Direct physiologic effects of homeopathic medicines

Researchers from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India have recently used a Medical Analyzer System to explore the autonomic response of selective homeopathic medicines in healthy persons. The objective of this investigation was to observe the changes produced in the variability spectrum of heart rate variability and blood flow variability following administration of placebo and different potencies of certain homeopathic medicines. This investigation is particularly interesting because, even though several clinical studies have demonstrated an effect of highly diluted homeopathic medicines, until now their action had not been directly observable.

In the Indian research study the effect of different homeopathic potencies of Aconitum napellus, Arsenicum album, Gelsemium sempervirens, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla nigricans, and Sulphur on heart rate variability and blood flow variability were recorded in 77 subjects within an age range of 18-35.

The results show a range of responses that are varied and interesting e.g. a pattern seems to emerge from these experiments that medium potencies such as 30c and 200c have probable action on heart rate variability and higher potencies such as 1M have probable action on blood flow variability.

However, the authors state this is an exploratory study and that ‘These are observations from exploratory experiments in emerging areas of physiologic variability and need validation by repeated experiments of this type. Detection of response was the primary objective of this study, which has been achieved. The number of subjects in each group was small; hence it was not possible to show the statistical significance of the results, an aspect that will be covered in future studies.’

With the use of the medical analyzer, the researchers may have found a way to move research in the area of ultramolecular homeopathic preparations forward. Their research study suggests that it is possible to record the response of homeopathic medicines on physiologic parameters of the autonomic nervous system, thus offering a means of measuring a direct physiologic effect in an objective, rather than subjective, manner.

Reference:

Mishra N, Muraleedharan KC, Paranjpe AS, Munta DK, Singh H, Nayak C (2011). An Exploratory Study on Scientific Investigations in Homeopathy Using Medical Analyzer. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17:705-710.

PubMed link : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21787219