Background – Polycrystalline structures formed inside evaporating droplets of different biological fluids have been shown sensitive towards various influences, including ultra high dilutions (UHDs), representing so a new approach potentially useful for basic research in homeopathy. In the present study we tested on a wheat seed model Zincum metallicum 30c efficacy versus lactose 30c and water.
Materials and methods – Stressed and non-stressed wheat seeds were watered with the three treatments. Seed-leakage droplets were evaporated and the polycrystalline structures formed inside the droplet residues were analyzed for their local connected fractal dimensions (LCFDs) (measure of complexity) using the software ImageJ.
Results – We have found significant differences in LCFD values of polycrystalline structures obtained from stressed seeds following the treatments (p < 0.0001); Zincum metallicum 30c lowered the structures’ complexity compared to lactose 30c and water. In non-stressed seeds no significant differences were found.
Conclusions – The droplet evaporation method (DEM) might represent a potentially useful tool in basic research in homeopathy. Furthermore our results suggest a sensitization of the stressed model towards the treatment action, which is conforming to previous findings.