Scientific Basis of Homeopathy:

Homeopathy faces ongoing skepticism from the conventional medical community, asserting that homeopathic medicines are mere placebos and high dilutions lack efficacy. The Faculty of Homeopathy, UK, provides research and a scientific perspective on how homeopathy operates, especially in high dilutions.

Homeopathic Dilutions:
While the foundational principle of homeopathy is similarity, its contentious claim centers on ultra-molecular dilutions. Avogadro’s Constant, roughly 10^23, corresponds to a 23X or approximately 12C dilution. Dilutions higher than this are unlikely to contain material traces of the original substance.

The ‘Memory of Water’ Theory:
The most widespread hypothesis suggests a ‘memory of water’ effect, where water retains information about substances it has encountered, potentially transmitting this information to pre-sensitized biosystems. Physico-chemical techniques, thermoluminescence, Raman and UV–VIS spectroscopy, and other methods indicate changes in water’s properties. However, whether these changes can explain in-vivo effects of homeopathic medicines is yet to be proven.

Molecular Clusters and Other Theories:
Research on molecular clustering in water solutions proposes an alternative mechanism. As a solution becomes more dilute, stable and larger ‘clumps’ of material develop, potentially containing residual molecular clusters of the original substance. Succussion, a method in homeopathic preparation, may create nanobubbles with gaseous inclusions.

High-Potency Effects in Biological Experiments:
A meta-analysis of 67 in-vitro biological experiments found high-potency effects reported in nearly 75% of replicated studies. However, stability varied among investigators. Examples include experiments on the allergic response to antibodies using the human basophil degranulation test, where positive results were obtained using ultra-molecular dilutions in some studies.

References:

1. Elia V, Niccoli M. Thermodynamics of extremely diluted aqueous solutions. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1999; 879: 241–248.
2. Elia V, Napoli E, Germano R. The “memory of water”: an almost deciphered enigma. Dissipative structures in extremely dilute aqueous solutions. Homeopathy, 2007; 96: 163–169.
3. Rey L. Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions of lithium chloride and sodium chloride. Physica A, 2003; 323: 67–74.
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5. Rao ML, Roy R, Bell IR, Hoover R. The defining role of structure (including epitaxy) in the plausibility of homeopathy. Homeopathy, 2007; 96: 175–182.
6. Roy R, Tiller WA, Bell IR, Hoover MR. The structure of liquid water; novel insights from materials research; potential relevance to homeopathy. Materials Research Innovations, 2005; 9-4: 577–608.
7. Vybíral B, Voráček P. Long term structural effects in water: Autothixotropy of water and its hysteresis. Homeopathy, 2007; 96: 183–188.
8. Chaplin M. The Memory of Water: an overview. Homeopathy, 2007; 96: 143–150.
9. Samal S, Geckeler KE. Unexpected solute aggregation in water on dilution. Chem Commun, 2001; 21: 2224–2225.
10. Witt CM, Bluth M, Albrecht H, et al. The in vitro evidence for an effect of high homeopathic potencies – A systematic review of the literature. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2007; 15: 128–138.
11. Davenas E, Beauvais F, Amara J, et al. Human basophil de-granulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE, Nature, 1988; 333: 816–818.
12. Ovelgönne JH, Bol AW, Hop WC, van Wijk R. Mechanical agitation of very dilute antiserum against IgE has no effect on basophil staining properties. Experientia, 1992; 48: 504–508.
13. Hirst SJ, Hayes NA, Burridge J, et al. Human basophil degranulation is not triggered by very dilute antiserum against human IgE. Nature, 1993; 366: 525–527.
14. Belon P, Cumps J, Ennis M, et al. Inhibition of human basophil degranulation by successive histamine dilutions: results of a European multi-centre trial. Inflammation Research, 1999; 48 (Suppl 1): S17–S18.
15. Lorenz I, Schneider EM, Stolz P, et al. Sensitive flow cytometric method to test basophil activation influenced by homeopathic histamine dilution. Forschende Komplementärmedizin, 2003; 10: 316–324.
16. Belon P, Cumps J, Ennis M, et al. Histamine dilutions modulate basophil activation. Inflammation Research, 2004; 53: 181–188.

Criticism Of Homeopathy:

The following text is taken from NCCAM website .

Homeopathy is a controversial topic in complementary medicine research. A number of the key concepts of homeopathy are not consistent with fundamental concepts of chemistry and physics. For example, it is not possible to explain in scientific terms how a remedy containing little or no active ingredient can have any effect. This, in turn, creates major challenges to rigorous clinical investigation of homeopathic remedies. For example, one cannot confirm that an extremely dilute remedy contains what is listed on the label, or develop objective measures that show effects of extremely dilute remedies in the human body.

Another research challenge is that homeopathic treatments are highly individualized, and there is no uniform prescribing standard for homeopaths. There are hundreds of different homeopathic remedies, which can be prescribed in a variety of different dilutions to treat thousands of symptoms.