Gemmotherapy – healing treatment with tree seedlings and buds

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Gemmotherapy (from Latin gemma - bud, and therapia - treatment), is a kind of herbal medicine which uses special preparations made of young tissues of trees and shrubs. Most commonly used for the preparations are buds, and less frequently scions, seeds, juice and roots of young trees and shrubs.

Ingredients are harvested in the spring (except seeds, which are harvested in the fall), at the peak of sprouting. At that time plants contain the highest levels of vitamins, plant hormones and enzymes. 

Some of the ingredients are present in plants exclusively at that time, because the buds, scions and fresh roots are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Gemmotherapy

Not only is the chemical composition of plants interesting at the time of sprouting, but also the vital energy which is then present. It is believed that:

1. the vital energy of trees and shrubs is at the highest level when they begins to grow leaves, branches and flowers
2. the vital energy is concentrated in young tissues of plants (buds, catkins, scions)
3. the vital energy goes into gemmotherapy preparations and increase their efficiency

History of gemmotherapy

Therapeutic effect of preparations made from young parts of plants was first researched in 1959 by the Belgian doctor Pol Henry. He performed his researches with a group of French homeopaths and biotherapists including Maks Tetau and Juliana O. A.

Several clinical studies on humans and animals were conducted in order to determine the effects of gemmotherapy preparations on health and psycho-emotional state of a person. After that Pol Henry published several monographs in which he described his findings.

Gemmotherapy was officially accepted as a branch of herbal medicine in France, and is today very popular in Italy. 

Unfortunately, gemmotherapy is almost unknown in other parts of the world, with the exception of some areas of England, U.S. and Germany.

Making gemmotherapy preparations

Gemmotherapy preparations may consist of one or more plants. However, the usual practice is that the plants do not mix, and that only one type of macerate is taken at the time.

Immediately after harvesting (within 2-3 hours), clean and weigh buds, scions or other ingredients. After that, take a small part of the mix, dry it in the oven at a temperature of 105° C and weigh it again. This is done in order to determine the exact weight of dried mixture.

Use the remaining mixture to make the macerate: on 20 parts of herbal mixture (dry weight is taken) it is necessary to add one part alcohol and one part vegetable glycerin.

Leave macerate in a dark, cool place for a month and shake it occasionally. Then strain the mixture and leave it for 48 hours, when you need to strain it again. 

The liquid you will obtain is called souche, or broth. It contains equal parts of the alcohol and glycerin and 10-25% herbal ingredients, depending on the water content in the plants used.

To make a remedy, you need to dilute souche with 50% vegetable glycerin, 30% alcohol and 20% water. Fluid should be lightly shaken 30 times to make a homeopathic remedy with the strength of 1DH (1:10).

Such preparation, if kept in a closed bottle in a cool, dark place, does not lose its medicinal properties. However, because of the rules imposed by the European Union, all gemmotherapy preparations must have a declaration stating that their shelf life is 5 years.

Dosage

Usual dosage: drink 20-30 drops of macerate a day, before meals, with a small amount of water. This dosage can vary depending on the individual response of each individual. It is recommended to use only one macerate at the time, so that you can monitor the reaction of the organism to a specific plant.

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