Plant Research Shows Homeopathic Preparation Has “Highly Significant Differences” Than Control Group

A major challenge in basic research into homeopathic potentisation is to develop bioassays that yield consistent results. So a group of researchers evaluated the potential of using a seedling-biocrystallisation method. Basically you can analyze by computer the images of crystals formed on/within seedling sprouts and see if there is a difference between a group watered with a homeopathic remedy and one there is no homeopathic remedy, (or placebo).  “Cress seedlings germinated and grew for approximately 96 h in hanging plastic bags on chromatography paper that had been soaked with either aqueous homeopathic preparations or control solutions. A watery extract was produced based on a filtrate of mashed seedlings that were crushed and extracted in the corresponding homeopathic preparation or control solution.”

Researchers in this project  were from a variety of high quality scientific establishments and labs:

Institute of Complementary Medicine KIKOM, University of Bern, Insel-Spital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
Hiscia Institute, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland
Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313 Herdecke, Germany
Louis Bolk Institute, Hoofdstraat 24, 3972 LA Driebergen, The Netherlands
Crystal Lab, Landgoed Roepaen, Kleefseweg 9, 6595 NK Ottersum, The Netherlands
Biodynamic Research Association Denmark, Landsbyvaenget 7, Herskind, 8464 Galten, Denmark

The results were remarkable. The researchers noticed  significant effects of a homeopathic treatment with Stannum metallicum 30x compared to water on germinating cress seeds. There were over 15 independent experiments in two independent laboratories.

Conclusions:

Using computerized GLCM texture analysis of biocrystallograms, we observed significant effects of a homeopathic treatment with Stannum metallicum 30x compared to water 30x on germinating cress seed over 15 independent experiments in two independent laboratories. Showing a reproducible (regarding experimental days as well as the two laboratories) and highly significant effect of the homeopathic treatment, two variables of texture analysis (“cluster_shade” and “diagonal_moment”) seem to be of primary interest for follow-up studies.

It will be interesting to analyse the biocrystallograms of the present trial in more detail. Investigations with texture analysis in other resolution scales will provide information regarding the spatial localisation of the differences in texture. Other approaches of image analysis (e.g., fractal dimension) may add complementary information helping to further describe and understand the effects found. Interpretation of the biocrystallogram features identified will need additional investigations. Methodical improvements are needed to eliminate the processing order effect. Furthermore, a comparison of different seed lots with contrasting characteristics (e.g., size, density, age, vigour level) regarding their response towards the homeopathic treatment is necessary.

– Ecam