Relevance Of ‘Molecular Pathology’ And ‘Proteomics’ In The Scientific Understanding Of ‘Similia Similibus Curentur’

‘Molecular pathology’ and ‘’proteomics’ are emerging branches of modern science, which provide us valuable insights in the scientific understanding of homeopathy and its therapeutic principle ‘similia similibus curentur’ This understanding enables us to explain homeopathy as an advanced branch of ‘molecular therapeutics’.

‘Molecular pathology’ is an emerging discipline within pathology, and focuses in the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of ‘molecules’ within organs, tissues or bodily fluids. Molecular pathology shares some aspects of practice with both anatomic pathology and clinical pathology, molecular biology, biochemistry, proteomics and genetics, and is sometimes considered a “crossover” discipline. It is multi-disciplinary in nature and focuses mainly on the sub-microscopic aspects of disease and unknown illnesses with strange causes.

It is a scientific discipline that encompasses the development of molecular and genetic approaches to the diagnosis and classification of various human diseases, the design and validation of predictive biomarkers for treatment response and disease progression, the susceptibility of individuals of different genetic constitution to develop cancer, and the environmental and lifestyle factors implicated in pathogenesis.

Exactly, ‘proteomics’ is the basis of ‘molecular pathology’.

‘Proteomics’ is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term “proteomics” was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with genomics, the study of the genes. The word “proteome” is a blend of “protein” and “genome“, and was coined by Marc Wilkins in 1994. The proteome is the entire complement of proteins, including the modifications made to a particular set of proteins, produced by an organism or system. This will vary with time and distinct requirements, or stresses, that a cell or organism undergoes. After genomics, proteomics is considered the next step in the study of biological systems. It is much more complicated than genomics mostly because while an organism’s genome is more or less constant, the proteome differs from cell to cell and from time to time. This is because distinct genes are expressed in distinct cell types. This means that even the basic set of proteins which are produced in a cell needs to be determined.

Scientists are very interested in proteomics because it gives a much better understanding of an organism than genomics. First, the level of transcription of a gene gives only a rough estimate of its level of expression into a protein. An mRNA produced in abundance may be degraded rapidly or translated inefficiently, resulting in a small amount of protein. Second, as mentioned above many proteins experience post-translational modifications that profoundly affect their activities; for example some proteins are not active until they become phosphorylated. Methods such as phosphoproteomics and glycoproteomics are used to study post-translational modifications. Third, many transcripts give rise to more than one protein, through alternative splicing or alternative post-translational modifications. Fourth, many proteins form complexes with other proteins or RNA molecules, and only function in the presence of these other molecules. Finally, protein degradation rate plays an important role in protein content

One of the most promising developments to come from the study of human genes and proteins has been the identification of potential new drugs for the treatment of disease. This relies on genome and proteome information to identify proteins associated with a disease, which computer software can then use as targets for new drugs. For example, if a certain protein is implicated in a disease, its 3D structure provides the information to design drugs to interfere with the action of the protein. A molecule that fits the active site of an enzyme, but cannot be released by the enzyme, will inactivate the enzyme. This is the basis of new drug-discovery tools, which aim to find new drugs to inactivate proteins involved in disease. As genetic differences among individuals are found, researchers expect to use these techniques to develop personalized drugs that are more effective for the individual

Understanding the proteome, the structure and function of each protein and the complexities of protein–protein interactions will be critical for developing the most effective diagnostic techniques and disease treatments in the future.

Without a clear understanding of concepts and methods of ‘molecular pathology’ and ‘proteomics’, one cannot follow my discussions of ‘scientific homeopathy. In this article I was trying to prepare the factual ground for understanding scientific discussions about homeopathy. Let us do that first. If any body ask why discuss all these things with homeopathy, I would say your question is like asking an engineer engaged in leveling of ground for constructing a house entrusted to him, that “you were entrusted to build my house, not to level the ground”. Without leveling the ground how can a house could be started constructing?

Proteins are macromolecules with complex structures and functions, and they act as the ‘molecular carriers of life process’. There is not a single biochemic reaction happening without the involvement of proteins in their capacities as enzymes, receptors, immune factors, structural factors and so on. First we have to understand ‘vital processes’ in terms of protein interactions. We have to understand the complex dynamics of ‘ligand-receptor’, ‘substrate-enzyme’ and ‘antigen-antibody’ interactions. Then we have to study the dynamics of ‘protein molecular inhibitions’, and the role of these inhibitions in the creation of pathological ‘molecular errors’. Only then we can understand the exact mechanism of how the pathogenic agents causes diseases. Then we can study therapeutics in terms of removal of these ‘molecular inhibitions’. Then I can explain the actual process involved in drug proving in terms of creating ‘molecular inhibitions’ caused by constituent molecules of our drug substances. Then we can understand ‘symptoms’ as expressions’ of ‘molecular errors’. Then my concept of drug potentization as ‘molecular imprinting’ and active principles of potentized drugs as ‘molecular imprints’ could be clearly understood. Then, i can explain how the ‘molecular imprints’ removes ‘protein inhibitions’ by their complementary configurational affinities to pathogenic molecules. That way we can understand the real molecular dynamics of homeopathic therapeutics involved in ‘similia similibus curentur’. Then you will understand my concepts of ‘miasms’ as ‘antibody mediated’ diseases caused by ‘off-target’ molecular inhibitions created by antibodies formed against exogenous’ proteins. I HOPE NOW YOU WOULD HAVE GOT A GLIMPSE OF WHAT I MEANT BY THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING ‘MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY’ AND ‘PROTEOMICS’ IN THE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOMEOPATHY.

• Posted in: Homeopathy Articles
• Tagged: molecular pathology, proteomics