Gelsemium Effects ‘In Vitro:'

A bridge between homeopathy & molecular biology.

- Debora Olioso

Recent studies conducted in human/animal cells have suggested that homeopathic remedies may have an effect on the gene regulation, initiating a cascade of gene actions to correct the disorder or disease at a cellular level.

We have focused our attention on the possible gene modulation effect of Gelsemium Sempervirens, a traditional medicinal plant employed in phytotheraphy and homeopathy as a nervous system relaxant to treat various types of anxiety, pain, headache and other ailments. Previous investigations in our laboratory have shown a significant anxiolytic-like activity of Gelsemium high dilutions in mice emotional models.

To follow-up on the above evidence, we further investigated the Gelsemium mechanism of action in in vitro neuronal models in order to assess the effects of a wide range of drug dilutions on whole genome expression. For this gene expression study we used sensitive microarray and real-time Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] techniques able to survey the whole human transcriptome and specific genes of interest respectively.

In our case the high-throughput microarray analysis assisted by bioinformatics could provide a strong clue as to the mechanism of action and the biological relevance of ultra-low doses, whereas the real-time PCR was useful in order to validate the microarray data and to further investigate a narrow group of genes, i.e., a panel of human neurotransmitter receptors and regulators, involved in neuronal excitatory signalling. To further investigate the possible mechanisms of gene regulation, we also analysed the possible effect of Gelsemium on the methylation status of a group of genes involved in mental disorders.