Numbers after the Remedy

Numbers after the Remedy — What do they mean?

Q: I am familiar with microgram (mcg) and milligram (mg) doses, but what do the numbers and letters (like Cs and Xs) after the names of homeopathic remedies mean?

A: Micrograms (mcg) and milligrams (mg) refer to the weight of active or inactive ingredients of in conventional medicines, supplements and herbs.

Homeopathy, however, works on an energetic level — so instead of measuring ingredients by weight, it uses a potency-based nomenclature, indicated by the numbers and letters that follow a remedy’s name.

These letters and numbers reflect how many times the original substance has been diluted and the scale used for dilution:

• X (from the Roman numeral for 10) means the remedy has been diluted in a ratio of 1 part in 10 (1:10).

• C (from the Roman numeral for 100) means the dilution ratio is 1 part in 100 (1:100).

The number in front of the letter shows how many times that dilution process has been repeated. For example:

• 12X means the substance has gone through a 1:10 dilution twelve times.

• 30C means it has been diluted at a 1:100 ratio thirty times.

By the time a remedy reaches 12C or higher, it is extremely unlikely that any molecules of the original substance remain.

But the process is not just about dilution — it also involves an essential step called succussion — the vigorous agitation given to the liquid between each stage of dilution.

Without succussion, the result would be just an inert bottle of water.

With succussion, the remedy is “potentized,” allowing it to carry the energetic imprint of the original substance — and it is this imprint that is believed to stimulate the body’s natural healing response.

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Click here to learn more about “potentization”.