No one wants to be stung by a bee or bitten by a snake and the fear is well-founded: animal venoms are, in fact, dangerous weapons of nature. A bee sting can cause painful swelling in humans, while a snake bite can be fatal. As long as they do not feel threatened, animals are harmless and do not use their venom. This is a valuable resource for defense against attackers and is used for survival or to paralyze small prey.

Animal poisons are also valuable in medicine. Serum is obtained from snake venom, which can be used to cure the effects of snake bites. Dangerous and at the same time healing poisons are also used in homeopathy, for example, from these four animals:

Apis mellifica – the honey bee

To produce the medicine “Apis mellifica” honey bee venom is used, which is most poisonous in spring. Bee venom has a very intense effect and causes rapid swelling in the parts of the body that have been stung.

According to the homeopathic principle “like cures like”, the use of Apis is characteristic for acute pain and intense swelling with great sensitivity to touch, that is, for symptoms such as those that occur with a bee sting. The skin and mucous membrane of the affected area appear sac-shaped, swollen and pale red in color, for example in the case of a sore throat or hives. Apis has a broad field of activity. This remedy is also indicated for cystitis, where acute pain may also occur.

Lachesis muta – the bushmaster snake

The drug Lachesis is obtained from the venom gland of one of the largest venomous snakes, the bushmaster snake. It occurs in the tropical forests of South America, is 2.50 to 3.80 meters long and is yellowish brown with a dark brown diamond pattern. The snake loves moist areas and likes to eat rodents and other small animals.

Lachesis is a diverse constitutional remedy and is used, among other things, for insomnia, manic states, phobias and behavioral disorders. But it is also used, for example, in cases of alcoholism, heart disease, menopausal symptoms and sore throats.

Bufo rana – the common frog

Behind the head and back of the common frog are protruding skin glands that secrete a toxic substance, bufotalin. The homeopathic remedy “Bufo rana” made from it mainly affects the nervous system and skin. It has been reported to have a curative effect on epilepsy and mental retardation in children, as well as premature senility in adults.

It is characteristic of “Buforana” patients that violent convulsive attacks occur during sleep, they are anxious and nervous and tend to become angry quickly. They crave solitude and are sensitive to noise. Burning, itchy pustules form on the skin and secrete a foul-smelling liquid; even minor injuries get worse. The pain is often described as shooting up the arms.

Cantharis – “Spanish fly”

The Spanish fly is actually not a fly at all, but a shiny, metallic-green beetle. Its Latin name is “Lytta vesicatoria”. The beetle produces a yellow secretion that contains the neurotoxin cantharidin. The insect releases this venom to protect itself from attackers. The “Spanish fly” is known as a sexual enhancer – but this type of use is not completely safe, as it can attack the urinary and sexual organs and cause inflammation. But in homeopathic doses, “Cantharis” can also cure diseases of urinary organs such as kidneys and bladder. Unlike Apis, the remedy is indicated for burning and cutting pain. It can also be the right remedy for burns and itchy skin infections.