Cell sensitivity, non-linearity and inverse effects.

It has been claimed that the homeopathic principle of 'similarity' (or 'similia') and the use of individualized remedies in extremely low doses conflicts with scientific laws, but this opinion can be disputed on the basis of recent scientific advances. Several mechanisms to explain the responsiveness of cells to ultra-low doses and the similarity as inversion of drug effects, have again been suggested in the framework of hormesis and modern paradoxical pharmacology. Low doses or high dilutions of a drug interact only with the enhanced sensitivities of regulatory systems, functioning as minute harmful stimuli to trigger specific compensatory healing reactions. Here we review hypotheses about homeopathic drug action at cellular and molecular levels, and present a new conceptual model of the principle of similarity based on allosteric drug action. While many common drugs act through orthostatic chemical interactions aimed at blocking undesired activities of enzymes or receptors, allosteric interactions are associated with dynamic conformational changes and functional transitions in target proteins, which enhance or inhibit specific cellular actions in normal or disease states. The concept of allostery and the way it controls physiological activities can be broadened to include diluted/dynamized compounds, and may constitute a working hypothesis for the study of molecular mechanisms underlying the inversion of drug effects.

STAM protocol in dementia: a multicenter, single-blind, randomized, and controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The Sound Training for Attention and Memory in Dementia (STAM-Dem) is a manualized music-based protocol designed to be used in the rehabilitation of cognitive functions in elderly patients with dementia (PWD). METHOD: This was a multicenter, single-blind, randomized, and controlled trial that involved 51 PWD. The objective was to test the STAM-Dem efficacy. Patients in the experimental group followed the STAM-Dem for 2 weekly sessions of 45 minutes for 12 weeks (in addition to standard care). Those in the control group continued with the normal "standard care" provided. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the instruments immediate prose memory test (MPI), deferred prose memory test (MPD), attentional matrices, activities of daily living, Music Therapy Activity Scale (SVAM) and Geriatric Music Therapy Profile (GMP) increase significantly from pre to post-test (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The protocol is feasible and data suggest that there was an effect on attentino (matrices) and prose memory skills (MPI and MPD). The effect size reveals a general improvement in the results of the experimental group.

Pharmacology and similia principle: indirect secondary counter-regulation. Confirmation from in vitro experiments and classical provings. / Pharmacology and similia principle: indirect secondary counter-regulation. Confirmation from in vitro experiments and classical provings.

Homeopathy is universally known as an opponent of allopathic Medicine, namely scientific medicine based on ponderal drugs and recognised mechanisms of receptor agonism and antagonism following the dose-response curve. Over time the difficulty to explain with arguments the action of homeopathic ultra-diluted remedies has led many homeopaths to distance themselves from any harmacological knowledges. Nevertheless this position fortgets not only the modalities in which homeopathy was born and has grown, but a lot of modern changes of view in body-mind communication, cell communication, neuro-immune-endocrinology and bioelectromagnetism, that could give new reasons to treat as clinical homeopathic practice is teaching and to recognize the principle of similars as a modern pharmacological principle. These arguments, receptorial cell communication, bioelectromagnetism and body-mind unity are the bases of Homeopathy and of the Similia Principle and are all included in embryonic but sufficiently clear considerations in the fundamental book of Hahnemann, the Organon (parr. 11, 13, 15-18, 21, 22, 29-32, 63-70). Two kind of evidences confirm the pharmacological bases of Similia Priniciple, in vitro experiments and homeopathic pathogenetic trials on healthy volunteers, best known as provings. Even clinical homeopathic phenomena like initial aggravation and return of old symptoms confirm this pharmacological view of the Simila Principle.(AU)

Homeopathic pathogenetic trial of Plumbum metallicum: the complete 2000 trial with a synthesis of the original 1828 trial / Homeopathic pathogenetic trial of Plumbum metallicum: the complete 2000 trial with a synthesis of the original 1828 trial

Background: in a previous paper we reported the statistical analysis and other distribution data of a homeopathic pathogenetic trial (HPT) of Plumbum metallicum 30cH carried out by our group. However, at that time we did not report the resulting pure materia medica, i.e., the totality of symptoms elicited by the tested medicine on healthy volunteers. Aim: to communicate to the homeopathic community the full record of symptoms collected in our HPT of Plb. Methods:methods to collect and select symptoms have been reported in the previous paper. In synthesis were excluded all previous common symptoms of volunteers, even with slight differences, and selected only those that were really unknown, never seen, unusual or very strange for the prover. In this paper special emphasis was given to new symptoms as well as unusual or repeated dreams, while in the previous paper special emphasis was given to repeated and crossed symptoms. Results: symptoms are reported in their chronological order of appearance in each volunteer. 37 new symptoms were found, useful to update Homeopathic Repertories. It is also included a synthesis of the original HPT of Plb carried out in 1828 in order to make available the full experimental materia medica currently existing. Conclusions: the new HPT, besides widening the pathogenetic picture of Plb (skin and mucosae symptoms), also allowed us to give new and deeper meanings to some of the symptoms reported in the original trial, such as Anxiety, Activity, Depression, Slowness, Gastro-oesophageal problems, Colitis. The dreams complete the remedy image, mainly in work, religion and sexual themes. Up to the present time there is no peer-reviewed publication devoted to HPTs. For this reason, researchers are compelled to publish HPTs as private editions. This results in poor control of the quality of publications and a lack of standards on how to present the results of HPTs.(AU)

Introdução: em artigo anterior, foi reportada a análise estatística e outras distribuições de dados de uma experimentação patogenética homeopática de Plumbum metallicum 30cH. Porém, nessa ocasião, não reportamos os resultados da materia médica pura, isto é, a totalidade dos sintomas induzidos pela substância testada, nos voluntários saudáveis. Objetivos: comunicar a comunidade homeopática a lista completa de sintomas coletados na experimentação de Plumbum metalicum. Métodos: os métodos de coleta e seleção de sintomas foram reportados em artigo anterior. Em síntese, excluí-se todos os sintomas comuns previamente apresentados pelos voluntários e selecionou-se aqueles que eram realmente desconhecidos, nunca vistos, incomuns para o experimentador. Ênfase especial foi dada a sintomas novos, assim como a sonhos incomuns e recorrentes. Resultados: os sintomas são reportados na ordem cronológicas em que foram aparecendo nos voluntários. 37 novos sintomas foram encontrados, e foram usados para atualizar o Repertório Homeopático. Também foi incluída uma síntese da experimentação originalmente realizada em 1828, a fim de disponibilizar uma matéria médica experimental completa. Conclusões: Esta nova experimentação, além de ampliar a imagem patogenética de Plb, também permitiu dar um novo e mais profundo significado para alguns dos sintomas relatados na experimentação original (ansiedade, atividade, depressão, lentidão, problemas gastroesofágicos, colite). Até onde sabemos, não existe uma publicação com revisão por pares dedicada à publicação de experimentações patogenéticas homeopáticas. Por esta razão, pesquisadores são compelidos a publicar seus resultados como edições privadas. Isto resulta num controle precário da qualidade dessas publicações e na falta de padronização sobre como apresentar tais resultados.(AU)

Introducción: Em um articulo anterior fue reportado el análisis estadistico y otras disteibuciones de datos de uma experimentacion patogenética homeopática de Plumbum metallicum 30cH. Pero em esta ocación no reportamos los resultados de la Materia médica pura, esto es, la totalidad de síntomas induzidos por la sustancia testada en voluntarios sanos. Objetivos: comunicar a la comunidad homeopática la lista completa de síntomas colectados em la experimentación de Plumbum metallicum. Métodos: los metodos de coleta y selección de sintomas foram reportados en artículo anterior. En síntese, foram excluidos todos los sintomas comunes previamente presentados por los voluntários y seleccionamos aquellos no conocidos, incomunes para el experimentador. Fue dado un énfasis especial a los sintomas nuevos y a los sueños incomunes y recurrentes. Resultados: los sintomas son reportados en el orden cronológico en que fueron apareciendo en los voluntarios. 37 nuevos sintomas fueron descritos y permitieron actualizar el Repertório Homeopático. También fue incluida uma síntesis de la experimentación originalmente realizada em 1828, com el fin de disponibilizar uma materia médica experimental completa. Conclusiones: Esta nueva experimentación, ademas de ampliar la imagen patogenetica Plumbum metallicum, también permitió dar un nuebo y mas profundo significado para algunos de los síntomas relatados em la experimentación original (ansiedad, actividade, depresión, problemas gastroesofágicos, colitis). Hasta donde sabemos, no existe uma publicación com revisión por pares, dedicada a la publicación de experimentaciones homeopáticas patogenéticas homeopáticas. Por esta razón investigadores son impelidos a publicar sus resultados como ediciones privadas. Estoresulta em um control precario de calidad de esas publicaciones y em la falta de padronización sobre como presentar tales resultados.(AU)

Homeopathic pathogenetic trial of Plumbum metallicum: the complete 2000 trial with a synthesis of the original 1828 trial / Homeopathic pathogenetic trial of Plumbum metallicum: the complete 2000 trial with a synthesis of the original 1828 trial

Background: in a previous paper we reported the statistical analysis and other distribution data of a homeopathic pathogenetic trial (HPT) of Plumbum metallicum 30cH carried out by our group. However, at that time we did not report the resulting pure materia medica, i.e., the totality of symptoms elicited by the tested medicine on healthy volunteers. Aim: to communicate to the homeopathic community the full record of symptoms collected in our HPT of Plb. Methods:methods to collect and select symptoms have been reported in the previous paper. In synthesis were excluded all previous common symptoms of volunteers, even with slight differences, and selected only those that were really unknown, never seen, unusual or very strange for the prover. In this paper special emphasis was given to new symptoms as well as unusual or repeated dreams, while in the previous paper special emphasis was given to repeated and crossed symptoms. Results: symptoms are reported in their chronological order of appearance in each volunteer. 37 new symptoms were found, useful to update Homeopathic Repertories. It is also included a synthesis of the original HPT of Plb carried out in 1828 in order to make available the full experimental materia medica currently existing. Conclusions: the new HPT, besides widening the pathogenetic picture of Plb (skin and mucosae symptoms), also allowed us to give new and deeper meanings to some of the symptoms reported in the original trial, such as Anxiety, Activity, Depression, Slowness, Gastro-oesophageal problems, Colitis. The dreams complete the remedy image, mainly in work, religion and sexual themes. Up to the present time there is no peer-reviewed publication devoted to HPTs. For this reason, researchers are compelled to publish HPTs as private editions. This results in poor control of the quality of publications and a lack of standards on how to present the results of HPTs.

Introdução: em artigo anterior, foi reportada a análise estatística e outras distribuições de dados de uma experimentação patogenética homeopática de Plumbum metallicum 30cH. Porém, nessa ocasião, não reportamos os resultados da materia médica pura, isto é, a totalidade dos sintomas induzidos pela substância testada, nos voluntários saudáveis. Objetivos: comunicar a comunidade homeopática a lista completa de sintomas coletados na experimentação de Plumbum metalicum. Métodos: os métodos de coleta e seleção de sintomas foram reportados em artigo anterior. Em síntese, excluí-se todos os sintomas comuns previamente apresentados pelos voluntários e selecionou-se aqueles que eram realmente desconhecidos, nunca vistos, incomuns para o experimentador. Ênfase especial foi dada a sintomas novos, assim como a sonhos incomuns e recorrentes. Resultados: os sintomas são reportados na ordem cronológicas em que foram aparecendo nos voluntários. 37 novos sintomas foram encontrados, e foram usados para atualizar o Repertório Homeopático. Também foi incluída uma síntese da experimentação originalmente realizada em 1828, a fim de disponibilizar uma matéria médica experimental completa. Conclusões: Esta nova experimentação, além de ampliar a imagem patogenética de Plb, também permitiu dar um novo e mais profundo significado para alguns dos sintomas relatados na experimentação original (ansiedade, atividade, depressão, lentidão, problemas gastroesofágicos, colite). Até onde sabemos, não existe uma publicação com revisão por pares dedicada à publicação de experimentações patogenéticas homeopáticas. Por esta razão, pesquisadores são compelidos a publicar seus resultados como edições privadas. Isto resulta num controle precário da qualidade dessas publicações e na falta de padronização sobre como apresentar tais resultados.

Introducción: Em um articulo anterior fue reportado el análisis estadistico y otras disteibuciones de datos de uma experimentacion patogenética homeopática de Plumbum metallicum 30cH. Pero em esta ocación no reportamos los resultados de la Materia médica pura, esto es, la totalidad de síntomas induzidos por la sustancia testada en voluntarios sanos. Objetivos: comunicar a la comunidad homeopática la lista completa de síntomas colectados em la experimentación de Plumbum metallicum. Métodos: los metodos de coleta y selección de sintomas foram reportados en artículo anterior. En síntese, foram excluidos todos los sintomas comunes previamente presentados por los voluntários y seleccionamos aquellos no conocidos, incomunes para el experimentador. Fue dado un énfasis especial a los sintomas nuevos y a los sueños incomunes y recurrentes. Resultados: los sintomas son reportados en el orden cronológico en que fueron apareciendo en los voluntarios. 37 nuevos sintomas fueron descritos y permitieron actualizar el Repertório Homeopático. También fue incluida uma síntesis de la experimentación originalmente realizada em 1828, com el fin de disponibilizar uma materia médica experimental completa. Conclusiones: Esta nueva experimentación, ademas de ampliar la imagen patogenetica Plumbum metallicum, también permitió dar un nuebo y mas profundo significado para algunos de los síntomas relatados em la experimentación original (ansiedad, actividade, depresión, problemas gastroesofágicos, colitis). Hasta donde sabemos, no existe uma publicación com revisión por pares, dedicada a la publicación de experimentaciones homeopáticas patogenéticas homeopáticas. Por esta razón investigadores son impelidos a publicar sus resultados como ediciones privadas. Estoresulta em um control precario de calidad de esas publicaciones y em la falta de padronización sobre como presentar tales resultados.

Pharmacology and similia principle: indirect secondary counter-regulation. Confirmation from in vitro experiments and classical provings. / Pharmacology and similia principle: indirect secondary counter-regulation. Confirmation from in vitro experiments and classical provings.

Homeopathy is universally known as an opponent of allopathic Medicine, namely scientific medicine based on ponderal drugs and recognised mechanisms of receptor agonism and antagonism following the dose-response curve. Over time the difficulty to explain with arguments the action of homeopathic ultra-diluted remedies has led many homeopaths to distance themselves from any harmacological knowledges. Nevertheless this position fortgets not only the modalities in which homeopathy was born and has grown, but a lot of modern changes of view in body-mind communication, cell communication, neuro-immune-endocrinology and bioelectromagnetism, that could give new reasons to treat as clinical homeopathic practice is teaching and to recognize the principle of similars as a modern pharmacological principle. These arguments, receptorial cell communication, bioelectromagnetism and body-mind unity are the bases of Homeopathy and of the Similia Principle and are all included in embryonic but sufficiently clear considerations in the fundamental book of Hahnemann, the Organon (parr. 11, 13, 15-18, 21, 22, 29-32, 63-70). Two kind of evidences confirm the pharmacological bases of Similia Priniciple, in vitro experiments and homeopathic pathogenetic trials on healthy volunteers, best known as provings. Even clinical homeopathic phenomena like initial aggravation and return of old symptoms confirm this pharmacological view of the Simila Principle.

Effects of homoeopathic preparations of organic acids and mineral on the oxidative metabolism of human neutrophils

A number of different potencies of commercially available homoeopathic preparations in saline solution were tested for their ability to regulate the oxidative metabolism (superoxide production) and adhesion function of human neutrophils in vitro. l5//to 30//inhibition of oxidative metabolism was caused by Sulphur 6x, Manganum phosphoricum 6x and 8x, and Magnesium phosphoricum 6x and 8x. Phosphorus slightly reduced superoxide production, with varying results in a series of experiments. Using Magnesium phosphorus, small inhibitory effects (8-11//) were noted even at high potencies. Among the organic acids, a group (Acidum malicum 4x and Acidum fumaricum 4x) enhanced superoxide production, while others either inhibited the response (Acidum citricum and Acidum succinicum, 3x and 4x) or had no effect (Acidum ketoglutaricum and Acidum cis-aconitum). Attempts to reproduce these effects using solutions prepared in the laboratory confirmed the inhibitory effects of Manganum phosphoricum 6x and organic acids in 3x, while other data indicated that critical factors in the methodology of preparation may affect the results