title: Pretreatment with thyroxin 10(-8) and the effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxin 10(-30) on highland frogs--a multi-researcher study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies performed in 5 laboratories have shown that homeopathically prepared highly diluted thyroxin (10(-30)=30x) slowed down metamorphosis of highland amphibians. Metamorphosis of lowland amphibians, however, could be slowed down by a low dilution of thyroxin (10(-8)=8x) if animals had been artificially pretreated with thyroxin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To combine the advantages of using animals from highland biotopes and hyperstimulation prior to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rana temporaria from an alpine biotope were pretreated in an aqueous molecular thyroxin dilution (10(-8) parts by weight, hyperstimulation). This is supposed to accelerate metamorphosis. In accordance with the homeopathic idea of detoxification or cure, one group of these hyperstimulated animals was then treated with thyroxin 30x, and another group with water 30x. Experiments were performed by 4 independent researchers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a trend, the thyroxin-30x animals metamorphosed more slowly than the water-30x animals. The number of thyroxin-30x animals that reached the 4-legged stage at defined points in time was slightly smaller at some but not all points in time, compared to control. This is in line with previous findings and can be discussed as an interesting result. Contrary to our working hypothesis, however, differences were not bigger than in the previous experiments in which animals had not been pretreated with thyroxin 10(-8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports previous findings but does not prove the assumption that pretreatment of highland animals with molecular thyroxine improves the original protocol.
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity College Graz, Castle of Seggau, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Sonja U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Welles
authors.forename: P Christian
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Endler
authors.forename: Waltraud
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scherer-Pongratz
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suanjak-Traidl
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spranger
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frass
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lothaller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological / Q000187:drug effects*; D011896:Rana temporaria / Q000254:growth & development*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica; D014867:Water; D013974:Thyroxine