Oscillococcinum

Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic preparation manufactured by Boiron Laboratories and marketed for the relief of flu-like symptoms, including body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue. The product's active ingredient is Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum, an extract derived from the heart and liver of the Muscovy duck. This extract is prepared using a 200CK dilution, a process so extreme (1 part in 10^400) that no molecules of the original duck tissue remain in the final sugar-based pellets. As a homeopathic remedy, it follows the principle of 'like cures like,' based on the theory that wildfowl are natural reservoirs for influenza. Oscillococcinum does not have a recognized biological target or conventional mechanism of action. While it has been commercially available for over 80 years in more than 50 countries, independent clinical reviews, such as those by the Cochrane Collaboration, have found no robust evidence that it is more effective than a placebo.

Brand names

Oscillococcinum

Other names

Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum