Properties of Homeopathic Remedies View PDF

^*Mihael Drofenik
Medicine, Jožef Stefan Institute, Materials Synthesis, Ljubljana, Slovenia; University Of Maribor, Faculty Of Chemistry And Chemical Engineering, Maribor, Slovenia

^*Corresponding Author:

Mihael Drofenik
Medicine, Jožef Stefan Institute, Materials Synthesis, Ljubljana, Slovenia; University Of Maribor, Faculty Of Chemistry And Chemical Engineering, Maribor, Slovenia
Email:miha.drofenik@ijs.si

Published on: 2025-11-21

Abstract

This study examines the principles of homeopathic remedy preparation, with a focus on the role of potentization. Potentization, involving sequential dilution and agitation, is hypothesized to be a critical step that differentiates the final remedy from the starting material. The central claim is that this process transforms the substance from a material agent into a molecular configuration with information-carrying capacity, purportedly enabling holistic biological effects. Additionally, the manuscript catalogues the wide spectrum of remedy potencies employed clinically, compares their negligible (empty) molecular content to conventional drug doses, and critically assesses the ongoing debate regarding their mechanism of action, particularly in relation to placebo responses.

Keywords

Homeopathic remedy, Drug doses

Introduction

Potentization of homeopathic remedies

Before Samuel Hahnemann formally established homeopathy in the early 19th century [1], European medicine lacked a structured therapeutic system of comparable scope. Nonetheless, the central principle of homeopathy Similia similibus curentur (“like cures like”)-was known since antiquity and often attributed to Hippocrates. This principle posits that a substance capable of producing specific symptoms in a healthy individual can, when appropriately prepared, relieve similar symptoms in a diseased state.

In modern terms, a homeopathic remedy [2, 3] can be understood as a complex mixture of molecules, within which a dominant subsettermed Simillimum molecules is hypothesized to exert therapeutic effects [4]. This conceptual framework, encapsulated by the aphorism “like cures like,” formed the foundation of Hahnemann’s system [5]. From a thermodynamic modeling perspective, a therapeutic effect presupposes the presence of an active substance-namely, a chemically identical compound (Simillimum) occurring both in the remedy and within the human organism [6, 7].

Early homeopathic remedies and aggravation

In the late 18th century, homeopathic remedies were administered in crude, undiluted forms, typically derived from natural sources. While they exhibited therapeutic potential, their administration was often accompanied by strong initial reactions, manifesting as a worsening of symptoms or the emergence of new ones. This transient but distressing phenomenon became known as homeopathic aggravation [8].

Within a thermodynamic framework, aggravation may be conceptualized as a perturbation of dynamic equilibrium, interpretable through Le Chatelier’s principle. The body maintains a balance between health-promoting and disease-promoting molecular processes. When administered, simillimum molecules may initially amplify symptoms according to pharmacodynamic principles. Subsequently, by Le Chatelier’s principle, the system shifts toward re-establishing equilibrium, resulting in symptomatic improvement [9].

Because early remedies often provoked excessive aggravations, Hahnemann sought a method to preserve efficacy while minimizing adverse responses. This pursuit led to the introduction of potentizationserial dilution in water or alcohol combined with vigorous succussion [10].