The dosage in phytotherapy

Journal/Book: Natur- und Ganzheitsmedizin Wissenschaft und Praxis. 1990; 3/11: 341-350.

Abstract: Therapeutic experience shows that phytotherapeutic agents are effective with the most varied dosages. Numerous medicinal plants are employed with comparable success as infusions, extracts or tinctures, although the differences in active substance content are sometimes more than 100fold. Comparable degrees of effectiveness with such large differences in dosage can hardly be explained using classical pharmacological models. An explanation for this is provided by showing the features phytotherapy and homoeopathy have in common. In homoeopathy, a two-phase course of action by the medicinal agents is to be seen : A primary effect by the medicine is followed by a secondary effect of the organism taking an opposing course, whereby in homoeopathy the secondary effects are utilised therapeutically. However, this is also true in the case of the majority of phytotherapeutic agents as is shown an the basis of examples. As the secondary effect does not represent the medicine's direct effect, but a reaction by the organism, major secondary effects can also be achieved with very low doses, provided that the preparation is made up accordingly. Secondary effects are dependent an the dosage and preparation.

Keyword(s): Phytotherapie

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