The four homoeopathic drugs, Gelsemium, Cannabis Indica, Graphites and Agaricus Muscarius, administered orally in 30th and 200th potencies on white rats, enhanced restraint-induced catalepsy in a similar manner to the two standard drugs pilocarpine and haloperidol (IP injection at 5 mg/kg). All the drugs tested differed from each other in the duration of cataleptogenic effect, which was more prolonged with Cannabis, Graphites and Agaricus than with Gelsemium and the two non-homoeopathic drugs used. The 200th potency of any homoeopathic drug tested acted longer than its 30th potency.

Agaricus m., administered orally to rats subjected to restraint to induce catalepsy, enhanced the cataleptic state. The higher the potency the longer its duration of peak action and the longer did it take to reach the peak effect. The action of atropine sulphate which diminishes catalepsy, was suppressed by Agaricus m. The degree of suppresion increased with the increase in potency of Agaricus m. Since restraint-induced catalepsy is mediated by cholinergic-dopaminergic interactions in the brain, Agaricus m. is thought to produce its effect by influencing those systems. The work provides a scientific proof for the action of potentized homœopathic drugs and for the principle of the minimum dose. Further, it introduces an animal model for testing homœopathic drugs.