Growth Hormone Regulating Hormones - Hypothalamic hormones that induce (somatoliberin) or inhibit (somatostatin) the release of growth hormone (somatotropin).

Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone - Hormone produced in the hypothalamus that promotes production of Human Growth Hormone (somatocrinin or Sermorelin Acetate). [See Human Growth Hormone]

Homeopathy - Natural form of medicine that uses immeasurably small doses of medicines to stimulate the body's own defense and healing process. Homeopathy focuses on bringing the entire body back into homeostasis, or balance.

Homeostasis - or health; defined as an optimal balance of mental and physical well being. When the body loses its normal homeostasis, adverse symptoms appear. Symptoms are not the cause of health problems, but rather an expression of the body's efforts to defend its weakest areas and bring the body back into balance.

Hormone - A naturally occuring substance secreted by specialised cells that affects the metabolism or behaviour of other cells possessing functional receptors for the hormone. Hormones may be hydrophilic, like insulin, in which case the receptors are on the cell surface or lipophilic, like the steroids, where the receptor can be intracellular.

Human Growth Hormone (hGH) - A protein produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates the liver to produce somatomedins, which stimulate growth of bone and muscle. Human growth hormone is the most abundant hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. It peaks during the rapid-growth phase of adolescence, then steadily declines with age. HGH stays in the bloodstream for only a few minutes. However, this is long enough to stimulate its uptake by the liver, causing the production of Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Growth hormone affects specific target tissues in its role as a chemical messenger, working with IGF-1 to affect uptake of nutrients into the cell. hGH helps boost the immune system, increase lean body mass, stimulate neuroendocrine system balance and promote optimal physical and mental performance.Insulin Growth Factor (IGF-1): Polypeptides with considerable sequence similarity to insulin.They are capable of eliciting the same biological responses, including mitogenesis in cell culture. On the cell surface, there are two types of insulin like growth factor receptor, one of which closely resembles the insulin receptor (which is also present). IGF-1 is primarily secreted by the liver in response to a signal from growth hormone (hGH). It is also released by many different tissues throughout the body, and affects almost every cell to some degree. The major target tissues affected by IGF-1 are muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, kidney, nerves, skin, and lungs. IGF-1 additionally regulates cell growth by moving cells from a resting phase to an active phase of the cell cycle. IGF-1 also increases the cell's ability to complete DNA synthesis. IGF-1 acts within the nervous system and is critical for the growth and development of nerve cells. IGF-1 plays an active role at the neuromuscular junction, where interaction between nerve and muscle cells occurs.

Law of Similars, the - Considered the founder of homeopathy, 1700's German physician Samuel Hahnemann developed the principle of the Law of Similars, or "Let Like Cure Like." This remains a defining principle of homeopathy today. If a substance causes side effects and syndromes at high toxic levels, the same substance can heal those same symptoms and syndromes when taken in small diluted doses. Similar to vaccines, these small doses work by stimulating the body's own defense mechanisms.

LM (50 millesimal, Q) - the second potency scale developed by Hahnemann, introduced in the sixth edition of the Organon. Start with a 3c triturate of a remedy. One part is placed into 500 drops liquid (400 drops water, 100 drops alcohol). One drop is placed into 100 drops of alcohol. This is succussed by hand 100 times. One drop of this mixture is used to medicate 500 #10 pellets. This is the Q1 potency (sometimes written 0/1). The Q2 is made by taking 1 of these medicated pellets, putting it into 1 drop of water, and then mixing into 100 drops of alcohol. This mixture is succussed 100 times by hand. Today, the HPUS standard differs from Hahnemann's. The following excerpt is taken from HPUS Abstracts - General Pharmacy: "LM (50 millesimal, Q) - the second potency scale developed by Hahnemann, introduced in the sixth edition of the Organon. Start with a 3c triturate of a remedy. One part is placed into 500 drops liquid (4 parts water, 1 part alcohol 95% v/v). One drop is placed into 2 ml alcohol 95% v/v. This is succussed by hand 100 times. One drop of this mixture is used to medicate 500 #10 pellets. This is the Q1 potency (sometimes written 0/1). The Q2 is made by taking 1 of these medicated pellet and placing it into 2 ml alcohol 95% v/v. This mixture is succussed 100 times by hand."

Materia Medica - "materials of medicine" - in Latin. A reference that lists the curative indications and therapeutic actions of homeopathic medicines. This information is derived from provings and clinical experience.

Modality - a condition that makes a person or their symptom better or worse. For example, better in a hot bath, abdominal pain better bending over, worse rainy weather, etc. Modalities are one of the parts of a complete symptom.

Nosode - a homeopathic remedy prepared from diseased tissue or the product of disease.

Organon - The Organon of Medicine, by Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. This book describes the principles and practice of homeopathy. Hahnemann wrote 6 editions of the Organon from 1810-1842. The sixth edition, though finished in 1842, was not published until 1921.

Progression Factors - Induce cells toward a launching pad for cell division, causing successful activation. IGF-1 is a progression factor.

Pituitary - An endocrine gland located at the base of the brain, in the small recess of a bone - certain sections of the pituitary each secretes important hormones including growth hormone (GH) and antidiuretic hormone (ADH).

Polypeptide - A peptide which on hydrolysis yields more than two amino acids, called tripeptides, tetrapeptides, etc. According to the number of amino acids contained.

Potency - the strength of a homeopathic remedy. Determined by how many times the remedy has been succussed and diluted during preparation. A number and a letter are associated with the remedy name to indicate which potency scale has been used. An example of the decimal scale would be Arnica 6x. An example of the centesimal scale would be Arnica 30c. An example of the 50 millesimal scale(LM) would be Arnica LM1. These are the 3 potency scales currently in use.

potentized - usually refers to a substance prepared according to homeopathic pharmaceutical standards. This means that it has gone through serial dilution and succussion. tripeptides, tetrapeptides, etc. According to the number of amino acids contained.

Precursor - Something that precedes.
1. In biological processes, a substance from which another, usually more active or mature substance is formed.

2. In clinical medicine, a sign or symptom that heralds another.
Origin: L. precursor = a forerunner