Review Article Volume 9 Issue 4
1Hony, Emeritus Professor, CEM Kolaghat, India
2Hony, Visiting Professor, IIEST Shibpur, India
Correspondence: Chitta Ranjan Mahata, Hony Emesritus Scientist, IIEST, Flat-C2, 50/1 College Road, Howrah-711103, WB, Shibpur, India, Tel 91-9433739180
Received: June 27, 2017 | Published: November 24, 2017
Citation: Mahata CR (2017) Avogadro Limit Washed out by Nano-Associates of Water which Continue as Information Carriers in Serial Dilutions and End up with Generalized Concept of Medicines. Int J Complement Alt Med 9(4): 00305. DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2017.09.00305
As per Avogadro number high potency (beyond 12c) homeo–medicines cannot have even traces of the starting material. So, how can they be medicines? If distinguishing chemical formula is the criterion, then they are non–medicines. Still, they continue to cure diseases for over two centuries. It implies a necessity to reorient our thinking. Thanks to the Structural Model backed by Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), we get the desired reorientation. QED predicts existence of ice–like structures called Coherent Domains (CD) in water at room temperature which is confirmed experimentally. These CDs are information carriers through serial dilution because their shape and size get influenced by factors like impurities, ions of other substances, large foreign molecules, physical perturbations, electromagnetic field etc. Unhindered by Avogadro limit the CDs continue their journey in homeopathic potentisation. These structures, in their turn, influence near–matching bio–molecules to serve as medicines, like antibiotics, leading to a generalized concept of medicine.
Keywords: structural model, quantum electrodynamics (qed), cds as information carriers, serial dilution, generalized concept of medicine
Medicines or not, medicinal cure or placebo effect – this kind of controversy continues to accompany homeopathy almost since its inception. The dictate of Avogadro number is that chemically all potencies above 12c will be just the vehicle. So, they must be fake medicines and cannot cure any disease. Whatever cure is observed is just placebo effect or mental cure. Holding on to this view sharp criticism has been directed against homeopathy, sometimes demanding a ban on this system. Even eminent scientist like J Benveniste and Nobel Laureate L Montagnier were not spared for their implied support to homeopathy. That science is yet to give a satisfactory explanation of homeo–mystery is a fact. It is also a fact that science advances by accepting its limitations and striving to find answer to unresolved questions, be it related to homeopathy or something else. Let us adhere to this principle.
The real test of a medicine should be its capability of curing disease vis–à–vis altering the state of health. Homeo–medicines passed this test again and again for over two centuries. Further, once a person feels the subtle, safe and superior effect of homeo–medicines in his body he becomes a permanent believer in homeopathy. No data can wipe out his faith in homeopathy. Statistics is no yardstick for him. This is why homeopathy is not only surviving but flourishing. Further, Placebo cure hypothesis advanced by homeo–skeptics has serious drawbacks: (a) Placebo effect or mental cure is not valid for benefits to babies, animals and plants where mind does not have any role. (b) Granting a place to mental cure or placebo effect, it should have been predominant for glamorous main stream medicines instead of poor homeopathy. (c) If mental cure is so easily achievable by common people then we should throw all medicines to dust bin. (d) Mind is not known to have any quantifiable active ingredient. So, mental cure is a self–contradictory hypothesis. It is confusion between cure by chemical–free homeo–medicines and cure by transcendental powers of yogis and saints, which may unknowingly manifest even in ordinary individuals in some rare moments. But, in normal life one has to depend on medicines and not on transcendental powers from outside or sudden rise of that power from within. So, let us concentrate on the business of homeo–mystery by appropriate reorientation of our thinking.
Homeo–mystery is closely linked with mystery of water. Innumerable tiny ice–crystals or icicles were observed in water at room temperature, writes B. Sergeev.1 These icicles had countless forms and their shape and size were found to be influenced by factors like ions of other substances, impurities, large foreign molecules etc.2 Literature also reported health/disease of cell constituents to be reflected in structure of cell water.3–5 ability of icicles to fit with matching bio–molecules or crushing and expelling mismatched large molecules from within ice structures or straighten up bio–molecules in case of no–great–mismatch.1 Based on this information CR Mahata.6 advanced a logically consistent ‘structural model’ of medicines in a research paper in 1997. He argued that the ice–like structures had the possibility of being structurally–coded information carriers as they were susceptible to influence of factors stated above. Their Potential to take infinite structural variations in natural conditions (subjected to random influences) suggested that specificity could be a reality under controlled conditions. That is, the potentisation process of homeopathy is likely to generate coded molecular clusters specific to the original medicinal substance and its potency.
It may be added that a few years back ED Giudice & G Preparata, et al. 7,8 had shown from Quantum Electro–Dynamic (QED) coherent calculations that liquid water at room temperature is a mixture of coherent (coherence domain, CD) and incoherent water. The CDs are ice–like structures and quite stable. It was confirmed by a number of researchers.9–17
V Elia, R Germano, E Napoli present a good review.18 of evidence of formation of dissipative structures in liquid water induced by three kinds of low energy physical perturbations: iteratively filtered water (IFW), iteratively nafionated water (INW) and extremely diluted solution (EDS). V Elia and his co–workers published a number of investigations on IFW.19–24 on INW.25–28 and EDS.29–55 On the basis of large number experiments using instruments like flux calorimetry, conductometry, pHmetry and galvanic cell electrode potential, FT–IR, Fluorescence microscopy, UV–VIS, light scattering, Atomic Force Microscope this group came to the conclusion that the alteration of properties subjected to these perturbations were not because of chemical impurities or measurement errors. They were information related to the substance under consideration and its history.
Side by side, we find another good review by AI Konovalov & IS Ryzhkina.56 dealing mostly with Russian publications. It is focused on nano–associates. It gives us an idea of the extensive work done in this area in Russia. The group led by Academician A I Konovalov studied dilution phenomena of a number of chemicals.57–77 They found generation of supra–molecular systems or associates. The substances were not homeopathic medicines. It shows that formation of nano–associates in diluted and vigorously shaken solutions is a common phenomenon. It was also observed that action of the external electromagnetic field is the condition of nano–associate formation in highly diluted aqueous solutions.77–82 It was the finding of Luc Montagnier as well.83 In a series of three papers T A Yinnon reports domains formation mediated by electromagnetic fields in very diluted and succussed aqueous solutions.84–86 She also reports about domain formation in dilute aqueous solutions.87,88
So, generation of nano–associates, also called as dissipative structures, with their changes in properties in diluted and succussed aqueous solutions seems to be satisfactorily established. Nano–associates are chemically just H2O but their properties change with change of perturbations. So, they may be considered as information carriers. Further, perturbations in EDS are same as homeopathic potentisation. Consequently, nano–associates may be considered as carriers of information related to the starting material and the degree of potentisation. And nano–associates (chemically just water) being information carriers they cannot be anything other than structural variations.
Taking a generalized view it may also be added that the CDs or nano–associates can be promising information carriers because, their shape and size were found to be influenced by things like impurities, ions of other substances, electro–magnetic field, low energy physical perturbations etc. In natural environment these factors are uncontrolled and random in nature. This leads to infinite variations of their structures. But, the potentisation process of homeopathy is a controlled one and can generate water structures specific to the starting material and potency. So, the CD’s contained in various diluted plus succussed (potentised) substances will turn out to be carriers of information about medicines in the form of structured molecular groups, called as ‘nano–associates’ of water molecules as their sizes fall in the nano–meter range. Nano–associates of pth potency will act causative agents for the (p+1)th potency, where p stands for an arbitrary potency. The chain can continue even without the starting chemical beyond 12c potency. Consequently, Avogadro number will lose its power to discard homeo–medicines of any potency. Here, chemistry is superseded by physical structure. As such, the potentisation process of homeopathy will never be hindered by the Avogadro limit. This is of great significance.
Further, the information contained will be related to medicine plus its potency, but it will not be exact memory. For, ‘water–memory’ tends to suggest conservation of material image of solute in water. It will not be proper to call these nano–sized objects as ‘nano–particles’ either, because they mean particles of same chemistry as the starting material.
Using the technique of Dielectric Dispersion CR Mahata and his co–workers obtained information about dimensions of water structures and have brought out the structural aspect of homeo–medicines through a number of papers.89–93 The information was in terms of resonance frequencies of the structures in electric field. It follows the well known equation for resonance in longitudinal mode of vibration,
2 × Length of structure × freq= Velocity of sound in the medium …(1)
Data of some medicines are reproduced in Table 1.92 and Table 2.93 For these studies 4.2 ml of distilled water with 3.38 % (volume wise) of medicine was placed as the dielectric material of a capacitor type cell. Resonance frequencies relate to resonance frequencies of these cells in variable frequency electric field.
Material |
Resonance Freq in Mhz |
||
1st Day |
2nd Day |
3rd Day |
|
Control: H2O + glob |
25.6643 |
25.8336 |
25.6643 |
H2O |
25.495 Before adding Arn 30c |
||
H2O +Arn 30c |
25.1564 |
24.8178 |
24.8178 |
H2O |
25.495 Before adding Arn 200c |
||
H2O + Arn 200c |
24.9871 |
24.6485 |
24.6485 |
H2O |
26.0029 Before adding Anc 30c |
||
H2O +Anc 30c |
25.41035 |
25.1564 |
25.1564 |
H2O |
25.6643 Before adding Anc 200c |
||
H2O + Anc 200c |
25.1564 |
24.9871 |
24.9871 |
Table 1 Resonance freq of Arnica Mont.
Material |
Resonance Freq in Mhz |
|||
1st Day |
2nd Day |
3rd Day |
4th Day |
|
Control H2O |
26.0029 |
26.0029 |
26.0029 |
26.3415 |
H2O |
25.6643 Before adding CuMet-6c |
|||
H2O + CuMet-6c |
25.1564 |
23.802 |
23.6327 |
23.6327 |
H2O |
25.6643 Before adding CuMet-30c |
|||
H2O + CuMet-30c |
25.6643 |
24.4792 |
24.4792 |
24.4792 |
H2O |
25.495 Before adding Graphites-6c |
|||
H2O + Graphites-6c |
23.9713 |
23.54805 |
23.71735 |
23.71735 |
H2O |
25.495 Before adding Graphites-30c |
|||
H2O+Graphites-30c |
24.4792 |
24.3099 |
24.1406 |
24.1406 |
Table 2 Resonance freq of CuMet and Graphites.
Other publications.94–99 of this group also advocate the structural concept. However, it must be admitted that the exact mechanism of these structural transformations are not yet established. GS Anagnostatos & G Vithoulkas et al.100 conjectured a possible mechanism for this phenomenon. It is called as ‘clathrate model’. Till now its experimental support is lacking. But, that does not invalidate the structural concept.
High potency homeo–medicines are merely nano–associates, that is, structured molecular groups of water carrying information about the starting medicinal substance plus its potency. And in spite of absence of any identifying chemicals they are curative agents – that is the clinical experience for over two centuries. The obvious suggestion is that water structures can serve as medicines. But general obsession of people with chemistry is so great that they refuse to accept it – how can a structure devoid of identifying chemical serve as medicine? So, our narration won't be complete without showing that water structures are capable of influencing biological systems as medicines.
We know that structural fitting and template principle explain biological metabolic processes.101 While keeping intact the principle of conventional chemistry, the template principle introduces something extraordinary which is not found anywhere else in nature: the possibility of maintaining a strict order in the successive stages of the exceedingly long chain of reactions. So, it is natural to expect that structural matching can have a role in curative processes as well. It has been found that the membranes of most cells in living organism and giant living molecules have water on their surface in a strictly defined order to form an ice–like crystal lattice. The larger the molecule the thicker is the ice envelope. The organism ‘freezes’ a considerable part of water it contains.1 Sergeev further writes: "The molecules in a living organism can, for various reasons, change their form to some extent. Obviously, if the process develops considerably, such a molecule can no longer form a crust of 'ice' on its surface. The damaged molecules can be repaired with the help of tiny icicles. By 'freezing onto' curved molecules the icicles straighten them out, giving them their usual configuration”. L Vlasov & D Trifonov.102 too mention beneficial effects of melted ice (containing ice–crystals) on young chickens. Hence, it is also natural to expect that the curative action of homoeopathic medicines may follow this rule. The expectation gathers strength from another striking property of water: It accommodates structurally fitting even large molecules within the hollows of ice structures, but crushes and expels those which do not fit there.1 Straightening up is a process in between these two extremes. Over and above, health and disease of a living body is reflected in structure of cell water.3,5 Reading together, administration of suitable water structure may have the power to straighten up the structure of a diseased bio–molecule and INITIATE restoration of health. This is the broad picture. Now, let us see how it conforms to experimental results.
Here also using Dielectric Dispersion Technique we obtained information about dimensions of water structures of blood serum of different persons suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and osteo–arthritis and of water structures of various homoeopathic medicines by which they were treated. The study was reported in.103,104 The results are as shown in Tables 3 & 4 compiled from these two references.
Sl. No. |
Medicine Administered |
Medicine- Related Resonance Freq |
Bio-Sample -Related Resonance Freq |
Result |
1 |
Guaiacum 30c |
22.9 MHz |
22.5 MHz |
Marked improvement |
2 |
Sulphur 200c |
23.5 MHz |
23.2 MHz |
Moderate improvement |
3 |
Natrum Mur 30c |
23.8 MHz |
24.9 MHz |
No improvement |
Table 3 Comparison of resonance freq of medicine vs bio-sample of patients.
Sl. No. |
Medicine Administered |
Medicine- Related Resonance Freq |
Bio-Sample- Related Resonance Freq |
Result |
1 |
Rhus Tox 200c |
22.8 MHz |
22.8 MHz |
Marked improvement |
2 |
Rhus Tox 200c |
22.8 MHz |
23.6 MHz |
Less improvement |
3 |
Thuja 30c |
23.6 MHz |
23.6 MHz |
Moderate improvement |
4 |
Thuja 30c |
23.6 MHz |
24.2 MHz |
No improvement |
5 |
Thuja 30c |
23.6 MHz |
23.4 MHz |
Moderate improvement |
6 |
Medorrhinum 200c |
28.6 MHz |
22.8 MHz |
No improvement |
Table 4 Comparison of resonance freq of medicine vs bio-sample of patients.
In all these cases improvement is associated with close matching of resonance frequencies related to medicine and bio–sample. In these studies six medicine–soaked sugar globules (no. 10 in size) were dissolved in 5ml of distilled water, which was placed as the dielectric material of a capacitor type cell. Resonance frequencies in column 3 refer to resonance frequencies of these cells. Resonance frequencies in column 4 refer to resonance frequencies of similar cells for which bio–samples replaced medicines. Now, following equation (1) matching of resonance frequencies implies matching of their dimensions. This suggests that matched water structures are capable of influencing biological systems as medicines. Chemical ingredient is not mandatory for a substance to be a medicine. The results suggest that for medicinal value also Avogadro number loses its relevance in ‘diluted’ homeopathic medicines.
High potency homeo–medicines lack distinctive chemical identity. They are just nano–associates of water. This makes investigation about their mechanism of action a pretty difficult job. Pinpointing the mechanism(s) and pathway(s) of action of the drug after it is administered on the tongue of a patient or an experimental animal is simply impracticable. Matsumoto.105 suggests that interaction between cell–surface proteins and clathrate–like hydrate micro–crystals formed during homeopathic dilution process to be the primary molecular mechanism of biological responses to homeopathic medicines. AR Khudabukhsh.106 suggested regulation of gene expression to be one of the major mechanisms by which homeo–drugs work. He gives an overview of the mechanism.107 where he advocated that one of the main mechanisms and pathways through which the potentised homeopathic drugs act could be by regulation of expression of some specific and relevant genes. In another review article.108 he comes forward with evidences in support of his hypothesis according to which homeopathic remedies carry specific “signals” that can be identified by specific receptors and can act as a trigger to turn “on” or “off” some relevant genes, initiating a cascade of down–stream gene actions to alter and correct the gene expressions that had gone wrong to produce the disorder/disease condition. Evidence of gene regulatory hypothesis is also available from other publications of his group.109–112
Now, consider the parallelism of this concept with action of antibiotics, which act on the principle of structural locking/binding.113 Just replace “signal” (of Khudabukhsh) by ‘matching structure’ which can structurally lock/bind to the specific receptor/target. In case of mainstream medicine the structure is of the chemistry of the antibiotic, whereas in case of homeopathy it is the structure of nano–associates of water. It is interesting to note that out of six different mechanisms of action of drugs mentioned in this reference physically acting drugs like bisacodyl or charcoal do not produce any effect on the physiology and act superficially. Similarly the second category of drugs acting by chemical reaction (like sodium bicarbonate or lime) does not touch the actual cause of malfunction of the system. Morphine related drugs, diuretics and pain relieving drugs falling in the third category of drugs modify physiological function but do not revert it to healthy state. The drugs of fourth category used in , schizophrenia, anxiety and drugs of abuse function through receptors. Homeopathic drugs as pointed out by Khudabukhsh also function through receptors. But there is qualitative difference. Drugs by replacement like levodopa used in Parkinson’s disorder falling in the fifth category subsides the symptoms temporarily. Drugs by substitution fall in the sixth category. It is the mechanism of action of antibiotics. The gene regulatory mechanism is parallel to this as stated above. It is very effective treatment against bacteria, virus and possibly cancer also in both homeopathy and non–homeopathy.
Note that structural matching is evidenced by the data in Table 3 and Table 4 above. The structural concept has been advocated by CR Mahata.114–117 Here the argument is from a generalized perspective, a change of focus – avoiding hard medical terminology. The thrust of the argument is: action of homeo–drugs of high potency cannot be explained by chemical reaction. We must change the focus from chemical formula to physical structure. Chemical affinity is to be viewed as structural affinity, that is, ability to fit structurally. The bio–molecule which can structurally fit with the medicine–structure automatically becomes the target or receptor. Further, he argues that any chemical reaction may also be viewed as interaction between structures, because every chemical substance has its own defining structure. So, all kinds of medicinal action can be considered to be structural interaction – be it homeopathy or non–homeopathy. And this is a generalized concept. Accordingly, medicine is re–defined as below.
A substance is to be recognized as a medicine if it has the capability of curing disease(s) while its medicinal property is to be attributed to molecular structure of vehicle like water or of distinct chemical substance when it exists.
The logical analysis of data and information obtained so far leads only to one possibility and that is structural concept of medicine. It explains actions of homeopathy as well as non–homeopathy. It also resolves more than two–century old conflict between homeopathy and non–homeopathy. I am convinced that people will be immensely benefitted by wider use of homeopathy – the most economic system of medicine, as they will get a safe (without side effects), subtle (chemical–free) and quite often a superior health care system (giving near–miraculous cures) so long they are in the domain of medicinal care. I hope that this work will go a long way in achieving this goal.
The infrastructural facility provided by IIEST, Shibpur, funding by UGC and AYUSH of Govt. of India and free supply of medicines etc by HAPCO, Kolkata at different stages of this research are gratefully acknowledged.
Author declares that there are no conflicts of interest.
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