A homeopathic potency label records the dilution scale and the number of preparation steps. It is not the same as a conventional medicine strength. On the C scale, 6C means six 1:100 steps, 30C means thirty, and 200C means two hundred.
How to read the main scales
| Label | Step ratio | Overall dilution |
|---|---|---|
| 6X or 6D | Six 1:10 steps | 10−6, or one part in one million |
| 6C | Six 1:100 steps | 10−12, or one part in one trillion |
| 12C | Twelve 1:100 steps | 10−24 |
| 30C | Thirty 1:100 steps | 10−60 |
| 200C | Two hundred 1:100 steps | 10−400 |
The arithmetic assumes the stated ratio is repeated exactly at every step. The finished product may be a liquid or may use a prepared liquid on pillules or tablets.
What do X and D mean?
X and D usually refer to the decimal scale. Each step carries one part into nine parts of diluent. The number shows how many times that step was repeated. A 30X label therefore represents thirty decimal steps, not the same dilution as 30C.
What does C mean?
C refers to the centesimal scale. Each step carries one part into ninety-nine parts of diluent. Because each step is 1:100, an nC product has a nominal dilution of 10−2n.
What happens around 12C?
Avogadro’s constant describes the number of molecules in a mole of substance. Depending on the starting concentration and sample size, dilution beyond roughly 12C makes it unlikely that a dose contains a molecule of the original material. This is why many high-potency homeopathic products may contain little or none of the starting substance.
What are LM or Q potencies?
LM and Q labels refer to a different preparation sequence associated with approximately 1:50,000 dilution stages after an initial preparation. The notation cannot be converted reliably by treating it as another C label. Use the manufacturer’s information for the exact product.
Why are the labels called potencies?
Homeopathic practice uses the word potency for the preparation level and traditionally claims that repeated dilution and succussion increase activity. In pharmacology, a lower concentration does not normally mean a stronger dose. Do not interpret the label as a conventional measure of drug strength.
How are potencies chosen?
Selection is based on homeopathic tradition and practitioner judgement, not an evidence-based dose-response model. A label such as 30C does not show that the product is appropriate for a symptom or condition.
What should I do with a label I do not understand?
- Keep the original container and leaflet.
- Record the complete name, potency and product number.
- Do not substitute a different potency on your own.
- Ask the supplier or clinic to explain the written directions.
- Ask a pharmacist about ingredients, medicines and safety concerns.
Read how homeopathic products are made and how to check, take and store them.
Sources
Source check: 31 August 2026.