This document summarizes research on the biphasic action of arsenic and how it supports the law of minimum in homeopathy. Arsenic is carcinogenic in moderate doses but shows anti-cancer effects in low doses. Studies show arsenic trioxide induces remission in acute promyelocytic leukemia when used at very low doses, demonstrating arsenic's biphasic response based on dosage. This supports Hahnemann's theory that substances can act as medicines or poisons depending on the dose administered.

1. Update on organon
RESEARCH REVIEW OF BIPHASIC
ACTION OF arsenic and
corroboration of law of
minimum
FROM THE DESK OF :
DR. BIPIN JETHANI M.D. (HOM.)
LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF ORGANON OF
MEDICINE,
NEHRU HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICAL COLLEGE, NEW
DELHI

2. ARSENIC: MEDICINAL DOUBLE EDGED SWORD
• Since long, the homoeopathic posological
principle of minimum has long been ridiculed by
the conventional system of medicine and the very
concept of BIPHASIC ACTION OF
MEDICINE dependent upon the DOSAGE of
medicine has been a subject of scorn.
• However the following study on the action of
Arsenic as a carcinogen in moderate doses and its
anti-cancer activity in low doses corroborates the
therapeutic utility of LAW OF MINIMUM.

3. IMPORTANCE OF DOSAGE
'ALL SUBSTANCES
ARE POISONS ......
THE RIGHT DOSE
DIFFERENTIATES
A POISON AND A
REMEDY
……PARACELSUS

4. ARSENIC AS A CARCINOGEN
• Scientific evidence of a link between
cancer and arsenic dates back to the late
nineteenth century when researchers
found a connection between regular use of
the medicinal Fowler’s Solution (solution
containing potassium arsenite which was
used empirically to treat a variety of
disorders) and skin cancer.

5. ARSENIC AS A CARCINOGEN
• In the following decades, similar
connections were found among people
who had regular exposure to arsenic-
based pesticides and to the fumes
produced during metal smelting.
Besides this, the evidence of an
etiologic role of arsenic for
angiosarcoma of the liver is highly
suggestive.

6. ARSENIC AS A CARCINOGEN
• More recently, researchers have given
considerable attention to incidence of cancer
among users of water supplies with high
concentrations of arsenic.
• Earlier this year, the New York Times reported
on a five-year study in Chile that showed some
700 people in excess of the background rate
died from cancer that was linked to arsenic in
drinking water at concentrations of 500 µg/L.

7. ARSENIC’S ANTI-CANCER
ACTIVITY
‘I cannot therefore advise, for
instance, the local extirpation
of the so-called cancer of the
lips and face (the product of
highly developed psora, not
infrequently in conjunction with
syphilis) by means of the
arsenical remedy of Frere
Cosme,…………’
FOOTNOTE TO § 205 OF ORGANON
OF MEDICINE

8. ARSENIC’S ANTI-CANCER ACTIVITY
In conventional medicine, Arsenic has also
long been demonstrated to have anti-
cancer activity in some cases. Arsenic's
antileukemic activity was first reported in
the late 1800s. In 1878, a report from
Boston City Hospital described the effect
of Fowler's solution on the reduction of
white blood cell counts in two normal
people and one patient with
“leucocythemia”

9. ARSENIC IN TREATMENT OF CANCER:
A RESEARCH STUDY
• During the last decade, the efficacy of arsenic
trioxide in both newly diagnosed and relapsed
patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia
(APL) has been established. Arsenic trioxide
can be used as a single agent and induces
complete remissions with only minimal
myelosuppression. Investigators in China
introduced arsenic trioxide as a cancer
therapeutic for patients with APL, achieving
notable rates of complete remission
Zhang P., Wang S. Y., Hu X. H. Arsenic trioxide treated 72 cases of acute
promyelocytic leukemia. Chin. J. Hematol., 17: 58-62, 199

10. Sun H. D., Ma L., Hu X-C., Zhang T-D. Ai-Lin 1 treated 32 cases of acute promyelocytic
leukemia. Chinese Journal of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, 12: 172,1992.
↵ Shen Z-X., Chen G-Q., Ni J-H., Li X-S., Xiong S-M., Qiu Q-Y., Zhu J., Tang W., Sun G-
L., Yang K-Q., Chen Y., Zhou L., Fang Z-W., Wang Y-T., Ma J., Zhang P., Zhang T-D., Chen S-
J., Chen Z., Wang Z-Y. Use of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in the treatment of acute
promyelocytic leukemia (APL): II. Clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetics in relapsed
patients. Blood, 89: 3354-3360, 1997.
In newly diagnosed patients, complete
remission rates have ranged from 70% to
90%, and in relapsed patients, rates of 65%
to >90% have been reported. In one study,
long-term follow-up revealed that 16 patients
(50%) survived >5 years, with survival
extending to >17 years. Myelosuppression
was minimal.

11. Soignet S. L., Frankel S. R., Douer D., Tallman M. S., Kantarjian H., Calleja
E., Stone R. M., Kalaycio M., Scheinberg D. A., Steinherz P., Sievers E. L., Coutré
S., Dahlberg S., Ellison R., Warrell R. P., Jr. United States multicenter study of
arsenic trioxide in relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia. J. Clin.
Oncol., 19: 3852-3860,2007.
Additional studies conducted in the United States
confirmed that low doses of arsenic trioxide can
induce complete remission in relapsed APL
patients. Twelve APL patients who had received
extensive prior therapy were treated with arsenic
trioxide in doses of 0.06–0.2 μg until visible
leukemic blasts and promyelocytes were eliminated
from the bone marrow. Complete remissions
occurred in 11 of the 12 patients, with 8 of those
11 patients achieving molecular remissions as well.

12. LOW DOSES OF ARSENIC & ITS
BIPHASIC ACTION
Dr. Soignet of the Leukemia Service of the
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states
that “low doses of arsenic trioxide” are
“standard treatment for acute promyelocytic
leukemia (APL) in the relapsed disease,” which
induces differentiation and apoptosis of APL
cells.
Soignet SL Clinical Experience of arsenic trioxide in relapsed acute
promyelocytic leukemia. Oncologist 2001;6 Suppl. 2:11-6

13. Jack W. Dini, “Poison or Medicine: Toxin or Drug?”
http://www.junkscience.com/nov07/poison_or_medicine.html
More and more research studies are
revealing that a little bit of some poisons
can be quite helpful to human
health. Arsenic isn’t the only toxic
material that can offer benefits at low
doses. Others include botulinum, carbon
monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and
epibatidine, the toxic that native
Indians use to make poison darts.

14. ARSENIC: A POISON IN MODERATE DOSES
BUT MEDICINE IN LOW DOSAGE
In the 15th century, William Withering,
who discovered digitalis, was a
strong proponent of arsenic-based
therapies. He argued, “Poisons in
small doses are the best medicines;
and the best medicines in too large
doses are poisonous”.

15. CONCLUSION
The above discussion has
brought into focus the
biphasic action of medicines
dependent on dosage of
medicine and corroborates
the significance of
Hahnemann’s posological