What is Collinsonia canadensis?

Collinsonia canadensis is a homeopathic remedy made from the root of stone root, a plant from North America. Homeopaths give it most often for piles (swollen veins around the back passage), constipation, and a dry, tickly throat.

The remedy is made by watering the plant down again and again, with hard shaking at each step. At 30C, a common strength, so little is left that the pill holds essentially none of the plant.

Trials do not show that homeopathic Collinsonia works any better than a dummy pill. It has a long record of use by homeopaths, but long use on its own is not proof that something works.

How does Collinsonia canadensis work?

There is no known way for this remedy to act on the body at common strengths, because almost none of the plant is left in it.

Homeopathy rests on two old ideas. The first is that a substance which causes a symptom can treat that symptom. The second is that watering it down makes it stronger.

Neither idea fits what we know about chemistry or the body. Any relief people feel is best explained by time, care and the dummy-pill effect.

What forms does Collinsonia canadensis come in?

Sugar pellets or tablets are the most common form. You let them melt under the tongue.

Liquid drops in an alcohol and water base are also sold. The mother tincture, marked with a small circle symbol, is the least diluted form and still holds plant matter.

Strengths on the label run from 1X and 3X at the low end up to 6C, 30C and 200C. The higher the number, the more the plant has been watered down.

Where it comes from:

Native American healers used stone root for urinary and bowel complaints. Eclectic doctors in the United States picked it up in the 1800s, mainly for piles and a strained voice.

American homeopaths brought it into their own materia medica in the same century. It has stayed a familiar remedy in homeopathic books for piles and pelvic heaviness ever since.

What does Collinsonia canadensis help with?

• Piles (swollen veins around the back passage): This is the best known use in homeopathic books, often for piles that itch, sting and feel dry. No human trial of this remedy for piles has been published, so the claim rests on tradition only. Piles that bleed always need a proper check first.
• Constipation with a feeling of sharp sticks in the back passage: Old homeopathic texts pair this remedy with hard stool and a dry, pricking feeling. There is no trial evidence behind it. Fibre, fluid and simple laxatives have real evidence and should come first.
• Hoarseness and a tickly throat from overusing the voice: Homeopaths have long given this to singers, teachers and speakers with a raw, tickly throat. This use is traditional and untested. A hoarse voice lasting more than three weeks needs a doctor, as it can signal something serious.
• A heavy, full feeling low in the belly: Homeopathic books describe a dragging, congested feeling in the pelvis. No study has tested this. New or lasting pelvic pain should be checked rather than self-treated.
• Varicose veins (swollen leg veins): Some homeopathic sources extend the vein theme to swollen leg veins. There is no human evidence for this. Compression stockings and movement do have evidence behind them.

What are the side effects of Collinsonia canadensis?

• None at all in most people using 30C pellets
• Stomach upset or nausea from the mother tincture or very low strengths
• Dizziness or headache reported with larger amounts of the crude root
• Tummy discomfort in people who cannot digest lactose (milk sugar), as pellets are usually made from it
• A brief flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation and expect to pass
• Problems from delaying real treatment, which is the main risk

Good to know:

Pellets at 30C are essentially sugar, so direct harm is very unlikely. The real risk is using them in place of care that works, especially for bleeding, lasting pain or a hoarse voice that will not clear. Low strengths and the mother tincture do contain plant matter and can upset the stomach.

How much Collinsonia canadensis should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no proven dose, because no trial has shown the remedy to work. Common homeopathic practice is 3 to 5 pellets of a 30C strength, or about 5 drops of liquid, taken one to three times a day. Labels vary, so follow the one on your bottle. The mother tincture and very low strengths such as 1X hold real plant matter and should only be used with guidance from a trained practitioner.
• Best time of day: Any time of day. Many people take a dose morning and evening, and an extra one during a flare-up.
• With or without food: Tradition says to take it on a clean mouth, about 15 minutes away from food, drink, coffee or toothpaste. This is custom, not a tested rule.
• Time to effect: Homeopathic books talk about changes within hours or days. There is no reliable evidence of any effect at all, so treat any timing claim with care.
• How long to take it: Homeopaths usually suggest a short course of a few days, then a pause to see how you feel. If nothing has changed after about a week, stop and rethink. Do not keep taking it for weeks for a symptom that is not getting better. Lasting piles, bleeding or a hoarse voice need a proper diagnosis.