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Gemmotherapy
Drainage therapy using the buds and other very young parts of plants
to stimulate elimination of toxic c ompounds from the body.
Preparations do not nec essarily have to be homeopathic ally prepared
using succ ussion.

Unedited text from another site follows:

A normal exc retory system, such as the kidneys, liver etc ., is

insufficient or blocked when a glandular or tissue system is defic ient,
or when treatment well individualized ac c ording to the Simillimum of
the patient fails to give the desired results. On the c ontrary,
worsening and the development of new problems, it is necessary to
stimulate these organs of exc retion systems using medic ation with no
organic tropism or physiologic al affinities.

This tec hnique has been given the name "Drainage". This term reflec ts
the dynamic s of this therapeutic method, whic h c onsists of the
stimulation of one or several organs with an exc retory function. This
leads, in a sense, to the opening up of channels whic h enable the
toxins liberated by the homeopathic medic ation to reac h the exterior
and thus to be exc reted from the body. This then involves application
of the fundamental princ iple of cure by treatment from deep within
and towards the surface.

Certain sc hools of homeopathy are very faithful to this drainage

theory, which has been partic ularly c learly c onfirmed by the studies of Doctors Nebel, Leon Vannier
and Rouy. By c ontrast, c ertain others contend that, when the homeopathic remedy is perfectly
ac c urately selec ted acc ording to the principle of similitude, it ac ts at one and the same time as a
curative and drainage agent. Drainage is of particular value in every day prac tice. Whilst it does not
give the spec tac ular results associated with very ac curately individualised homeopathic Simillimum,
the drainage c omplex often improves the patient considerably.

There are several c lassifications of drainage remedies. The most simple and the most frequently used
is based quite simply on the affinities of c ertain medic ations for one or another organ. Therefore, the
kidneys are stimulated by Berberis and Solidago, the liver by Chelidonium, Taraxac um, Carduus
Marianus and the skin by Fumaria, Saponaria or Viola Tric olor. Other medic ations are aimed at
inc reasing veinous tone suc h as Aesculus, Hamamelis, Hydrastis and Viburnum. The rhinopharyngial
mucosae are stimulated by Allium Cepa, Euphrasia, Sabadilla and Kalium iodatum. Many further
examples c ould be sited and in the treatment schedules presented in this present work a number of
formulae may be found which might be useful to the general prac titioner.

It should also be noted that a number of these drainage medic ations are plant produc ts presc ribed in
very low dilutions, from the mother dye to 3D, in the form of drops, in the dose of 10 drops onc e or
twic e per day.

We would nevertheless like to draw the attention of the general practitioner to a modern form of
homeopathic drainage using the first dec imal of glyc erine plant macerates prepared either from
certain buds or from plant tissues in the process of growth and division. This application of
homeopathic drainage is often called gemmotherapy and is extremely valuable in as muc h as it opens
up the possibility of true tissue potentialisation therapy, thereby inc reasing the drainage possibilities
of the homeopathic medic ation.
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The therapeutic applications of the principal drainage agents used in this method are as follows:

From a general stand point:

Betula Pubences Buds (Birch): This general tonic inc reases the bodily defense mec hanisms,
overc oming physical and phyc hologic al asthenia.

Quercus Pedunculata Buds or Rootlets of Arcons (Oak): Has a similar and complementary ac tion
to that of Betula Pubences.

On the pulmonary system:

Carpinus Betulus Buds (Hornbeam): Ac tive in the rhinopharynx and trac hea, ensuring healing of
damage mucosal surfac es and relieving spasm. Indicated for spasmodic and chronic rhinopharyngitis,
trac heitis and trac heo-bronc hitis. Is antitussive.

Corylous Avellans Buds (Hazel): First and foremost an anti-fibrotic whic h restores the elasticity of
lung tissue. Indic ated in emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis, but also in c ertain c ases of hepatic cell
deficiency.

Viburnum Lantana Buds (Viburnum): Has a sedative effec t on the pulmonary neurovegetative
system and inhibits bronc hiola spasm. Restores respiratory function. Indicated in asthma of various
etiologies and in asthmatiform dispnoea.

On the cardiovascular and haematological systems:

A - Disturbances of arterial circulation
Olea Europea Buds (Olive): Hypotensive and arterial antisc lerotic ac tion. Normalises blood
cholesterol levels. Indic ated in arteriosc lerosis and in hypotension.

Prunus Amygdalus Buds (Almond): Complements Olea, ac centuating its hypotensive and
antisc lerotic ac tions. The indications are the same.

Populus Nigrum Buds (Poplar): Ac ts upon the arterial system of the legs, relieving spasm.
Favourises the establishment of a collateral circ ulation and aids in the treatment of associated
trophic disturbances.

B - Disturbances in veinous circulation:

Sorbus Domestica Buds (Sorb): Major regulator of the c irculation in the veinous system,
overc oming c ongestive phenomena. Increases tone of the veinous wall. More partic ularly indicated in
the female patient, in association with c irculatory disturbances of the menopause, veinous
hypertension, the sequelly of phlebitis, varicose veins or heavy legs syndrome.

Aesculus Hippocastanum Buds (Horse Chestnut): Indicated in haemorrhoids.

C - Disturbances of blood coagulation:

Two buds are ac tive in decreasing blood c oagulation. It is most valuable to presc ribe them in relation
to c ertain laboratory data.

Prunus Amygdalus Inner Root Bark (Almond): Indicated in the presence of an inc rease in
prothrombine levels.

Citrus Limonum Inner Stem Bark (Lemon): In the presence of an increase in blood fibrinogen
levels.

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D - Cardiac problems:
Crataegus Oxyacantha Buds (Hawthorne): Exc ellent regulator of c ardiac movement which is slow.
Increases myocardial tone, in particular in the left side of the heart. Has a sedative effect on all
precordial pain. Indic ated in c ardiac insuffic iency and associated symptoms, cardiac spasms,
tac hyc ardias and arythmias as well as in precordial pain.

Zea Mais Rootlets (Maize): Favourises post-infarc tion healing of c ardiac tissue and produc es a fall
in blood transaminase levels. Indic ated in the sequelly of myocardial infarction.

E - Disturbances in blood count:

Tamaris Gallica Buds (Tamarisk): Ac tive on the red cell series, stimulating erythrocyte formation.
Indicated in hypoc hromic anaemia.

Vitis vinifera Buds (Grape vine): Regularises the white c ell series and should be presc ribed in the
presenc e of a leucocytosis, in partic ular a lymphoc ytosis.

On the digestive system:

A - Liver:
Rosmarinus Officinalis Buds (Rosemary): Action partic ularly spec ifically orientated towards the
gall bladder. An excellent anti-spasmodic whic h regularises gall bladder motility. Indic ated in minor
hepatic insuffic ienc y, biliary dyskinesia with hyper- or hypotonia, biliary c olic and c hronic
cholec ystitis.

Corylus Avellana Buds (Hazel): By virtue of its anti- fibrotic effec t already mentioned, acts as a
tonic on the hepatic parenchyma and is indic ated in c ases of more marked hepatic insufficiency.

Juniperus Communis Young Shoots (Juniper): Young shoots of juniper are active in marked
hepatic insuffic iency with markedly disturbed laboratory tests. Juniper is the medic ation for the very
deficient liver in the phase of dec ompensation: jaundice, various types of c irrhosis etc. Juniper also
gives good results in cases of air swallowing where it would appear to have a regulatory effect on
the digestive neurovegetative system.

B - Stomach:
Ficus Carica Buds (Fig): Normalises the sec retion of gastric juic e and has a healing ac tion on the
mucosa. It is ac tive in c ases of neurovegetative dystonia. Indicated for gastric and gastro-duodenal
ulc ers.

C - Intestine:
Vaccinum Vitis Idaea Buds (Bilberry): This bud is an excellent medic ation for the intestine. It
should be prescribed whenever there is a disturbanc e in intestinal transit, for both diarrhoeic
syndromes as well as c onstipation, obviously after the elimination of any organic etiology for such
problems.

The osteoarticular system

A - Rheumatic disorders:
Rheumatic disorders require the administration of three spec ific buds that should be prescribed by
order of inc reasing severity.

Pinus Montana Buds (Pine): Indicated for non-inflammatory c hronic rheumatism regardless of the
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site: vertebral osteoarthrosis, osteoarthrosis of the knees or hips, etc. It is useful to prescribe it in
association with birc h sap 1 D, preferably given in the morning when fasting in a large glass of water.

Vitis Vinifera Buds (Grape vine): Indic ated in very painful deforming rheumatism and in arthritis
affec ting the small joints.

Ampelopsis Weitchii Buds (Virginia creeper): Prescribed for extremely painful and highly
inflammatory rheumatic disorders following a rapid c ourse with the produc tion of severe deformity,
e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and periarthritis of the shoulder.

B - Gout:
Fraxinus Excelsior (Ash): Regularises blood uric ac id levels. Indicated in the presenc e of a gouty
diathesis, c hronic or with acute manifestations.

C - Decalcification:
Abies Pectinata Buds (Fir): Favourises the fixation of calc ium in the bones. Indic ated above all in
children with bony dec alcification, ric kets, dental c aries and lymph node hypertrophy. Also gives
valuable results in alveolo-dental pyorrhoea.

On the genito-urinary system

Fagus Sylvatica Buds (Beech): Stimulates renal function and urine output. Indic ated in renal
lithiasis, renal insuffic ienc y and in obesity due to water retention.

Sequoia Gigantea Buds (Sequoia): This bud is an excellent anti-senescent substanc e for use in
the elderly man. Has a remarkable effec t from a geriatric standpoint and induc es a state of euphoria
in the elderly patient with the restoration of energy both from a physic al as well as a psyc hological
standpoint. Particularly powerful ac tion on the prostate. Indicated for prostatic hypertrophy or
adenomas and in the trophic and psyc hological problems of old age.

Rubus Idaeus Buds (Raspberry cane): Has an inhibiting effec t on the anterior lobe of the pituitary
and in particular regularises ovarian sec retion. Indic ated in syndromes with hyperfolliculinism and in
dysmenorrhoea.

On the skin
Ulmus Campestris Buds (Elm): Used in the treatment of weeping ec zema.

Cedrus Libani (Cedar): Used in the treatment of dry ec zema.

Allergy
Ribes Nigrum Buds (Blackcurrant): The blackcurrant bud is a very important medic ation. It is
ac tive on the adrenal c ortex, stimulating the sec retion of anti-inflammatory hormones. It has a
marked anti- allergic action. It is indicated in all forms of inflammation in whic h the sedimentation rate
is greatly ac c elerated and in allergic states regardless of their clinic al manifestations: rhinitis,
bronc hitis, asthma, gastritis, migraine, urtic aria, angioneurotic oedema, and allergic rheumatism.

Rosa Canina Buds (Dog rose): Extremely valuable in the treatment of migraine and headac he
resistant to standard treatment and in whic h there is almost always an allergic c omponent. It is of
value to presc ribe it in association in suc h c ases with Ribes Nigrum Buds, when in c omplements the
adrenal c ortic al stimulation and with Tilia Buds, whic h have an effec t as a plant tranquilizer.

When used with suppleness ac c ording to the light of clinic al experienc e, drainage using mac erates of
fresh buds gives good results. The most frequent dose of all of these medic ations is of 20 to 30 drops
per day of eac h of the glyc erine macerates always presc ribed at the first dec imal, to be taken with a
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little water before meals, either alone, or mixed in the glass immediately before being taken. These
doses must of course be adjusted ac c ording to the individual reac tion of eac h patient. The physic ian
may either dec rease them or increase them. However it is essential to presc ribe these buds in a
unitary fashion and not mix several medic ations in the same prescription bottle.

PRINCIPLE CLINICAL INDICATIONS OF GEMMOTHERAPY

ABIES PECTINATA: Decalc ific ation and rickets, dental c aries.

ACER CAMPESTRIS: Sequelly of poliomyelitis and paralysis. Herpes zoster.
AESCULUS HIPP: Haemorrhoids.
ALNUS GLUTINOSA: Sequelly of c erebral haemorrhage, c erebral infarc tion, and c hronic rhinitis.
AMPELOPSIS WEITCHII: Chronic rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis.
CARPINUS BETULUS: Spasmodic and c hronic rhinopharyngitis. Spasmodic c ough.
CEDRUS LIBANI: Dry ec zema, ic thyosis, and pruritis.
CORYLUS AVELLANA: Emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.
CRATAEGUS OXYACANTHA: Cardiac insuffic ienc y, prec ordial pain, tachyc ardia, sequelly of infarc tion.
FAGUS SYLVATICA: Renal insufficiency, renal lithiasis.
FICUS CARICA: Obsessional and anxiety neurosis, gastric and peptic ulc ers.
FRAXINUS EXCELSIOR: Ac ute and c hronic gout.
JUGLANS REGIA: Varicose ulc ers, skin infections (impetigo, infec ted ec zema).
JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS: Major hepatic insuffic ienc y and c irrhotic syndromes.
OLEA EUROPAEA: Hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and hyperc holesterolemia.
PINUS MONTANA: Chronic rheumatism, vertebral osteoarthrosis, osteoarthrosis of the hips and knees.
POPYLUS NIGRA: Obliterative arterial disease of the lower limbs and assoc iated trophic disturbances.
PRUNUS AMYGDALUS: Hypertension, antisclerotic agent.
RIBES NIGRUM: Allergic problems, c hronic c oryza, hay fever, and migraine.
ROSA CANINA: Migraine and headac he.
ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS: Hepatic insuffic iency, biliary c olic , biliary dyskinesia.
RUBUS IDAEUS: Female problems, menstrual disturbanc es, pelvic pain, metritis and vaginitis.
SEQUOIA GIGANTEA: Prostatic hypertrophy and adenoma, uterine fibroids.
SORBUS DOMESTICA: Veinous problems, sequelly of phlebitis, haemogliasis.
TAMARIS GALLICA: Various types of anaemia, hyperc holesterolemia.
TILIA TOMENTOSA: Nerve sedative, tranquilizer, insomnia, and neuralgia.
ULMUS CAMPESTRIS: Weeping ec zema, ac ne and impetigo.
VACCINIUM VITIS IDAEA: Intestinal syndromes, c hronic E. coli infections.
VIBURNUM LANTANA: Simple and c omplicated asthma.

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