Characterisation of Aqueous Ultra-high Homeopathic Potencies: Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. © 2024.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Over the past decade, research using various methods has claimed the material nature, including nanoparticles (NPs), of high homeopathic potencies. The current study aims to verify these findings using NP tracking analysis (NTA).

Methods: Six independent serial dilutions of commonly used homeopathic medicines —either soluble (Gelsemium, Pyrogenium, Kalium mur) or insoluble (Cuprum, Argentum, Silicea)—were prepared according to European Pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dynamisations (DYNs) in pure water with their potentised controls and with simple dilutions (DIL) up to 30cH/1060. We also tested the influence of the container (glass or PET) on the solvent controls.

Results: We observed the presence of particles from 20 to 300–400 nm in all DYNs, DILs and controls, except in pure unstirred water. The sizes and size distributions of NPs in high homeopathic potencies were smaller than those in controls for soluble sources and larger for insoluble sources, even above 11cH. The opposite behaviour was observed in the number of NPs. When comparing DYN and DIL, the number, size, presence of aggregates or chains and brightness of NPs increased with DYNs, which was also observed above 11cH. Many NPs scattered light of low intensity, indicating the presence of material particles. The container had a significant effect on the number and size of NPs, indicating the involvement of the atmosphere and leaching processes.

Conclusion: Homeopathic medicines contain NPs with specific properties, even when diluted beyond Avogadro’s number. Homeopathic potentisation is not a simple dilution. The starting material, the solvent used, the type of container and the manufacturing method influence the characteristics of these NPs. The nature of these NPs is not known, but most likely they are a mixture of nanobubbles and elements from the atmosphere and container, including insoluble ones.

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Nature and structure of NTA Traditional Homeopathically Manufactured Medicines. © 2023

Abstract

Background: Research using several different methods has demonstrated the materiality, including nanoparticles (NPs) and molecular shapes, in High Homeopathic Potentizations (HHPs). This presentation is a summary of all the evidence gathered by the DynHom research project.

Methods: We used the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Nano Tracking Analyzer (NTA), Electronic microscopy (SEM-EDX), Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), pH measurements to examine dilutions of commonly used homeopathic medicines and controls. The homeopathic medicines tested were specially prepared according to the European pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dilutions/dynamizations with simple dilutions and solvents controls. Results: We observed specific NMR profiles, the presence of particles with specific size distribution and electric fields, dry material (crystals) with a specific molecular structure even more obvious in HHPs.

Conclusion: Homeopathic medicines do contain particles with a specific size distribution even in HHPs diluted beyond the Avogadro/Loschmidt limit. They also contain molecules in particular concentrations according to each source material. This specificity can be attributed to the manufacturing and potentization process. This material demonstrates that the step-by-step process (dynamized or not) does not match the theoretical expectations in a dilution process. The starting material, the type of containers and dilution/dynamization method influence the nature and concentration of these NPs.

Int J High Dilution Res. 2023; 22(2): 37-40. https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v22i2.1334

Ion Partition Detected in Homeopathically Manufactured Medicine Cuprum metallicum and Controls. © 2022

Abstract

Background: Homeopathy is highly controversial. The main reason for this is its use of very highly dilute medicines (high homeopathic potencies, HHP), diluted beyond the Avogadro/Loschmidt limit. Research using Nano Tracking Analysis has demonstrated the presence of particles in HHPs. This study aims to verify the results of a previous publication that identified the ionic composition of these particles in all dilutions.

Methods: We used Scanning Electron Microscopy & Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) to examine dilutions of a commonly used homeopathic medicine, an insoluble metal, Cuprum metallicum, for the presence of particles (NPs). The homeopathic medicines tested were specially prepared according to the European pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dilutions/dynamizations of copper with simple dilutions and dynamized lactose controls.

Results: We observed an ionic diversity common to all preparations including HHPs but also significant differences in the relative quantity of each ion between manufacturing lines of homeopathic copper and lactose controls. The probability that the observed differences could have occurred chance alone (especially above Avogadro limit) can be rejected at p < 0.001. The essential component of these homeopathic medicines is sodium hydrogen carbonate, modulated by some other elements and by its quantity, size and shape.

Conclusion: Homeopathic medicines made of Cuprum metallicum do contain material with a specific ionic composition even in HHPs diluted beyond the Avogadro/Loschmidt limit. This specificity can be attributed to the manufacturing process. This material demonstrates that the step-by-step process (dynamized or not) does not match the theoretical expectations of a dilution process. The starting material and dilution/dynamization method influences the nature of these NPs. Further measurements are needed on other raw materials using the same controls (solvent and simply diluted manufacturing lines) to support these findings. The role of sodium bicarbonate must be carefully studied in the future.

Int J High Dilution Res. 2022; 21(cf): 67-84 67 https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v21icf.1181

Verification of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Characterization of Traditional Homeopathically Manufactured Metal (Cuprum metallicum) and Plant (Gelsemium sempervirens) Medicines and Controls © 2021

Abstract

Background: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) proton relaxation is sensitive to the dynamics of the water molecule, H2O, through the interaction of the spin of the proton (1H) with external magnetic and electromagnetic fields. NMR relaxation times describe how quickly the spin of 1H, forced in a direction by an external electromagnetic field, returns to a normal resting position. As a result, such measurements allow us potentially to describe higher structuring of water in homeopathic medicines.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to verify whether specific NMR relaxation times could be measured in full lines of cH dynamizations of a metal (copper) and of a plant substance (Gelsemium sempervirens), compared with a solvent control, a potentized lactose control and a control prepared by simple dilution, in three production lines. It is aimed at verification of a previous publication (2017) on two new manufacturing lines of the same starting material and controls. Materials and Methods To monitor dilution and potentization processes, measurements of 1H spin-lattice T1 and spin-spin T2 relaxation times were used. T1 and T2 relaxation times were measured at 25°C with a spin analyser working at a frequency of 20 MHz. To account for its possible role as a confounding factor, free oxygen was also measured in all samples, using a MicroOptode meter.

Results: When the values of the three production lines were pooled, a statistically significant discrimination of NMR relaxation times between the medicines and their controls was confirmed. We found for copper cH and Gelsemium sempervirens cH a highly significant influence of the starting material (p = 0.008), a highly significant influence of level of dilution (p < 0.001), and a significant influence of the O2 concentration (p = 0.04).

Conclusions: We have evidence of an obvious retention of a specific magnetic resonance signal when a substance (lactose, copper, Gelsemium) is diluted/potentized in pure water. This means that homeopathic solutions cannot be considered to be pure water. O2 is a covariant and not an explanatory variable: this factor itself is too weak to explain the NMR signal specificities in potentized samples. Homeopathic dilutions may thus have a specific material configuration governed not only by the potentized substance but also by the chemical nature of the containers, the chemical nature of dissolved gases and even by the electromagnetic environment. This sensitivity of homeopathically prepared medicines to electromagnetic fields may be amplified by the processes routinely applied during their preparation; because it occurs only when a dynamization has been performed, we may call this phenomenon “dynamic pharmacy”.

Homeopathy 2021; 110(01): 042-051. DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1710022. https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0040-1710022

Nanoparticle Characterisation of Traditional Homeopathically Manufactured Cuprum metallicum and Gelsemium sempervirens Medicines and Controls. © 2019

Abstract

Background: Homeopathy is controversial due to its use of very highly diluted medicines (high potencies/dynamisations).

Methods: We used a multi-technology approach to examine dilutions of two commonly used homeopathic medicines: an insoluble metal, Cuprum metallicum, and a soluble plant tincture, Gelsemium sempervirens, for the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) of original substance. The homeopathic medicines tested were specially prepared, according to the European pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dilutions/dynamisations with simple dilutions and controls.

Results: Using Mass Spectrometry (Single Particle-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) we could not find the expected copper in the 4cH potentisation and could not confirm the results previously obtained by Chikramane et al (2010). For Gelsemium medicines, using sensitive chromatography (HPLC-UV) up to a dilution level of 6 dH (3cH = dilution 10e-6), there was no significant difference in alkaloid content between a simple dilution and a homeopathic potency.For higher potentisations, however, NP tracking analysis findings revealed the presence of particles in all samples (except for pure water). The measurements showed large differences in particle quantities, mean particle sizes and standard deviations of the mean sizes between manufacturing lines of different starting material.There was always more material in potentised medicines than in potentised pure water. Gelsemium yielded the largest quantity of material (36 times more than that from copper at the same potentisation, 30 cH). The shapes and the chemical composition of the material are differentiable between different medicines and controls.

Conclusion: Potentisation influences specifically the nature of NPs detected. This material demonstrates that the step-by-step process (dynamised or not) does not match with the theoretical expectations in a dilution process. The Avogadro/Loschmidt limit is not relevant at all. It was not possible to reproduce the findings of Chikramane et al (2010) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with copper. Copper NPs could not be detected at 4cH and above.

Homeopathy 2019; 108(01): 073-074. DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1676304. https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0038-1676304

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance characterization of traditional homeopathically manufactured copper ( Cuprum metallicum ) and plant ( Gelsemium sempervirens ) medicines and controls. © 2017

Abstract

Background: NMR proton relaxation is sensitive to the dynamics of the water molecule H2O, through the interaction of the spin of the proton (¹H) with external magnetic and electromagnetic fields. Methods We measured dilution and potentization processes through measurements of ¹H spin-lattice T1 and spin–spin T2 relaxation times. In order to interpret the recorded fluctuations in T1- or T2-values, experimental data were linearized by investigating how the area under a fluctuating time = f(dilution) curve (dilution integral or DI) changes with dilution. Two kinds of fitting procedures were considered: chi-square fitting with a goodness-of-fit probability, and least absolute deviations criterion with Pearson's linear correlation coefficient.

Results: We showed that fluctuations are not attributable to random noise and/or experimental errors, evidencing a memory effect quantifiable by the slope of the DI = f(dilution) straight line. For all experiments, correlation coefficients were found to lie above 0.9999, against 0.999 for random noise. The discrimination between experimental slopes and slopes associated with random noise data was very good at a five-sigma level of confidence (i.e. probability 3 × 10⁻⁷). Discrimination between experimental slopes at a five-sigma level was possible in most cases, with three exceptions: gelsemium aqua pura v gelsemium dilution (four-sigma); copper aqua pura v gelsemium aqua pura (four-sigma) and copper simple dilution v gelsemium simple dilution (three-sigma). All potentized samples show very good discrimination (at least nine-sigma level) against aqua pura, lactose or simple dilution. It was possible to transform the associated relaxation times into a molecular rotational correlation time τc and an average spin–spin distance d. Our experiments thus point to a considerable slowing down of molecular movements (τc > 1300 ps or T = 224–225 K) around water molecules up to a distance of 3.7 Å, values. It was also possible to rule out other possible mechanisms of relaxation (diffusive motion, ¹⁷O-¹H relaxation or coupling with the electronic spin, S = 1, of dissolved dioxygen molecules). Conclusion: There is clear evidence that homeopathic solutions cannot be considered as pure water as commonly assumed. Instead, we have evidenced a clear memory effect upon dilution/potentization of a substance (water, lactose, copper, gelsemium) reflected by different rotational correlation times and average H⋯H distances. A possible explanation for such a memory effect may lie in the formation of mesoscopic water structures around nanoparticles and/or nanobubbles mediated by zero-point fluctuations of the vacuum electromagnetic field as suggested by quantum field theories. The existence of an Avogadro's ‘wall’ for homeopathically-prepared medicines is not supported by our data. Rather it appears that all dilutions have a specific material configuration determined by the potentized substance, also by the chemical nature of the containers, and dissolved gases and the electromagnetic environment. This sensitivity of homeopathically-prepared medicines to electromagnetic fields may be amplified by the highly non-linear processing routinely applied in the preparation of homeopathic medicines. Future work is needed in such directions. The time is now ripe for a demystification of the preparation of homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy 2017; 106(04): 223-239. DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2017.08.001.

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