Horstmann H
Direkt oder indirekt sauerstoffabhängige Reaktionen der Rattenleber nach oraler Applikation kleinster Substanzmengen
Dissertation. Hannover; 1990.
The dissertation in hand deals with effects of lowest amounts of substance on selected functions of different compartments of the rat liver and total liver homogenate. These substances are homoeopathically prepared dilutions (potentisations) of Kalium cyanatum, Ferrum phosphoricum and Adrenalinum, which have been administered orally to rats in the form of commercially available lactose tablets over a period of seven days. The number of animals for each group amounted to n = 6. One group received placebo and one remained untreated (zero- control). Placebogroup served as reference. Effects brought about by this pretreatment were examined by means of biochemical-analytical procedures.
The investigations lead to the following results:
1) With certain potentisations all substances tested exert influence on oxygen consumption in mitochondria. Hence Kalium cyanatum in D4 and D30 and Adrenalinum predominantly in D8 cause an increase of O2-utilisation, the pretreatment with Ferrum phosphoricum in contrast to this produces a decrease mainly in D8, D12 and D30.
2) The oxygen consumption measured corresponds with the activity of oxygen-dependent enzymes, especially that of xanthine oxidase and NADPHcytochrome P-450 reductase, the activity of those enzymes being enhanced in high oxygen consumption and vice versa. This effect is especially pronounced in Kalium cyanatum (increase) and Ferrum phosphoricum (decrease).
3) With Ferrum phosphoricum succinic dehydrogenase and reduction of cytochrome c in mitochondria behave as described in point 2) above (decrease in activity).
4) With Adrenalinum D8 maximal increase of oxygen consumption contrasts with maximal decrease of GSH-concentration in total liver homogenate, thus indicating an enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species along the lines of 'oxidative stress'.
5) With Ferrum phosphoricum decreased oxygen consumption in mitochondria corresponds with reduced activity of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase.
6) With Adrenalinum D12, enhancement of activity of microsomal and cytosolic gluthathione S-transferases is maximal. Similarly, in pretreatment with this potentisation liver GSH-concentration is significantly lessened.
7) In several cases results suggest the existence of a particular non-linear dose-effect relation, if, as in this case, lowest amounts of substance are used. Thereby, inflection points with reversal of effect are found with D8- and D12- potentisations.
These results are evaluated and discussed. Some effects do not easily fit in known mechanisms of biochemical regulation, thus requiring further clarification.
Biochemical Basics of Homeopathy [ Details ]