Reproducibility of the effects of homeopathically potentised Argentum nitricum on the growth of Lemna gibba L. in a randomised and blinded bioassay
| Autor: | Claudia Scherr, Claudia Schneider, Stephan Baumgartner, Vera Majewsky, Sebastian Arlt |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Lemna gibba
0211 other engineering and technologies Subgroup analysis 02 engineering and technology Biology Interaction Toxicology 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Animal science Plant Growth Regulators 021105 building & construction Araceae Humans Bioassay 610 Medicine & health Analysis of Variance Reproducibility Reproducibility of Results Drug Synergism biology.organism_classification 030205 complementary & alternative medicine Outcome parameter Least significant difference Complementary and alternative medicine Materia Medica Silver Nitrate Analysis of variance Plant Structures |
| DOI: | 10.7892/boris.110955 |
| Popis: | Background: A previous study reported a significant statistical interaction between experiment date and treatment effect of Argentum nitricum 14x–30x on the growth rate of duckweed (Lemna gibba L.). The aim of the present study was to investigate the stability of the test system and intra-laboratory reproducibility of the effects found. Methods: Duckweed was treated with A. nitricum potencies (14x–30x) as well as succussed and unsuccussed water controls. The outcome parameter area-related growth rate for day 0–7 was determined by a computerised image analysis system in two series of independent randomised and blinded experiments. Systematic negative control (SNC) experiments were carried out to investigate test system stability. Statistical analysis was performed with full two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and protected Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. Results: In the first repetition series we found a significant treatment effect (p = 0.016), while in the second series no effect was observed. The negative control experiments showed that the experimental system was stable. An a posteriori subgroup analysis concerning gibbosity revealed the importance of this growth state of L. gibba for successful reproduction of the statistically significant interaction in the original study; flat: no interaction (p = 0.762); slight gibbosity: no interaction (p = 0.356); medium gibbosity: significant interaction (p = 0.031), high gibbosity: highly significant interaction (p = 0.005). Conclusions: With the original study design (disregarding gibbosity status of L. gibba) results of the original study could not be reproduced sensu stricto. We conclude that the growth state gibbosity is crucial for successful reproduction of the original study. Different physiological states of the test organisms used for bioassays for homeopathic basic research must carefully be considered. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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