What is Tuberculinum bovinum?

Tuberculinum bovinum is a homeopathic remedy. It is made from a tuberculous abscess of cattle, which is then diluted over and over in water and alcohol. Homeopaths call this kind of remedy a nosode, meaning one made from diseased tissue.

The Latin source name is Mycobacterium bovis, the germ that causes TB in cows. You may also see it sold as Bovine tuberculin nosode.

Homeopaths give it for long-running tiredness, repeat coughs and colds, night sweats and restless children. They pick it from the whole picture of the person, not from a lab test.

The key point for a reader: the dilution is so extreme that at 30C no source material is left. Trials have not shown it to work better than a dummy pill (placebo). Long use inside one tradition is not proof that a thing works.

How does Tuberculinum bovinum work?

There is no known body process behind this remedy. Homeopaths believe a tiny, shaken-down dose can prompt the body's own healing, but that idea has not been shown to be true.

The remedy is made by diluting the starting material step by step. Each step is shaken hard. At 30C the chance that even one molecule of the source is left is effectively zero.

So what you swallow is sugar, water or alcohol. Any change you notice is most likely a placebo effect, natural recovery, or the care and time given by the practitioner.

What forms does Tuberculinum bovinum come in?

It comes in a small number of simple forms:

Tiny sugar pills (pillules) that melt under the tongue.

Larger tablets, again made of milk sugar.

Liquid drops in a water and alcohol base.

Strengths sold to the public are usually 30C. Higher strengths such as 200C and 1M are mostly given by practitioners. In many countries this remedy is only sold by a homeopathic pharmacy or a practitioner, because of what it is made from.

Where it comes from:

The remedy dates from the 1880s. Robert Koch had just made tuberculin from TB germs, and homeopaths began preparing their own diluted versions soon after.

John Henry Clarke and Compton Burnett wrote about its use in Britain. Swan in the United States prepared early nosodes of this type.

Homeopaths separate the cow-derived form from the human-derived one, which they call Tuberculinum Koch. Both have stayed in use inside homeopathy ever since, which gives this remedy a settled place in that one tradition.

What does Tuberculinum bovinum help with?

• Repeat colds and chest infections in children: This is the most common reason homeopaths reach for it. No human trial has tested it for this. If your child keeps getting ill, ask a doctor to look for a cause first.
• Long-lasting tiredness: Homeopaths link this remedy to people who feel worn out but still crave movement and change. There is no trial evidence. Lasting tiredness can come from low iron, thyroid trouble (a gland in the neck) or sleep problems, so get it checked.
• Night sweats: Night sweats are a classic part of the traditional picture for this remedy. They can also warn of infection, thyroid trouble or cancer. Sweats that soak your bedding need a doctor, not a home remedy.
• Restless, irritable children: The old texts describe a child who is quick to anger, hard to settle and always wants to go somewhere new. This is a traditional character sketch, not a diagnosis. No study has tested the remedy for behaviour.
• Long-lasting cough: A cough that lasts more than three weeks needs a doctor. TB still occurs today and is treated with a set course of medicines. This remedy is not a stand-in for those medicines and has not been tested against them.
• Hay fever and a tendency to asthma: Some homeopaths use it for people whose chest and nose flare up year after year. There is no trial support. Never stop or cut back an inhaler or allergy medicine to try it.
• A family history of tuberculosis: Homeopaths use an old idea of an inherited taint passed down a family line. This is a belief inside the tradition, not a finding of modern medicine. It does not predict who will get ill.

Which foods are rich in Tuberculinum bovinum?

This is not a nutrient and is not found in any food.

What are the side effects of Tuberculinum bovinum?

• No direct effects in most people, since the pills are mostly sugar
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Stomach upset in people who cannot digest lactose (milk sugar)
• Rare rash or itch, usually from the pill base
• Delayed care for a serious illness, which is the main real risk

Good to know:

Direct harm from the pills is very unlikely. At the strengths sold, no source material remains, so there is nothing in them to poison you.

The real danger is different. Using this remedy in place of proper testing or medicine can let a treatable illness get worse.

How much Tuberculinum bovinum should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been shown to work, so no amount can be called effective. In common practice, a homeopath gives one dose of 30C, 200C or 1M and then waits. Over-the-counter packs of 30C often suggest a few pills once or twice a day for a short time. Do not raise the dose hoping for more effect. In homeopathy a higher number means more dilution, not more strength.
• Best time of day: Any time of day. Homeopaths often suggest away from food, drink, coffee and strong mint, though this is custom rather than proven need.
• With or without food: Usually taken between meals, about 15 minutes before or after eating. Let the pill melt under your tongue rather than swallowing it whole.
• Time to effect: No reliable time can be given, because no effect has been shown beyond placebo. Any change you feel may simply be natural recovery.
• How long to take it: Keep any trial short. Two to four weeks is plenty. If nothing has changed, stop and see a doctor about the symptom itself.