Drug dynamization

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Drug dynamization^[1] is related to the Homoeopathic Pharmacy.^[2] This is a process by which homoeopathic medicines are potentized.^[3] Before potentization of drugs into remedies several essential steps are taken as a basic preparation.

Drug dynamization is the most characteristic—and controversial—principle of homeopathy is that the potency of a remedy can be enhanced (and the side-effects diminished) by dilution,^[4] in a procedure known as dynamization or potentization. Liquids are progressively diluted (with water, or alcohol) and shaken by ten hard strikes against an elastic body (succussion). For this purpose, Hahnemann had a saddlemaker construct a special wooden striking board covered in leather on one side and stuffed with horsehair. It can be viewed at the Hahnemann Museum in Stuttgart.^[5] Insoluble solids are diluted by grinding them with lactose (trituration). Higher 'potencies' are considered to be stronger 'deep-acting' remedies.

Contents 1 The process 1.1 Hahnemannian concept 1.2 Herbal preparations 1.3 Method 1.4 Objective 2 High potency remedies 3 References 4 External links 5 Notes

[edit] The process

[edit] Hahnemannian concept

Pharmaceutical preparations are prepared according to the direction of the Hahnemannian approach, as described in the Materia Medica Pura section on medicine.

[edit] Herbal preparations

Herbs are initially chopped into small pieces and then crushed to make a fine pulp. One part of the pulp is measured by weight and mixed with four parts of absolute alcohol by weight (1:4, one to four ratio). The mixture is kept in an airtight glass bottle in a dark room at room temperature for one week (or other specially indicated time). The content is then filtered and kept in a glass bottle for medicinal uses. This is called "Mother Tincture" and the abbreviation is designated "Q".

There are several methods of preparation of mother tincture according to whether it is from dry finely-powdered herbs, the mucilaginous part of herbs, the fresh juice of herbs, resins, gums, roots, tubers, barks, seeds, fruits, dried flowers, etc.

[edit] Method

There are two methods of drug potentization:

• Trituration: insoluble substances are triturated by this method.

• Succussion: for potentization of soluble substances.

A video clip of succussion

The Pharmaceutical preparations of Homoeopathy are very different in comparison to other medical systems. The Homoeopathic medicines are prepared according to the rule laid down by the founder of Homoeopathy Dr. C.F.S. Hahnemann. Factually the concept of dynamisation came in existence after a lot of work done by Dr. Hahnemann. In earlier days of homoeopathic practice, evidences are present, when Hahnemann used mother tincture of the herbs to treat the patient. Later he changed the concept and tried to minimise the power of medicine by invention of drug potentisation process.

With regard to this method, Hahnemann states: "taught by a hundredfold experience at the sick bed during the last eight or ten years, I could not help descending to the decillion-fold dilution, and I find the smallest portion of a drop (as the dose is one globule the size of a poppy seed (300 of which weigh only a grain), moistened with it, we give less than 1/1000 th of a drop of the fold medicinal dilution spiritualized (potentized) by succession, for with a single drop many more than 1000 such small globules can be moistened) of this for a dose quite sufficient to fulfil every curative intention attainable with this medicine." ^[6]

Today the Homoeopathic medicines are available in the following forms.

• Mother tinctures
• Decimal scale
• Centicimal scale
• 50 Millessimal scale

It is up to the decision of the Homoeopathic physician, which scale and potency is selected according to the individual need of the patient, considering his vital power,^[7] susceptibility, idiosyncrasy and other essential factors.

[edit] Objective

Homoeopathy considers the objective of potentization to be as follows:

• The most deadly poison or virulent medicinal substances become harmless when used in the potentized state. These substances are transformed into beneficial remedies after dynamization process. For example: snake venom, arsenic, mercury, etc.

• The potentized medicine actions are more wide-spread, more deeper and longer lasting.^[8]

• Many substances are not active in the crude state and their use as a medicine is too limited. Through the dynamization process their inert healing power is made available, for example: charcoal, silica,^[9] common salt etc.

• It is believed in homoeopathy that vital force is dynamic in its nature and if this force is affected by the disease, it can be cured only by the dynamic power of the selected medicine and not by the crude quantity.

• Some medicinal substances have a very limited sphere of use. Through the process of dynamization their uses can effectively be broadened.

The Introduction of the drug dynamization theory is introduced in the Organons of Medicine, Fifth edition, published in 1833.

The homoeopathic system is based fundamentally on the choice of the remedy, laid down according to the principles of the Law of Similars,^[10] that the medicine should have the power to produce the most similar disease symptoms for curing the disease in healthy humans.

Every crude substance has a latent medicinal property in itself. Through the process of drug dynamization the latent property of the substance is awakened, and is developed for action to an incredible degree.

Dr. Stuart Close, M.D. writes that "the Homoeopathic potentization is a mathmetico-mechanical process for the reduction, according to scale, of crude, inert of poisonous medicinal substances to a state of physical solubility, physiological assimilability and therapeutic activity and harmlessness, for use as homoeopathic healing remedies."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] High potency remedies

High potency remedies were first produced in the 1830s. Though Hahnemann wished to see 30c as standard potency in homeopathy, the majority of his contemporaries preferred tinctures and 3x, while others, like the powerfully-built horse-trainer, Caspar Julius Jenichen [1787-1849], ^[11] General Korsakoff [1788-1853] and Dr N Schreter [1803-1864], were busy raising potency to heights beyond his wildest dreams.

Jenichen sat or stood stripped naked to the waist, holding the bottle in his fist in an oblique direction from left to right, and shook it in a vertical direction. The fluid, at every stroke, emitted a sound like the ringing of silver coins. He paused after every 25th potency, and the muscles of his naked arm vibrated...he was latterly able to give 8400 strokes in an hour. ^[12]

Such high potencies could not be made by traditional methods, but required succussion without dilution (Jenichen), higher dilution factors (LM potencies are diluted by a factor of 50,000), or machines which integrate dilution and succussion into a continuous process (Korsakoff). Links to a Korsakoff potentising machine and here and old potentising devices can be seen. Such machines are still on sale today and some manufacturers claim it is undefined "vibrations" that produce the healing effect and, when the correct vibration is selected, only water need be added to produce a remedy.^[13] Today, radionics potentising devices are used by many homeopaths to prepare remedies, ^[14]. These are based on the work of the British engineer, Malcom Rae [1913-1979] ^[15] and the potentising devices he developed in the 1960s.^[16]

Yet another bizarre technique used by a few homeopaths involves using "a paper remedy. Write the remedy and potency on a piece of paper and place the paper on the left hand side of the body with the writing towards the body." ^[17] One homeopath, "finds out what they need, writes the remedy down on a piece of paper, they put it in their pocket and it works." ^[18] In essence, this comprises an emerging alternative homeopathic tradition, "`paperremedies' i.e., name of remedy just written on a piece of paper." ^[19]

The practitioner's choice of what potency is appropriate derives in part from a judgement as to whether the disease is acute and superficial or 'deeper' and more chronic^[20] in nature; whether it is primarily physical or more mental/emotional; the patient's general sensitivity and previous reactions to remedies; and the practitioner's^[21] preferred posology [dosing regimen], e.g. low potency repeated often, vs. high potency repeated seldom. For example, French and German homeopaths generally prefer to use lower potencies than their American & British counterparts. Most homeopaths assert that the choice of potency is secondary to the choice of remedy: i.e. that a well-chosen remedy^[22] will act in a variety of potencies, but an approximately matched remedy might act only in certain potencies, or not at all. Alternative modes of selecting remedies are through medical dowsing^[23] or the use of other psychic powers.^{[24] [25]} However, these methods are controversial and not accepted by all homeopathic practitioners.

[edit] References

• American Homoeopathic Pharmacoepia
• Homoeopathic Pharmacoepia of India (HPI) published by Manager of publication, Government of India.

[edit] External links

• American Homoeopathic Pharmacoepia
• Homeopathic Potencies, Scales and Dynamization - information about drug dynamization with various scales.

[edit] Notes

Topics in Homoeopathy
Philosophy:	Organon - Homeopathic proving - Drug dynamization - Succussion - Nosode - Psora
Reference material:	Homeopathic repertory - Materia Medica
Homoeopaths:	List of homeopaths - Samuel Hahnemann - J.T. Kent - C. von Bönninghausen - J.H.Clarke - L. De Schepper - J. Scholten - R Morrison - E. B. Nash - R.Sankaran - G.Vithoulkas
Branches:	Veterinary homeopathy
Related:	Allopathy - Alternative medicine - Bach flower remedies - Jacques Benveniste - Isopathy