The study of relationship of remedies is one of the most important part of Materia Medica.

Different
authors explain relationships of medicines in different ways. Important points mentioned by them can
be studied under the following headings.

1. Cognate
2. Concordant – Similar drugs with dissimilar origin
3. Complement – The drug that completes the cure which the other begins, but unable to effect
4. Antidote – The medicine which modify the effects of a wrongly selected potency or an apt
potency
5. Inimical – They also will be similar, but the resemblance will be so great, in fact the drugs are so
nearly “idem” that it is not well to follow one with the other.
6. Remedies that follows well (after)
7. Remedies followed well by

1. COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINES:- Complementary remedy is the one, which complements the

action of another remedy in the patient s cure. It is as if the first remedy could do only half the second
remedy does the rest of the action thereby, completing the work of first remedy.
Examples of Complementary remedies:

S. NO. MEDICINE THEIR COMPLEMENTARY

MEDICINE
1. Phosphorus Allium Cepa

2. Psorinum Sulphur

3. Calcarea Carb Belladonna

4. Aconite Sulphur

2. ANTIDOTES:-
Antidote medicine is given in following two situations
(a) when number of new symptoms taking place of old symptoms: The medicine
selected is not Homoeopathic to the case and new symptoms which now appear are not
belonging to the disease but to the medicine and patient never experienced these symptoms
before. If so, then the remedy has not acted properly and should be antidote.
(b) when symptoms takes the wrong direction: Here cure begins from the wrong side.
For example: if there be spitting of the blood after silicea or Hepar sulph while treating a
lung complaints, it should be immediately antidote because it opened the tubercular cavitation.
Few examples of antidotes:-
S. NO. MEDICINE THEIR ANTIDOTES
1. AURUM MET MERCURIUS
 2. BRYONIA CHELIDONIUM

3. IGNATIA PULSATILLA

3. COGNATE: There are medicines which are closely related to each other are known as
Cognate. These medicines are so closely related to each other that a medicine always lead
to one of its cognates.
Example: A bilious fever in Sepia constitution is likely to call for Nux vomica, as soon as that
bilious fever or remittent fever has subsided the symptoms of Sepia come out immediately,
showing the Cognate relationship between Sepia and Nux vom.
4. INIMICAL :- They do not like to work after each other. Their immediate use after the other
produced complications in the smooth management of the case. They are recommended not
to be used in succession.
Examples-
S. NO. MEDICINE THEIR INIMICAL
1. Acetic acid Arnica
Belladonna
2. Apis melifica Rhus tox

3. Belladonna Dulcamara
4. Nux vomica Ignatia