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Mohammad SN, Pinto AAG, Silva RAD, Suffredini IB, Tournier AL, Cartwright SJ, Yunes JS, Bonamin LV. Environmental Homeopathy: Homeopathic Potencies Regulate the Growth and Toxicity of Raphidiopsis raciborskii (cyanobacteria) and Can be Tracked Physico-Chemically. Part 2: Physico-chemical Results. HOMEOPATHY 2024. [PMID: 38710227 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1780527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The control of cyanobacterial toxicity and growth by homeopathic potencies was described in Part 1 of this two-part report. Here, a parallel approach characterized the physico-chemical features of the potencies used and the liquid media treated with them, correlating these results with their respective biological effects. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to establish if physico-chemical parameters can track homeopathic potencies in seawater or artificial seawater medium (ASM)-1 and to discover whether these parameters correlate with previously described biological effects. METHOD Artemia franciscana (brine shrimp) cysts were cultivated in seawater challenged with Raphidiopsis raciborskii extract and treated with different homeopathic potencies chosen from a screening process. Cultures of R. raciborskii maintained in ASM-1 were also treated with previously screened homeopathic potencies, and their growth was monitored as a function of time. The physico-chemical properties of the treated media (seawater or ASM-1) were evaluated by their interaction with solvatochromic dyes and changes in pH, conductivity and temperature. RESULTS Coumarin 7 was found to be a marker for Nitric acidum 6cH and Isotherapic (R. raciborskii extract) 200cH in seawater (analysis of variance [ANOVA], p = 0.0015). Nile red was found to be a marker for Nitric acidum 200cH and Mercurius solubilis 30cH in ASM-1 (ANOVA, p ≤ 0.001). An increase in pH of ASM-1 and endothermic effects were observed after these treatments (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.0001). Seawater and ASM-1 to which potencies had been added were also subjected to a constant unidirectional 2,400 Gauss static magnetic field and found to have enhanced effects on the solvatochromic dyes tested. CONCLUSION Homeopathic potencies were specifically traceable in aqueous media using solvatochromic dyes, especially when the samples were subjected to a magnetic field. Results from monitoring other physical parameters, such as pH and temperature, were less specific in relation to potency tracking. However, potency-induced endothermic effects might provide valuable thermodynamic data relating to the nature of potencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suham Nowrooz Mohammad
- Research Center-UNIP, Graduate Program on Environmental and Experimental Pathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andreia Adelaide G Pinto
- Research Center-UNIP, Graduate Program on Environmental and Experimental Pathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Augusto da Silva
- Research Center-UNIP, Graduate Program on Environmental and Experimental Pathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ivana Barbosa Suffredini
- Research Center-UNIP, Graduate Program on Environmental and Experimental Pathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexander L Tournier
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Steven J Cartwright
- Cherwell Laboratory for Fundamental Research in Homeopathy, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Leoni V Bonamin
- Research Center-UNIP, Graduate Program on Environmental and Experimental Pathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
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Tournier A, Würtenberger S, Klein SD, Baumgartner S. Physicochemical Investigations of Homeopathic Preparations: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis-Part 3. J Altern Complement Med 2020; 27:45-57. [PMID: 33121261 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: In parts I and II of our review of physicochemical research performed on homeopathic preparations, we identified relevant publications and analyzed the data in terms of individual experiments, looking for the most promising techniques that were used in the past. In this third part, we analyze the results of the experiments seeking to extract information about the possible modes of action underpinning homeopathic preparations. Methods: We summarized the results from the 11 experimental areas previously introduced, extracting the general findings and trends. We also summarized the results in terms of specific research topics: aging, medium used for potentization, sample volume, temperature, material of potentization vessel, and, finally, the use of molecules to probe homeopathic samples. Results: We identified a number of effects that appear consistently throughout the data: Differences to controls seem to increase with: time, moderate temperature, small samples volume, and in ionic medium, whereas high temperatures seem to abolish differences to controls. Based on the present analysis, there is no consistent evidence to date for the nanoparticle hypothesis to explain specific homeopathic treatment effects. However, the quantum coherence domain hypothesis, the dynamic water cluster hypothesis, and the weak quantum theory are still contenders and need to be further assessed experimentally. Conclusions: The field requires further targeted experimentation to validate past findings reporting differences between homeopathic dilutions and controls, and to expand these findings by specifically testing the three main working hypotheses that are currently at hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Tournier
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Water Research Lab, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandra Würtenberger
- Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, Hevert-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Nussbaum, Germany
| | - Sabine D Klein
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Baumgartner
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Society for Cancer Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland.,Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany
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Tournier A, Klein SD, Würtenberger S, Wolf U, Baumgartner S. Physicochemical Investigations of Homeopathic Preparations: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis-Part 2. J Altern Complement Med 2019; 25:890-901. [PMID: 31290681 PMCID: PMC6760181 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2019.0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: In Part 1 of the review of physicochemical research performed on homeopathic preparations the authors identified relevant publications of sufficient reporting quality for further in-depth analysis. In this article, the authors analyze these publications to identify any empirical evidence for specific physicochemical properties of homeopathic preparations and to identify most promising experimental techniques for future studies. Methods: After an update of the literature search up to 2018, the authors analyzed all publications in terms of individual experiments. They extracted information regarding methodological criteria such as blinding, randomization, statistics, controls, sample preparation, and replications, as well as regarding experimental design and measurement methods applied. Scores were developed to identify experimental techniques with most reliable outcomes. Results: The publications analyzed described 203 experiments. Less than 25% used blinding and/or randomization, and about one third used adequate controls to identify specific effects of homeopathic preparations. The most promising techniques used so far are nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation, optical spectroscopy, and electrical impedance measurements. In these three areas, several sets of replicated high-quality experiments provide evidence for specific physicochemical properties of homeopathic preparations. Conclusions: The authors uncovered a number of promising experimental techniques that warrant replication to assess the reported physicochemical properties of homeopathic preparations compared with controls. They further discuss a range of experimental aspects that highlight the many factors that need to be taken into consideration when performing basic research into homeopathic potentization. For future experiments, the authors generally recommend using succussed (vigorously shaken) controls, or comparing different homeopathic preparations with each other to reliably identify any specific physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Tournier
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Water Research Lab, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine D Klein
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Würtenberger
- Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Hevert-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Nussbaum, Germany
| | - Ursula Wolf
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Baumgartner
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Society for Cancer Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland.,Institute of Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany
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Pal R, Jha AK, Akhtar M, Kar KK, Kumar R, Nayak D. Enhanced microwave processing of epoxy nanocomposites using carbon black powders. ADV POWDER TECHNOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2017.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Gayen AL, Paul BK, Roy D, Kar S, Bandyopadhyay P, Basu R, Das S, Bhar DS, Manchanda RK, Khurana AK, Nayak D, Nandy P. Enhanced dielectric properties and conductivity of triturated copper and cobalt nanoparticles-doped PVDF-HFP film and their possible use in electronic industry. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/14328917.2016.1196563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. L. Gayen
- Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - B. K. Paul
- Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
| | - D. Roy
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
| | - S. Kar
- Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
| | - P. Bandyopadhyay
- Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
| | - R. Basu
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
- Department of Physics, Jogamaya Devi College, Kolkata 700026, India
| | - S. Das
- Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, India
| | - D. S. Bhar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
| | - R. K. Manchanda
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi, India
| | - A. K. Khurana
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi, India
| | - D. Nayak
- Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi, India
| | - P. Nandy
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700 068, India
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