From the Latin “gemmae” which means “bud”, gemmotherapy is a form of herbal medicine that uses plant embryonic tissues to treat certain ailments. In this sheet, you will discover this practice in more detail, its principles, its history, its benefits, who practices it, how, and what are the contraindications.

Commonly called “bud medicine”, gemmotherapy is part of the large family of herbal therapies, which offer to prevent and treat a variety of health problems using plants. From the Latin term gem, which means both bud and precious stone, gemmotherapy uses exclusively the fresh embryonic tissues of plants, trees and shrubs, i.e. buds, young shoots and rootlets.

The embryos, macerated in a mixture of water, alcohol and glycerin, are used to make solutions in which the active ingredients of plants are concentrated. They are called macerates. Their alleged therapeutic virtues vary, of course, depending on the plant from which they come: blackcurrant for energy, fir against coughs, hawthorn for the heart … In addition, several products from gemmotherapy have diuretic properties in common. , drainage or detoxification.

The main principles

According to the theory, the buds have certain therapeutic properties superior to those of the various parts of the mature plant. The bud, being an embryo, would carry within it the development potential of the plant, a bit as if it were at the same time the roots, the stems, the leaves, the flowers and the fruits. It also contains high concentrations of active elements like hormones, trace elements, vitamins, minerals, etc.

The followers of gemmotherapy speak of the “wholeness” of the bud. Embryonic tissue would not only offer a higher content of active compounds, but a much wider spectrum of action than each of the parts of the plant taken in isolation.

For example, the hawthorn bud, a plant frequently used in gemmotherapy, has both the properties of the fruit (action on the heart muscle) and the flower (action on the heart rate). Even more evocative, the linden bud would combine the calming virtues associated with the flower of this tree, and the purifying and diuretic properties of the sapwood, the soft and whitish part which forms each year between the hard wood and the bark.

For all these reasons, gemmotherapy is sometimes qualified as “global herbal medicine”. However, this “wholeness” should not be set up as an absolute rule. The bud would not always have all the properties of the plant. Growth can also play an important, if not essential, role in the acquisition of certain properties. For example, the raspberry bud lacks the high vitamin C content of ripe fruit.

Macerate or dilution?

There are two schools of thought regarding the preparation of gemmotherapy products. One favors the use of buds in the form of an extract (macerate), while the second approach recommends a prior dilution, of the homeopathic type, which will be called the 1D form.

Macerate

To form the macerate, the buds are macerated in a water-glycerin-alcohol mixture for 21 days, then filtered. The substance obtained, called “mother macerate”, is compared to the mother tincture, the basis of phytotherapeutic solutions. The bud macerate is however less concentrated than the tincture, with a dilution of 1/20 rather than 1/10. It is usually consumed diluted in a little water. The dosage varies depending on the product. Usually, 5 to 15 drops are taken per day (as a single dose or two or three per day).

The 1D shape

The 1D form corresponds to a solution ten times more diluted than the original macerate. In addition, the starting preparation does not include water. The buds are macerated in alcohol and glycerin only, which goes against Dr. Henry’s precepts that water is essential for extracting the active elements from the plant. Although it is inspired by homeopathy, the 1D preparation is not, strictly speaking, a homeopathic solution. On the one hand, it remains relatively concentrated, that is to say that it still contains many active elements and not just the simple “vibrations” specific to homeopathic solutions. On the other hand, the manufacture of 1D does not normally involve dynamization, the process of stirring the solution, essential to homeopathy.

Even if scientific knowledge about the healing properties of plants is constantly growing, gemmotherapy has not been the subject of any scientific publication until now. As a result, we cannot say with certainty about its effectiveness.

Traditionally, buds from different plants or fruits are used in the following indications:

Contribute to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Mistletoe is a plant commonly used to regulate heart problems. The buds, used in the form of concentrated glycerine macerate, reduce cardiovascular risks by lowering blood cholesterol levels. In addition, hawthorn is used for circulation problems, thanks to the soothing properties of its flowers (decreases the heart rate and palpitations) and stimulating properties of its fruits (protective effects on the heart muscle). As for the almond and lime tree buds, they would reduce the blood levels of triglycerides and act as an anticoagulant, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease.

Detoxify the body

The buds of lime, rosemary and almond would cleanse the body of its waste (eg uric acid). Birch buds are used to cleanse the liver and urinary tract, which helps in the removal of organic wastes such as uric acid and cholesterol. As for the blackcurrant bud, it would have a cleansing action on the liver.

Improve sleep and fight fatigue

The fig tree bud (sacred tree in Antiquity) acts on the endocrine system, which would explain its positive action on sleep disorders. The blackcurrant bud helps fight against physical and mental fatigue. As for thyme buds, they would also act as a calming agent, improving the quality of sleep.

Contribute to the treatment of arthritic disorders

Thanks to its properties, birch bud is considered effective in the treatment of chronic progressive arthritis. Mistletoe and pine buds are believed to have anti-inflammatory action, which would relieve arthritis problems.

Strengthen health

Thanks to their antioxidant properties and the large amounts of polyphenols they contain, grapevine and rosemary buds help to strengthen physical health.

The specialist

Gemmotherapy is mainly practiced by herbalists, phytotherapists, homeopaths, naturopaths or other therapists with knowledge of medicinal plants.

Course of a session

The course of a session varies depending on the specialty of the therapist. In general, the first session consists of establishing the patient’s history and learning about his current condition, profile and problematic. Once all these elements have been entered, the practitioner will tell his patient which pimple to take, how often and at what dose.

Become a practitioner in gemmotherapy

The discipline is a specialty of phytotherapy. It is therefore generally within the framework of this program that training can be acquired. Various training courses are also offered in the form of weekend seminars.

In Belgium, the Institut Supérieur de Naturopathie Traditionnelle (www.isnat.be) and the Belgian Society for Phytotherapy and Nutritherapy (www.sbpn.be) organize professional training including gemmotherapy courses. The European Federation of Herbalism (www.feh.be) also offers training in Gemmotherapy / Therapeutics by buds.

Contraindications of gemmotherapy

Gemmotherapy includes some contraindications and precautions, especially with regard to pregnant women. At the start of pregnancy, it is recommended to check with a health professional before taking buds. In addition, some buds are not recommended for people with heart disease or suffering from bleeding disorders and hypertension. If you are taking medical treatment, care should be taken to ensure that the buds do not interact with it.

The use of buds dates back to the Middle Ages, to the era of alchemists, notably with the manufacture of syrups to treat respiratory diseases. The use of buds in traditional pharmacopoeia dates back to the Middle Ages, to the era of the alchemists. Poplar buds were used in particular for making an ointment and those of the fir tree for making syrups for pectoral use.

But it was not until the 1960s that Dr Pol Henry (1918-1988), a Belgian doctor, drew on discoveries on embryonic cells of animal origin to lay the foundations for what he was going to do. name “phytoembryotherapy”. During the 1970s, homeopath Max Tétau renamed “phytoembryotherapy” to “gemmotherapy”, the name now recognized and accepted. The discipline not only changes its name, but incorporates principles that bring it closer to the theories and methods specific to homeopathy.