A strategy for structural exploration of homeopathic medicines.

Abstract

Absence of drug material in high potency suggests that physics is the only way to understand homeopathic medicines. Experiments carried out also demonstrate that they are different in nature from controls. But their structure is still unknown. To solve this scientific problem, a new approach of studying medicines prepared from precise variable sources like X-rays and magnetic fields is suggested to identify the factor responsible for medicinal action. Study of Causticum and medicines prepared from plants grown in different localities is also shown to be of help.

Keywords:

X-ray, Magnetic field, Causticum, and vegetable medicines

Introduction

The higher potencies of homeopathic medicines have always been controversial since their introduction about two centuries ago. They are the major cause of skepticism against homeopathy. Even some veteran homeopaths, like Richard Hughes of England in the past, do not believe them. These medicines contain nothing materially and thus contradict our materialistic commonsense. Hahnemann was the first to recognize this fundamental scientific problem and the necessity for searching for a solution within the science of physics. (1)

Tools: Experimental Methods of Physics

Garth Boericke and Rudolph Smith began investigation of higher potencies to explore their structure using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in 1963. (2) Their painstaking work is of great historical importance as it could demonstrate explicitly that homeopathic medicines are different from controls (vehicle, i.e., host or unsuccussed dilutions), and that tools of quantum physics could be employed further to explore their nature. The difference in NMR patterns is, however, small but significant and persistent.

Several other experimental methods, like infrared spectroscopy, Raman laser spectroscopy, dielectric constant, surface tension, etc., followed the work of Boericke and Smith. These experimental methods have also supported objective physicochemical changes in high potencies, (3) but results obtained in this manner still remain obscure.

New Samples: Medicines from Variable Sources

One reason behind the inconclusive results seems to be that we do not choose such medicines for study that could be varied (at our will) and about which we have precise information. Such medicines do exist in homeopathy. We should think over potentized X-ray and potentized magnetic field. One extra advantage of choosing them is that their lower potencies and even mother tinctures do not contain them as atoms or molecules.

Homeopathic medicine X-ray is obtained by exposing a vial containing alcohol to X-rays. These X-rays are not of one precise wavelength but of continuous type from a Coolidge tube. The alcohol is now taken as the mother tincture and its potencies are raised. X-ray is not a trivial medicine. In fact, it is a very powerful centrifugal remedy suitable to mixed miasm dominated by sycosis.

There is a lot of difference between X-rays of wavelengths 1[Angstrom] and 100[Angstrom]. Their hazardous effects are also not the same. If their provings as homeopathic medicines are carried out, they are unlikely to show the same symptomatology. Taking monochromatic X-rays, we can prepare different medicines like X-ray 1[Angstrom], X-ray 10[Angstrom], and X-ray 100[Angstrom]. The precise information about these medicines is the wavelength (or frequency) alone. Their potencies can be raised from mother tinctures to say 3C, 6C, etc., in centesimal scale. Some medicines can also be prepared by taking composite wavelengths like 1[Angstrom], 50[Angstrom], and 100[Angstrom] and others by taking them one by one on the same vial of alcohol. Here more samples may be possible by taking these wavelengths in different orders on different vials of alcohol. Thus we have a lot of meaningful samples of X-rays for exhaustive study. The variation in intensity of X-rays employed and duration of exposure of the vial may also prove useful in the study. Weak cosmic radiations are unlikely to interfere.

The magnet is also a source of medicine in homeopathy. The pathogenesis of it as a whole and of each pole separately are given in Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura. (4) Medicines from it are Magnetis poli ambo (magnet), Magnetis polus arcticus (North Pole) and Magnetis polus Australis (South Pole). The precise information about these medicines is the exact intensity of magnetic field applied alone with the duration of exposure. Varying these parameters, several mother tinctures can be prepared and their potencies can be raised. Magnetis polus arcticus and Megnetis polus Australis are of special interest. If we take the former as a "source," the latter is a "sink." Weak geomagnetism is unlikely to interfere. A systematic study of the number of such samples in an orderly manner is likely to result in a new understanding about homeopathically prepared medicines made from energy fields.

Vegetable medicines are also of keen interest. A plant is not made up of one chemical but of many. It is well known that plants of the same species grown in different areas have considerable variation in chemical composition but have the same therapeutic effect as homeopathic medicines. This suggests that a (vegetable) medicine is not the aggregate of its constituents. It may also be possible that either the therapeutically dominating group contributes only in the preparation of potencies or the human system accepts the contribution of this group only. One more possibility is that among composite therapeutic signals from a vegetable remedy only one signal gets selected in one prover. Thus, with many provers a medicine can acquire a wide spectrum of symptoms, even of contrary ones, and during a cure only the simillimum signal is selected for action by a living organism. So a comparative study of potencies raised from a vegetable grown in three or more areas of different soil composition and climate is likely to prove meaningful. Here mother tinctures of different origin like British, French, German, Indian, etc., may also solve the purpose.

Causticum is a medicine of mineral origin. It is a polychrest of high order. Hahnemann prepared it by distilling a mixture of recently slaked lime and previously burned and melted potassium bisulphate. Thus, it was the product of the crude pharmaceutics of his time. Mother tinctures of Causticum so produced at different times (and by different persons) could hardly be the same chemically. Worse yet, it has rarely ever been manufactured by Hahnemann's method. (5) Yet his symptoms seem to be valid for any type of Causticum produced according to different rules. (5) So by collecting mother tinctures of Causticum from different manufacturers, their potencies can be raised for comparative study. These high potencies may also be purchased directly from them to reduce the cost of research.

Conclusion

According to Bernard Poitevin ... "understanding of the mechanism of action of homeopathic medicines in high dilution is gradually coming closer to the outstretched hand of scientific research, thanks in particular to improvements in methods of physical analysis of solvents." (6) A series of potencies of such medicines is needed for statistical analysis and comparative studies, whose sources, especially the precise ones, can be varied in acceptable terms. Such a study would likely be able to identify the common factor responsible for medicinal action.

References

(1.) Bernal, G. G. (1993). Homeopathy and physics. British Homeopathic Journal, 82, 210.

(2.) Smith, R. B., and Boericke, G. W. (1968). Changes caused by succussion on NMR patterns and bioassay of Bradykinin triacetate (BKTA) succussions and dilutions. Journal of American Institute of Homeopathy, 61, 197-212.

(3.) Poitevin, B. (1995). Mechanism of action of homeopathic medicines. British Homeopathic Journal, 84, 33.

(4.) Hahnemann, S. (2000). Materia medica pura. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers.

(5.) Walach, H. (1999). Magic of Signs: A nonlocal interpretation of homeopathy. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 13, 294.

(6.) Poitevin, B. (1995). Mechanism of action of homeopathic medicines. British Homeopathic Journal, 84, 39.

Rajendra Prakash Upadhyay, M.Sc., Ph.D., D.E.H.M., D.I. Hom. (UK) Simillimum Welfare Society, 120/5 Tallital Bazaar, Nainital-263002, India E-mail: [e-mail]