An Amplified Understanding of Homeopathy

The several articles that comprise this issue of the journal are typically diverse in their scientific and clinical content, yet a common strand can be identified: the importance of signal amplification in homeopathy. In her seminal two-part review, Iris Bell develops the concept of homeopathy as a complex adaptive system, whose properties include small changes in inputs that can lead to disproportionately large changes in system outputs: the weak signal of the correct simillimum medicine can initiate a large healing response in the body.[1] [2] She concludes that ‘the evidence suggests that every homeopathic medicine is a complex nano-scale system involving…electromagnetic, opto-electronic, quantum, and biological properties’.

Key to Dr Bell's concept is the succussion/dilution process that underpins the production of homeopathic medicines. Abhirup Basu and colleagues report that succussion of cupric oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles triggers multi-sized bubble generation and turbulent fluid motion for a duration of up to 400 milliseconds.[3] That biological systems have the capacity to amplify the signal associated with ultra-high dilutions, which in turn may be electromagnetic in nature, is implicated in the new research on solvatochromic dyes reported by Leoni Bonamin and her group.[4]

By contrast, a fundamental aim for less, not more, is the keynote of Emma Macías-Cortés and co-workers’ planned clinical trial of homeopathy for treating obesity in adolescents[5] and in Kusum Chand's & Priya Kapoor's reported cases of chronic urinary tract infection in whom homeopathic treatment was associated with a decreased use of antibiotics.[6] In his Debate article, Todd Hoover highlights homeopathy's opportunities for growth despite a mainstream current of reductionist reasoning against it.[7]

• References

• 1 Bell IR. The complexity of the homeopathic healing response Part 1: the role of the body as a complex adaptive system in simillimum-initiated recovery from disease. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 42-50
• 2 Bell IR. The complexity of the homeopathic healing response Part 2: the role of the homeopathic simillimum as a complex system in initiating recovery from disease. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 51-64
• 3 Basu A, Temgire MK, Suresh AK, Bellare JR. Dilution-induced physico-chemical changes of metal oxide nanoparticles due to homeopathic preparation steps of trituration and succussion. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 65-78
• 4 Bonamin LV, Pedro RRP, Mota HMG. , et al. Characterization of Antimonium crudum activity using solvatochromic dyes. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 79-86
• 5 Macías-Cortés E, Arellano-Álvarez S, Vega-Monroy S. , et al. Efficacy of homeopathy in addition to a multidisciplinary intervention for overweight or obesity in Mexican adolescents: study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 87-96
• 6 Chand KS, Kapoor P. Two case reports of integrated management of antibiotic-resistant urinary tract infection. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 97-106
• 7 Hoover TA. What future for Hahnemann's therapeutic system?. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 107-112