What is Anhalonium lewinii?

Anhalonium lewinii is a homeopathic remedy made from the peyote cactus. Homeopaths give it for mind and mood symptoms, such as odd thoughts, dreamy states and headaches with strange patterns of light.

It is a single remedy, not a mix of several. Its Latin name is Lophophora williamsii. It is also known as peyote.

The remedy is made by diluting the plant again and again, with shaking at each step. At 30C there is no plant matter left in the dose at all. Trials do not show that homeopathic remedies work better than a dummy pill, and long use in a tradition is not proof that something works.

How does Anhalonium lewinii work?

No one has shown a way this remedy could work in the body. Homeopathy rests on two ideas, and only the first has a simple logic to it.

The first idea is that a substance which causes symptoms in a well person can ease the same symptoms in a sick person. The second idea is that shaking and diluting a substance makes it act more strongly.

Basic chemistry does not back the second idea. By 30C, nothing of the cactus is left to act on you. Any change you feel is most likely a placebo effect, which means feeling better because you expect to.

What forms does Anhalonium lewinii come in?

Most people meet it as small sugar pellets. The pellets are soaked in the diluted remedy and left to dry.

You may also see liquid drops in alcohol or water. Common strengths sold are 6C, 12C and 30C.

Low strengths, such as 3X, and the raw tincture are a different matter. They may still hold plant material and mescaline. In many countries these are controlled by law.

Where it comes from:

The peyote cactus has a long ceremonial history. Indigenous peoples in Mexico and the southern United States have used it in rituals for hundreds of years. That use belongs to those cultures and has nothing to do with homeopathy.

Homeopaths tested the plant in the United States in the 1890s. Healthy volunteers took it and wrote down what they felt, mostly changes in thinking and sense of time.

Those notes became the remedy picture still printed in homeopathic books. Anhalonium has always been a small, rarely used remedy.

What does Anhalonium lewinii help with?

• Headaches with flashing lights or colour patterns: Homeopathic books list this as the main use, because volunteers who took the raw plant saw colours and patterns. No trial has tested the remedy for headache. If you get headaches with visual changes, see a doctor first.
• Anxiety and restlessness: Some homeopaths give it for anxiety with racing, muddled thoughts. There is no trial support for this. Talking therapy and proven medicines have much better backing.
• Trouble sleeping: The remedy picture includes vivid dreams and a wakeful, drifting mind at night. No study has tested it for sleep. Sleep habits and, if needed, a doctor's help are the sensible first steps.
• Low mood with a dull, dreamy feeling: Traditional homeopathic notes mention flat mood and a sense of floating. Nothing in human trials supports its use for depression. Low mood that lasts more than two weeks needs a doctor.
• Feeling detached or unreal: Old provings describe time feeling stretched and the body feeling far away. This is a record of what the raw plant did, not proof that the remedy treats anything. These feelings can have serious causes and should be checked.

What are the side effects of Anhalonium lewinii?

• No expected effects from a 30C dose, which is sugar or water
• Nausea and vomiting from the raw plant or very low dilutions
• Visions and changed thinking from the raw plant
• Fast or uneven heartbeat
• Raised blood pressure
• Dizziness and poor balance
• Panic, fear or lasting confusion
• Headache and sweating
• Rare allergic reaction to a pellet or to alcohol in the drops

Good to know:

A 30C dose is sugar or water. Harm at that strength is very unlikely. The real risk is that you delay care you need.

The rest of the list comes from the raw cactus and from very low dilutions. Mescaline is a strong drug. It can upset the stomach, change the heartbeat and cause frightening states of mind.

Stop at once and get help if your heart races, your chest hurts, or you feel unsafe in your own mind.

How much Anhalonium lewinii should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose of this remedy has been shown to work. Nothing below is a recommendation. In practice, homeopaths often suggest a few pellets of 30C, once or twice a day, for a short spell. Some use a single dose and then wait. Never use the raw tincture or very low dilutions such as 3X. These can hold mescaline and are controlled by law in many countries.
• Best time of day: Homeopaths usually suggest taking pellets away from meals, often morning and evening. No time of day has been shown to matter.
• With or without food: Usual practice is to take pellets about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. This is custom, not a proven rule.
• Time to effect: No reliable time frame exists. Homeopaths often say to judge within a few days. Any change you notice is likely a placebo effect.
• How long to take it: Keep any trial short. Most homeopaths suggest a few days up to two weeks, then a review. If nothing has changed, stop and look at other options with a doctor.