Ultradiluted Homeopathic Medicines Cause Apoptosis in RPMI-8226 Multiple Myeloma Cells: A Critical Appraisal

The article by Altinok Gunes et al, titled “Ultradiluted Homeopathic Medicines Cause Apoptosis in RPMI-8226 Multiple Myeloma Cells in vitro: a Pilot Study” [1], represents a bold effort to explore the potential anti-cancer properties of ultradiluted homeopathic remedies using an established multiple myeloma cell line model. Their study, which investigates Arsenicum album, Hecla lava, Carcinosinum and Carboneum sulphuratum at 200C potencies, utilizes three analytical techniques: MTT, Annexin V-PE/7-AAD apoptosis profiling, and propidium iodide-based cell cycle analysis to assess cytotoxicity and apoptotic induction over a 96-hour period. While the experimental layout is methodologically sound and statistically supported, several key concerns arise regarding interpretive validity, reproducibility, and the biological plausibility of the findings.

One limitation, common to much of the current literature in this field, is the lack of physicochemical characterization of the remedies. Given the extreme dilution levels used—beyond Avogadro's limit—the absence of confirmatory evidence for the presence of any active constituent (such as through spectroscopic or nanoparticle analysis) limits the ability to draw mechanistic conclusions.[2] Furthermore, the use of medicated starch globules dissolved in water without documentation of control for residual excipients introduces a potential confounder. The absence of an explicit mention of blinding in the Methods section and the use of only one myeloma cell line (RPMI-8226) constrain the broader applicability of the results. The study design does not clarify whether experimenters were blinded during outcome assessments, leaving room for potential observer bias—an important consideration in in-vitro pharmacological research. Although all four remedies demonstrated reduced viability and increased apoptosis, only Hecla lava and Carboneum sulphuratum induced statistically significant cell cycle arrest in the sub-G0/G1 phase. This heterogeneity in response suggests either differential pharmacodynamic actions or possible inconsistencies in remedy preparation and delivery.

The study is presented in the context of prior literature reporting cytotoxic effects of homeopathic remedies in various cancers. However, many of these prior reports also suffer from similar issues—limited replication, lack of standardization and minimal mechanistic insight. While the authors cite supportive findings, they stop short of exploring apoptosis pathways at the molecular level, such as caspase activation or gene expression changes, which would lend more weight to their conclusions. In the absence of such data, the assertion of remedy-induced apoptosis remains correlative rather than causative. By contrast, previous studies such as those by Frenkel et al[3] and Arora & Tandon[4] incorporated molecular endpoints including PARP cleavage and cell cycle regulator expression, thereby strengthening causal inferences about apoptotic pathways. Additionally, the choice of a 200C potency, which theoretically contains no molecular remnants of the original substance, demands even more stringent scrutiny and experimental control than lower potencies or mother tinctures, which have shown stronger effects in other studies.[5]

It is commendable that the authors include Carboneum sulphuratum—an under-investigated remedy—in this study, expanding the repertoire of homeopathic substances tested in cancer models. Yet the findings remain preliminary, with little justification offered for the choice of potencies or their relevance to clinical practice. The authors' characterization of their study as a pilot investigation, and their stated intent to explore gene- and protein-level mechanisms in future work, illustrates a laudable commitment to methodological progression and mechanistic depth. Despite the limitations, the study is valuable as an early investigative step into the role of homeopathy in oncology and could serve as a launchpad for more rigorous, mechanistically focused studies involving high-throughput screening, transcriptomics, proteomics and multiple cancer models. Until such data are available, the clinical translation of these findings should be considered with caution.

In conclusion, Altinok Gunes et al contribute a noteworthy piece to the growing body of exploratory research on homeopathic preparations in cancer biology. However, the data presented, while promising, fall short of providing definitive evidence due to inherent methodological and conceptual limitations. Further research with enhanced molecular characterization, multiple cell lines and blinded, rigorously controlled protocols will be necessary to substantiate the preliminary findings reported here and to position homeopathy as a credible adjunct in cancer care.

Publication History

Received: 16 April 2025

Accepted: 12 May 2025

Article published online:
28 August 2025

• References

• 1 Altinok Gunes B, Kilic M, Ozkan T, Gonulkirmaz N, Guven N, Sunguroglu A. Ultradiluted homeopathic medicines cause apoptosis in RPMI-8226 multiple myeloma cells in vitro: a pilot study. Homeopathy 2025; 114: 44-49
• 2 Chikramane PS, Suresh AK, Bellare JR, Kane SG. Extreme homeopathic dilutions retain starting materials: a nanoparticulate perspective. Homeopathy 2010; 99: 231-242
• 3 Frenkel M, Mishra BM, Sen S. et al. Cytotoxic effects of ultra-diluted remedies on breast cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2010; 36: 395-403
• 4 Arora S, Tandon S. DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest: a hallmark of apoptosis induced by Ruta graveolens in human colon cancer cells. Homeopathy 2015; 104: 36-47
• 5 Sikdar S, Saha SK, Khuda-Bukhsh AR. Relative apoptosis-inducing potential of homeopathic Condurango 6C and 30C in H460 lung cancer cells in vitro . J Pharmacopuncture 2014; 17: 59-69