Correlation between Vitalism and Genetics According to the Paradigm of Complexity

Abstract

Background In homeopathic philosophy, vital force is a non-material substrate that is responsible for maintaining the body's sensations and functions and where homeopathic medicines act. In genetics, the body's vital functions are controlled by biochemical information, which is contained in the cell genome and consists of a protein encoding portion (exome) and another that regulates this encoding scheme (epigenome). Both the philosophical vital force and the genome present properties of complex and dynamic self-organisation systems. Aims This study aimed to explore and develop a philosophical-scientific correlation between vitalism and genetics according to the complexity paradigm. Results Vital principle and genome present inseparable composition among distinct existing components that influence one another and form a network of connections that create complex and dynamic self-organisation behaviour. Described in both models, ‘vortex’ indicates the existence of a force coming from within the system that is externalised as an emergent, information-transmitting phenomenon. Supporting this correlation, some experimental studies show that homeopathic medicines act on the genome by modulating gene expression. Conclusions In line with the similarity of existing characteristics and properties, the genome may be considered as hypothetical biological substrate of organic vital force.

Telomere and Telomerase: Biological Markers of Organic Vital Force State and Homeopathic Treatment Effectiveness

“…In correlating the characteristics of the organic vital force with those of the genome, we highlight analogies between them, such as: the vital force and the genome are the fundamental substrates for the emergence and maintenance of life (vitality of living beings); the vital principle is responsible for maintaining the balance of the body's sensations and functions, just as the genome stores the biochemical information which will produce the proteins responsible for maintaining vital processes and developing organisms; diseases generally occur due to dystonia of the vital principle, as well as genomic changes which promote disease (the primary cause of diseases); the vital force and the genome are both affected by the influences of the same external and internal etiopathogenic factors, among others. 2 Furthermore, in correlating the characteristics of chronic miasms with those of epigenetic alterations, we highlight analogies between them, such as: most chronic diseases have a miasmatic (psora) or epigenetic cause which predisposes their appearance and prevents their natural resolution (fundamental cause of chronic diseases); the latency or manifestation of psora and the silencing or activation of disease-promoting genes are triggered by similar etiopathogenic factors; both chronic miasmas and disease-promoting epigenetic alterations are transmissible to future generations, and can be reversed by antimiasmatic drugs or epigenetic treatments, respectively. 1 Since 1997, Khuda-Bukhsh [17][18][19] and other researchers 20,21 defend the hypothesis that homeopathic medicines act in the genome, modulating disease-promoting gene expression.…”

“…1 Therefore, we can correlate the intrinsic characteristics and properties of the homeopathic vital principle to those of the genome (exome plus epigenome), suggesting the hypothesis that this is the representation or biological substrate of that according to the biomedical model. 2 On the other hand, disease-promoting epigenetic alterations would be the representation or biological substrate of chronic homeopathic miasmas. 1 In short, in homeopathic terms, the genome would be the simillimum of organic vital force and the disease-promoting epigenetic alterations would be the simillimum of chronic miasmas.…”

“…In accordance with these hypotheses, the isopathic use of auto-sarcode of DNA (auto-isotherapic of DNA) could act on the imbalance of the vital principle or genome, and in the chronic miasmas or disease-promoting epigenetic alterations, through therapeutic modulation of gene expression. 1,2 Telomere and Telomerase: Biological Markers of Cellular Vitality, Biological Aging, and Health-Disease Process Cellular activity and vitality are related to physiological balance and health-disease process. Its natural and progressive decrease causes a decline in physiological functions and in the body's ability to adapt, causing biological aging and a predisposition to the appearance of diseases.…”

“…The characteristics and properties of the previously mentioned telomeres expand understanding of the gene expression mechanism at the chromosome level (DNA molecule or genomic unit) and reiterate the philosophical-scientific correlations between the vital principle and the genome described in previous studies. 1,2 Among these analogies, we highlight that the vital force and chromosomes are the substrates for maintaining the phenomenon of life, and the integrity of the organic vital force and the chromosomal endings (telomeres) are responsible for cellular vitality, longevity and health maintenance, whilst cellular senescence, biological aging and the disease process result from vital imbalance and alteration in TL.…”

“…Further based on these assumptions, we have also been proposing the isopathic use of auto-sarcode of DNA (autoisotherapic of DNA) as a probable anti-miasmatic homeopathic medicine and modulator of gene expression. 1,2 Reiterating these philosophical-scientific correlations, numerous studies on telomeres (the terminal portion of chromosomes) indicate its role as a biomarker of cellular vitality, biological aging, and the health-disease process. In view of this evidence, telomere length (TL) could be clinically and experimentally used as a hypothetical biomarker of the organic vital force state, both in the disease-promoting vital imbalance and in the vital rebalancing resulting from therapeutic interventions.…”