Effects of high potencies of tumour necrosis factor alpha on H2O2 production in cultured neuroblastoma cells by enhanced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (ECL)

Abstract

The effects of homoeopathic high dilutions of cytokine TNFα on H2O2 production of SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells were studied. H2O2 was measured using a highly sensitive chemiluminescence method (ECL) based on chemical enhancement of luminol oxidation in the presence of peroxidase and H2O2. The dose-effect relationship between TNFα and H2O2 production of SK-N-SH cells was established over the whole range from 200 ng/ml of TNFα to 100x. Interpolation yielded a waveshaped curve (phase length 5–8) which appeared to ‘ride’ on a wave-shaped 10th order regression curve (phase length ∼ 35). The effects of TNFα 100x on H2O2 production were highly significant (p < 0.002). Elevation of H2O2 production compared to controls was repeatedly seen following incubation of SK-N-SH cells in the presence of TNFα 100x. These results suggest that the chemiluminescence method used is suitable to demonstrate and investigate further the influence of homoeopathic high potencies on biological systems.

A homeopathic remedy from arnica, marigold, St. John’s wort and comfrey accelerates in vitro wound scratch closure of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts

“…Furthermore, remedy (0712–2) differed from 0712–3 significantly for the dilutions 1:10 and 1:100 (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). It was surprising, that the substance 0712–1 (succussed solvent) caused a modest enhancement on cell motility, but it was already observed that a succussed solvent exerted biological effects [30]. In spite that we did not find any proliferation effect of substances 0712–1 and 0712–2, the NIH 3T3 cells exposed to these substances showed an increasing migration.…”

“…It has been reported, that compounds at high dilutions/low concentrations could exert different biological activity. TNF-α up to 100x from 100 ng/ml elevated the level of H 2 O 2 in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells [30], arsenic of decimal and centesimal dilutions exerted effect in the rats [41], histamine dilutions ranging between 15-19c from 1 mg/ml inhibited human basophil degranulation [42]. In addition, normal and human leukemia T-lymphocytes responded to cadmium chloride at low doses (nM-μM; 0.2-200 ng/ml) [43].…”

Effect of Low Doses and High Homeopathic Potencies in Normal and Cancerous Human Lymphocytes: An In Vitro Isopathic Study

“…19,20 These studies, however, cannot directly be compared with the current study because they were performed with high potencies of cytokines (␣-interferon respectively tumor necrosis factor-␣), and thus transcend the isopathic model. High homeopathic potencies carry nonmolecular information that can only be understood by an organism or by isolated cells in a given framework.…”

Animal models for studying homeopathy and high dilutions: Conceptual critical review

“…The latter gives more stable results. 17,18 In this case, considering all the experiments performed in a study is crucial. The convergence of results is an useful criterion to discriminate non-specific contaminant-related effects of succussed solvent from specific test-substance effects of homeopathic preparation.…”