Degree of Response to Homeopathic Potencies Correlates with Dipole Moment Size in Molecular Detectors: Implications for Understanding the Fundamental Nature of Serially Diluted and Succussed Solutions.

BACKGROUND: The use of solvatochromic dyes to investigate homeopathic potencies holds out the promise of understanding the nature of serially succussed and diluted solutions at a fundamental physicochemical level. Recent studies have shown that a range of different dyes interact with potencies and, moreover, the nature of the interaction is beginning to allow certain specific characteristics of potencies to be delineated. AIMS AND METHODS: The study reported in this article takes previous investigations further and aims to understand more about the nature of the interaction between potencies and solvatochromic dyes. To this end, the UV-visible spectra of a wide range of potential detectors of potencies have been examined using methodologies previously described. RESULTS: Results presented demonstrate that solvatochromic dyes are a sub-group of a larger class of compounds capable of demonstrating interactions with potencies. In particular, amino acids containing an aromatic bridge also show marked optical changes in the presence of potencies. Several specific features of molecular detectors can now be shown to be necessary for significant interactions with homeopathic potencies. These include systems with a large dipole moment, electron delocalisation, polarizability and molecular rigidity. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the optical changes occurring on interaction with potencies suggests that in all cases potencies increase the polarity of molecular detectors to a degree that correlates with the size of the compound's permanent or ground dipole moment. These results can be explained by inferring that potencies themselves have polarity. Possible candidates for the identity of potencies, based on these and previously reported results, are discussed.

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of plant-based drugs: Opium and hashish provoking at 405 nm.

Here, the fluorescence properties of some plant-based drug samples are characterized using a coherent excitation source at 405 nm. The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy is examined to analyze opium and hashish. In order to improve traditional fluorescence methods for better analysis of optically dense materials, we have proposed five characteristic parameters based on solvent densitometry assay as the fingerprints of drugs of interest. The signal emissions are recorded in terms of various drug concentrations, such that the best fitting over experimental data determines the fluorescence extinction (α) and self-quenching (k) coefficients according to the modified Beer-Lambert formalism. The typical α value is determined to be 0.30 and 0.15 mL/(cm∙mg) for opium and hashish, respectively. Similarly, typical k is obtained 0.390 and 1.25 mL/(cm∙mg), respectively. Furthermore, the concentration at max fluorescence intensity (Cp) is determined for opium and hashish to be 1.8 and 1.3 mg/mL, respectively. Results reveal that opium and hashish benefit their own characteristic fluorescence parameters to discriminate those illicit substances promptly using the present method.

Delayed luminescence of high homeopathic potencies on sugar globuli.

Delayed luminescence signals of Arg.met. CMf (100Mf), Canth. CMf, Bov. CMf absorbed onto sugar globuli was observed by exciting them at their known resonance frequency of 2.060 MHz. Arn. CMf also showed delayed luminescence when excited at 2.060 MHz and at 1.828 MHz. Alc. LMK (50MK) could not be excited by 2.060 MHz and showed properties of control globuli. Canth. LMK could not be excited at 2.006 MHz. The delayed luminescence signals were characterized by the coefficient B(2) typical of the delayed luminescence of non-living complex systems, and by the coefficient B(0) typical of living systems. Both coefficients can be considered as indicative of holistic quantum structures in homeopathic potencies.

Source identification of Indian opium based on chromatographic fingerprinting of amino acids.

Total and free pool of amino acids was determined in Indian opium samples using liquid chromatography (LC) with post-column opthalaldehyde derivatization followed by its fluorimetric detection. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be in the range of 2-10 pmol with a signal to noise ratio of 3:1 and limit of quantitation (LOQ) was found to be in the range of 7-31 pmol with a signal to noise ratio of 10:1. The recovery of amino acids was found to be in the range of 86-103%. A total of 124 Indian opium samples were collected from the states of Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Rajasthan (Raj), covering 14 licit opium growing divisions of India were chromatographically fingerprinted for the presence of various amino acids. The amino acids identified in sample hydrosylate included D, T, S, S, G, A, V, I, L, Y, F, H, K and R, while the analysis of free pool of amino acids (80% aqueous ethanol extract) indicated the presence of D, T, S, E, A, V, I, L, Y, H, K respectively. Multiple discriminant analysis was applied to the quantitative total amino acid data to determine an optimal classifier in order to evaluate the source of Indian opium. The foremost amino acid variables that accounted for the true discrimination were identified as D, E, G, A, F and K in evaluating the geographical origin of Indian opium and the predictive value based on the discriminant analysis was found to be 90% in relation to the source of opium samples. Chemometrics performed with amino acid analytical data was used successfully in discriminating the licit opium growing divisions of India into three major groups, viz. groups I, II and III. The methodology developed may find wide application in forensic analysis.

Simultaneous determination of in total 17 opium alkaloids and opioids in blood and urine by fast liquid chromatography-diode-array detection-fluorescence detection, after solid-phase extraction.

A fast liquid chromatographic method with tandem diode array-fluorescence detection for the simultaneous determination of in total 17 opium alkaloids and opioids is presented. Blank blood and urine samples (1 ml) were spiked with different concentrations of a standard mixture, as well as with the internal standard, butorphanol (2000 ng/ml). After solid-phase extraction, based on weak cation exchange (Bond Elut CBA SPE columns), the extracts were examined by HPLC-DAD-FL. By using a "high-speed" phenyl column (53 x 7.0 mm I.D., particle size 3 microm) eluted with a gradient system (A: water-methanol (90:10, v/v), B: methanol, both containing 25 mM triethylammoniumformate (pH(A) = 4.5)) all compounds could be baseline separated within 12 min. The method was validated and its applicability was demonstrated by the analysis of real-time forensic cases.

Modified fluorometric quantitation of pancuronium bromide and metabolites in human maternal and umbilical serums.

The procedure for pancuronium bromid ion-pair extraction into chloroform using rose bengal and subsequent fluorometric measurement was modified by changing the extraction pH and eliminating phenol, ethanol, and acetone to give easier operation and enhanced fluorescence stability. Precision, accuracy, and sensitivty were evaluated over 0.14-0.82 microgram/ml (CV = 14; relative error = 9%) and 0.05-0.17 microgram/ml (CV = 19; relative error = 21%). Following a dose of 0.1 ml/kg for cesarean section in humans, the mean maternal arterial and umbilical venous serum concentrations of pancuronium bromide and metabolites were 0.52 and 0.12 microgram/ml, respectively, at delivery (mean of 13 min after injection).

A suicide by pancuronium bromide injection: evaluation of the fluorometric determination of pancuronium in postmortem blood, serum and urine.

A fatal case of suicidal injection of pancuronium bromide is presented. Pancuronium was detected in blood and urine by ion-pair extraction and fluorometry. An evaluation of the fluorometric procedure for the determination of pancuronium in postmortem blood, serum and urine is presented. Stability of the extracted ion-pair, possible interferences from other drugs, and the effects of specimen storage were studied.

[A case of suicide by an intravenous injection of pancuronium].

A 25-year-old male anesthesiologist was found dead in his room with an intravenous drip line connected with his leg. There were several empty ampules of pancuronium, midazolam and buprenorphine around him. Pancuronium and midazolam in the blood and urine samples collected at postmortem examination were detected by spectrofluorometry and ECD-gas chromatography, respectively. The concentrations of pancuronium and midazolam were 0.3 micrograms/g and 0.12 micrograms/g in the blood, respectively; 0.9 micrograms/g and 0.05 micrograms/g in the urine, respectively. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to respiratory muscle paralysis caused by pancuronium.

[Determination of trace arsenic and mercury in medicine animal horns by hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry].

A hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry has been developed for the determination of trace arsenic and mercury in medicinal animal horns. This method was simple, rapid and sensitive. The samples were digested with HNO3-HClO4(5:1), under the optimum conditions, the allowable amounts of 26 coexist elements were determined. The detection limits of this method were as follows: As 1.50 ng.mL-1, Hg 0.80 ng.mL-1. The relative standard deviations of 11 determinations were 1.2%-2.3% for As and 2.5%-4.7% for Hg. The recoveries were 98.9%-103.8% for As and 95.4%-105.0% for Hg.

[Identification of 16 kinds of mineral drugs with fluorescence spectra].

In this paper, 8 groups 16 kinds of mineral drugs were identified by fluorescence spectra. The results showed that the fluorescence spectra method in identifying mineral drugs is not only exact, sensitive, but also using little experimental materials and better repealability. This method can specially be used to identify the mineral drugs which have similar natrues and difficult to be distinguished from thim.

Microspectrofluorimetric study of monoamines in the hypothalamus of Scyliorhinus stellaris L.

In a combined fluorescence histochemical and microspectrofluorimetrical study, the distribution, morphology and amino content of the hypothalamic circumventricular organs of an elasmobranch (Scyliorhinus stellaris) have been investigated. In the walls of the third ventricle, two aminergic circumventricular organs, viz. the preoptic recess organ and organon vasculosum hypothalami, were found to display an intense blue-green fluorescence. The emission maximum was registered at about 490 nm and the excitation spectra, conducted from 240 nm to 460 nm at neutral pH, displayed a main peak at 410 nm, with additional peaks at about 320 nm and 260 nm, values that are indicative of catecholamines. In neutral state, the quotient of the excitation peak ratio values 410/260 nm exceeded 1, thus determining the differentiation between noradrenaline and adrenaline, excluding the latter as a secondary monoamine. Recordings of hydrochloric acid (HCl)-treated sections showed a hypsochromic shift of the main excitation peak from 410 nm to 370 nm and a concurrent increase of the peak at 320 nm, with the mean peak ratio 370/320 nm being 0.98, pointing to the presence of dopamine. The fading curves indicated a photodecomposition of less than 20%, both in neutral and acidified sections, which is typical of dopamine. It can therefore be deduced that the blue-green fluorescent cells in the hypothalamic circumventricular organs of the dogfish contained mainly dopamine. Some cells expressed a yellowish fluorescence, showing rapid photodecomposition characteristic of indolethylamine fluorophores, pointing to the presence of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT).

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of vecuronium (ORG NC 45) in patients with cirrhosis.

To evaluate the effect of liver cirrhosis on the pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of vecuronium, 12 patients with cirrhosis, aged (mean +/- SD) 52 +/- 12 yr, and 14 control patients, 42 +/- 15 yr, undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were studied. The simultaneous time courses of the plasma concentration of vecuronium and of the neuromuscular blockade were studied after the administration of a bolus dose of 0.2 mg X kg-1. Vecuronium plasma concentration declined biexponentially in both groups. Vecuronium plasma clearance was reduced significantly (P less than 0.01) from 4.26 +/- 1.38 ml X min-1 X kg-1 in the controls to 2.73 +/- 1.19 ml X min-1 X kg-1 in the patients with cirrhosis. The elimination half-life was 58 +/- 19 min in the controls and was prolonged significantly to 84 +/- 23 min (P less than 0.01) in the patients with cirrhosis. The total apparent volume of distribution was unchanged in patients with cirrhosis (0.253 +/- 0.086 1 X kg-1 vs. 0.246 +/- 0.092 1 X kg-1 in the controls). Cirrhosis caused a prolongation of the neuromuscular blockade induced by vecuronium: the duration of effect from injection to 50% recovery of the twitch height was prolonged by 100% (P less than 0.01) from 62 +/- 16 min in the controls to 130 +/- 52 min in patients with cirrhosis. The recovery rate (TH 25-75) also was prolonged (P less than 0.05) from 21 +/- 7 min in the controls to 44 +/- 18 min in patients with cirrhosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Espectrofluorometria de los medicamentos homeopaticos / Fluorescence spectrometry of the homeopathic drugs

A pesar de que la terapeutica homeopatica tiene mas de un siglo de haber sido introducida por el Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, su desarrollo no ha sido el deseado por todos los que en alguna forma estamos conectados con ella. Los factores que propician este precario desenvolvimiento son muy diversos: uno de ellos, y quizas el que guarda mas importancia, es el limitar los conocimientos adquiridos solamente a la Materia Medica. Sin duda Hahnemann se encontro con otras condiciones politicas, sociales, culturales, ambientales y filosoficas, que inciden directamente en las experimentaciones po el descritas. Actualmente existe la necesidad de adecuar todo lo hecho por el a nuestro mundo contemporaneo; aislarse de los cambios constantes a nuestro alrededor es incongruente. Por tal motivo se ha realizado el presente trabajo recapitulativo, el cual marca el inicio de algo que pretende ser sustento fundamental para la terapeutica homeopatica, como es la investigacion, la cual deseamos se continue pues pretende ser tambien prospectiva y por tanto indispensable que sea enriquecida continuamente. Este estudio trata de manera general, el empleo que se ha dado a la fluorometria y los aportes que esta ha brindado a las diferentes areas donde ha sido utilizada. Se presenta la descripcion de las curvas de excitacion y emision que guardan las diferentes substancias homeopaticas utilizadas, todo acondicionado con graficas de las mismas; al final se incluye un glosario de terminos utilizados en fluorometria y algunas recomendaciones necesarias para el adecuado manejo del aparato fluorometrico. Cada uno de los puntos esta desarrollado en forma sintetica pero suficientemente clara

Espectrofluorometria de los medicamentos homeopaticos / Fluorescence spectrometry of the homeopathic drugs

A pesar de que la terapeutica homeopatica tiene mas de un siglo de haber sido introducida por el Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, su desarrollo no ha sido el deseado por todos los que en alguna forma estamos conectados con ella. Los factores que propician este precario desenvolvimiento son muy diversos: uno de ellos, y quizas el que guarda mas importancia, es el limitar los conocimientos adquiridos solamente a la Materia Medica. Sin duda Hahnemann se encontro con otras condiciones politicas, sociales, culturales, ambientales y filosoficas, que inciden directamente en las experimentaciones po el descritas. Actualmente existe la necesidad de adecuar todo lo hecho por el a nuestro mundo contemporaneo; aislarse de los cambios constantes a nuestro alrededor es incongruente. Por tal motivo se ha realizado el presente trabajo recapitulativo, el cual marca el inicio de algo que pretende ser sustento fundamental para la terapeutica homeopatica, como es la investigacion, la cual deseamos se continue pues pretende ser tambien prospectiva y por tanto indispensable que sea enriquecida continuamente. Este estudio trata de manera general, el empleo que se ha dado a la fluorometria y los aportes que esta ha brindado a las diferentes areas donde ha sido utilizada. Se presenta la descripcion de las curvas de excitacion y emision que guardan las diferentes substancias homeopaticas utilizadas, todo acondicionado con graficas de las mismas; al final se incluye un glosario de terminos utilizados en fluorometria y algunas recomendaciones necesarias para el adecuado manejo del aparato fluorometrico. Cada uno de los puntos esta desarrollado en forma sintetica pero suficientemente clara

Resultats des recherches de l'etude fluorometrique des medicaments homeopathiques / Research's results of fluorimetric assay with homeopathic medicines

Determinou-se o espectro fluorimetrico das altas dinamizacoes dos medicamentos homeopaticos que ja tinham sido estudados em 2DH e 2CH. Observou-se que, quando as dinamizacoes sao baixas, o lugar da fluorescencia varia de uma dinamizacao a outra, talvez devido a presenca da grande variedade de compostos que ainda se encontram presentes nessas potencias. Parecia que a partir da 6CH as dinamizacoes se "incorporassem" ao medicamento, sendo minima a variacao da regiao da fluorescencia, dando lugar entao a uma notavel variacao da intensidade das curvas, ja que ainda na 12CH e 30CH seguem fluorescendo, apesar de encontrar-se alem do numero de Avogadro. E tambem muito interessante que a intensidade relativa das curvas, aumente a medida que aumenta o numero de agitacoes, chegando ao seu ponto maximo de intensidade nas 100 sucussoes

Resultats des recherches de l'etude fluorometrique des medicaments homeopathiques / Research's results of fluorimetric assay with homeopathic medicines

Determinou-se o espectro fluorimetrico das altas dinamizacoes dos medicamentos homeopaticos que ja tinham sido estudados em 2DH e 2CH. Observou-se que, quando as dinamizacoes sao baixas, o lugar da fluorescencia varia de uma dinamizacao a outra, talvez devido a presenca da grande variedade de compostos que ainda se encontram presentes nessas potencias. Parecia que a partir da 6CH as dinamizacoes se "incorporassem" ao medicamento, sendo minima a variacao da regiao da fluorescencia, dando lugar entao a uma notavel variacao da intensidade das curvas, ja que ainda na 12CH e 30CH seguem fluorescendo, apesar de encontrar-se alem do numero de Avogadro. E tambem muito interessante que a intensidade relativa das curvas, aumente a medida que aumenta o numero de agitacoes, chegando ao seu ponto maximo de intensidade nas 100 sucussoes