title: Molecular mechanism of biological responses to homoeopathic medicines.
abstract: Assuming that homeopathy is effective beyond the placebo effects, its biological explanation in favour of the hypothesis of the hydrate-structure formation is presented. Since cell-surface proteins are likely to be activated by the hydration-shell structure of molecules in some cases, the interaction between cell-surface proteins and the putative clathrate-like hydrate microcrystals formed during the homoeopathic dilution process is suggested as a primary molecular mechanism of biological responses to homoeopathic medicines. This paper examines the probable protein-microcrystal interaction, forcusing on the cases in which silicon dioxide (silica) microcrystals cause inflammation and in which hydrate microcrystals may be formed during general anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003460:Crystallization; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation / Q000187:drug effects; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011972:Receptor, Insulin