A. Traditionally, homoeopathic and herbal tinctures were made using a water and alcohol (ethanol) mixture. This stems from a time when herbs were extracted by soaking them in wine or spirits. Water and ethanol mixes are still the most common extraction method for tinctures and are now standard pharmaceutical practice.

One important reason ethanol is used in the production of Weleda remedies is that ethanol is able to extract more active ingredients than other substances used for extraction (glycerin or water alone). With a wider range of active ingredients the therapeutic activity is broader, and the remedy is more effective.
A second advantage of using alcohol for tinctures is that it acts as a preservative - bacteria, yeasts and molds generally do not grow in an ethanol concentration of around 20% or more. Another advantage of ethanol is that once it is ingested, it loses its preservative effect; therefore, it does not damage beneficial intestinal flora.

The small amounts of ethanol that are taken when using homoeopathic or herbal products are generally recognised as being harmless. For example, the standard 10 drop (or 0.5ml) dose contains 2 drops (80mg) of ethanol. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a newborn (3kg) baby, should be given no more than 3ml of ethanol in a single dose - this is about 30 times greater than the amount in a dose of herbal or homeopathic products. In comparison, an average slice of bread contains between 100mg and 200mg of ethanol.

A. In line with all our product ingredients, our medicines are made with organic ethyl alcohol (ethanol), derived from organically grown grains such as corn and are certified gluten-free. All phases of the production process, including fermentation, distillation, packaging and shipping, are done under strict organic guidelines.

A. Many of the Weleda tablets contain wheat starch in the quantity of no more than 25 mg per tablet. According to the German Celiac Disease Society, after the albumin fraction is washed out from the wheat flour, those products that contain less than .05% wheat starch, may be declared as gluten-free. Weleda also follows the European Remedies Book, which allows a maximum presence of wheat starch as .048. Therefore, according to the European Union, Switzerland and all other countries that follow this guideline, Weleda only produces tablets made with gluten-free wheat starch. In the United States, however, there is no uniform standard for such labelling declarations. As a result, if you are allergic to gluten, we suggest that you contact your health provider before using these products. 

Q. Why are some of Weleda homeopathic medicines available by prescription only?

A. HPUS (Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the U.S.) regulations, which specify the Rx and OTC potencies for each item. In some cases, like cancerous or cardiovascular conditions, the indications mandate the Rx status.

A. Iscador® (Iscar® in the US) is a preparation made from the Mistletoe plant (Viscum album), used in the treatment of cancers. Click here for information about Iscador®/Iscar®.

A. As a general guideline: while most medicines have a shelf life of at least 3 years, many potencies of 2X (D2) or less and some compounds have a shelf life of only 2 years.

A. We do not use rubber droppers for dilutions because the risk of interaction between the rubber and the substances, which have no preservatives, is too great.