title: The in vitro evidence for an effect of high homeopathic potencies--a systematic review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systematic assessment of the in vitro research on high potency effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Publications of experiments were collected through databases, experts, previous reviews, citation tracking.
  
  
  METHODS
  stepwise agitated dilutions <10(-23); cells or molecules from human or animal. Experiments were assessed with the modified SAPEH score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 75 publications, 67 experiments (1/3 of them replications) were evaluated. Nearly 3/4 of them found a high potency effect, and 2/3 of those 18 that scored 6 points or more and controlled contamination. Nearly 3/4 of all replications were positive. Design and experimental models of the reviewed experiments were inhomogenous, most were performed on basophiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even experiments with a high methodological standard could demonstrate an effect of high potencies. No positive result was stable enough to be reproduced by all investigators. A general adoption of succussed controls, randomization and blinding would strengthen the evidence of future experiments.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, D-10098 Berlin, Germany. claudia.witt@charite.de
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Witt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bluth
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Thorolf E R
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Weisshuhn
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Stefan N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Willich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D012107:Research Design
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica