Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/a-2648-3144
Observations about the Practice of Homeopathy Combined with Recent Laboratory-Based Research Results Provide Insights into the Fundamental Nature of Homeopathic Potencies
Authors
Funding Information SJC gratefully acknowledges funding from Ainsworths Homeopathic Pharmacy and the Homeopathy Research Institute.

Abstract
Background
Whilst several physico-chemical projects across the world are engaged in research work to understand the fundamental nature of homeopathic potencies, there is often a lack of awareness amongst the scientific community regarding the practice of homeopathy. In particular, information from the manufacture, storage and administering of remedies is not generally integrated into research frameworks, leading to hypotheses about homeopathy that can be questioned or dismissed because they do not fit with known facts about homeopathic practice.
Methods
Observations from the practice of homeopathy have been amalgamated here with results from various fundamental research studies, together with the writings of Samuel Hahnemann where these focus on the manufacture and administering of homeopathic medicines. By following this approach, it is shown that several restrictions are automatically placed on what hypotheses are possible regarding the physico-chemical nature of homeopathic potencies, while at the same time providing pointers as to what potencies might be.
Results
The above approach leads to several basic questions regarding the nature of homeopathic potencies. These questions include whether potencies are some form of exotic matter, whether they are gasiform in nature, whether they self-replicate, and whether they have some form of structure, in particular whether that structure might be fractal.
Conclusions
Our approach allows for several possible explanations for the modus operandi of homeopathy to be dismissed, and in so doing narrows down what hypotheses can be put forward. Whilst it is still premature to offer testable hypotheses as to how homeopathy works, we are considerably closer to identifying the fundamental nature of homeopathic potencies than we were.
Publication History
Received: 30 April 2025
Accepted: 02 July 2025
Article published online:
07 October 2025
© 2025. Faculty of Homeopathy. This article is published by Thieme.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany
-
References
- 1 Tournier A, Würtenberger S, Klein SD, Baumgartner S. Physicochemical investigations of homeopathic preparations: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis – part 3. J Altern Complement Med 2021; 27: 45-57
- 2 Conan Doyle A. The Sign of Four: The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes. Penguin Books; 2001
- 3 Cartwright SJ, Pinkus TS. Evidence from the use of solvatochromic dyes indicates that bulk pure water does not potentise. Homeopathy 2024; 113: 142-148
- 4 Aparicio ACC, de Oliveira LHS, Silva JS. et al. Interaction between solvatochromic dyes and water sampled from a natural source treated with high dilutions of phosphorus. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 126-132
- 5 Hansford P, Pinkus T. The Herdsman's Introduction to Homoeopathy. London: Ainsworths; 2017: 29
- 6 Day C. The Homoeopathic Treatment of Beef and Dairy Cattle. Beaconsfield Publishers; 1994: 120
- 7 Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine 5th ed. Trans. C. Wesselhoeft 1833: §276 , §285, §286
- 8 Haehl R. Samuel Hahnemann: His Life and Work. London Homeopathic Publishing Company; 1922: 317-318
- 9 Dellmour F. Importance of the 3c trituration in the manufacture of homeopathic medicines. Br Homeopath J 1994; 83: 8-13
- 10 Bradford TL. The Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Hahnemann. Boericke and Tafel, Philadelphia; 1895: 182
- 11 Finke B. High Potencies and Dr P Jousset in Paris. Zeitschrift des Berliner Vereins Homoeopathischer Aerzte 1885: Bd. IV, Heft 6: 316-322
- 12 Hutchin RA. The size of a photon. Op Photonics 2021; 11: 121-131
- 13 Firstenberg O, Peyronel T, Liang Q-Y, Gorshkov AV, Lukin MD, Vuletić V. Attractive photons in a quantum nonlinear medium. Nature 2013; 502: 71-75
- 14 Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine 5th ed. Trans. C. Wesselhoeft; 1833: §290
- 15 Bradford TL. The Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Hahnemann. Boericke and Tafel, Philadelphia; 1895: 457
- 16 Bell IR, Brooks AJ, Howerter A, Jackson N, Schwartz GE. Short-term effects of repeated olfactory administration of homeopathic Sulphur or Pulsatilla on electroencephalographic alpha power in healthy young adults. Homeopathy 2011; 100: 203-211
- 17 Hahnemann S. The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homeopathic Cure. 2nd enlarged ed. Dusseldorf: Schaub; 1839: 151
- 18 Hahnemann S. Materia Medica Pura. 2nd enlarged ed. (Trans. Dudgeon R) 1883: 119
- 19 Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine 6th ed. Trans Boericke W. Boericke and Tafel; 1921: §270
- 20 Dudgeon RE. . The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann. London: W. Headland; 1851: 181 , 766
- 21 Bradford TL. The Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Hahnemann. Boericke and Tafel, Philadelphia; 1895: 462
- 22 Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine 5th ed. Trans. C. Wesselhoeft; 1833: §288
- 23 Korsakoff I. Experiences on the propagation of the medicinal power of homeopathic remedies, together with some ideas on the mode in which this propagation takes place. Archiv Fur Die Homoopathische Heilkunst 1832; 11: 87-99 [Partial translation in Dudgeon RE. The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann. London, W. Headland 1851:763–766]
- 24 Bradford TL. The Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Hahnemann. Boericke and Tafel, Philadelphia; 1895: 184
- 25 Haehl R. Samuel Hahnemann: His Life and Work. London Homeopathic Publishing Company; 1922: 181
- 26 Bonamin LV, Pedro RRP, Mota HMG. et al. Characterization of Antimonium crudum activity using solvatochromic dyes. Homeopathy 2020; 109: 79-86
- 27 Doesburg P, Anderson J-O, Scherr C, Baumgartner S. Cell phone-emitted electromagnetic radiation nullifies specific effects of homeopathically prepared tin (Stannum metallicum 30x). Homeopathy 2024; 113: A3
- 28 Elia V, Niccoli M. Thermodynamics of extremely diluted aqueous solutions. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1999; 879: 241-248
- 29 Elia V, Marchese M, Montanino M. et al. Hydro-hysteretic phenomena of “extremely diluted solutions” induced by mechanical treatments: a calorimetric and conductometric study at 25°C. J Sol Chem 2005; 34: 947-960
- 30 Elia V, Napoli E. Dissipative structures in extremely diluted solutions of homeopathic medicines: a molecular model based on physico-chemical and gravimetric evidences. Int J Des Nat Ecodyn 2010; 5: 39-48
- 31 Lo SY. Physical properties of water with IE structures. Mod Phys Lett B 1996; 10: 921-930
- 32 Lo SY, Geng X, Gann D. Evidence for the existence of stable water clusters at room temperature and normal pressure. Phys Lett A 2009; 373: 3872-3876
- 33 Rey L. Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions of lithium chloride and sodium chloride. Physica A 2003; 323: 67-74
- 34 Rey L. Can low-temperature thermoluminescence cast light on the nature of ultra-high dilutions?. Homeopathy 2007; 96: 170-174
- 35 Mohammad SN, Pinto AAG, Silva RAD. et al. Environmental homeopathy: homeopathic potencies regulate the growth and toxicity of Raphidiopsis raciborskii (cyanobacteria) and can be tracked physico-chemically. Part 2: Physico-chemical results. Homeopathy 2025; 114: 18-31
- 36 Kokornaczyk MO, Trebbi G, Dinelli G. et al. Droplet evaporation method as a new potential approach for highlighting the effectiveness of ultra high dilutions. Complement Ther Med 2014; 22: 333-340
- 37 Betti L, Trebbi G, Kokornaczyk MO. et al. Number of succussion strokes affects effectiveness of ultra-high-diluted arsenic on in vitro wheat germination and polycrystalline structures obtained by droplet evaporation method. Homeopathy 2017; 106: 47-54
- 38 Assumpção R. Electrical impedance and HV plasma images of high dilutions of sodium chloride. Homeopathy 2008; 97: 129-133
- 39 Bell IR, Lewis II DA, Brooks AJ, Lewis SE, Schwartz GE. Gas discharge visualization evaluation of ultramolecular doses of homeopathic medicines under blinded, controlled conditions. J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9: 25-38
- 40 Peitgen HO, Jurgens H, Saupe D. Chaos and Fractals: New Frontiers of Science, 2nd ed. Springer; 2012
- 41 Kokornaczyk MO, Baumgartner S, Betti L. Preliminary study on force-like effects between As45x, water and wheat seeds performed by means of the droplet evaporation method. Int J High Dil Res 2015; 14: 17-19
- 42 Bradford TL. The Lesser Writings of CMF von Boenninghausen. Philadelphia: Boericke and Tafel; 1908: 103