What is Symphoricarpus racemosus?

Symphoricarpus racemosus is a homeopathic remedy made from snowberry, a shrub with small white berries. Its Latin name is Symphoricarpos albus. Homeopaths give it most often for nausea and vomiting, above all the sickness of early pregnancy.

It is a single remedy, not a blend. It is made by diluting the plant over and over. At common strengths such as 30C, no plant matter is left in the pill at all.

Trials have not shown that it works better than a dummy pill (placebo). Long use in a tradition is not proof that a remedy works, and this page says that once rather than in every section.

Raw snowberries are a different matter. They are poisonous and can cause vomiting, dizziness and sleepiness, mostly in children who eat them off the bush.

How does Symphoricarpus racemosus work?

Homeopathy rests on the idea of "like cures like". Snowberry can make a well person feel sick, so homeopaths give it to people who feel sick.

The plant is then diluted again and again. Homeopaths say the water keeps an imprint of the plant. There is no known way in chemistry or biology for this to happen.

At 30C the dilution is so great that not one molecule of snowberry is likely to be left. So any change you feel is best explained by placebo, which means feeling better because you expect to. Time and rest also play a part, since most nausea eases on its own.

What forms does Symphoricarpus racemosus come in?

The most common form is a small sugar pellet that you let melt under your tongue. Liquid drops in a water and alcohol base are also sold.

Strengths on the label are usually 6C, 12C or 30C. The higher the number, the more the plant has been diluted.

Low strengths are not the same thing. A mother tincture, 1X or 2X may still hold real plant matter. Treat those with much more care, and check the strength on the label before you buy.

Where it comes from:

Snowberry grows wild across North America. Some Native American peoples used parts of the plant on the skin for sores and sore eyes, not as a food.

The remedy entered homeopathy in the United States in the 1800s. Homeopathic writers recorded it mainly for sickness and vomiting in pregnancy.

It has stayed a small, minor remedy. It is known and used, but it is not one of the mainstays of the tradition.

What does Symphoricarpus racemosus help with?

• Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: This is the main traditional use. Homeopathic texts describe a person who feels sick all the time, is worse from any movement, and feels a little better lying on her back. There are no published human trials of this remedy for pregnancy sickness. Severe or non-stop vomiting in pregnancy is a medical problem and needs a doctor, not a home remedy.
• Nausea with a strong dislike of food smells: Homeopaths pick this remedy when the smell or thought of food brings on sickness. It is a matching rule from old case notes, not a tested effect. No trial has looked at this. If smells set off sickness, fresh air, cold food and small drinks of water often help more.
• Travel sickness: Some homeopaths suggest it when movement makes sickness worse. The link is the old picture of a person who feels worse from any motion. No human study supports this use. Proven options such as ginger, wristbands or standard travel sickness tablets have better evidence behind them.
• Nausea after eating: Traditional notes mention sickness that comes on soon after a meal, sometimes with a sour taste. It is one of several remedies matched to that pattern. Again, there is no trial evidence. Repeated sickness after meals should be checked by a doctor, as it can point to a gut or gallbladder problem.

What are the side effects of Symphoricarpus racemosus?

• No effects at all, which is the usual outcome at 30C
• Sugar load from the pellets, which matters if you have diabetes
• Alcohol in liquid drops, which matters if you avoid alcohol
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Choking risk if pellets are given to a small child
• From raw berries or very low dilutions: vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness and sleepiness

Good to know:

Side effects from high dilutions are very rare, because there is nothing in the pill but sugar. The real risks are the ones around the remedy, not in it.

The main danger is delay. If you use this instead of getting help for heavy vomiting, dehydration or weight loss, the delay can harm you.

The raw plant is a separate hazard. Never eat snowberries, and keep the shrub's fruit away from children.

How much Symphoricarpus racemosus should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no dose set by research, because no trial has tested this remedy. Homeopaths most often suggest 30C, taken as three to five pellets under the tongue, two or three times a day. Let the pellets melt. Do not chew or swallow them whole. Follow the label on the pack you bought, and do not take more in the hope of a stronger effect.
• Best time of day: Take it when the sickness is at its worst. For morning sickness that often means on waking and again in the evening.
• With or without food: Take it between meals, about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. This is a custom of the tradition, not a rule based on how the body absorbs anything.
• Time to effect: Homeopaths claim a change within minutes to a few hours. No trial has measured this. Any quick change is most likely placebo or the natural ebb of the symptom.
• How long to take it: Homeopaths usually stop once symptoms settle. If nothing changes after three or four days, there is no reason to keep going. Do not use it for weeks on end without telling your doctor. Ongoing nausea deserves a proper check, not a longer run of pills.