Mephitis putorius

What is Mephitis putorius?

Mephitis putorius is a homeopathic remedy made from skunk spray. Its Latin name is Mephitis mephitica, and labels may call it skunk secretion. It is sold as a single drug, which means it is one source, not a blend.

Homeopaths use it mainly for coughing fits, above all the kind seen in whooping cough. A long record of use in one tradition is not proof that a remedy works. These are two separate things, and this page reports both.

The remedy is made by diluting the source again and again, with shaking at each step. At the common 30C strength, none of the starting material is left in the pill. In trials, homeopathic pills have not been told apart from placebo (a dummy pill).

How does Mephitis putorius work?

There is no known way for this remedy to act on the body. At 30C there is nothing of the skunk spray left to act.

Homeopathy rests on two old ideas. The first is "like cures like": a source that causes a symptom in a well person is given, in tiny amounts, to a sick person with that symptom. The second is that shaking at each step of the dilution leaves some kind of imprint in the water.

That second idea has no support in chemistry or physics. Homeopaths link skunk spray to coughing fits because the smell makes people gasp and choke. That link is a matter of pattern, not of proven biology.

What forms does Mephitis putorius come in?

You will find it as small pills, tiny round pellets, or liquid drops. Pills are made of lactose (milk sugar) or cane sugar. Drops are usually water with some alcohol.

The strength is printed as a number and a letter, such as 6C, 30C or 200C. A higher number means more dilution, not a stronger drug. At 30C and above, no source material is left.

Low strengths such as 3X, and the raw mother tincture, are rarely sold to the public. Most shop products are 6C or 30C.

Where it comes from:

Skunk spray entered homeopathy in the 1800s in the United States. Homeopaths of that era gave it to healthy people and wrote down every feeling they reported.

From those notes they matched it to coughing fits that come in bursts, often at night. It became a small, well known name in old homeopathic texts on whooping cough.

It has stayed a minor remedy. It is not part of Ayurveda, Chinese medicine or Western herbal practice, and it has no food or folk use outside homeopathy.

What does Mephitis putorius help with?

• Whooping cough (a cough that comes in long fits): This is the best known homeopathic use, based on 1800s case notes. No human trial has tested this remedy for whooping cough. Whooping cough is a serious illness in babies and needs antibiotics early, so see a doctor rather than treating it at home.
• Night-time coughing fits in children: Old homeopathic texts point to a cough that gets worse after lying down. Children's coughs settle on their own most of the time, which makes any remedy look helpful. There is no trial evidence for this remedy here.
• Croup-like barking cough: Some homeopaths use it for a harsh, barking cough that comes in the night. No human trials support this. A child who struggles to breathe or makes a high noise when breathing in needs urgent medical care.
• Asthma-type wheeze: Homeopathic texts mention chest tightness and a wheeze that comes in waves. There is no trial evidence, and this remedy cannot open the airways. Keep using any inhaler your doctor has given you.
• Hay fever with sneezing fits: A few practitioners use it for bursts of sneezing with a running nose. This use is uncommon and untested in people. Ordinary hay fever treatments have far better evidence behind them.

Which foods are rich in Mephitis putorius?

There is no food source for this remedy, and no food gives you the same thing.

What are the side effects of Mephitis putorius?

• No physical effects are expected from 30C pills, since no source material is left
• An odd taste or dry mouth from the alcohol in liquid drops
• Stomach upset or wind in people who react badly to lactose (milk sugar) pills
• Rare rash or itch, most likely from something else in the pill
• Delay in getting care that works, which is the main real harm
• Choking risk if small hard pills are given to a baby or toddler

Good to know:

Direct harm is very unlikely at 30C, because the pill is sugar and nothing else. The bigger risk is what you do not do while taking it. Whooping cough, croup and asthma can turn serious fast, and all three need proper medical care.

How much Mephitis putorius should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no proven dose, because there is no active material to dose. Shop labels for 30C pills usually say three to five pills, two or three times a day. Homeopaths who see people one to one often give far fewer doses and then wait.
• Best time of day: Labels usually say to spread doses through the day. Some homeopaths give a dose at bedtime, since the cough it is matched to is said to be worse at night. No study has tested timing.
• With or without food: Take it away from food and drink. Labels usually say 15 minutes before or after eating. Let the pills melt under the tongue rather than chewing them.
• Time to effect: Users often report a change within a day or two. Coughs also fade on their own over that time. No trial has shown an effect beyond placebo (a dummy pill), so any change may not come from the remedy.
• How long to take it: Use is normally short, over a few days. If nothing has changed after three days, stop and think again. Any cough that lasts more than two weeks needs a doctor, not a longer course of pills.