Homeopathic drugs Homeopathic drugs Arsenicum album and Sulphur affect the growth and essential oil content in mint ( and essential oil content in mint (Mentha arvensis L.)
Carlos Moacir Bonato, Gentil Telles de Proença and Bruno Reis
ABSTRACT. Effects of homeopathic drugs Sulphur and Arsenicum album in growth
variables and essential oil content of mint are analyzed. Four homeopathic dinamizations (6,
12, 24 and 30CH) were used for both drugs in the centesimal scale (CH=centesimal
hahnemannian), besides control (water). Treatments were conducted in greenhouse and
homeopathic drugs applied weekly (250 mL vase-1) for 98 days. Plant height, root system’s
dry mass, shoot’s dry mass and essential oil content were determined. Among the tested
homeopathy drugs, Sulphur increased values of fresh and dry biomass more than Arsenicum
album. Plant height increased by the two drugs and their respective dinamizations. Whereas
Sulphur inhibited dry biomass production, except 6CH dinamization, it increased
substantially mint plant’s essential oil content. Arsenicum album presented the same behavior
as Sulphur drug, with the difference that it increased the fresh biomass in 24 and 30CH
dinamizations. Results suggest that Sulphur and Arsenicum album modify plant metabolism,
especially by increasing secondary metabolism as occurs with essential oil contents.
Key words: ultradiluted, secondary metabolism, biomass, homeopathic drugs.