into the human bloodstream in an attempt to fight
various diseases, impotence, and aging; promote
healing; and generally benefit the immune system
and overall well-being. A still-controversial treat-
ment developed during the 1930s by the Swiss
physician Paul Niehans, who specialized in gland
and organ transplantation, the original cell therapy
has been banned in the United States since 1985
because of its potential for allergic reactions, infec-
tions, and ineffectiveness. However, cell therapy is
practiced in Germany, France, Mexico, the
Bahamas, and Switzerland. Studies are under way
in the United States, Germany, and England to
determine the effectiveness of human-to-human
cell transplantation, and the use of shark embryo
cells, human stem cells, and dendritic cells for the
treatment of certain cancers, acquired immunode-
ficiency syndrome (AIDS), impotence, Parkinson’s
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, burns, arthritis, spinal
injuries, heart disease, and diabetes.
According to the second edition of Alternative
Medicine: The Definitive Guide(Berkeley, Calif.: Celes-
tial Arts, 2002), “Cell therapy is particularly excit-
ing for conditions that involve cells that do not
repair or regenerate well, such as the brain and
heart, offering new hope for persons suffering from
extensive damage in those organs.... The broad-
est definition of cell therapy includes the use of
human blood transfusions and bone marrow trans-
plants as well as injections of cellular materials...
from organs, fetuses, or embryos of animals, or the
transplantation of human stem cells, to stimulate
healing and treat a variety of degenerative diseases.
... Several schools of thought exist as to the ideal
practice of cell therapy. The various methods
include the use of live cells, freeze-dried cells, cells
from specific organs, homeopathic formulations,
and embryonic preparations. All these techniques
have been used successfully, with different meth-
ods targeting different conditions.”
A contemporary version of Niehans’s therapy
involves the use of antibodies or freeze-dried cells
and pretesting to determine possible hypersensitiv-
ity in a patient. There are four main cell types used
in combination for revitalization as well as treat-
ment of a specific disease or malfunction: pituitary,
liver, male or female reproductive glands, and con-
nective tissue, plus cells from a particular organ or
body structure that corresponds with the patient’s
needs.
See also CELL SALTS.centesimal scale, homeopathic The method of
measurement, designated by a cfor centesimal,used
in homeopathy to determine the strength of home-
opathic remedies. For example, after a mother tinc-
ture (which roughly refers to a “batch” or “stock”)
is made, one drop of it is added to 99 drops of water
or alcohol. This yields a remedy of 1c potency,
which is further diluted by another 99 drops of
water or alcohol to create 2c potency. Usually, the
highest dose of a homeopathic remedy equals 200c.
Homeopathic practitioners say a remedy becomes
more potent the more it is diluted.
See also HOMEOPATHY.chakras In Ayurvedic medicine, the seven
regions, “focuses,” or “circles” of the body that fol-
low the body’s midline and represent the specific
energy and physical, emotional, and spiritual char-
acteristics of each part. Chakrais the Sanskrit word
for “wheel.” Located along the central axis of the
body, from the crown of the head to the root of the
spine, the chakras govern not only physical func-
tioning but mental consciousness that promotes
awareness, personal evolution, and healing.
The first chakra, or root chakra, is centered on
the anus, the base of the spine, the descending
colon, and the hamstrings; it represents basic sur-
vival instincts, security, groundedness, and fears,
including annihilation, abandonment, and other
types of primal upheaval. The second chakra, the
genital or sexual chakra, consists of the gonads, the
urogenital structures, prostate, pelvis, and quadri-
ceps, and represents gender, issues of commitment,
sexuality, sensuality, and procreation. The solar
plexus, or third chakra, incorporates the abdomen,
the entire region around the navel, stomach, duo-
denum, ileum, pancreas, liver, and adrenal glands;
it contains the largest portion of nerve tissue after
that of the cranium and spinal cord. Emotionally,
the solar plexus represents overall physical vitality
and mastery.
The fourth, or heart, chakra, is the area just
above the diaphragm in the area of the heart. Its
main representations are nurturing, love for others,chakras 25