glossaryBy Homeopathy Network TeamMarch 4, 2026

Dilution

In homeopathic pharmacy, dilution refers to the measured reduction in concentration of the source substance at each step of preparation. A precise volume of the previous stage is added to a defined volume of fresh vehicle (purified water-alcohol solution), reducing the material concentration by a fixed ratio. However, dilution alone is insufficient to produce a homeopathic remedy — it must be accompanied by succussion at every step. The complete process is properly called potentization.

In Practice

The dilution ratio varies by scale. On the centesimal scale, each step is 1:100 — one part carried forward into ninety-nine parts of fresh vehicle. On the decimal scale, it is 1:10. On the LM scale, the ratio is 1:50,000. Each ratio produces a distinct family of potencies with different clinical characteristics.

The term "dilution" is sometimes used colloquially to describe the entire preparation process, but this is imprecise and can be misleading. A substance that has been serially diluted without succussion is simply a weaker solution — it has not been potentized and does not function as a homeopathic remedy. Hahnemann was explicit on this point in the Organon of Medicine (paragraph 269): the medicinal properties are developed through the mechanical action of succussion, not through dilution alone.

The term "dilution" alone does not capture the full process. In homeopathy, the preferred term is potentization, which encompasses both dilution and succussion.

In practical pharmacy, the dilution step is carried out with exacting precision. Fresh vials, calibrated pipettes, and specified vehicle compositions ensure consistency. The pharmacopoeias that govern remedy manufacturing define exact dilution ratios and procedures for every listed substance.

Related Terms

  • Potentization — the complete preparation process of serial dilution combined with succussion
  • Succussion — the vigorous shaking that accompanies dilution at each step
  • Centesimal Scale — the scale using a 1:100 dilution ratio
  • Decimal Scale — the scale using a 1:10 dilution ratio

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