Can nuxvomica be used as an antidote?

Posted by: srikanth

Dear Doctor,

I have read in some books that Nux vomica can be used as an antidote in case of failure of any other homeopathic medicines. Is that true?

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Dear Srikanth,

NO, this is not true. Nux vomica is not a universal antidote in homeopathy. Neither is Camphora as many people would like to believe. Clinically, most homeopaths use Camphora as antidote for plant remedies and Nux is usually used to antidote the effects of allopathic/conventional medicines. But the people who use them do not actually understand the concept of antidote in homeopathy.

The first question that comes up is – What is is that you need to antidote?

The answer to this would be – The effect of a homeopathic medicine which has been wrongly prescribed – is not the true similimum or the potency is wrong or the repetition was faulty.

The next question would be – What is the effect of that medicine?

The effect of homeopathic medicines is dynamic. What you try to antidote is either an excessive homeopathic aggravation (the existing disease flares up) or medicinal aggravation (new medicinal symptoms appear/proving). That means ultimately you are dealing with an aggravated state of existing symptoms or a new mixed state.

So how to antidote such state?

Unless and until the aggravation is severe or long lasting, I personally do not recommend another medicine to be given as an antidote. The effect of the wrong medicine should be allowed to subside on its own (it will usually come down on its own in a few weeks or so). But if the aggravation is severe or long lasting, one should retake the case and prescribe according to the existing state. This is the reason that you will often find that the medicines which are complimentary or very similar to each other are often indicated as antidotes to each other too.