The Effect of Ultra-high Dilutions of Thyroxine on the Morphogenesis of Xenopus laevis Tadpoles Michelle Delpaul 1 , Radmila Razlog 1* and Richard Greenfield 2 1 Department of Complementary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, South Africa 2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Auckland Park Campus, University of Johannesburg, South Africa * Corresponding author: Radmila Razlog, Department of Complementary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, Tel: +27011559 6218; E-mail: radmilar@uj.ac.za Received date: December 6, 2018; Accepted date: December 15, 2018; Published date: December 20, 2018 Copyright: ©2018 Delpaul M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Background: The morphogenesis of Xenopus laevis is dependent on the thyroid system and the production of thyroxine. Numerous studies using the amphibian model have shown tadpoles to be responsive to ultra-high dilutions of Thyoxine. Ultra-high dilutions used in Homeopathy are not suitable to pharmacokinetic investigation due to their lack of detectable active ingredient and the lack of analytical methods with sufficient sensitivity; however, laboratory and clinical studies are providing experimental evidence contributing to the pharmacodynamics of high dilution remedies. Method: The experiment consisted of four groups, labelled according to the dilution each group was administered, Control (no treatment), Thyroxine 6C, Thyroxine 30C and Thyroxine 200C. Each group consisted of 90 tadpoles divided into three tanks of 30 tadpoles each. The respective dilutions were administered to the water the tadpoles were housed in every eight hours from Day 32 until Day 58 of the experiment. Tail length was measured every three days from Day 32 to Day 48 and every day from Day 48 to Day 58. Results: Thyroxine 6C was shown to have had a stimulatory effect while Thyroxine 30C had an inhibitory effect on the growth phase of the Xenopus laevis tadpole tail. Thyroxine 6C, 30C and 200C were shown to have had an inhibitory effect on the reduction phase of the Xenopus laevis tadpole tail. Conclusion: Where the results were shown to have had a stimulatory effect on the growth phase of the Xenopus laevis tadpole tail, it was likely due to a physiological effect, mimicking the action of the naturally circulating thyroxine. The results that were shown to have had an inhibitory effect are in line with the “Law of Similars” and the fact that a homeopathic preparation of Thyroxine would have an opposing effect to that of naturally circulating thyroxine. Keywords: Homeopathy; Ultra-high dilution; Tyroxine; Morphogenesis; Xenopus laevis; Tadpole; Amphibian Introduction Te morphogenesis of Xenopus laevis is entirely dependent on the thyroid system and the production of thyroxine; they require the initiation and maintenance of high levels of circulating thyroid hormones to make the transition from tadpole to juvenile frog. Exposure of tadpoles to exogenous thyroid hormones can induce precocious morphogenesis, whereas withholding thyroid hormones by surgical ablation of the thyroid gland will prevent any further development until such time that the hormone is replaced [1]. Endler et al. presented a model involving highly dilute Tyroxine and the metamorphosis of highland amphibians inspired by studies at the time of experimental intoxication and subsequent detoxifcation of organisms using high dilutions of the same substance. Te amphibian model being analogous to the intoxication model by the fact that physiological thyroxine levels during metamorphosis are high compared to any other developmental stage [2]. Tis led to the hypothesis that highly dilute Tyroxine, prepared according to homeopathic principles of succussion and dilution would have an inverse efect to that of molecular thyroxine and any efect observed would lean towards information transfer from the crude substance to the diluent [3]. According to a study conducted by Harrer, 48 hourly applications of Tyroxine 30D have an inhibitory efect on the morphogenesis of highland amphibians [4]. Te purpose of Harrer’s study was to reproduce an experiment conducted by Endler et al. using diluted Tyroxine on amphibians [5]. Te studies focused on two parameters; entry into the 4-legged stage and tail reduction. Te Tyroxine 30D and the Water 30D test solutions were prepared in a similar manner by successive succussions and dilutions [4]. Te results of Harrer’s study (2013) were in line with that of Endler’s study; there was a clear inhibitory trend on both parameters. For those that entered the 4-legged stage, pooled Tyroxine 30D values for tail length were 10.1% smaller than the Water 30D control group for the initial study (p<0.01 and a large efect size, d>0.08), while fve independent researchers that replicated the study showed to be 12.4% smaller when pooled together (p<0.01 and a large efect size, d>0.08). A l t e r n at i v e & I n t e g r a t i v e M e d i c i n e ISSN: 2327-5162 Alternative and Integrative Medicine Delpaul et al., Altern Integr Med 2018, 7:3 DOI: 10.4172/2327-5162.1000273 Research Article Open Access Altern Integr Med, an open access journal ISSN: 2327-5162 Volume 7 • Issue 3 • 1000273