Editorial by Dr. Saurav Arora, Editor-in-chief, International Journal of High Dilution Research
Once upon a time it was presumed that homeopathic medicines are merely solution of water and alcohol; devoid of any medicinal substance, and hence nothing but placebo. This statement does not hold true today. An extensive and progressive research is now able to differentiate and prove that the ultrahigh dilutions (UHD) are not solutions alone. UHDs possess discrete physicochemical and biological properties.
In the previous issue of IJHDR Sukul, et al demonstrated the nature of water structure of UHD of Natrum muriaticum and Sulphur by Laser Raman Spectroscopy, on the basis of hydrogen bond strength and free OH groups. Continuing this work, in this issue, Sukul et al analyzed Raman spectra of two more drugs Calcarea carbonica, Sepia and their diluents medium aqueous ethanol. The work confirms that the two factors, free OH groups, and H-bond strength, contribute to the variation in water structures in homeopathic dilutions, which are unique for every drug. In a way, these may be considered as water-ethanol signatures of each dilution. Full paper link: http://bit.ly/29tfXcd
In the second paper by Pineros et al, the basic research question originated from the observation that in some instances additional agitations (succussions) are given to homeopathic dilutions before clinical use. The authors explored the spectroscopic profiles comparing additionally agitated and non-agitated dilutions. A statistical difference was observed in the absorbance when comparing a previously agitated solution and a solution with no agitation before taking it. The work also throws light on differences in spectroscopic profiles according to each dilution´s kingdom. The authors found that drugs from the same kingdom have similar spectroscopic profiles, which somehow corroborates with the similarities observed in the therapeutic response of homeopathic remedies from the same kingdom. For e.g. as in the case of Aconitum, Pulsatilla and Cimicifuga (belonging to the Ranunculaceae) or in the case of Ignatia and Nux Vomica, that come from the same order and share the alkaloid strychnine. Full paper link: http://bit.ly/29dzFer
However, as research in homeopathy is a black box, there may be other factors for variation in the physicochemical and biological properties of a drug, which is a matter of exploration. Corroboration of observed physicochemical properties with clinical, therapeutic use still warrants rigorous research.
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