Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Homeopathy 2019; 108(02): 128-138
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1676464
Original Research Article
The Faculty of Homeopathy

Effects of Homeopathic Preparations of Mercurius corrosivus on the Growth Rate of Severely Mercury-Stressed Duckweed Lemna gibba L.

Tim Jäger   †
1   Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany
,
Sandra Würtenberger
2   Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Hevert-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Nussbaum, Germany
,
Stephan Baumgartner
1   Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany
3   Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, Arlesheim, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

10 July 2018

23 October 2018

Publication Date:
30 January 2019 (online)

Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Background We developed a bioassay with mercury-stressed duckweed (Lemna gibba L.) to study potential effects of homeopathically potentised mercury(II) chloride (Mercurius corrosivus [Merc-c.]). The response of this bioassay to homeopathic treatments as a function of stress intensity was also of interest.

Methods Duckweed was severely stressed with mercury(II) chloride for 48 hours. Afterwards plants grew in either Merc-c. (seven different potency levels, 24x to 30x) or water controls (unsuccussed and succussed water) for 7 days. Growth rates of the frond (leaf) area were determined using a computerised image analysis system for different time intervals between the measurements on days 0, 3 and 7. Three independent experiments with potentised Merc-c. each were evaluated. Additionally, three water control experiments were analysed to investigate the stability of the experimental set-up (systematic negative control [SNC] experiments). All experiments were randomised and blinded.

Results Unsuccussed and succussed water did not significantly differ in terms of duckweed growth rate. The SNC experiments did not yield any significant effects, providing evidence for the stability of the experimental system. Data from the two control groups and the seven treatment groups (Merc-c. 24x–30x) were each pooled to increase the statistical power. Duckweed growth rates for day 0 to 3 were reduced (p < 0.05) after application of Merc-c. compared with the controls. Growth rates for day 3 to 7 were not influenced by the homeopathic preparations.

Conclusions The present test system with Lemna gibba L. that was severely stressed by mercury yielded evidence for specific effects of Merc-c. 24x to 30x, namely a growth reduction in the first time period (day 0–3). This is in contrast to former experiments with slightly arsenic-stressed duckweed, where a growth increase was observed in the second time period (day 2–6). We hypothesise that the differing results are associated with the level of stress intensity (severe versus slight).

Keywords

Lemna gibba L. - duckweed - homeopathy - mercury - Mercurius corrosivus

Highlights

• A test system with Lemna gibba L. that was severely stressed by mercury yielded effects of Merc-c. 24x–30x: namely a growth reduction in the first time period (day 0–3).


• This is in contrast to former experiments with slightly arsenic-stressed duckweed, where a growth increase was observed in the second time period (day 2–6).


• We hypothesise that the finding is due to the difference in stress intensity (severe versus slight).


† Dr. Tim Jäger died on March 1, 2019.


 

  • References

  • 1 Relton C, Cooper K, Viksveen P, Fibert P, Thomas K. Prevalence of homeopathy use by the general population worldwide: a systematic review. Homeopathy 2017; 106: 69-78
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 World Health Organization. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review. 2001. Available at: http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/h2943e/h2943e.pdf . Accessed June 2018
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Dinges M. Die Homöopathie erobert die Welt, in: Europäische Geschichte Online (EGO), hg. vom Institut für Europäische Geschichte (IEG), Mainz; December 3, 2010. Available at: http://www.ieg-ego.eu/dingesm-2010-de . Accessed June 2018
    PubMed
  • 4 Turner A. Evaluating the UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's position on the implausible effectiveness of homeopathic treatments. Theor Med Bioeth 2017; 38: 335-352
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Faculty of Homeopathy. Research. Available at: https://facultyofhomeopathy.org/research/ . Accessed June 2018
    PubMed
  • 6 Macdonald C, Gavura S. Alternative medicine and the ethics of commerce. Bioethics 2016; 30: 77-84
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Fisher P, Ernst E. Should doctors recommend homeopathy?. BMJ 2015; 351: h3735
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Weber S, Endler PC, Welles SU. , et al. The effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxine on highland frogs: influence of electromagnetic fields. Homeopathy 2008; 97: 3-9
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Chaplin MF. The memory of water: an overview. Homeopathy 2007; 96: 143-150
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Weingärtner O. The nature of the active ingredient in ultramolecular dilutions. Homeopathy 2007; 96: 220-226
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Baumgartner S. The state of the basic research in homeopathy – Advice from an interdisciplinary conference. In: Witt C, Albrecht H. , eds. New Directions in Homeopathy Research. Essen: KVC Verlag; 2009: 107-130
    Google Scholar
  • 12 Water quality—determination of toxic effect of water constituents and waste water to duckweed (Lemna minor)—duckweed growth inhibition test. International Standard ISO 20079. Geneva: Switzerland; 2005
    Google Scholar
  • 13 United States Environmental Protection Agency: OCSPP 850.4400 Aquatic Plant Toxicity Test Using Lemna spp., EPA 712-C-008, January 2012:8
    PubMed
  • 14 OECD 221: Verordnung (EG) Nr. 440/2008, C.26, ISO 20079, DIN EN ISO 20079. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/testing/1948054.pdf
    PubMed
  • 15 Swedish Standard Institute: Water quality—determination of growth inhibition (7-d) Lemna minor, duckweed. SS 02 82 13; 1995:15
    PubMed
  • 16 Environment Canada 1998 Biological test method: Test for measuring the inhibition of growth using the freshwater macrophyte Lemna minor Report EPS 1/RM/37, 2nd ed; 2007:137
    PubMed
  • 17 Scherr C, Simon M, Spranger J, Baumgartner S. Effects of potentised substances on growth rate of the water plant Lemna gibba L. Complement Ther Med 2009; 17: 63-70
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Majewsky V, Scherr C, Schneider C, Arlt SP, Baumgartner S. Reproducibility of the effects of homeopathically potentised Argentum nitricum on the growth of Lemna gibba L. in a randomised and blinded bioassay. Homeopathy 2017; 106: 145-154
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Baumgartner S, Shah D, Schaller J, Kämpfer U, Thurneysen A, Heusser P. Reproducibility of dwarf pea shoot growth stimulation by homeopathic potencies of gibberellic acid. Complement Ther Med 2008; 16: 183-191
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Hamman B, Koning G, Lok KH. Homeopathically prepared gibberellic acid and barley seed germination. Homeopathy 2003; 92: 140-144
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Jäger T, Scherr C, Simon M, Heusser P, Baumgartner S. Effects of homeopathic arsenicum album, nosode, and gibberellic acid preparations on the growth rate of arsenic-impaired duckweed (Lemna gibba L.). Scientific World Journal 2010; 10: 2112-2129
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 United Nations Environment Programme. Text of the Minamata Convention on Mercury for adoption by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries. unep.org. July 31. Available at: https://treaties.un.org/doc/Treaties/2013/10/20131010%2011-16%20AM/CTC-XXVII-17.pdf . Accessed June 2018
    PubMed
  • 23 World Health Organization. Elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds: human health aspects. Available at: http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/en/cicad50.pdf . Accessed June 2018
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Jäger T, Scherr C, Simon M, Heusser P, Baumgartner S. Development of a test system for homeopathic preparations using impaired duckweed (Lemna gibba L.). J Altern Complement Med 2011; 17: 315-323
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Baumgartner S, Heusser P, Thurneysen S. Methodological standards and problems in preclinical homeopathic potency research. Forsch Komplementarmed 1998; 5: 27-32
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Carmer SG, Swanson MR. An evaluation of ten pairwise multiple comparison procedures by Monte Carlo methods. J Am Stat Assoc 1973; 68: 66-74
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Nani D, Brizzi M, Lazzarato L, Betti L. The role of variability in evaluating ultra high dilution effects: considerations based on plant model experiments. Forsch Komplement Med 2007; 14: 301-305
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Binder M, Baumgartner S, Thurneysen A. The effects of a 45x potency of arsenicum album on wheat seedling growth – a reproduction trial. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2005; 12: 284-291
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Lahnstein L, Binder M, Thurneysen A. , et al. Isopathic treatment effects of Arsenicum album 45x on wheat seedling growth–further reproduction trials. Homeopathy 2009; 98: 198-207
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Jäger T, Scherr C, Shah D. , et al. Use of homeopathic preparations in experimental studies with abiotically stressed plants. Homeopathy 2011; 100: 275-287
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Ücker A, Baumgartner S, Sokol A, Huber R, Doesburg P, Jäger T. Systematic review of plant-based homeopathic basic research: an update. Homeopathy 2018; 107: 115-129
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Endler PC, Bellavite P, Bonamin L, Jäger T, Mazon S. Replications of fundamental research models in ultra high dilutions 1994 and 2015–update on a bibliometric study. Homeopathy 2015; 104: 234-245
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Endler PC, Matzer W, Reich C. , et al. Seasonal variation of the effect of extremely diluted agitated gibberellic acid (10e-30) on wheat stalk growth: a multiresearcher study. Scientific World Journal 2011; 11: 1667-1678
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Scherer-Pongratz W, Endler PC, Lothaller H, Stephen S. Wheat and ultra high diluted silver nitrate – further experiments and re-analysis of data. Homeopathy 2015; 104: 246-249
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Betti L, Lazzarato L, Trebbi G. , et al. Effects of homeopathic arsenic on tobacco plant resistance to tobacco mosaic virus. Theoretical suggestions about system variability, based on a large experimental data set. Homeopathy 2003; 92: 195-202
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Brizzi M, Elia V, Trebbi G, Nani D, Peruzzi M, Betti L. The efficacy of ultramolecular aqueous dilutions on a wheat germination model as a function of heat and aging-time. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2011; 2011: 696298
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Brizzi M, Nani D, Peruzzi M, Betti L. Statistical analysis of the effect of high dilutions of arsenic in a large dataset from a wheat germination model. Br Homeopath J 2000; 89: 63-67
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Endler PC, Lüdtke R, Heckmann C. , et al. Pretreatment with thyroxine (10-(8) parts by weight) enhances a ‘curative’ effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxine (10-(13)) on lowland frogs. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2003; 10: 137-142
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Zausner C, Lassnig H, Endler PC. , et al. Die Wirkung von »homöopathisch« zubereitetem Thyroxin auf die Metamorphose von Hochlandamphibien—Ergebnisse einer multizentrischen Kontrollstudie. Perfusion (Nürnberg) 2002; 15: 268-276
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Betti L, Zurla M, Trebbi G, Brizzi M, Borghini G, Borghini F. Extremely low doses of arsenic affect in vitro pollen germination. Forsch Komplement Med 2013; 20: 254-260
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Bell IR, Muralidharan S, Schwartz GE. Nanoparticle characterization of traditional homeopathically-manufactured silver (Argentum Metallicum) medicines and placebo controls. J Nanomed Nanotechnol 2015; 6: 311
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Chikramane PS, Suresh AK, Kane SG, Bellare JR. Metal nanoparticle induced hormetic activation: a novel mechanism of homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy 2017; 106: 135-144
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Van Wassenhoven M, Goyens M, Capieaux E, Devos P, Dorfman P. Nanoparticle characterisation of traditional homeopathically manufactured Cuprum metallicum and Gelsemium sempervirens medicines and controls. Homeopathy 2018; 107: 244-263
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Ives JA, Moffett JR, Arun P. , et al. Enzyme stabilization by glass-derived silicates in glass-exposed aqueous solutions. Homeopathy 2010; 99: 15-24
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Weisshuhn TE, Quint P, Willich SN. The role of trace elements in homeopathic preparations and the influence of container material, storage duration, and potentisation. Forsch Komplement Med 2006; 13: 15-21
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Baumgartner S, Thurneysen A, Heusser P. Growth stimulation of dwarf peas (Pisum sativum L.) through homeopathic potencies of plant growth substances. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2004; 11: 281-292
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 47 Scherr C, Baumgartner S, Spranger J, Simon M. Effects of potentised substances on growth kinetics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe . Forsch Komplement Med 2006; 13: 298-306
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 48 Brizzi M, Lazzarato L, Nani D, Borghini F, Peruzzi M, Betti L. A biostatistical insight into the As2O3 high dilution effects on the rate and variability of wheat seedling growth. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2005; 12: 277-283
    PubMedGoogle Scholar