[Omeo33] Art 0954 - Compl Ther Med, 2008, 16 (4), 183-191

[Gino Santini]

Reproducibility of dwarf pea shoot growth 
stimulation by homeopathic potencies of 
gibberellic acid
Stephan Baumgartner, Devika Shah, Johann 
Schaller, Urs Kämpfer, André Thurneysen and Peter 
Heusser

Objectives - Investigation of the conditions for 
reproducibility of dwarf pea shoot growth 
stimulation through homeopathic potencies of 
gibberellic acid.
Methods - 4 batches of pea seed (Pisum sativum L. 
cv. Früher Zwerg; harvests from 1997, 1998, 1999, 
and 2000) were tested regarding their reaction to 
gibberellic acid 17x and 18x (compared to 
unsuccussed and succussed water (1x) as controls) 
in 8 independent randomized and blinded 
experiments. Pea seed was immersed for 24 h in 
watery solutions of homeopathic potencies or 
controls, and cultivated under controlled 
laboratory conditions. Pea shoot length was 
measured after 14 days. Two systematic negative 
control experiments assessed the stability of the 
experimental set-up.
Results - The systematic negative control 
experiments yielded no significant effects and 
confirmed the stability of the experimental 
set-up. 2 out of 4 seed batches reacted to the 
homeopathic treatment (p < 0.05). Seed batch 1997 
showed a reproducible reaction to gibberellic 
acid 17x (shoot length stimulation of +11.2%, p = 
0.007), and seed batch 1998 showed a significant 
varying response (increase/decrease). Seed batch 
1997 differed from the other 3 batches by an 
increased glucose and fructose content, and 
reduced 1000 kernel weight. Meta-analysis with 
data of earlier experiments is in accordance with 
the results of the present experimental series.
Conclusions - We identified 'seed quality' as a 
possible trigger factor for successful 
reproducibility in homeopathic basic research. 
Premature harvesting as a possible key factor for 
responsiveness of dwarf peas to homeopathic 
potencies of gibberellic acid is our current 
working hypothesis to be tested in future 
experiments.

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