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‘Totality of symptoms’
‘Totality of symptoms’ does not mean the writing down of all symptoms presented by the patient from head to extremities and finding out the mere numerical totality. But unfortunately, that is what most of the average homoeopaths do. Interpreting the concept of ‘totality of symptoms’ in this way may lead to grave errors during homoeopathic practice. Moreover, this method yields very unsatisfactory and inconsistent results. When trying to find out the ‘Totality of Symptoms’, in a given case, we are actually endeavoring to indirectly identify the exact molecular inhibitions underlying that particular disease condition.

 From this perspective, ‘Totality of symptoms’ means considering the particular train of symptoms in its entire totality, such as conditions of aggravations and ameliorations, causations, locations, sensations, alternations, concomitance, extensions, chronological order etc. A symptom becomes a ‘total symptom’ only when considered as part of the complete train of symptoms, accompanied by these essential qualifications. Hence, any symptom worth consideration should be taken in its entire totality. If all the main symptoms presented by the patient are accompanied by same modalities and qualifications, it amounts to a general constitutional totality.

Even if it is a single characteristic symptom considered in its entire totality of qualifications that indicate a particular drug, it could be considered the exact similimum suited to the case, than any other drug indicated by the mere numerical totality of all symptoms presented by the patient. Such a singular but ‘total symptom’ is also known as the ‘keynote characteristic symptom’. For the time being, a well qualified and perfectly ‘total symptom’ is the only reliable indicator to identify the exact molecular blocks underlying a particular clinical condition, and to determine the most appropriate drug capable of reactivating the inhibited bio-molecules.

‘Chronic Diseases’ and ‘Miasms’
One of the most important and controversial part of Homoeopathy is the aphorism regarding chronic diseases and miasms. In order to provide a scientific interpretation for the homoeopathic concept of miasms, it is essential that we acquire a comprehensive knowledge regarding the phenomenon of molecular imprinting, especially of molecular imprinted proteins. This concept, an updated offshoot of the famous Pauling’s theories about antibodies, is considered in detail in the article on hydrosome therapy.

According to this concept, antibodies are globulin type of proteins, subjected to a natural process of molecular imprinting inside the living system, where some exogenous or endogenous proteinaceous antigen molecules (such as viral or bacterial toxins or their metabolites released during infections) act as the print molecules. The spatial configuration of some of the active groups of the antigen molecules are imprinted into the three-dimensional matrix of globulin molecules, which some how retains this imprinted configuration forever, and act as antibodies. Apart from functioning as antibodies, these molecular imprinted protein molecules, may bind to various biological molecules and metabolites in the system, including genetic material, resulting in molecular inhibitions and derangements of various biological pathways.

 There is also a chance that compliment proteins, a class of enzymatic proteins playing a decisive role in various antigen-antibody interactions, may be subjected to molecular imprinting. Since these imprinted proteins are not foreign molecules but only disfigured native proteins, the defense systems of the organism fail to identify and eliminate these troublesome molecules. Hence, the deranged proteins remain in the system life long, resulting in diverse forms of chronic diseases and constitutional dyscrasias. The term ‘Miasm’ may be presumed to be used by Hahnemann to indicate these imprinted or defective protein molecules that remain in the system, causing various molecular blocks and disease conditions.

 This concept of molecular imprinted proteins should be further developed, connecting with the modern revelations regarding ‘Prions’, which also may come under this category of defective proteins. Whatever term we use to refer these defective or molecular imprinted proteins, (Prions, Antibodies or Miasms); their universal role as potent disease-producing agents of very persistent and chronic character is explicit. The molecular inhibitions and derangements in various biochemical pathways, created by these molecular imprinted proteins or ‘Miasms’ could be removed only by the hydrosomes prepared from appropriate print molecules. Here comes the effectiveness of potentised homoeopathic remedies in the treatment of chronic miasmatic diseases.

Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis
Hahnemann considered mainly three chronic Miasms – Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis. Latter two are said to be miasms of venereal diseases, Syphilis and Gonorrhoea, whereas Psora is the chronic miasm of itch. Various authorities have later pointed to the existence of still more miasms such as Tuberculosis, Vaccinosis and a host of others. Well-organized research studies on the basis of the concept of molecular imprinted proteins is necessary to scientifically validate the existence of these miasms and the actual molecular mechanisms of their role in various chronic diseases.

According to Hahnemann, Psora or ‘Miasm of itch’ is the major cause of chronic diseases. He considers more than eighty percent of chronic diseases to be the expression of Psora. Hence, any body seriously involved in the study of homoeopathy will have to undertake the task of exploring the scientific validity of this concept. The exact molecules released during the infection of itch or scabies mites have to be identified and the molecular mechanism of ‘itch’ has to be analyzed. The characteristics of antibodies or various compliment proteins formed during this process, and their capability to bind to various molecular sites in different organs and their interactions with various biological molecules and metabolites have to be assessed. We know that scabies mites are responsible for spreading a particular kind of bacteria that can affect kidneys, resulting in Brigit’s disease. Some persons affected with scabies show positive reaction to ‘tuberculin test’. ‘Tuberculin’ test is usually found reactive also in persons affected with leprosy.

All these facts indicate that there is a lot to be studied regarding the humble ‘itch’ and related antibodies that may finally validate the Hahnemannian concept of ‘Psora’ as a miasm underlying a multitude of serious chronic ailments. Considering from another angle, it may be probable that the miasm of ‘Psora’may be some defective proteins remaining after various histamine-related allergic reactions that underlie the sensation of itch. Anyhow, all these probabilities shall remain mere speculations until verified and demonstrated by well-organized scientific research. Whatever are the exact underlying molecular mechanisms, the homoeopathic concept of Psora and other miasms should be understood as some kind of molecular imprinted or defective proteins that remain in the system, that carry the molecular memory of various disease-causing molecules, and can effect adverse molecular inhibitions and chronic diseases.

‘Potentisation’ of drugs Or ‘Law of Infinitesimals’
Potentisation could be now satisfactorily explained on the basis of molecular imprinting and hydrosome formations. Potentisation consist of two distinct stages. During the first stage, the drug sample is subjected to the process of division of drug particles into simple molecules, ions or colloidal particles by a process of progressive diluting in case of drugs soluble in water or alcohol, or triturating with sugar of milk in case of insoluble drugs. The resultant products, known as lower potencies, may contain molecules or ions of the drug material in diminishing concentrations

The second stage consists of progressive dilution and succussion of drug, with a mixture containing alcohol and water. During this stage, the actual process taking place is molecular imprinting of water, using the drug molecules as print molecules. The resultant product contains increasing number of hydosomes, while the presence of drug molecules decrease with higher and higher potentisations. In preparations higher than 12x potency, the presence of drug molecules will be practically nil. The technique of potentisation developed by Hahnemann and followed till this day, may be considered as a crude and primitive method of molecular imprinting, even though developed without any idea regarding the real molecular mechanism underlying this process. Modern sophisticated techniques of molecular imprinting may now be incorporated into homoeopathy.

Both low and high potencies are found to be effective when prescribed on the basis of the law, ‘Simila Similibus Curentur’. When low potencies are administered homeopathically, the drug molecules having a competitive relationship to the disease-causing molecules due to similarity of spatial configuration, deblocks the inhibited biological molecules, effecting a curative action. Low potencies may also have a nutritive function, by supplying various molecules needed for building and functioning of some or other biological molecules or metabolites. In some cases, having some drug molecules contained in them, they act in non-homoeopathic ways, due to their chemical properties. Same time, these low potencies may also exert some harmful effects on the system, by causing new molecular blocks.

High potency preparations, on the other hand, presumably contain no drug molecules, but only hydrosomes, which are molecular imprinted water. These hydrosomes, by virtue of configurational affinity to the disease-causing molecules, entrap and neutralize their active groups, thereby deblocking and reactivating the inhibited biological molecules. The deranged biochemic pathways are restored and the disease cured. Especially in cases of miasmatic origin, higher homoeopathic potencies are necessary to affect an ever-lasting cure.

It is evident from above discussions that low and high potency preparations of the same homoeopathic drug act curatively by entirely different molecular mechanisms.

‘Vital Force’ and ‘Dynamic Power’
One should be extremely cautious while compelled to discus subjects related to metaphysical or philosophical speculations in an article principally dealing with medical and life sciences. As we are endeavoring here to evolve a scientific explanation to the therapeutic aspects of Homoeopathy, we should as far as possible remain confined to the limits offered by that particular subject. Speculating over metaphysical and philosophical arguments and counter-arguments may distract our dialogue, and hence does not come under the purview of this discussion. During the period of Samuel Hahnemann and his predecessors, modern scientific method was still in its infantile stage, science and philosophy being considered as subsidiaries of a single all-encompassing larger field, the philosophical science. Religion was still having very strong presence and influence in every field of human thought and action. In most cases, philosophers were themselves scientists, and their methods of reasoning and experimenting were burdened with metaphysical theoretical speculations.

That Samuel Hanemann also inevitably fell victim to this contemporary trend is evident from his speculative style of reasoning and theorizing. Hahnemann followed a tradition that viewed disease as a matter of the vital force or spirit. The concept of the vital spirit appears to be one of the earliest speculations in recorded medical history and similar forces form the proposed basis for any number of metaphysical health practices. According to Hahnemann, "The causes of our maladies cannot be material, since the least foreign material substance, however mild it may appear to us, if introduced into our blood-vessels, is promptly ejected by the vital force, as though it were a poison.... no disease, in a word, is caused by any material substance, but that every one is only and always a peculiar, virtual, dynamic derangement of the health."

Now, paying due regard and respect to the great Master, we have to be bold enough to deal with Homoeopathy as a higher branch of modern scientific Molecular Medicine, rather than a somewhat hypothetical and mystified philosophical system, and undertake to demonstrate the principles and methods associated with this therapeutic technique in a way understandable and acceptable to men of modern science. To be fair, Science and metaphysics should not be mixed up. Hence, I consider it judicious to leave the aphorisms of Hahnemann such as ‘vital force’ and ‘dynamic power’ to be discussed, if needed, in a separate essay at an appropriate later occasion.

For the time being, let us agree that the so-called vital force, whatever it may be, exhibits its presence in the living system in the form of vital activity, represented by chains of inter-related, complex bio-chemical pathways, mediated by various specific biological molecules, that could be positively or negatively influenced by various material agents such as drugs and other physico-chemical factors, subject to the common physical laws governing this material universe. As men of science, obliged to deal with living beings, disease and drugs, it is imperative at least in the practical level that we should be prepared to view vital force in this rational and materialistic perspective. However, we should not, and need not, hesitate to use the term ‘vital force’ to comprehend the totality of these complex vital activities that constitute the phenomenon we call life. Regarding the concept of ‘dynamic force’, please remember that even today, in the absence of a clear understanding of the intricate mechanisms of molecular imprinting, no other term would have helped us better in explaining the wonderful therapeutic properties exhibited by the minute doses of highly potentised homoeopathic dilutions, admittedly not having any remote chance of even a single drug molecule contained in them.

Experimental evidences and well-organized research projects needed to corroborate molecular interpretation of Homoeopathy
A simple yet important experiment was conducted by the author, designed to verify the presence of hydrosomes in the homoeopathic potencies. This in vitro study has shown that the samples of homoeopathic potencies are capable of exhibiting a special affinity towards their original print molecules. For this experiment, enough quantity of homoeopathic alcohol was procured from a bonded laboratory. (Homoeopathic potencies are prepared using homoeopathic alcohol, which is a mixture of ethyl alcohol and water in a ratio 87:13. This homoeopathic alcohol is made by mixing 7 parts of pure alcohol (95% purity) with 1 part of distilled water. Thus homoeopathic alcohol has strength of 87%. This means it contains 13% distilled water. Presence of this 13% water in the homoeopathic potencies is very important, which is expected to undergo molecular imprinting during potentisation). Using this homoeopathic alcohol and a sample of Berberis vulgaris Q obtained from a pharmacy, 100ml of Berberis Vulgaris 30 was prepared by the classical procedure of homoeopathic potentisation. This sample of Berberis vulgaris 30 was kept in a container and marked as sample A. 100ml of Ars Alb 30 procured from pharmacy was kept in another container and marked as sample B. 100 ml of original homoeopathic alcohol was kept in a third container and marked as sample C. In the chemical analysis all the three samples were found to be similar water / alcohol mixtures with negligible impurities.

Then, small strips of bloating paper, stained yellow by previously treating with Berberis vulgaris Q were immersed in these three samples and shaken uniformly for a few minutes. Paper strips immersed in Berberis Vulgaris 30(sample A) had become free from yellow stain, whereas those kept in other two samples (sample B and sample C) were remaining still yellow. The Berberis vulg Q staining the bloating paper was completely dispersed in Sample A, which contained Berberis vulgaris in 30th homoeopathic potency. This simple experiment clearly indicates that sample B and sample C differ from the sample A in their affinity towards the molecules of Berberis vulgaris Q. Chemical analysis after the test showed high rate of impurity in sample A, which was evidently due to the molecules of Berberis vulgaris Q that was dissolved in it from the paper strips. Sample B and C also showed a slight increase in impurities. Even though the chemical constitution of all the three samples were the same before the test, sample A showed a special affinity towards the molecules of Berberis vulgaris Q and favored their dissolution and dispersion. This phenomenon could be explained only with the help of modern concepts of molecular imprinting and hydrosome formations. This result is very encouraging.

The difference in the behavior shown by the homoeopathic potency of berberis vulgaris 30 in the above experiment may be attributed to the hydrosomes created by the molecular imprinting of water contained in the alcohol/water mixture used for potentisation. Here the molecules of Berberis vulgaris Q acted as print molecules. The exact kinetics of molecular imprinting in water is not yet clear. But it should not be considered essentially as a structural change in water, but as a shape-memory property. Studies on various shape-memory materials have been reported to have shown that they could retain the imprinted shape-memory without any actual structural change. Phenomena of hydrosomes and molecular imprinting also have to be considered as an expression of shape-memory property of water.

If there were any structural changes occurring during potentisation, it would have been demonstrable using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, spectroscopy, ultraviolet transmission characteristics, X-rays and ultrasonography. Author could not yet conduct such experiments due to infrastructoral limitations. More than any detectable structural change, the possibility is that the molecular memory is imprinted only as some change in the orientation of the water molecules due to the sharing of electrons as part of hydrations shells around the print molecules. Experiments have to be conducted on possible behavioral differences of purely physical nature that could exist between homoeopathic potencies and pure homoeopathic alcohol. Differences observed in cases of freezing, melting, boiling, evaporation, solubility, saturation, viscosity, interfaces, diffusion, dispersion, osmolarity, Brownian motions, polarity, saponisation etc have to be studied and compared. Such experiments may help to verify whether any structural changes underlie the kinetics of potentisation or not.

Even though the Theory of Hydrosomes and the molecular interpretations of homoeopathy discussed in these articles are based on most scientific facts and reasoning, supported by the experimental evidences so far collected by the author, they have to be further validated by well-organized and controlled trials and systematic research works. The works so far conducted by the author were admittedly restricted by serious infrastructural and material limitations. There is ample scope for serious research projects on these lines. The author is willing to co-operate with any resourceful persons or institutions interested in taking up such research projects for the benefit of homoeopathy, and humanity at large.

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