INTRODUCTION: Cyanobacteria are microorganisms found in many parts of the world and several genera, such as , are producers of cyanotoxins. Homeopathic potencies have been found to modulate toxicity in different biological models, and the present study endeavors to discover whether this might also be the case with cyanobacteria.
OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to investigate the possible effects of homeopathic potencies on the resilience of (brine shrimp) embryos to saxitoxin (STX; cyanotoxin) and on controlling the growth of .
METHOD: cysts were cultivated in seawater in 96-well plates to evaluate the hatching rate and vitality, plus the gene expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), after being challenged with extract containing 2.5 µg/L of STX and treated with different homeopathic potencies. Untreated wells were used as controls ("base-line"). Potencies were chosen from a screening process based on seven selected homeopathic preparations according to the similitude of STX symptoms (, , , , , , Isotherapic from extract; all at 6cH, 30cH and 200cH). Cultures of maintained in an artificial seawater medium were equally treated with screened homeopathic potencies selected from the same list but specifically for their growth control as a function of time.
RESULTS: A 15% lower rate of hatching of cysts was observed after treatment with 6cH in comparison with baseline ( = 0.05). A complete toxicity reversal was seen after treatment with Isotherapic 200cH, with a 23-fold increase of gene expression ( = 0.023) and a 24-fold increase of gene expression ( ≤ 0.001) in relation to baseline. 200cH and 30cH limited the exponential growth of cyanobacteria up to 95% and 85% respectively ( ≤ 0.003) in relation to baseline. Succussed water presented only a transitory 50% inhibition effect.
CONCLUSION: Isotherapic 200cH improved bioresilience to STX; 200cH and 30cH showed the optimal performance on limiting growth. The results point to the potential of homeopathic potencies to mitigate environmental problems related to water quality.
OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to investigate the possible effects of homeopathic potencies on the resilience of (brine shrimp) embryos to saxitoxin (STX; cyanotoxin) and on controlling the growth of .
METHOD: cysts were cultivated in seawater in 96-well plates to evaluate the hatching rate and vitality, plus the gene expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), after being challenged with extract containing 2.5 µg/L of STX and treated with different homeopathic potencies. Untreated wells were used as controls ("base-line"). Potencies were chosen from a screening process based on seven selected homeopathic preparations according to the similitude of STX symptoms (, , , , , , Isotherapic from extract; all at 6cH, 30cH and 200cH). Cultures of maintained in an artificial seawater medium were equally treated with screened homeopathic potencies selected from the same list but specifically for their growth control as a function of time.
RESULTS: A 15% lower rate of hatching of cysts was observed after treatment with 6cH in comparison with baseline ( = 0.05). A complete toxicity reversal was seen after treatment with Isotherapic 200cH, with a 23-fold increase of gene expression ( = 0.023) and a 24-fold increase of gene expression ( ≤ 0.001) in relation to baseline. 200cH and 30cH limited the exponential growth of cyanobacteria up to 95% and 85% respectively ( ≤ 0.003) in relation to baseline. Succussed water presented only a transitory 50% inhibition effect.
CONCLUSION: Isotherapic 200cH improved bioresilience to STX; 200cH and 30cH showed the optimal performance on limiting growth. The results point to the potential of homeopathic potencies to mitigate environmental problems related to water quality.
Mohammad Suham Nowrooz, Pinto Andreia Adelaide G, Silva Rodrigo Augusto da, Suffredini Ivana Barbosa, Tournier Alexander L, Cartwright Steven J, Yunes João Sarkis, Bonamin Leoni V
May 2024
Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy
None declared.