What is homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a therapeutic system without chemical side effects, suitable for every age, which was developed systematically by Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
It is based on the principle “let like be cured by like” (similia similibus curentur) and is characterised by an individualised approach to the person. In classical homeopathy, the homeopathic preparation is chosen after a detailed case history has been taken and all the characteristics of each case have been considered together. Its aim is to mobilise the organism’s own forces by strengthening it, so that balance is achieved and disturbed health is restored.
At IKKO, homeopathy is studied as a complete system with its own history, theoretical principles, pharmacology and methodology for approaching a case.
Homeopathy is included in the field of Traditional and Complementary Medicine examined by the World Health Organization, which has issued specific guidelines on the safety and proper preparation of homeopathic medicines (World Health Organization, who.int).
What are homeopathic preparations?
Homeopathic preparations are made from starting substances of various origins, among them plant, mineral and animal, following a specific process of successive dilutions and potentisations.
In classical homeopathy, the choice of a preparation is not based solely on the name of a condition, but on an individualised assessment of the whole case according to the principles of homeopathic methodology.
In recent years, the physicochemical study of high potencies, and in particular the investigation of micro- and nanostructures in the final preparations, has attracted considerable scientific interest.
In Greece, a research team led by Dimitris Kalliantas (2021) at the School of Chemical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) studied potentised preparations of Hypericum perforatum using a range of modern analytical techniques, including SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR and Dynamic Light Scattering. The study reported the presence of micro- and nanoparticles in the preparations examined, as well as changes in physicochemical characteristics during the preparation process.
Similar findings have been reported in the international literature. Chikramane et al. (2010), researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), examined high potencies of metallic origin with techniques such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction and ICP-AES, and reported detecting nanoparticles of the starting metals even at very high dilutions.
In a later paper, Rajendran et al. (2016) studied homeopathic preparations derived from inorganic salts using HR-TEM and STEM. The researchers reported the presence of starting material at the nanoscale and described nanostructures coated with silicate compounds.
These findings have contributed to a particularly interesting field of physicochemical research into the structure of high potencies and their possible relationship to concepts from nanoscience and nanomedicine. Research in this field is ongoing and requires further independent investigation and replication of the results.
Selected references
- Kalliantas D., Kallianta M., Kordatos K., Karagianni C.S. (2021). Micro-nano particulate compositions of Hypericum perforatum L in ultra high diluted succussed solution medicinal products. Heliyon, 7, e06604.
- Chikramane P.S., Suresh A.K., Bellare J.R., Kane S.G. (2010). Extreme homeopathic dilutions retain starting materials: A nanoparticulate perspective. Homeopathy, 99, 231–242.
- Rajendran E.S. et al. (2016). Establishing the interfacial nano-structure and elemental composition of homeopathic medicines based on inorganic salts: a scientific approach. Homeopathy, 105, 135–147.
The legal status in the European Union
Homeopathic medicines are an explicitly recognised category of medicinal products in European Union law. Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use contains specific provisions on homeopathic medicines and lays down procedures for their registration or authorisation in the member states.
Their registration is subject to requirements concerning, among other things, pharmaceutical quality and batch-to-batch homogeneity, the raw materials, the manufacturing and control process, the method of dilution and potentisation, and the stability of the final product.
For certain categories of homeopathic medicines there is a special simplified registration procedure, for which proof of therapeutic efficacy is not required and no specific therapeutic indication is stated.
Homeopathic medicines are therefore placed on the market in the European Union within a specific legal and regulatory framework for their manufacture, quality, safety, registration and distribution (Directive 2001/83/EC, EUR-Lex).
How do homeopathic medicines work? Are they dangerous? Do they have side effects?
According to the theory of classical homeopathy, homeopathic preparations aim to mobilise the organism’s self-regulating mechanisms and to restore its overall balance.
The exact mechanism of action of very high dilution homeopathic preparations has not yet been fully clarified and is an active field of scientific research. Various possible mechanisms have been proposed and investigated, among them the presence and possible role of nanoparticles and nanostructures, physicochemical differences in potentised solutions, and non-linear biological and adaptive responses to low doses, such as hormesis*. Although interesting experimental findings and theoretical models have been published, no single, sufficiently confirmed mechanism of action has yet been established.
Many homeopathic preparations are made at very high dilutions, so exposure to the starting substance can be extremely small. Homeopathic preparations are not considered addictive, and their use is not associated with the development of pharmacological dependence in the way seen with addictive active substances. This does not mean, however, that every product labelled homeopathic can be assumed in advance to be completely free of risks or possible adverse effects. Safety depends, among other things, on the dilution, the composition, the quality of manufacture and the route of administration.
In classical homeopathy, knowledge of the characteristics of individual preparations has historically also been based on so-called “provings” (homeopathic pathogenetic trials), in which preparations are given to healthy volunteers (not to rodents or monkeys) and the reported changes and symptoms are recorded systematically.
The use of homeopathic preparations should not lead to stopping necessary medical treatment on one’s own initiative or to delaying an appropriate medical assessment.
*Selected references:
- Tournier et al. (2019), J Altern Complement Med, 25(9):890–901
- Bellavite et al. (2014), Homeopathy, 103(1):22–30
- Bell, Koithan & Brooks (2013), Homeopathy, 102(1):66–81
- Kalliantas et al. (2021), Heliyon, 7(4):e06604.
Are homeopathic preparations effective?
The effectiveness of homeopathy is the subject of extensive scientific research and debate. The international literature includes published clinical studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have reported positive results, including results compared with placebo. For example, the systematic review of meta-analyses by Hamre et al. (2023) examined meta-analyses of randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials. In the five meta-analyses for which an overall result was available, a statistically significant positive effect of homeopathy compared with placebo was reported (Hamre et al., Systematic Reviews, 2023).
For a broader picture of the relevant literature, readers may also consult the scientific publications and research databases of the Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI), which collects and presents a large part of the international research activity on homeopathy.
According to the principles of classical homeopathy, the approach is individualised and the preparation is chosen on the basis of the person’s overall picture and the prescribed homeopathic methodology.
In the Research section of our website we present scientific publications and research data, so that anyone interested can consult the primary literature, examine the available data and form their own well-founded opinion.
Which diseases does homeopathy treat?
In classical homeopathy, the focus of the approach is not solely the disease as a diagnostic category, but the person as a distinct, individual case. Two people with the same medical diagnosis may present a different overall picture of symptoms and characteristics and, within homeopathic methodology, may be assessed differently.
For this reason, classical homeopathy is characterised by an individualised approach to the case. The homeopathic assessment is not limited to the name of a diagnosis, but takes into account all the symptoms and particular characteristics of each person, in order to choose the appropriate homeopathic preparation according to the principles and methodology of classical homeopathy.
This approach does not replace medical diagnosis and necessary medical care. Correct diagnosis, recognising conditions that require immediate or specialised medical intervention and, where needed, working with the appropriate health professionals are essential elements of a responsible approach to a case.
Can I study homeopathy even if I am not a doctor?
Yes. Studying at the Hippocratic Centre of Classical Homeopathy (IKKO) is not limited to doctors or health professionals.
The curriculum is designed so that students without previous studies in the health sciences can also follow it. For this reason, those without a relevant academic background attend additional compulsory training in anatomy, physiology and pathology, gaining the basic knowledge needed to understand the human organism and pathological conditions.
Internationally, homeopathy is not practised exclusively by conventional doctors. Different countries have developed different institutional and professional models, under which both doctors and suitably trained professionals who are not doctors practise, subject to the conditions laid down in each case.
Such models are found, for example, in European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia and Ireland, and internationally in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. The exact legal status, professional competences, protected titles and conditions of practice vary considerably from country to country and are always determined by the national or local legislation in force.
In Greece there is no single specific legal framework that regulates the profession of homeopath as a whole. Training in homeopathy and professional practice should in all cases respect the limits set by Greek law in force, particularly regarding acts that are reserved for regulated health professions.
IKKO’s aim is to provide complete, systematic and responsible training in classical homeopathy, in line with the educational standards and guidelines of the International Council for Homeopathy (ICH) and the European Central Council of Homeopaths (ECCH).
