An Exclusive Interview with Prof.

Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

An Exclusive Interview with

Prof. Leoni Villano Bonamin

Professor at Universidade Paulista UNIP, Brazil
By

Dr. Saurav Arora

Founder: Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

© IPRH | May 2018 | Available online at www.researchinhomeopathy.org

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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

Saurav Arora (SA): Welcome to Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

Ma’am. First of all, we would like to know more about Prof. Leoni Villano Bonamin
as a researcher, and how and when you got attracted towards Homeopathy? Your
first encounter with homeopathy?

Prof. Leoni Villano Bonamin (LB): My first encounter with homeopathy was in 1983
when I had just begun my studies in University of São Paulo, Brazil. I followed a course
about “alternative therapies in Veterinary Medicine”, where there was a conference
about homeopathy. It was a “love at the first sight”. I went to my home sure that this will
be the focus of my professional life.

SA: Brazil is well known for research and clinical practice in Homeopathy. We
would like to know your views on the same. Is homeopathy well established and
accepted in Brazil?

LB: Homeopathy is an official specialization for doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists,

and dentists. Now the license for agronomist engineers is also under discussion since
some experimental uses of homeopathy in crops have been resented a significant
success. This situation helps the improvement and funding of research on homeopathy,
in clinical trials and in basic research as well. There is a good support from the
population too.

SA: Now it is crystal clear that we are facing Universal-Scepticism for

homeopathy especially the research part. Is it true in context to Brazil? What
challenges do you face while doing research in homeopathy and high dilutions?

LB: Scepticism is everywhere. But the main cause of this is the huge distance of both
languages: that from the allopathic point of view and that from a homeopathic point of
view. From the first part, there is an important difficulty to understand that something
different of the “key-locker” rationale can be as efficient than the known
pharmacological preparations, acting on different mechanisms and reaching different
outputs from the expected “inhibition of symptoms” and/or “killing microorganisms
and cancer cells”. Homeopathy is not able to do that but improve the sensitivity and
specificity of natural organic adaptations process to deal with aggressive stimuli. For
the more conservative, if a drug is not able to kill bacteria or cancer cells, it is not
efficient enough. But for homeopaths, this concept is quite controversial.

Today, it is known that homeopathy works – at least in part - by a very specific control
of gene expression and regulation of intracellular pathways. There is more to be
discovered. These findings can be a good step to approach both forms of rationality.

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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

SA: Animal models have been a preferred model for basic research in
homeopathy. Can you share your experience with pros and cons of using animal
models for research in high dilutions?

LB: Animals models are classic. Most of the knowledge about immunology, toxicology,
and physiology is based on rodent models. This is very important when we are working
with unknown and often unpredictable variables, like homeopathy, because we can
understand very well what is the basis, the natural output after certain challenges and,
thus, make clear what has been modified after treatment. Homeopathy has systemic and
coordinated effects on the body and it is not comparable to classical pharmacology. This
aspect depends on a whole system to be understood. This is the most important pro.
The cons are related to the ethics in research since rodents have a high level of
sentience and any manipulation implies in a certain degree of discomfort or suffering.
The use of alternative species, such as invertebrates, which present small level of
sentience, can be a good replacement in certain cases, but not all. Idem for cell cultures.

SA: Which animal model have been the most successful model in your
experimental settings?

LB: There is no “most successful” model. All living beings respond very well to
homeopathy. It depends on what kind of variables do you want to study after treatment
of a living system with homeopathic medicines. For instance, it is impossible to study
lymphocyte functions in invertebrates, simply because they do not have these cells.

SA: Usage of Homeopathy and high dilutions in allied sciences seems to be very
promising e.g. veterinary homeopathy. What are your views?

LB: Veterinary homeopathy is a reality. In Brazil, it is an official specialization in the

veterinary area. It has the same usefulness and efficacy as homeopathy for humans. The
veterinarians just must know how to read the signs. But it is a mandatory skill of the
profession, even without homeopathy. But homeopathy has other utilities. In
agriculture, in environmental managing and even in other engineering activities, as
shown by Dr Papiya Nandy, in India. There is no doubt that homeopathy effects go
above the medical practice. The unique trouble is the regulation of these activities by
the respective professionals.

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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

SA: As a professor of General Pathology can you throw some light on the modus
operandi part of homeopathy and high dilution?

LB: This is a puzzle, but we have some pieces already placed. Homeopathy can regulate
cells functions and pathways, at least in part by regulating gene expression. On the
other hand, there are the nano and microparticles in suspension, after succussion, that
can exert some role in the biological effects, but how much it is specific and fits the
biological phenomenology of high dilutions, we do not know yet. Nanobubbles are
present too and require the same answers. Water itself can change dipole features after
serial dilutions and succussions, according to the original solute. But how these changes
could touch the expression of specific genes is a matter still not explained. There is still
a lot of work to do.

SA: Can you tell us in brief about your project Biodilutions?

LB: In 2015, I realised that the scientific advances on homeopathy were learned by a
very restrict circle of researchers. Moreover, many homeopaths do not care about what
is new about homeopathy research and prefer to stay in their doctrinaire comfort zone.
This causes a huge trouble because people who are following an educational program
on homeopathy don´t even imagine how homeopathy works on neuro-immune
regulation, behavioural patterns and cell pathways control, concepts that are very
present in other areas of medicine (and veterinary). The most conservative homeopaths
think that these subjects have no interest in clinical practice, instead, they think that
homeopathy does not need it. It is quite bizarre and impairs that the clinical practice be
improved too.

So, I decided to make a personal contribution, creating the website

www.biodilutions.com, in which some themes about research on homeopathy could be
presented in an easy-to-read format, to incentive all interested people, mainly students,
know something about homeopathy research and cultivate the routine to read about.
There are open access material and a booklet that can be downloaded by some
contribution, as a mechanism to keep the site independent of any institutional or
commercial support, which could characterize as a conflict of interest. This book is
available on Kindle – Amazon, too. In the future, some video-classes will be offered too.

SA: How many peer-reviewed publications and books have you published in
homeopathy/high dilution?

LB: Two books and about 80 articles on homeopathy and high dilutions.

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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

SA: You have strong network or researchers who believe in undertaking

collaborative research in high dilutions. How you manage to undertake these
studies? What is the source of motivation to them?

LB: Homeopathy itself is the main motivation. But there is a catalytic mechanism
called “GIRI” (Groupe International de Recherche sur l´infinitésimal), the first scientific
society organized to gather researchers from all countries interested in homeopathy
research. The annual meetings of the GIRI make their members in regular and constant
contact with each other and, naturally, the partnerships are born.

SA: We would like to know more about Project – Zincum.

LB: This is a good example of how these meetings can generate good fruits. Me, Prof.
Carla Holandino and Prof. Paolo Bellavite had the idea of working together on a
common subject. After some online discussion, we decided to work on Zincum
metallicum, each one using his own experimental model, in such a way that a mosaic of
several points of views was produced at the end of the project. This was very interesting
because Zincum metallicum is a remedy poorly understood.

SA: Your future plans to undertake and support research?

LB: Continue searching for the understanding the mechanism of action.

SA: Recommended books or literature to learn more about research in high dilutions?
LB:
 Discovering how homeopathy works available at www.biodilutions.com or
https://www.amazon.com/author/leonibonamin.
 Dossier about recent research on homeopathy organized by Brazilian scientists
(Silvia Waisse and Marcus Z Teixeira available at
http://aph.org.br/revista/index.php/aph/issue/view/42
 Signals and Images - contributions and contradictions about high dilution
research available at www.springer.com

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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

SA: Your take away message to homeopathic fraternity.

LB: I hope that humanity could know, ASAP, all potential of homeopathy to “fix” the
world, in all areas where it can be useful.

SA: Thank you, Ma’am, for your valuable time.

Short Bio with contact details

 Doctor in Veterinary Medicine by the University of São Paulo - Brazil (USP, 1987)
 Master's degree (1990) and PhD (1995) in Experimental and Comparative
Pathology by the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, with a sandwich period at
École Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon - France (1992-1993)
 Post-Doctorate in Environmental and Experimental Pathology by UNIP – São
Paulo - Brazil (2015)
 Full Professor at Universidade Paulista – UNIP (undergraduate and postgraduate
levels) since 1991
 President (2002-2008) and Vice-President (2008-2014) of GIRI (Groupe
International de Recherche sur l'Infinitésimal)
 Deputy Editor of “Homeopathy – The Journal of Faculty of Homeopathy, London”
since 2015 and member of the editorial board of the International Journal of
High Dilution Research (IJHDR) since 2007Accredited researcher at the
Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI, UK) and a member of the Scientific
Advisory Board of the Global Homeopathy Foundation (GHF, India)

The main subject of research: Basic research in high dilutions and homeopathy and
their biological mechanisms of action, since 1997.

Recent publications in the high dilution - homeopathy field:

1. SANTANA FR; DALBONI, L. C.; FIALHO K; KONO, F. T.; SARAIVA AMA; CORREIA
MSF; CORREA MD; CASARIN RCV; HURTADO ECP; LALO, M. A.; LAURENTI MD;
BENITES, N. R.; BUCHI DF; BONAMIN, L. V. High dilutions of antimony modulate
cytokines production and macrophage - Leishmania (L) amazonensis interaction
in vitro. Cytokine. v.92, p.33 - 47, 2017.
2. COELHO, C. P.; MOTTA PD; PETRILLO, M.; IOVINE RO; DALBONI, L. C.; SANTANA
FR; CORREIA MSF; CASARIN RCV; CARVALHO, V. M.; BONAMIN, L. V.
Homeopathic medicine Cantharis modulates uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC)-
induced cystitis in susceptible mice. Cytokine. v.92, p.103 - 109, 2017.
3. CAJUEIRO APB; GOMA EP; SANTOS HAM; RODRIGUES IA; TOMA HK; ARAÚJO SM;
BONAMIN, L. V.; GOMES NBN; CASTELO-BRANCO MT; DIAS EPS; PYRRHO AS;
HOLANDINO C. Homeopathic medicines cause Th1 predominance and induce
spleen and megakaryocytes changes in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania
© IPRH | May 2018 | Available online at www.researchinhomeopathy.org
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 An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Leoni Bonamin – Initiative to Promote Research in Homeopathy

infantum. Cytokine. v.95, p.97 - 101, 2017.

4. NASCIMENTO KF, DE SANTANA FR, DA COSTA CRV, KAPLUM V, VOLPATO H,
NAKAMURA CV, BONAMIN LV, DE FREITAS BUCHI D. M1 homeopathic complex
trigger effective responses against Leishmania (L) amazonensis in vivo and in
vitro. Cytokine. 2017 Nov; 99:80-90. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2017.07.001.
5. BONAMIN, L. V., BELLAVITE, P. Immunological models in high dilution research
following M Bastide. Homeopathy. 2015 Oct; 104(4):263-8. doi:
10.1016/j.homp.2015.08.004.
6. BONAMIN, L. V.; CARDOSO, THAYNÁ NEVES; CARVALHO, A. C.; AMARAL J. The
use of animal models in homeopathic research - a review of 2010-2014 PubMed
indexed papers. Homeopathy. 2015 Oct; 104 (4):283-91. doi:
10.1016/j.homp.2015.06.002.
7. GUEDES JR; CARRASCO, S; FERREIRA CM; BONAMIN, L. V.; SOUZA W;
SHAIMBERG CG; PARRA RE; CAPELOZZI VL. Ultra-High Dilution of
Triiodothyronine Modifies Cellular Apoptosis in Rana catesbeiana Tadpole Tail in
vitro. Homeopathy (Edinburgh. Print), v. 100, p. 220-227, 2011.
8. BONAMIN, L. V.; ENDLER, PC. Animal models for studing homeopathy and high
dilutions: Conceptual critical review. Homeopathy (Edinburgh. Print). v.99, p.37 -
50, 2010.
9. ENDLER, PC; THIEVES K; REICH C; MATHIESSEN P; BONAMIN, L. V.; SCHERR C;
BAUMGARTNER S. Repetitions of fundamental research models for
homepathically prepared dilutions beyond 10-23: a bibliometric study.
Homeopathy (Edinburgh. Print). v.99, p.25 - 36, 2010.
10. BONAMIN, L. V. Signal and Images - contributions and contradictions about high
dilution research. Dordrecht: Springer, 2008, v.1. 222pp.

See complete curriculum vitae at Lattes platform (CNPq - Brazil):

http://lattes.cnpq.br/0980105036844028

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