Investigation of the influence of clathrate hydrate crystals on the structuring of homeopathic high dilutions

High dilutions (HD) of drugs used in homeopathy are mostly too dilute to contain original drug molecules. But evidences support their specific biological and therapeutic effects. The reason behind this is thought to be water structure characteristic of the original drug. Spectroscopic studies indicate that the specific water structure in HDs can be resolved into free water molecules, hydrogen bonding strength of water hydroxyl, number of hydrogen bonds and clathrate hydrate crystals (CHC). HDs are prepared in EtOH water solution by serial dilution and mechanical agitation, and are called potencies. The objective of the present study is to further confirm the presence of CHCs in the two potencies of three drugs. Electronic spectra of the HDs of the potencies indicate two broad peaks and marked difference in intensities of absorption. Furior Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra of the test potencies and their control show difference in intensity shift and contour shape of OH stretching and bending bands. All the experimental data indicate the presence of CHCs in varying amounts in the test potencies.

High dilutions of a drug of COVID-19 origin show difference in ranks

High dilutions (HDs) of drugs, used in Homeopathy, are prepared in aqueous EtOH (ethanol) through serial dilution accompanying mechanical agitation or succussion, and are called potencies. The potencies from the rank 12 onwards are too dilute to contain any original drug molecules. Do the potency ranks show any difference from each other? Do serial dilution and succussion contribute to the difference in potency ranks? This study aims to address these two questions. The throat swab of a Covid-19 patient was preserved and diluted with aqueous EtOH 90% to prepare the mother tincture (MT) and five different potencies of Covid named Covidinum. These potencies and their solvent media were analysed by electronic and vibrational spectroscopy. Charge transfer (CT) and proton transfer interactions occur during preparation of the potencies. The FT-IR spectra of all the test samples after normalization show difference from each other with respect to O-H stretching and bending (v2) bands. Serial dilution and succussion contribute to the observed difference in ranks and CT interactions.

DCA on medicinal materials of three species of Isodon Kudo based on their UV spectra / 中草药

Object To observe the differences of Isodon amethystoides (Benth.) C. Y. Wu et Hsuan, I. nervosa (Hemsl) Kudo and I. macrocalyx (Dunn) Kudo from different regions in their UV spectra, to make the applicability of the method of Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) clear in the comparison of Chinese medicinal materials based on the UV spectra. Methods The UV spectra of the 15 samples of I. amethystoides, I. nervosa and I. macrocalyx from different regions and organs were obtained, based on the indices of wavenumber absorbance, the differences of 15 UV spectra were compared by DCA. Results(1) the UV spectra of I. amthystoides from different regions were very different; (2) the samples of I. macrocalyx (or I. nervosa) from the same region were rather similar in their UV spectra; (3) there were resemblances among I. nervosa, I. macrocalyx and I. amethystoides in their UV spectra.; (4) the difference of UV spectra between the stems and leaves were obvious. Conclusion The above results indicate: (1) the medicinal effects of I. amethystoides from different regions may be very different; (2) the stems and leaves of I. amethystoides are of different medical effects; (3) I. macrocalyx and I. nervosa could be considered as the substitutes of I. amethystoides. It is practical to apply DCA on the basis of UV spectra to compare the chemical differences of plant samples.