Evaluating biofield treatments in a cell culture model of oxidative stress.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether healing treatments by biofield practitioners can protect normal human brain cells against cell death induced by oxidative stress.


METHODS
Cultured human brain cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and cell death was quantified by computerized time-lapse microscopy. Biofield treatments were delivered to cells from a short distance in 24 independent experiments. Six highly experienced biofield practitioners each participated, all with exceptional reputations within their respective communities (4 independent experiments each). An equal number of control experiments involving no healing intervention were conducted to provide a measure of intrinsic variability of the experimental system. Experiments were conducted with blinding applied to each of the scientists and randomized sample assignment.


METHODS
Healing treatments were delivered to cells from a short distance by a single practitioner, before and after exposure to hydrogen peroxide, for a total of 30 minutes.


METHODS
Cell death was quantified over a 4-hour period following experimental treatments.


RESULTS
We found no significant difference in cell death rates between treatment and control groups.
Mager
Justin
J
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Moore
Dan
D
Bendl
Denise
D
Wong
Brian
B
Rachlin
Kenneth
K
Yount
Garret
G
D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008602:Mental Healing; D008954:Models, Biological; D018384:Oxidative Stress