A nanoparticle study and toxicity evaluation of homoeopathic dilutions by DST, ICMR & MGMIHS
This study was conducted by reputed institutes under Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, ICMR, Govt. of India, and Mahatma Gandhi Mission Institutes, Mumbai. The objective of the study was to study the presence of NPs in homoeopathic drugs, to find scientific evidence on the toxicological effects of those nanoparticles and to determine the distribution pattern of NPs in zebrafish embryos.
Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction, homoeopathic dilutions were studied. For the toxicity assessment on Zebrafish, embryos were exposed to a test solution from 4 – 6 hours post-fertilization, and embryos/larvae were assessed up to 5 days post-fertilization (dpf) for viability and morphology. Toxicity was recorded in terms of mortality, hatching delay, phenotypic defects and metal accumulation. Around 5 dpf was found to be the optimum developmental stage for evaluation.
The result of the study has conclusively proved the presence of NPs in all high dilutions of homeopathic drugs. Embryonic zebrafish were exposed to three homeopathic drugs with two potencies (30CH, 200CH) during early embryogenesis. The resulting morphological and cellular responses were observed. Exposure to these potencies produced no visibly significant malformations, pericardial edema, and mortality and no necrotic and apoptotic cellular death.
Study shows that these three homeopathic drugs at the potencies and exposure times used in this study have no toxic effect. The embryonic zebrafish model is recommended as a well-established method for rapidly assessing the toxicity of homeopathic drugs.
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