A scientific reappraisal of the ‘principle of similarity’

Bellavite, Paolo; Andrioli, Giuseppe; Lussignoli, S.; Signorini, Andrea; Ortolani, Riccardo; Conforti, Anita

doi:10.1016/s0306-9877(97)90204-8

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The various theories of the simile have been described in previous papers. 90,91,146,147 The characteristic 'therapeutic similarity' in drug action purported by homeopathy may be fundamentally based on the widespread phenomenon of inversion of biological effects dependent on the following factors: (a) the dose utilized and absorbed, (b) the time or schedule of administration, (c) the physiological state of the receiver/target system. A combination of one or more of these factors and the contribution of complexity science give rise to a consistent theory of the homeopathic 'simile' effect.…”

Section: Theinversion Of Effects (The Simile)mentioning

confidence: 99%

High-dilution effects revisited. 2. Pharmacodynamic mechanisms

et al. 2014

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The pharmacodynamics aspects of homeopathic remedies are appraised by laboratory studies on the biological effects at various levels (cellular, molecular and systemic). The major question is how these medicines may work in the body. The possible answers concern the identification of biological targets, the means of drug-receptor interactions, the mechanisms of signal transmission and amplification, and the models of inversion of effects according to the traditional 'simile' rule. These problems are handled by two experimental and theoretical lines, according to the doses or dilutions considered (low-medium versus high dilutions). Homeopathic formulations in low-medium dilutions, containing molecules in the range of ultra-low doses, exploit the extreme sensitivity of biological systems to exogenous and endogenous signals. Their effects are interpreted in the framework of hormesis theories and paradoxical pharmacology. The hypotheses regarding the action mechanisms of highly diluted/dynamized solutions (beyond Avogadro-Loschmidt limit) variously invoke sensitivity to bioelectromagnetic information, participation of water chains in signalling, and regulation of bifurcation points of systemic networks. High-dilution pharmacology is emerging as a pioneering subject in the domain of nanomedicine and is providing greater plausibility to the puzzling claims of homeopathy.

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Section: Theinversion Of Effects (The Simile)mentioning

confidence: 99%

High-dilution effects revisited. 2. Pharmacodynamic mechanisms

et al. 2014

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“…In previous studies (10,11,27,63), the concept of ‘ regulation of stressed homeodynamic networks ’ was introduced, based on how the networks react to stress, and on the possible role of homeopathic self-recovery regulation. Here we summarize and update this conceptual model, which can help rationalize the basic mechanisms of homeopathic simile on different levels of biological organization (molecular, cellular, organic and systemic).…”

Section: General Model Of the ‘Simile’mentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunology and Homeopathy. 5. The Rationale of the ‘Simile’

Bellavite

Ortolani

Pontarollo

et al. 2007

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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The foundation of homeopathic medicine is the ‘Similia Principle’, also known as the ‘Principle of Similarity’ or also as the ‘Simile’, which reflects the inversion of pharmacological effects in healthy subjects as compared with sick ones. This article describes the inversion of effects, a widespread medical phenomenon, through three possible mechanisms: non-linearity of dose–response relationship, different initial pathophysiological states of the organism, and pharmacodynamics of body response to the medicine. Based on the systemic networks which play an important role in response to stress, a unitary and general model is designed: homeopathic medicines could interact with sensitive (primed) regulation systems through complex information, which simulate the disorders of natural disease. Reorganization of regulation systems, through a coherent response to the medicine, could pave the way to the healing of the cellular, tissue and neuro-immuno-endocrine homeodynamics. Preliminary evidence is suggesting that even ultra-low doses and high-dilutions of drugs may incorporate structural or frequency information and interact with chaotic dynamics and physical-electromagnetic levels of regulation. From the clinical standpoint, the ‘simile’ can be regarded as a heuristic principle, according to which the detailed knowledge of pathogenic effects of drugs, associated with careful analysis of signs and symptoms of the ill subject, could assist in identifying homeopathic remedies with high grade of specificity for the individual case.

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“…As reduções de parasitemia em todos os grupos tratados com medicamentos homeopáticos demonstram ação sobre o curso da infecção por T. cruzi. Independente do mecanismo, ao promoverem a redução da parasitemia, os medicamentos altamente diluídos proporcionam menores oportunidades de inflamação, um dos fenômenos centrais da patogenia da infecção por T. cruzi (6,15). O benefício do bioterápico de baço e coração associado ao medicamento constitucional (grupo GLBC) pode ser verificado através do maior PPP observado (p<0,05), da menor parasitemia com menor pico de parasitos em relação a todos os grupos avaliados (Tabela 1).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Associação de medicamentos homeopáticos promove diminuição da parasitemia e melhora clínica em camundongos infectados por Trypanosoma cruzi

Falkowski-Temporini

Lopes

Massini

et al. 2018

VITTALLE, ISSN 1413-3563, Rio Grande, Brasil

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Medicamentos homeopáticos constitucionais são utilizados para desencadear reações no organismo, diminuindo a suscetibilidade mórbida, enquanto que medicamentos organoterápicos têm como princípio a identidade biológica, restabelecendo a função do órgão através do homólogo sadio. Objetivo: avaliar o efeito da associação do medicamento constitucional Lycopodium clavatum com organoterápicos de baço e coração de camundongos sadios, sobre aspectos parasitológicos e clínicos da infecção murina por Trypanosoma cruzi. Camundongos infectados (1400 tripomastigotas-cepa-Y T. cruzi) foram divididos conforme tratamento: GLB (L. clavatum e organoterápico de baço 13c) n=10; GLC (L. clavatum e organoterápico de coração 13c) n=10; GLBC (L. clavatum, organoterápicos de baço e coração 13c) n=11; GCI (solução hidroalcoólica 7%, veículo de preparação dos medicamentos, n=11. A parasitemia total foi significativamente menor em GLB e GLBC em relação ao GCI (p

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A scientific reappraisal of the ‘principle of similarity’

Cited by 28 publications

References 42 publications

High-dilution effects revisited. 2. Pharmacodynamic mechanisms

High-dilution effects revisited. 2. Pharmacodynamic mechanisms

Immunology and Homeopathy. 5. The Rationale of the ‘Simile’

Associação de medicamentos homeopáticos promove diminuição da parasitemia e melhora clínica em camundongos infectados por Trypanosoma cruzi

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