IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO STUDIES FOR INVESTIGATIONS ON THE EFFICIENCY OF HOMEOPATHIC AGENTS

Introduction: The catalytic activity of several enzyme systems can be modulated by specific substances. This can be detected with both in vi vo and in vitro systems. objective: The main target was to clarify whe ther small amounts of potentized and nonpotentized substances are able to influence the catalytic activity of specific enzyme systems in viv o as well as in vitro. Methods: Arsenicum album (As2O3) and Mercurius phosphoricus (HgHPO4) in potencies or dilutions of D4 or 10(-4), D8 or 10(-8) and D12 or 10(-12), respectively, were used as agents. The in vivo studies were carried out under blinded conditions on male Charles River Wistar rats. The application of the test substances was done or ally and carried out on seven consecutive days. Twenty-four hours afte r the last tablet administration, the livers were removed. By means of several centrifugation steps a hepatic homogenate was obtained. In th is liver fraction the catalytic activity of peroxisomal catalase, mito chondrial cytochrome c-oxidase and lysosomal N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosami nidase was determined spectrophotometrically. For investigations carri ed out with cell-free systems, As2O3. potassium cyanatum (KCN) and cAM P in potencies or dilutions of Dl or 10(-4), Db or 10(-6), D8 or 10(-8 ) and D12 or 10(-12), respectively, were used in aqueous preparations under blinded conditions. In the presence of these test substances the catalytic activity of the glutathione S transferases (cytosolic syste ms from rat liver), uricase (from hog liver), acid phosphatase (from p otato) and DNAse II (from porcine spleen) was measured by spectrophoto metrical assays, while the activity of cytochrome P-450 reductase (mic rosomal system from rat liver) was determined by HPLC analysis. Result s: 1. The efficiency of homoeopathically prepared substances can be de monstrated using in vivo as well as in vitro systems as indicators. 2. Very often a non-linear relationship could be seen on the potency and dilution levels both in studies carried out in vivo and in vitro. 3. There is a difference in effciency between potencies and dilutions wit h identical concentrations. Therefore, the differences found must be c aused by the manufacturing process of the potencies. 4. The results ar e discussed. Conclusions: 1. The results obtained by using cell-free s ystems do not fundamentally differ from those obtained by in vivo stud ies 2. The studies with cell-free systems show that parts of homoeopat hical research can be carried out independently of an intact organism.