Homoeopathy as Biomedicine

Biomedicine is an emerging field, yet undefined and in nascent stage. Essentially it consists of the theoretical aspects of medicine wherein biological and natural science concepts are applied to practice of medicine. Number of other disciplines such as Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Botany, Zoology, Genetics, and Biology are related to it.

Homoeopathy is a drug therapy based on the law of similars. An attempt is made here to explain Homoeopathy from clinical point of view. We have expanded the applicability of Homoeopathy by indicating that the drug therapy in Homoeopathy can also be useful in plant and animal diseases.

Genome evolution and Biomedicine-  

One can look upon the genomic evolution as evolving management system of nature. In its simplest form like viruses it is DNA or RNA and a protein coat without any cell or cell wall ie prokaryotes. They manage to live as intracellular parasites. If threatened, small changes in DNA or RNA functional programme make them survive.

Other prokaryotes like eubacteria and Archea possess one or more simple naked DNA, chromes without a nuclear membrane and have small range of organelles. The management system is little complex but as compared to eukaryotes, Quite simple.

  In eukaryotes cells have linear DNA organized into chromosomes, the nucleus separated from the cytoplasm by membranous structure and compartmentalization of various functions in cytoplasmic organelles. The management system is complex making them fit to dominate the world.  However, more complex the management system, higher are the chances of imbalance and vulnerability of extinction.

One notable fact is, all genomes including our own appear to include a large no. of viral sequences integrated into them. Similarly, majority of genes in the larger genomes are traceable back to archaeal and bacterial genome. It is as if the genomes of eukaryotes have a large repertoire of management system of which few may be operating.

Let us have a look at current understanding of major evolutionary stages to note down certain facts significant to Homoeopathic biomedicine.

Genome one—RNA virus

It has single RNA chromosome. There are exceptions. For ex.—Influenza A virus has 8 separate RNA fragments. HIV is an RNA virus organized into 8 pieces. Its 11 genes allow it to specifically to interact with number of animals including human being. Ebola virus is an RNA virus. It debilitates by killing many types of cells like blood cells causing clotting.

 The lesson is, host organism with large genomes can be infected and killed with organisms with small genomes and few genes.

Genome two – DNA virus

DNA viruses are larger than RNA viruses. Viruses are important components of nutrient cycling in oceans and other environment where nutrient levels are low.

Genome three—Bacteria and Archea

These are diverse group of organisms, some living miles underground while others in atmosphere few miles away. Free living bacteria have approximately 1500 genes. Archea have comparatively more genes for transcription and translation than for metabolic control. Eukarya and Archea diverged after the split of Archea from bacteria.

Genome four—Mutualist and pathogens

 All organisms live in close proximity. The relationship varies.

1. When organisms are independent there is no exchange of nutrients.

2. In parasitic and commensal relationship one organism obtains nutrients from another. The organism which receives nutrients loses its capacity to synthesize these nutrients. In the process the genes responsible for it mutates and eventually are deleted from the genome.

3. In mutualistic relationship, both organisms benefit by exchanging nutrients. Fewer synthetic processes are needed for both and genomes of both decrease in size. Over a period of time both become dependent on one another for survival.

4. In endosymbiotic relationship, there is exchange of nutrients in both directions. Endo symbiont loses its DNA which is transferred into host cell genome.

It is believed that parasitic and endosymbiotic relationship has led to the evolution of organelles such as mitochondria and plastids.

Biochemical pathways in eukaryotic cells include genes from different origins such as the nucleus and plastids (Plastid is a plant cell organelle).

Suggested further reading for Section I :

1. C. N. R. Rao, Understanding chemistry, University press (India) Pvt. Ltd. 2011
2. David. L. Nelson, Michael Cox, Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, Macmillan international edition
3. Introduction to Molecular Genetics and Genomics. http://www.bio-nica.info/Biblioteca/AnonimoxxxIntroductionMolecularGenetics.pdf
4. Genes VIII, Benjamin Lewin, Published by Pearson Prentice Hall