Dr. Bhavna Gupta

As for any other medical system, homeopathy has its specific range and limitations. It is true that we cannot deal with all situations. Recognize the limitations of homeopathy. It will only strengthen you.

Homeopathy is not a ‘panacea’. Homeopath is not an ‘all-healer’. Homeopathy is a specialized branch of therapeutics with its specialized area of application. Homeopathy is a ‘method of treating diseases using molecular imprints forms of drugs’. Nothing more, nothing less.

We should be always conscious about our limitations in practicing homeopathy. Mainly, they belong to three classes:

Limitations of homeopathy-

a) Homeopathy cannot cure diseases arising from genetic abnormalities;

b) Homeopathy cannot cure diseases arising from primary nutritional deficiency;

c) Homeopathy cannot cure diseases that require mechanical interventions.

Limitations of individual homeopaths-

a) Limitations of knowledge;

b) Limitations of skills;

c) Limitations of experience in applying homeopathy.

3. Limitations related with our tools-

a) We have no any idea regarding what are the active principles of potentized drugs, or how they actually work;

b) There is no way to know whether medicines we use are genuine regarding its identity, purity or potency- we have to simply believe the labels;

c) We do not have exact knowledge about factors that deactivate or diminish the actions of potentized drugs, and hence we cannot take precautions against them.

Therapeutic range of homeopathy is limited to the treatment of diseases arising from molecular errors caused by exogenous or endogenous pathogenic molecules binding to various biological molecules and producing their inhibitions.

Molecular imprints contained in the potentized homeopathic preparations bind to ligands or biological molecules merely due to their complementary configurations without any charge affinity, whereas natural ligands bind to their biological target molecules in capacity of their appropriate spacial configurations as well as charge affinities. So, the bindings of molecular imprints with biological molecules or their ligands will be very temporary and cannot stay long. Such bindings of molecular imprints cannot replace the natural ligand-target interactions happening as part of vital processes.

Molecular imprints cannot compete with natural ligands in binding to their natural biological targets. Hence it is obvious that potentized homeopathic preparations cannot interfere in biological ‘ligand-target’ processes such as ‘substrate-enzyme’, ‘antigens-antibodies’, ‘signal-receptor’ etc. As such, chances of potentized homeopathic medicines acting as pathological agents are very rare even if used indiscriminately. Molecular imprints can interfere only in interactions between pathogenic molecules and biological molecules, as well as off-target bindings of ligands with biological molecules, where only configurational affinity is involved. Obviously, molecular imprints can act upon only the molecular blocks created by exogenous or endogenous foreign pathological molecules.

Exogenous pathogenic molecules may be coming from environment through food, water, air, drugs, toxins, alien proteins, infectious agents and the like. Endogenous pathogenic molecules may be off-target actions of metabolic byproducts, free radicals, various biological substrates and ligands, endocrine secretions, neuro transmitters, deformed proteins, antibodies (miasms), immune bodies etc etc.

Molecular imprints contained in potentized drugs selected as similimum can bind to these pathogenic molecules in capacity of their complementary conformational affinity and deactivate them, thereby removing the molecular inhibitions they produced.

When modern life supporting facilities are required, homeopath should refer the case to a modern hospital, instead of himself trying to use allopathic drugs. I had had many occasions when I had to consult allopaths for myself as well as my family members, when homeopathy did not help.

Same way, in many chronic cases where allopathy has nothing to do, homeopathy will solve the problem like a magic wand. We should be well aware of the strengths and limitations of homeopathy.

Surgery is another specialization, which should be done by surgeons- not homeopaths. Even in modern medicine, a medical specialist will not do surgery. He will send his patients to surgeons, when surgery is required. A cardiologist will not do surgery, but send his patient to a cardiac surgeon. An interventional cardiologist will not do a bye-pass surgery. Every specialization has its special field, and its limitations.

Potentized homeopathic drugs cannot be produce anaesthesia.

Potentized drugs cannot prevent pregnancy or cause abortion. It is ridiculous to talk about 'homeopathic' contraceptives. CONCEPTION and PREGNANCY are natural PHYSIOLOGICAL processes. Molecular imprints contained in potentized drugs cannot prevent normal interactions between biological molecules and their natural ligands.

Even though potentized drugs can provide short term prophylaxis during epidemics and in acute infectious diseases, but cannot be used for life long immunizations, as molecular imprints get deactivated within our body with in a short period.

Diseases arising from ‘inherited’ genetic abnormalities cannot be cured by homeopathy. Diseases caused by ‘new mutations or changes to the DNA’ could be ‘prevented’, cured, or at least ‘relieved’ by homeopathic treatment. Potentized drugs cannot create epigenetic errors, but can prevent it, and deal with pathologies arising from epigenetic causes.

A ‘genetic disorder’ is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth. Most genetic disorders are quite rare and affect one person in every several thousands or millions.

A ‘genetic disorder’ may or may not be a heritable disorder. Some genetic disorders are passed down from the parents’ genes, but others are always or almost always caused by new mutations or changes to the DNA. In other cases, the same disease, such as some forms of cancer, may be caused by an inherited genetic condition in some people, by new mutations in other people, and by nongenetic causes in still other people.

At the same time, these molecular imprints can effectively deal with the pathogenic actions of deformed proteins that may result from genetic errors, thereby preventing them from creating cascading of pathological molecular blocks at various targets. As such, homeopathic medicines can play a great role even in the treatment of certain diseases of genetic origin, at least as palliatives.

Moreover, potentized homeopathic medicines can safeguard genetic material from dangerous mutations that may be caused the by inhibitory actions of endogenous or exogenous pathogenicl agents such as toxic drugs, heavy metals, super-oxides etc., on enzymes related with nucleic acid synthesis and genetic expressions.

In any genetic disorder, there would be a cascading of molecular errors, which are caused by the absence or abnormalities of some essential proteins or enzymes. Secondary diseases arising from such cascading actions resulting from genetic disorders could be treated by homeopathy, even though the basic abnormality of genes will remain untouched by such a treatment. We can say, we cannot cure genetic disorders, but can give relief to many complaints associated with such disorders.

Potentized drugs are effective in treating various 'injuries' and their after-effects. A physical INJURY means a DAMAGE to any tissue. It may be burns, scalds, sprains, strains, fractures, cuts, contusions, bruises, abrasions etc etc. BURNS may be caused by chemicals, heat, radiations or many factors.

In any injury, there is DAMAGE to tissues. CELLS are damaged, resulting in release of of various catecholamines, cytokines, histamines and various CHEMICAL MOLECULES that initiate INFLAMMATORY processes, depending upon the nature of injury and the tissue affected. Various normal conversions and transportation of metabolites are obstructed, and they accumulate in various locations where they inhibit other biological molecules. PAIN, BURNING, SWELLING, NUMBNESS- all abnormal sensations are the effects of INHIBITIONS these ENDOGENOUS molecules produce in different biochemical pathways.

NO doubt, INJURIES are associated with MOLECULAR ERRORS. There cannot be an injury without any molecular error.

Regarding MENTAL or EMOTIONAL injury, they are molecular level errors produced by various ENDOGENOUS neurochemicals released in excess into the brain, by the action of various PHYSICAL influences such as auditory, tactile, visual, or olfactory stimuli.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is common in pregnant women, even in those who have no previous history of high blood pressure. This leads to complications in about 6 to 10% of all pregnancies around the world. High blood pressure may develop before or after conception and as such needs special medical attention.

Hypertension prevents sufficient flow of blood to the placenta and this inhibits the normal growth of the fetus. This could result in low birth weight of the child. However, if diagnosed in time and treated properly, hypertension does not affect the child's health too much. There are various types of hypertension during pregnancies, such as:

1. Gestational hypertension: This type of hypertension is developed about 20 weeks after conception. There is no abnormality in urine or any signs of other organ damage (as is common with hypertension during pregnancy) but the condition can worsen and complicate very quickly. Pregnant women below the age of 20 and above the age of 40 are often diagnosed with high levels of blood pressure. Women who have heart or kidney conditions before pregnancy and women carrying more than one child are also likely to develop gestational hypertension.
2. Chronic hypertension: Chronic hypertension is high blood pressure which develops around 20 weeks before conception and does not normalize within 12 weeks after childbirth. The patient may also have been suffering from high blood pressure for a long time but the complications appear only during pregnancy because high blood pressure rarely exhibits symptoms without an associated condition.
3. Chronic hypertension superimposed with Preeclampsia: Women who have hypertension before pregnancy may develop even higher blood pressure levels during pregnancy. This leads to several health disorders like frequent headaches, fatigue and depression.
4. Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is often a serious complication of gestational pregnancy and affects about 5% to 7% of all pregnancies globally. Gestational pregnancy does not always develop into preeclampsia but it needs to be diagnosed and treated in time to avoid the complication. Women who have conceived for the first time or have a history of hypertension in the family are at a greater risk of preeclampsia. The symptoms of the condition are throbbing headaches, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, pain in the upper abdominal region and shortness of breath.