Ultrafast white light identifies spectral differences in water containing homeopathic medicines
Homeopathic medicines contain ultra-high dilutions of the active ingredient. Due to this, the chemical trace of the active ingredient cannot be found using conventional methods. A novel technique, which generates ultrafast white light, has discovered unique spectral signatures in water doped with homeopathic medicines. This research work was recently published in the International Journal of High Dilution Research, 2020; 19(1-2):26-38, and carried out by a national team comprising of scientists from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Spandan Institute of Applied Homeopathy, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr Paresh Joshi is the first autor and Dr. Aditya Kamlakar Dharmadhikari, Dr.Jayashree Aditya Dharmadhikari, Praful Madhubhai Barvalia are co-authors in this manuscript.
Briefly, the researchers have carried out systematic studies to investigate the effect on supercontinuum generation using 40 femtosecond laser pulses in water doped with Homeopathic medicines. To cover the typical range of homeopathic medicines, the studies were performed with medicines with different levels of dilution, and of plant, animal and mineral origin (10-60 to 10-200000 dilution range). For various homeopathic medicines, the authors observed that the yield of supercontinuum generation, in water containing the medicine is significantly different from that obtained in water containing plain ethanol.
Ultra-dilution is the one of the basic fundamental principle of Homoeopathic medicines. Clinically, the ultra-dilute samples retain some properties of the solute in the solvent even after the Avogadro Barrier (dilution of 1030 and beyond, which in Homoeopathy is called “power 30 c”). One of the leading motivation of this study was to identify if there is any way to test the “presence” of the “properties” of the solute in the solvent. Indeed, the super continuum of the solvent generated using an ultrafast white light reported in this publication does point in that direction. The approach presented here can be utilized to catalogue the unique spectral signatures of homeopathic drugs of a particular active ingredient and dilution, and can be useful in the quality control in manufacturing these medicines.
This study also raises interesting questions regarding the origin of the unique supercontinuum generation signatures in the homeopathic medicines. Is it the process of potentization and succession that causes these changes in the spectra? Or within the complex starting mixture of the active ingredients, is it a particular component that causes this effect on the solvent? Further research to address these questions is warranted and will be pivotal in answering fundamental questions regarding the mechanism of action of homeopathy, and will enable development of more potent homeopathic medicines.
The publication has received positive remarks by eminent homeopaths:
- Prof. Leoni Villano Bonamin, Universidade Paulista – UNIP, Brazil: Pointing to physical studies, relevant information regarding specific spectra and changes of optical properties of high dilutions was explored by Dr. Paresh Joshi and co-workers, using the supercontinuum generation of water doped with homeopathic medicine as a model. The establishment of a non-linear refractive index for each medicine, also modified by the presence of nanoparticles, highlights new aspects and methods to understand the physical features of high dilutions.
- Prof. Dr. Prabhakar Devadiga, Smt CMP Homeopathic Medical College, Mumbai: Fantastic work: A path breaking work which can lead to much more basic research and give confidence to our students when they are asked questions about existence of medicine in homeopathic dilutions by their peers. This should be included in our teaching curriculum as early as possible.
Publication details:
Title: Supercontinuum generation in water doped with Homeopathic medicines
Authors: Paresh Krishnakumar Joshi*1,2, Aditya Kamlakar Dharmadhikari1, Jayashree Aditya Dharmadhikari3, Praful Madhubhai Barvalia2
1 – Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
2 – Spandan Holistic Institute of Applied Homeopathy
3 – Department of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
*Correspondence author: [email protected]
Article link: https://www.highdilution.org/index.php/ijhdr/article/view/1007