Repetitions of Research models for homeopathy dilutions

Repetitions of fundamental research models for homeopathically prepared dilutions beyond  10-23: a bibliometric study

PC Endler  , K Thieves , C Reich, P Matthiessen , L Bonamin , C Scherr  and S Baumgartner

Interuniversity College for Health and Development Graz/Castle of Seggau, Austria
Centre for Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany
Universidade Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Hiscia Institute, Society for Cancer Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland
Institute of Complementary Medicine KIKOM, University of Bern, Switzerland

Introduction:     Repeatability of experiments is an important criterion of modern research and a major challenge for homeopathic basic research. There is no recent overview about basic research studies in high homeopathic potencies that have been subjected to laboratory-internal, multicenter or independent repetition trials.

Methods:  We  considered  biochemical,  immunological,  botanical,  cell  biological  and zoological  studies  on  high  potencies,  i.e.  beyond  a  dilution  of  10-23.  Main  sources  of information  were  reviews,  personal  contact  with  members  of  the  homeopathic  basic             research  community,  and  the  MEDLINE  and  HOMBREX  databases.  Studies  were  extracted from the publications and grouped into models. Studies were further sorted according to repetition type (laboratory-internal, multicenter, or independent) and results achieved.

Results:    A  total  of  107  studies  were  found.  Of  these,  30  were  initial  studies.In  the attempt to reproduce one of these initial studies, 53 follow-up studies yielded comparable effects (35 laboratory-internal, 8 multicenter, 10 independent repetitions), eight studies   showed a consistent, yet different result from the initial study (2 laboratory-internal, 2  multicenter, 4 independent repetitions), and 16 studies yielded no effects (5 laboratory-in-ternal, 2 multicenter, 9 independent repetitions). When all repetitive studies are considered, 69% reported effects comparable to that of the initial study, 10% different effects,   and 21% no effects. Independently performed repetition studies reported 44% comparable effects, 17% different effects, and 39% no effects.

Conclusions: We identified 24 experimental models in basic research on high homeopathic   potencies,    which    were   repeatedly     investigated.    22   models    were    reproduced with comparable results, 6 models with different results, and repetition showed no results for 15 models. Independent reproductions with either comparable or different results were found for seven models. We encourage further repetition trials of published   studies, in order to learn more about the model systems used and in order to test their  repeatability.

Keywords: review; basic research; homeopathy; potentisation; ultra high dilutions

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