The Effects of a 45x Potency of Arsenicum album on Wheat Seedling Growth – a Reproduction Trial

Abstract

Background: Independent replications of preclinical investigations of homeopathic potencies are rare. However, they are a necessary tool to determine the relevant factors modulating the effects of homeopathic potencies in preclinical systems. Objective: The goal of the present study was to reproduce a trial published in 1997. An Italian group of researchers investigated the effect of Arsenicum album 45x on the growth of wheat which had been previously poisoned with a material dose of Arsenicum album. The homeopathic treatment was associated with increased wheat shoot growth significantly different from the control group (+24%, p < 0.001). Materials and Methods: Wheat poisoned with a sublethal dose of Arsenicum album was cultivated in either Arsenicum album 45x, water 45x, or unpotentized water. After 7 days, shoot length was measured. Reproducibility was assessed in eight independent experiments. Results: Arsenicum album 45x significantly inhibited wheat shoot growth (-3%) compared to treatment with unpotentized water and water 45x (p = 0.011 and p = 0.037). Within the experimental series performed in this reproduction trial, the effects of Arsenicum album 45x proofed to be reproducible. The wheat seed species used did not seem to have a significant impact on the experimental outcome. Conclusion: The result of this replication trial is a reversal of the original study, since Arsenicum album 45x inhibited wheat shoot growth instead of enhancing it. Nevertheless, high homeopathic potencies may induce statistically significant effects in biological systems. However, the magnitude and direction of these effects seem to depend on yet unknown parameters.

A Biostatistical Insight into the As2O3 High Dilution Effects on the Rate and Variability of Wheat Seedling Growth

“…Moreover, the simplicity of the model makes it possible to easily perform the same experiment in different laboratories, which is a very important requirement for validation of studies on high dilutions. Actually, the experimental model reported in the present paper has been adopted, with minor modifications, by another research group in Switzerland [17]. As regards the results, in the present study we obtained confirmation of the significant stimulating effect we had previously observed with the 45x potency, both on germination and growth of wheat seeds.…”

The Role of Variability in Evaluating Ultra High Dilution Effects: Considerations Based on Plant Model Experiments

“…A tendency toward a variability reduction in treated groups has always been evidenced. In a recent independent study, in which the experimental conditions of our wheat growth model were reproduced [18], a trend toward a decrease in variability between experiments was observed as well. Interestingly, this trend seemed to be uncoupled with the direction of the treatment effect, in fact in the reproduction trial the result is a complete reversal of the original (i.e.…”

Effects of Potentised Substances on Growth Kinetics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe

“…Strüh suggested a possible influence of the investigator when measuring the CO2-production of yeast in the presence of different potency levels of plumbum aceticum [60]. In reproduction experiments with a wheat-arsenic-intoxication model Binder et al observed significant effects of highly diluted arsenic, however, the direction of the effects found was inverted: instead of a stimulating effect as described by Betti et al [59,61] an internally reproducible inhibiting effect was seen [62]. One might raise the hypothesis that such problems of reproduction by other researchers may be related to the variability of the effects of homeopathic potencies observed in this study.…”