What is Ichthyolum?

Ichthyolum is a homeopathic remedy. It is made from Ichthyol, a dark, thick oil. The oil is pressed from shale rock that holds fossil fish.

Its Latin name is Ammonium sulpho-ichthyolate. It is also known as Ichthyol. It is a single drug remedy, not a blend.

Homeopaths give it for skin trouble. That means acne, boils, and itchy or scaly rashes. Some also give it for gout and aching joints.

The oil is serially diluted. That means it is watered down step by step, with shaking each time. At 30C no atoms of the oil are left.

Trials do not show that remedies like this work better than placebo (a dummy pill). Old use shows what people did. It is not proof that a remedy works.

How does Ichthyolum work?

No one has shown a way this could work in the body. Homeopathy rests on the idea of 'like cures like'. A thing that causes signs in a well person is meant to ease like signs in a sick one.

The oil is then watered down again and again. At 30C, nothing of the oil is left in the pill. So there is no drug there to act.

Homeopaths say the water holds a trace or pattern of the oil. Chemistry and physics give no support for that idea.

Relief that people notice is likely to come from the placebo effect, from the normal path of the illness, or from other care at the same time.

What forms does Ichthyolum come in?

Ichthyolum is sold in a few plain forms.

Small sugar pellets or pills are the most common. They are often made with lactose (milk sugar) or with cane sugar.

Liquid drops are also sold. These are made with alcohol.

Common strengths are 6C, 12C, 30C and 200C. Some shops list 3X or 6X, which are weaker dilutions and may still hold a trace of the oil.

Do not mix this up with Ichthyol ointment from the pharmacy. That is the raw oil, and it is a different product used on the skin.

Where it comes from:

Ichthyol was made in Germany in the 1880s. The oil came from shale beds in the Tyrol that held fossil fish.

The skin doctor Paul Unna helped make it popular as a salve for boils and rashes. It is still sold for that use today.

Homeopaths later took the same oil and watered it down. Ichthyolum shows up in some homeopathic guides, but it has never been a main remedy. Its record rests on a small number of old case notes.

What does Ichthyolum help with?

• Acne: Homeopaths have used Ichthyolum for oily skin with pimples. This comes from the skin use of the raw Ichthyol oil, not from work on the diluted remedy. No human trial has tested Ichthyolum for acne.
• Boils and small skin abscesses: The raw oil has long been smeared on boils as a drawing salve. Homeopaths copied that idea into the diluted remedy. A boil that is growing, hot, or paired with fever needs a doctor, not a remedy.
• Itchy, scaly rashes: Old homeopathic notes list Ichthyolum for dry, itchy, flaking skin. The record is small and comes from case reports. No trial has compared it with a dummy pill for any rash.
• Gout: Some homeopathic guides list Ichthyolum for gout, a painful swelling of a joint caused by uric acid crystals. This use has not been tested in people. Gout medicine from your doctor lowers the acid; this remedy does not.
• Aching joints: A few old sources mention it for sore, stiff joints. Support for this is thin and rests on practitioner reports alone.

What are the side effects of Ichthyolum?

• No drug effects are expected at 30C, since nothing of the oil is left
• Gas or loose stools if you cannot digest lactose (milk sugar) and the pellets are lactose-based
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation — reported by practitioners, not shown in trials
• Stinging or a rash if a very low dilution touches broken skin
• Alcohol in the liquid drops, which does not suit everyone
• Delay in getting real treatment, which is the main risk

Good to know:

Side effects from a 30C remedy are unlikely. No drug is left in the pill, so most problems come from the sugar base or the alcohol in drops.

Homeopaths report a brief flare of symptoms in some people. This has not been shown in trials.

The bigger risk is delay. Skin infections and gout can get worse fast without proper care. Use this alongside real treatment, never in place of it.

How much Ichthyolum should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no proven dose, because there is no proven effect. The amounts below come from custom, not from testing. What homeopaths often suggest: - 3 to 5 pellets of a 30C strength, taken once or twice a day - about 5 drops of the liquid, taken once or twice a day - a single dose, followed by a wait to see what happens
• Best time of day: Homeopaths often advise morning and evening, away from strong tastes such as coffee, mint or toothpaste. This is custom, not a tested rule.
• With or without food: Taken between meals. Pellets are usually let melt under the tongue, about 15 to 30 minutes away from food or drink.
• Time to effect: No reliable time can be given, since no trial has shown an effect. Homeopaths speak of days to weeks. Any change you feel may be the illness settling on its own.
• How long to take it: Homeopaths usually suggest a few days to two weeks, then a review. Stop and see a doctor if nothing has changed after two weeks. Stop sooner if the skin or joint gets worse.