What is Tabacum?

Tabacum is a homeopathic remedy. It is made from the tobacco plant. Its Latin name is Nicotiana tabacum, and it is also called Tobacco.

It is a single remedy. That means it is made from one source, not a blend. Homeopaths give it most often for travel sickness, with nausea (feeling sick), cold sweat and dizziness.

The fresh leaf is soaked in alcohol. The liquid is then watered down again and again, step by step, in a process called serial dilution.

At 30C, the usual strength, no tobacco is left in the pills at all.

Trials have not shown that Tabacum does more than a dummy pill (placebo). Long use inside a tradition is not proof that something works. This page reports both things: what the tradition says, and what the testing shows.

How does Tabacum work?

There is no known way for Tabacum to act in the body. At 30C the pills hold no tobacco.

Homeopathy uses the idea of "like cures like". Raw tobacco can cause nausea, cold sweat and dizziness. So the remedy is given to people who have those same signs.

Homeopaths also believe that shaking the liquid at each step leaves an effect behind. Chemistry and physics do not support this. No test has found such an effect.

When Tabacum is tested, it does not beat a dummy pill. Any relief is best explained by time, rest, and belief in the treatment. Feeling listened to and cared for can also help people feel better.

What forms does Tabacum come in?

Tabacum comes as small sugar pills or pellets. You let them melt under your tongue. Liquid drops and single-dose tubes are also sold.

Common strengths are 6C, 12C, 30C and 200C. The C means one part was mixed into a hundred parts at each step. A higher number means more steps and less source material.

The mother tincture is the raw liquid extract of the leaf. It is not a diluted remedy. It can hold nicotine and is not safe to use at home.

Where it comes from:

Tobacco came from the Americas. It reached Europe in the 1500s. Folk healers used it for pain, worms and wounds, and people smoked and chewed it.

It was known early on that tobacco makes people sick. Large amounts can kill.

Homeopaths added Tabacum to their books in the 1800s. It has stayed there ever since. Within homeopathy it is a well-known choice for sea and travel sickness.

What does Tabacum help with?

• Motion sickness (travel sickness): This is the main use in homeopathy. Homeopaths pick Tabacum when you feel sick, go pale, sweat coldly and want fresh air. No human trial has tested Tabacum for this.
• Sea sickness: Homeopathic books list Tabacum for sickness on boats, with deathly pallor and cold sweat. This comes from case notes made by homeopaths, not from trials. There is no test evidence to support it.
• Nausea and vomiting: Tradition uses it for waves of nausea that get worse with movement and better in cool air. Vomiting has many causes, and some are serious. See a doctor rather than treating it yourself if it keeps up.
• Vertigo (a spinning feeling): Homeopaths use it for dizziness with a sick feeling and cold sweat. There is no trial evidence. New or bad dizziness needs a doctor, since it can point to a heart, ear or brain problem.
• Cold clammy sweat with faintness: This picture is a big part of why homeopaths choose Tabacum. It matches what raw tobacco does to a person who is not used to it. That match is a rule of the tradition, not proof of an effect.
• Morning sickness in pregnancy: Some homeopathic books list it here. We do not suggest it. Low strengths and the tincture can hold nicotine, which harms a baby, so speak to a midwife or doctor about sickness in pregnancy.

Which foods are rich in Tabacum?

1. Tomatoes, potatoes and aubergine (eggplant): same plant family, with tiny traces of nicotine, far too small to matter

Practical Tips:

These foods bring no benefit here. They are listed only to show where nicotine shows up in nature.

What are the side effects of Tabacum?

• Nothing at all: most people notice no effect from the pills
• A sweet taste, since the pills are mostly sugar
• Stomach upset in people who cannot digest lactose (milk sugar), if the pills are made with it
• Mouth or stomach upset from the alcohol in liquid drops
• A short spell of worse symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Nicotine effects: nausea, sweating, fast heartbeat, headache — but only from the raw tincture or very low strengths
• Harm from delay, if you use it instead of care you actually need

Good to know:

At 30C the pills are sugar, so direct harm is very unlikely. The real risks come from two places: the raw tincture and low strengths, which can hold nicotine, and putting off medical care. Children are very sensitive to nicotine, so keep all tobacco products and tinctures locked away.

How much Tabacum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No official dose exists. Health agencies do not set doses for homeopathic remedies. A common home pattern is 30C, taken as 3 to 5 pills. Homeopaths suggest one dose about half an hour before travel. They may repeat it every 15 to 30 minutes while symptoms last, for a few doses only. Stop once you feel better. Remember that no dose has been shown to work better than a dummy pill. Never use the mother tincture or very low strengths at home, because they can hold nicotine.
• Best time of day: Homeopaths advise a dose 30 to 60 minutes before you travel. Further doses are taken during the trip if you feel sick. There is no set time of day.
• With or without food: Tradition says take it between meals, at least 15 minutes away from food, drink, mint or toothpaste. No evidence backs this rule. Take it in whatever way suits you.
• Time to effect: Homeopaths expect a change within minutes to an hour. No study shows it acts faster or better than a dummy pill.
• How long to take it: Use it for short spells only, such as one journey. If sickness lasts more than two days, stop and see a doctor. Do not keep taking it for weeks. Ongoing nausea needs a proper check for a cause.