Best-Known Homeopathic Remedies & Their Uses

The uses below describe how these remedies are traditionally used in homeopathy. They are not proof that a remedy cures a disease. Scientific reviews have not found reliable evidence that homeopathic remedies work better than placebo. The right remedy and potency for you is chosen by the doctor after a consultation.

Homeopathic medicine list at a glance

Remedy	Traditionally used in homeopathy for
Arnica montana	Bruises, sprains, muscle soreness after injury, falls or heavy work.
Nux vomica	Indigestion, acidity, gas and constipation after rich food, too much tea or late nights. Irritability and poor sleep from overwork.
Belladonna	Sudden fever with a hot, flushed face, throbbing headache, and sore red throat.
Thuja occidentalis	Warts and other skin growths. Also used for oily skin and some urinary complaints.
Sulphur	Itchy, burning skin eruptions that are worse from heat and bathing.
Pulsatilla	Colds with thick yellow-green discharge, delayed or painful periods, and symptoms that keep changing. Often chosen for children and women.
Bryonia alba	Dry, painful cough and joint or chest pain that is worse from the slightest movement.
Rhus toxicodendron	Joint and back stiffness that is worst on first moving and eases with continued motion. Sprains and strains.
Lycopodium clavatum	Bloating and gas soon after eating, weak digestion, and complaints that are worse in the late afternoon.
Berberis vulgaris	Kidney and bladder complaints, including the pain of kidney stones, and burning urine.
Chelidonium majus	Liver and gallbladder complaints with pain under the right ribs.
Arsenicum album	Vomiting and diarrhoea after bad food, with restlessness, anxiety and burning pains.
Alfalfa tonic	Sold as a general tonic for appetite, weight and tiredness.
Damiana	Male sexual weakness and low desire.

Each remedy in detail

Arnica montana

Common forms: Arnica. Source: Mountain daisy (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Bruises, sprains, muscle soreness after injury, falls or heavy work.

Keep in mind: Arnica gel or cream is for unbroken skin only.

Nux vomica

Common forms: Nux vomica 30, Nux vomica 200. Source: Seeds of the nux vomica tree, highly diluted.

Used in homeopathy for: Indigestion, acidity, gas and constipation after rich food, too much tea or late nights. Irritability and poor sleep from overwork.

Keep in mind: The raw seed is poisonous. Mother tincture and very low potencies should be used only as prescribed.

Belladonna

Common forms: Belladonna 30, Belladonna 200. Source: Deadly nightshade (plant), highly diluted.

Used in homeopathy for: Sudden fever with a hot, flushed face, throbbing headache, and sore red throat.

Keep in mind: High fever, especially in a child, needs a medical check. Low dilutions of this plant are toxic.

Thuja occidentalis

Common forms: Thuja 30, Thuja 200, Thuja ointment. Source: White cedar (tree).

Used in homeopathy for: Warts and other skin growths. Also used for oily skin and some urinary complaints.

Keep in mind: A wart that bleeds, changes colour or grows fast must be seen by a skin specialist.

Sulphur

Common forms: Sulphur 30, Sulphur 200. Source: The mineral sulphur.

Used in homeopathy for: Itchy, burning skin eruptions that are worse from heat and bathing.

Keep in mind: Itching has many causes, including scabies and fungus, which need specific treatment.

Pulsatilla

Common forms: Pulsatilla 30. Source: Windflower (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Colds with thick yellow-green discharge, delayed or painful periods, and symptoms that keep changing. Often chosen for children and women.

Keep in mind: Period problems with heavy bleeding or severe pain need a lady doctor.

Bryonia alba

Common forms: Bryonia 30. Source: White bryony (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Dry, painful cough and joint or chest pain that is worse from the slightest movement.

Keep in mind: A cough beyond three weeks needs a chest X-ray.

Rhus toxicodendron

Common forms: Rhus tox 30, Rhus tox 200. Source: Poison ivy (plant), highly diluted.

Used in homeopathy for: Joint and back stiffness that is worst on first moving and eases with continued motion. Sprains and strains.

Keep in mind: Numbness or weakness in a limb needs urgent examination.

Lycopodium clavatum

Common forms: Lycopodium 30, Lycopodium 200. Source: Club moss spores.

Used in homeopathy for: Bloating and gas soon after eating, weak digestion, and complaints that are worse in the late afternoon.

Keep in mind: Ongoing bloating with weight loss needs tests.

Berberis vulgaris

Common forms: Berberis vulgaris Q (mother tincture). Source: Barberry root bark.

Used in homeopathy for: Kidney and bladder complaints, including the pain of kidney stones, and burning urine.

Keep in mind: Stone size on ultrasound decides what is possible. Fever with kidney pain is an emergency.

Chelidonium majus

Common forms: Chelidonium Q, Chelidonium 30. Source: Greater celandine (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Liver and gallbladder complaints with pain under the right ribs.

Keep in mind: Celandine in material doses has been linked to liver injury. Use the mother tincture only under a doctor's care. Jaundice needs a hospital.

Arsenicum album

Common forms: Arsenicum album 30. Source: Arsenic trioxide, highly diluted.

Used in homeopathy for: Vomiting and diarrhoea after bad food, with restlessness, anxiety and burning pains.

Keep in mind: Diarrhoea with dehydration, especially in children and the elderly, needs ORS and medical care.

Alfalfa tonic

Common forms: Alfalfa tonic, Alfalfa Q. Source: Lucerne (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Sold as a general tonic for appetite, weight and tiredness.

Keep in mind: Poor weight gain in a child needs a proper check-up, not only a tonic.

Damiana

Common forms: Damiana Q. Source: Turnera diffusa (plant).

Used in homeopathy for: Male sexual weakness and low desire.

Keep in mind: Erection problems can be an early sign of diabetes or heart disease. Get sugar and blood pressure checked.

Why the "best" remedy differs from person to person

Homeopathy matches a remedy to the patient's whole symptom picture. Two people with acidity may receive Nux vomica and Lycopodium respectively, depending on what brings the complaint on and what relieves it. So a list like this can tell you what a remedy is known for, but it cannot tell you which one you need. Read how homeopathic medicines and potencies work.

Stomach and digestion for Nux vomica, Lycopodium and Arsenicum
Joint and back pain for Rhus tox, Bryonia and Arnica
Skin and hair for Sulphur and Thuja
Kidney stones for Berberis vulgaris
Men's health for Damiana

Questions

What is Nux vomica 200 used for?

Homeopaths use Nux vomica for indigestion, acidity and constipation linked to rich food, tea and late nights. The 200 potency is a high dilution chosen by the doctor for the case.

What is Belladonna 30 used for?

Homeopaths use it for sudden fever with a flushed face and throbbing pain. Fever in a child still needs a medical check.

What is Thuja 200 used for?

Homeopaths use Thuja mainly for warts and skin growths.

Is Arnica good for pain?

Arnica is the remedy homeopaths reach for after bruises, sprains and muscle strain. Severe pain after an injury needs an X-ray.

Do these remedies work?

Scientific reviews have not found reliable evidence that homeopathic remedies work better than placebo for specific diseases. Many patients report benefit. We tell patients both facts.

Written by the team at Babar Homeopathic Clinic & EyeBar Optical. Consulting doctors: Homeo Dr Abrar Ahmad and Homeo Dr Hasham Babar. Last updated 3 October 2026. See our medical disclaimer. Source on evidence: NCCIH.

Best-known homeopathic remedies and their uses