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Homeopathy 2016; 105(02): 173-179
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2015.10.002
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2015

Polycrystalline structures formed in evaporating droplets as a parameter to test the action of Zincum metallicum 30c in a wheat seed model

Maria Olga Kokornaczyk
1   Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna 40127, Italy
,
Stephan Baumgartner
2   Society for Cancer Research, Kirschweg 9, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland
3   Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten-Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313 Herdecke, Germany
,
Lucietta Betti
1   Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna 40127, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received14 July 2015
revised30 September 2015

accepted07 October 2015

Publication Date:
28 December 2017 (online)

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Background: Polycrystalline structures formed inside evaporating droplets of different biological fluids have been shown sensitive towards various influences, including ultra high dilutions (UHDs), representing so a new approach potentially useful for basic research in homeopathy. In the present study we tested on a wheat seed model Zincum metallicum 30c efficacy versus lactose 30c and water.

Materials and methods: Stressed and non-stressed wheat seeds were watered with the three treatments. Seed-leakage droplets were evaporated and the polycrystalline structures formed inside the droplet residues were analyzed for their local connected fractal dimensions (LCFDs) (measure of complexity) using the software ImageJ.

Results: We have found significant differences in LCFD values of polycrystalline structures obtained from stressed seeds following the treatments (p < 0.0001); Zincum metallicum 30c lowered the structures' complexity compared to lactose 30c and water. In non-stressed seeds no significant differences were found.

Conclusions: The droplet evaporation method (DEM) might represent a potentially useful tool in basic research in homeopathy. Furthermore our results suggest a sensitization of the stressed model towards the treatment action, which is conforming to previous findings.

Keywords

Ultra high dilutions (UHDs) - Droplet evaporation method (DEM) - Crystallization - Zincum metallicum - Wheat seeds
 

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