Authors:

Abstract

Purpose: A deficit was identified in the traditional method of making homeopathic dilutions by 1:9 or 1:99 serial dilutions based on the physical units of mass or volume. When the chemical unit mole is considered, the 1:9 mass-based dilution of nitroglycerin in ethyl alcohol has a 1:48.8 molar ratio. In order to provide the 1:9 molar ratio, the mass ratios required for formulations with lithium carbonate: lactose (diluent) and lead phosphate: lactose are 1:41.7 and 1:3.8 respectively. The extreme incongruity between the mass and the volume-based 1:9 ratios and the ratios based on chemical unit mole show the need to adopt the later scheme which is based on sound principles of chemistry.

Method: Detailed calculations in determining the 1:9 molar ratio of drug: diluent are explained. Method for the molar ratio calculation of chemically less defined medicines such as plant extracts are proposed.

Results: A Molar Ratio Universal Formula for the calculation of the amount of diluent to be used in preparing a given potency of a homeopathic preparation is introduced.

Conclusion: The molar ratio dilutions based on principles of chemistry stand for wider acceptance of homeopathic medicines by the scientific community and for the advancement of the homeopathic system of medicine.

Keywords: Molar ratio potency (mX), Molar Ratio Universal Formula (MRUF), Homeopathic dilution, Opium alkaloids, Weighted average molecular weight