What is Anthroposophic Pharmacy?

In harmony with nature


Pharmacy is a science which deals with drugs and their effects, manufacture, testing and delivery.

Anthroposophic pharmacy sees itself as an extension of this science by the Anthroposophy of Rudolf Steiner. A person is here not considered only as a purely physical being, but one of body, mind, soul, and the individual self, the “I”. This perspective gives rise to special requirements for the manufacture of drugs.

The raw materials are mainly taken directly from nature: minerals, metals, or plants or their parts and animal organisms, organs or their secretions (e.g., snake venom or formic acid). Particular emphasis is placed on the quality of the natural substances. They mostly come from biodynamic cultivation or are of equivalent quality. The processing of the raw materials always depends on the physician’s therapeutic goal. This determines the individual manufacturing methods.
Many of these are known in the pharmaceutical industry, such as maceration, digestion, distillation, etc., while others are more specifically used in Anthroposophic Pharmacy, such as roasting, charring and ashing. Other features include the production of metal mirrors, the heat/ash and light/ash procedures and the Rh-process. The process of potentisation, known from homeopathy, is also drawn upon, but using particular rhythmic movements.

More information about Anthroposophic Pharmacy can be found at
www.gapid.de
www.medsektion-goetheanum.org

Photos: Calendula, Arnicamontana