Man's quest for knowledge makes him enquire into the essential process of nature.
Curiosity and necessity makes him stumble upon many discoveries. Science grew from man's wild fancies and imaginations. But now,it dictates and directs our thinking process. Man has condensed every bit of knowledge into a series of scientific formulas and mathematical equations. Anything beyond these formulations is branded as unscientific, illogical and therefore unacceptable.

Homoeopathy could not be reduced to a matter of equations and formulas, so many remain skeptical about its scientific basis. Science has failed to explain Homoeopathy because it still lacks in the essentials to explain its process. Therefore homoeopathy remains enigmatic to the scientific community. To clear this there is a need for extensive research through paths untreaded so far. Also science has to develop new heights.

But one can also utilise the resources available presently to shed light on at least some aspects regarding the scientificity of the system. Homoeopathy has not only got a large mass of accumulated evidence of its success over the last 200 years but also much experimental data, which shows the efficacy of high dilutions, minimum dose and the law ofsimilars.

Experimental data

Research done on animals, plants and cultures of microorganisms shows that homoeopathic medicines are effective even in dilutions that pass the Avagadro's limit. Research workers have studied the action of Korsakovian dilutions on cultures of staphylococcus. They have also shown the inhibitive action of calendula on staphylococcus. Thuja in dilute doses was found to disturb the psychic balance of rats. Many such experiments have been done and the data are recorded.

One of the famous experiments carried out was by Jacques Benveniste, who published the results in his paper 'Human basophilic degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE'. In this experiment he treated basophils having IgE attached to it with anti IgE. Basophils were found to undergo degranulation. The antiserum containing anti IgE was then diluted upto 10"2 to 10"120 times, until no molecules of the original anti IgE existed. This diluted antiserum was then treated with IgE attached to it. Surprisingly basophilic degranulation still occurred. So even in the absence of original IgE molecules, the reaction or cure can take place.

Concepts explaining homoeopathy

Some scientists have taken a step forward to propose new scientific models to explain 'the homoeopathic process'.

1) Light isotopic model
Light isotopic model is proposed by Dr. A.C.Dutta to explain the action of potentised medicine. According to him in the process of homoeopathic potentisation increasingly strong electrical fields are produced, which help in the formation of electron-positron pairs otherwise called positronium units. In the vicinity of drug molecules, these positronium complexes imitate the electronic arrangement of drug molecules. These positronium complexes behave like drug substances and have therapeutic properties even in their absence. These light isotopic molecules also act as auto-catalysts giving rise to the next generation of positronium complexes resembling drug molecules. Thus potencies become more and more powerful with higher dynamisation.

2. Biological specificity and resonant promotion of lone pair electrons
The concept of'biological specificity and resonant promotion of lone pair electrons' is put forward by Dr. Rati Ram Sharma. The open International University of Complementary Medicine, Colombo, even nominated his studies for the prestigious Nobel Prize.

According to this concept, the lone pair of electrons in the vehicle molecules (alcohol,water and lactose) gets resonantly promoted during dynamisation.

During this process, the vehicle molecules achieve the same number of active electrons and same exchangeable energies as the drug molecules. Thus the vehicle molecules exhibit the properties of drug molecules. He also introduces a new concept of Xenobiotics. which he equates to drug molecules, foreign bodies or any disease causing organisms and explains all biological phenomenon on the basis of it.

3. Forward and reverse reaction of biomolecules/biotemplates on water

This concept is introduced by Dr.Mahata According to him water molecules are capable of taking the imprint of foreign molecules in their vicinity. Therefore highly potentised medicine will contain water molecules having the imprint of original drug molecules.

Mahata says that disease occurs by forward reaction, of -Jajoternplatei/biomolecules upon water, i.e. diseased bioniolecules of body give a specific imprint to the water content of the cells. Thus the imprint of the disease is stamped on the water content of the cells. The reversed reaction of water upon biomolecules/biotemplates is brought about by potentised medicine. Here the water molecules having the imprint of drugs exert a corrective influence upon biomolecules thus changing them into healthy form.

4. IE Crystals
Even though this concept was not put forward to explain the action of homoeopathic medicine, homoeopaths think that there is a possible link between IE Crystal theory and the action of homoeopathic medicines.

According to this theory water can exist as minute ice crystals in a solution. The shape of these crystals is influenced when a substance is placed in distilled water and vigorously shaken and diluted. And these crystals, even though minute in size are extremely stable in a wide variety of environments. Applying this to homoeopathy we can possibly state that potentised
medicines contain IE crystals having specific shapes depending on the original drug molecule.

5. Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is built upon the concept of genome. Human Genome Project states that there are 30,000 genes in a human being.Understanding how the gene works provides a clue to how diseases are caused and how a cure can be effected. Human genome points out the need of individual medicine for each person's peculiar genetic make up. Modern Medicine is finally thinking of the concept of individualization, which homoeopathy was insisting on for the past 200 years.

Dr. P.N.Varma, the renowned homoeopathic scientist and the .founder of Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory and of Central Council of Research in Homoeopahty uses bioinformatics to give an explanation for homoeopahty. He took inspiration from the works of scientists of 'Kalaya University', who suggested gene expression as possible model of action in 'radiation protection' (protection from the hazardous effects of radiation) by homoeopathic medicine Ginseng 200 on biological models. Dr.P.N. Varma says that the idea of individualistic medicine suggested by genomics is similar to 'constitutional medicine' which homoeopathy has upheld for long. He uses immunology to explain that the self regulatory mechanisms of body, which is in turn controlled by genes, could be influenced by homoeopathic medicines. He replaces the word 'vital force' with a new terminology 'biological responses'.

He says this concept requires more scientific work so that gene expression can be linked to homoeopathy. This scientific model based on bioinfomatics explains the concept of health, cure, vital force (biological responses) and the action of medicines to effect a cure

Many such concepts are now proposed,so also many new discoveries are adopted by homoeopaths to suggest a possible scientific explanation for the system of Homoeopathy.

Merits of the new concepts
They are able to surpass the restrictions set by Avagadro's Law. Viewing in light of Avagadro's law a potency above^IZC^or 24x wilt not have any original drug' molecules. Therefore it becomes impossible for high potencies to have medicinal value. This is over ruled by the new concept, which shows that an imprint of original drug molecules could be made upon vehicle molecules. So even in the absence of original drug molecules vehicle molecules bear the properties of drug molecules.

Many of the new concepts have experimental basis to support it.
Some of them are even consistent with 'wave mechanisms' and 'thermodynamics'.

Limitations
Some of the new concepts still have a hypothetical base and are backed by indirect evidences.

These concepts could explain only, the action of potentised medicines, some could be extended to explain drug providing and dynamics of health and disease but they fail to explain other phenomena like susceptibility, primary and secondary actions of medicines, idiosyncrasy etc. They also fail to explain and define the vital force, except maybe the bioinformatics/genome theory.
One wonders at the necessity of having such an explanation for homoeopathy. But, surely the advantages of having a firm scientific basis weighs much. The scientific community will have to turn their attention to this relatively new system of healing. Subsequently, the amount of research in this field will increase, which in turn will expand our horizon.

References
1) Homoeopathy in the light of modern science- A.C Dutts
2) Journal-Homoeopathic Update Vol-6/96
3) Journal - Homoeopathic Heritage Vol-4/97
4) Homoeopathic Medical Panorama Vol-9/2
5) Homoeopathy for all Vol-3/5