinchona

• Flower - eg  calendula

• Fruits - eg capsicum

• Seed - eg coffea

• Juice - eg aloe socotrina

• Gum resin - eg asafoetida

• Lichens - eg usnea barbata

• Fungi - eg agaricus

• Algae - eg helminthochortos officinarum 

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Animal Kingdom

These animals from different species are used either as whole or their part or extracts. This kingdom is further divide on the basis of the part and/or class of animal used, as-

• Whole living animal  - eg blatta orientalis

• Whole dried animal  - eg coccus cacti

• Parts of animals, like shell - eg calcarea, juice - eg sepia, skeleton - eg spongia, blood - eg limulus, etc

• Inscet group - eg apis mellifica, cantharis

• Spider group - eg tarentula

• Ophidia group  - eg lachesis

• Venoms  - eg bufo rana

Mineral Kingdom

The large number of chemicals, whether elements or compounds, also have major contributions in expanding Materia Medica with dynamic sources. Medicine prepared from mineral kingdom are classified as-

• Metals - eg iodum, sulphur

• Non metals - eg aurum met, ferrum met

• Organic compounds - eg petroleum

• Inorganic compounds - eg nat mur, calc phos

• Organic acids - eg acetic acidum, benezoic acidum

• Inorganic acids - eg muratic acidum, phosphoric acidum

Nosodes 

Diseased products are also converted to dynamic homoeopathic weapons against diseases. The preparation is done through pathological microbial culture obtained from diseased tissue and/or materials.according to nature of material used, nosodes are classified as-

N I- from lysates microbial organism capable of producing bacterial endotoxin, eg- typhoidinum

NII- from micro organism producing endotoxin, eg- diphtheria

NIII- from purified toxin, eg- tuberculinum

NIV- from microorganism, virus, bacteria from convalescent diseased person, eg- psorinum, variolinum 

{ Suggested Book for further read on NOSODES -  A Repertory Of Homoeopathic Nosodes & Sarcodes by Berkley Squire , Find this book here- https://www.bjainbooks.com/product-detail/a-repertory-of-homoeopathic-nosodes-sarcode }

Sarcode 

Medicine prepared from physiological healthy tissue secretions, eg- endocrine glands of living human beings or other lower animals. Sarcodes are classified as-

• Healthy tissue or gland - eg thyroidinum

• Healthy secretions - eg insulinum, lac derivations

• From extracts - eg orchitinum oophorinum

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Imponderabilia 

This source is purely dynamic and immaterial. Medicines are prepared from energy either natural or artificial. Dr. Hahnemann stated in § 280 that “Every imponderable agencies can produce most violent medicinal effect upon man.” 

Imponderabilia are classified as-

• Natural - eg Sol, Luna, natural magnets

• Artificial - eg electricity, X-rays, galvanism

Apart from these, latest advancements in technology and reseaches introduces some new sources of Homoeopathic Medicine procurement-

1. Synthetic sources - eg aspirin, penicillin

2. Allersodes

3. Isodes

{Reference - Principles & Practice Of Homeopathy Pharmacy by Dr M.K. Sahani , find this book here https://www.bjainbooks.com/inr/product-detail/principles-practice-of-homeopathy-pharmacy }