What is Bacillus sycoticus compositum?

Bacillus sycoticus compositum is a single homeopathic remedy. It is also sold under the name Sycotic co. bowel nosode.

Its source is a gut germ taken from human stool. In Latin it is named as a non-lactose fermenting coliform (a bowel nosode).

Homeopaths give it to people with long-running gut trouble, thick catarrh (mucus in the nose or throat), warts and joint aches. The source is watered down over and over again. At 30C no source matter is left in the dose at all.

Long use in homeopathy is not proof that a thing works. Trials have not shown this remedy to do more than a dummy pill. Please read the rest of this page with that in mind.

How does Bacillus sycoticus compositum work?

The short answer: there is no known way it could work in the body.

The maker shakes the source with water or alcohol, then throws most of it away and repeats. At 30C, not one molecule of the starting matter is likely to be left. What you swallow is water, alcohol or a sugar pill.

Homeopaths teach that the shaking leaves a trace or pattern behind in the liquid. Chemistry and physics do not support this. No lab test has shown such a trace.

Bowel nosodes carry a second idea on top. John Paterson taught that the germs in a person's gut point to the remedy they need. That idea rests on old case notes, not on tests.

What forms does Bacillus sycoticus compositum come in?

It comes as small sugar pills, tiny granules, or liquid drops.

Common strengths are 30C, 200C and 1M. The higher the number, the more it has been watered down. All of them are past the point where any source matter is left.

Bowel nosodes are often given as one single dose, not as a daily pill. Most people get them from a homeopath rather than off a shelf.

Where it comes from:

Edward Bach worked with gut germs in London in the 1920s. He linked certain germs found in stool to certain remedy types.

John Paterson and Elizabeth Paterson in Glasgow carried the work on in the 1930s. They named a set of bowel nosodes, and Sycotic co. was one of them.

The word sycotic comes from Hahnemann's old idea of miasms, or inherited taints. That idea is part of homeopathic teaching and is not used in medicine.

What does Bacillus sycoticus compositum help with?

• Long-term gut upset with wind, cramps and loose stools: This is the main use homeopaths claim for it. They pick it for people whose bowels have been unsettled for years. No trial has tested the remedy for this, so the claim rests on old case notes alone.
• Thick catarrh (mucus) in the nose, throat or chest: Homeopaths use it for mucus that keeps coming back after colds. The traditional picture is a green or yellow discharge with a blocked nose. There is no trial evidence for this use.
• Warts and skin tags: Old homeopathic texts link the sycotic idea to growths on the skin. Warts are used as a sign that points to the remedy. Nothing has been tested, and most warts clear on their own in time.
• Joint aches that move from place to place: Tradition ties this remedy to aches that shift from one joint to the next. It is a matching clue for the homeopath, not a proven use. No study has looked at it.
• Colds and ear infections that keep coming back in children: Some homeopaths give it to children who catch one bug after another. This is a traditional choice only. Ear pain and fever in a child need a doctor, not a home remedy.
• Tiredness and low mood that go along with gut trouble: The traditional picture includes a tired, flat mood with a grumbling gut. This is part of the remedy story, not a tested effect. Low mood that lasts needs proper care.

Which foods are rich in Bacillus sycoticus compositum?

You cannot get this from your diet. It only exists as a made-up homeopathic preparation.

What are the side effects of Bacillus sycoticus compositum?

• No direct effects are expected, since the dose holds no source matter
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation (no proof this is real)
• Wind or loose stools from the lactose (milk sugar) in the pills, if you cannot handle it
• A very small amount of alcohol in the liquid drops
• Delay in getting care that would actually help: this is the real risk

Good to know:

Direct harm from the remedy itself is very unlikely. There is nothing in a 30C dose to act on your body.

The true risk is what you might not do. People sometimes put off a test, a scan or a course of treatment while they try a remedy. Long-term bowel symptoms in particular can mean something that needs finding early.

How much Bacillus sycoticus compositum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been proven, because no trial has tested this remedy. What follows is simply what homeopaths do. A common way is one dose of 30C or 200C, given once, then left alone. A dose is a few pills or a few drops under the tongue. Bowel nosodes are traditionally not repeated often. Some homeopaths wait weeks or months before giving another dose.
• Best time of day: Any time of day. Many homeopaths suggest first thing in the morning or last thing at night, but this is habit, not evidence.
• With or without food: Take it on a clean mouth, about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. This is the traditional way of using it. It is not based on how the body handles the remedy, since there is nothing in it to handle.
• Time to effect: No reliable time can be given. Homeopaths say to watch over days or weeks. Any change you notice may simply be the problem settling on its own.
• How long to take it: Do not keep taking it for months on end while nothing changes. If you see no change in four to six weeks, stop and think again. Any symptom that lasts, gets worse, or is new needs a doctor's opinion.