Hypotheses and findings on the action mechanism(s) of homeopathic drugs

Paolo Bellavite, Marta Marzotto, Debora Olioso, Clara Bonafini
Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona
Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134 Verona, Italy
Email of corresponding Author: paolo.bellavite@univr.it

Abstract
While drugs at low dilutions work at molecular level exploiting high sensitivity of biological systems and amplification pathways, drugs at high dilutions require new models and new approaches. A major question is how these medicines may work in the body.

The possible answers concern the identification of biological targets, the means of drug-receptor interactions, the mechanisms of signal transmission and amplification,and the models of inversion of effects according to the traditional “simile” rule. Laboratory models developed in our laboratory (mice and in vitro basophils, neurocytes, macrophages) to test homeopathic drugs are currently used to explore and develop these topics and partially confirm traditional homeopathic ideas and findings.

Despite the major puzzling claims of homeopathy are far from to be clarified, there are several plausible hypotheses of the nature and action mechanism of homeopathic drugs, and some experimental evidence confirms their effects in rigorous laboratory models.

Up-to-date key findings in cell models.

• Multicentre confirmation of high dilution effects (even beyond Avogadro) in rigorous cell models (e.g. Histamine in basophils), incompatible with placebo hypothesis
• According to different models, high dilutions may have protective effects (e.g. Arsenic), prevalent inhibitory (e.g. Gelsemium) or apoptotic (e.g. Carcinosinum)
• Dilution-effect studies show that the same trend is nonlinearly obtained with 2-3-5-9-12 CH (Histamine, Arnica, Gelsemium) with various peaks
• High dilutions act through membrane cell receptors as as shown by studies with inhibitors: cimetidine, propanolol, strychnine
• Homeopathic high dilutions have effects on the expression of a number of genes, revealed at the best by molecular biology high-throughput techniques
• The scenery of homeopathic drug actions at the level of gene expression reveals multiple and extremely complex actions that may partially explain some in vivo effects

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Courtesy : Paper presented at World Homoeopathy Submit organised by Global Homoeopathy Foundation