What is Thymuinum?

Thymuinum is a homeopathic remedy made from the thymus gland of a sheep. Its Latin name is Glandula thymus (Ovis aries). It is also sold as thymus gland extract.

The thymus is a small gland in the chest. It helps young immune cells grow up. Homeopaths have given this single remedy for slow growth in children, swollen glands and children who catch one bug after another.

The remedy is watered down over and over again. At the common 30C strength, none of the gland material is left. Tests in people have not shown it works better than a dummy pill (placebo), and long use inside a tradition is not proof that something works.

How does Thymuinum work?

There is no known way for Thymuinum to act on the body. Makers mix a small amount of sheep thymus tissue with liquid. They then dilute it again and again, shaking it at each step.

By 30C the mix has been watered down so far that none of the starting material is left. Homeopaths say the liquid keeps a trace or "memory" of it. Lab work has found no sign of such a trace.

So any change you notice is most likely the placebo effect, which means feeling better because you expect to. Many complaints also come and go on their own.

What forms does Thymuinum come in?

Thymuinum comes as small sugar pellets, as liquid drops, or as a ground powder that makers call a trituration. Pellets are the most common form.

Common strengths are 6C, 30C and 200C. The bigger the number, the more it has been diluted. A few suppliers sell low strengths such as 3X or 6X, which may still hold traces of gland tissue.

Liquid drops usually contain alcohol. Pellets are usually made from lactose (milk sugar) or from cane sugar.

Where it comes from:

Thymuinum belongs to a group of homeopathic remedies called sarcodes. These are made from healthy animal organs and glands.

Homeopaths began using sarcodes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They linked the thymus to growth in children and to the body's defences. So they gave this remedy to children who were small, tired or often unwell.

It has always been a minor remedy. Only a small number of homeopaths use it today, and it does not appear in most first-line remedy lists.

What does Thymuinum help with?

• Slow growth or small build in children: This is the main traditional use. Old homeopathic texts link the thymus to growth, so they gave the remedy to small, pale, slow-growing children. No trial has tested it. Slow growth needs a doctor, because it can point to a gut, hormone or feeding problem that can be treated.
• Swollen glands in the neck: Homeopaths gave Thymuinum for soft, swollen glands in children who were often ill. There is no trial evidence for this. A lump that keeps growing, feels hard, or lasts more than a few weeks needs to be checked by a doctor.
• Frequent colds and sore throats in children: Because the thymus helps train immune cells, homeopaths used this remedy for children who pick up every bug. This idea comes from the source material, not from the diluted remedy, which holds none of it. No human trial supports the use.
• Low energy and poor appetite in children: Traditional homeopathic use covers tired children who eat little and tire fast. Nothing has been tested in people. Ongoing tiredness and weight loss in a child should always be looked at by a doctor.
• Asthma and eczema in children: Some older homeopaths used sarcodes alongside other remedies for these. There is no evidence that Thymuinum helps either one. Asthma can be life-threatening, so keep using the inhalers and other medicines your doctor has prescribed.

What are the side effects of Thymuinum?

• No side effects in most people, because there is nothing left in the remedy
• Upset stomach or loose stools if you eat a lot of the sugar pellets
• Wind or belly pain in people who cannot digest lactose (milk sugar)
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Rare allergic reaction, such as a rash or itching
• Harm from delay if it is used in place of care that works

Good to know:

Thymuinum at 30C is very unlikely to hurt you. At that strength it holds no gland material, so it is close to a plain sugar pellet or a drop of dilute alcohol.

The main risk is not the remedy itself. It is the time lost if a child with a real illness is given this instead of proper care.

Low strengths such as 3X are a different matter. These may still hold animal gland material, and they have not been tested for safety. Stop and speak to a doctor if a rash, swelling or trouble breathing starts after a dose.

How much Thymuinum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been shown to work, so no proper daily amount can be given. In practice, homeopaths often use 2 to 3 pellets of a 30C strength, or 5 drops of the liquid. They may give this once a day, or once a week, or as a single dose. Follow the label on the pack you bought, or your practitioner's advice. More is not stronger in homeopathy, and taking more will not make a weak remedy work.
• Best time of day: Homeopaths usually suggest taking it on waking or at bedtime. No time of day has been shown to matter.
• With or without food: It is usually taken about 15 minutes away from food, drink, coffee or toothpaste. This is a custom within homeopathy, not a tested rule.
• Time to effect: No honest time can be given, because no trial has shown an effect. Homeopaths often say to judge within two to four weeks.
• How long to take it: Keep any trial short. Two to four weeks is plenty. If nothing has changed by then, stop and think again. Do not keep using it for months for a problem that is not getting better. A child who is not growing, not eating, or often sick should be seen by a doctor rather than kept on a remedy.