Nanocharacterisation of homoeopathic ultra-dilutions of plumbum metallicum

Homoeopathic system of medicine uses drugs prepared by the process of potentisation, by which crude medicinal substance become immeasurably small and penetratingly efficacious and remedial. Dr.CFS Hahnemann (1745 – 1842) could not demonstrate these particle and this bring forth severe criticism from and outside the homoeopaths. This stood as an obstacle to acceptance of Homoeopathy by scientific world and public at large. The situation was changed on demonstration of nanoparticles in some of the potencies of some homoeopathic drugs by using one or two nano-technological procedure. Hence, it was attempted to undertake the material characterisation of different potencies (6C, 12C, 30C, 200C 1M, 10M, 50M, and CM) of Homoeopathic drug – Plumbum metallicum, with different nano-characterisation procedures - Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The samples were prepared without any pre-concentration and pre -treatment of drugs. The investigation has demonstrated the presence of nanoparticles of plumbum met along with other elements in all dilutions. This opens an opportunity for further studies in the standardisation of homoeopathic drugs as well as understanding its mode of action.