Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

WATER AND FIRE

“I am the poison-dripping dragon,

Who is everywhere and can be cheaply had.

That upon which I rest, and that which rest upon me, Will be found within me by those who pursue their investigations

In accordance with the rules of the Art. My water and fire destroy and put together;

From my body you may extract the green lion and the red. But if you do not have exact knowledge of me,

You will destroy your five senses with my fire. “ Aurelia Occulta from Theatrum Chemicum (1613)

Over thousands of years, our system has adapted to change by designing feedback processes which use

specific biphasic influences, - influences that can be both beneficial and harmful to our system. This means

that our system is able to use a substance or situation that is harmful under certain conditions for its own

benefit. The process is called hormesis. Hormetic

interaction with substances and influences in the outer

world have become part of wide-ranging interactive

networks that have developed over time between our

system and specific outer influences

In the West, great scholars and medical philosophers, from

Galen to Paracelsus, Isaac Newton to CG Jung, have often

defined health according to the symbolic and practical

principles of hormetic dynamics. To them the concept of

hormesis is part of the health philosophies of all cultures;

natural philosophies which carry the ‘practical truths about

life and health’. In Eastern countries particularly, these

practical realities have been integral to a traditional understanding of healing, and today people in these

cultures still find it is easier to integrate non-linear models such as quantum mechanics or biophysics into

modern medical research, especially where it involves laser technology and the energy fields that are

related to meridians and acupuncture.

These hormetic principles or ‘practical truths about life and health’ functions like a form of ‘beforehand

conditioning’, irrespective of the content of the symbolic structures in which they are represented. This

conditioning activates feedback cycles which not only involve our imaginative processes, but initiate

networks that even influence our cells and their chemical responses. In other words, the conditioning

includes both the chemical reactions to the substance or influence ‘taken in’ as well as the historical and

social associations with the particular substance or influence. Like faith in the deep cuts that the traditional

healer makes in the skin of an aching stomach, or the ancient Greek’s acceptance of Apollo’s demands that

he who wounds should be the one who heals, we still have unconditional belief in the extensive wounds

created by the surgeon. This implies that the messages given in the symbolic details of religious rituals

and traditional medicine during previous millennia are still ingrained in the intuitive similes we use when

we think about personal health in a modern setting.

It may be a good idea to first read the previous

two articles on hormesis namely A Little Bit of Poison and Of Wood and Worm, to pick up the

general flow of thought about this interesting concept. In those articles we firstly consider the

possibility that we are naturally programmed to take in optimum amounts of things that are

‘bad’ for us. Secondly, we confirm our deep

unconscious relationship with the ‘poisonous’ substances of plants, and examine an example

of how we have made this mystifying association part of our religious and health

rituals since the beginning of human history. Here we try to connect this intuitive, archetypal

relationship to a practical or everyday view of life and health.

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

between earth and fire...

Thou shalt separate the Earth from the Fire, the subtle from the

coarse, gently and with much ingenuity… Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegsitus.

As mentioned in the previous articles on hormesis, shamans

and traditional healers have consistently used so-called

poisonous plants and animals in rituals, both to improve

their own healing abilities and to treat those who are sick and

frightened. These natural hormetic substances influence the

body’s inner chemical substances such as neurotransmitters,

hormones, and metabolic products, which in their own right

act as inner hormetic substances. This means that at one

level they are essential for normal cell functioning and

survival, but in another amount they may cause malfunctioning and damage. Outer hormetic substances

such as medication or herbs could thus, via direct effects on receptors in the membranes of cells or

indirectly via neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolic products, improve the maintenance of and

communication between cells, and yet cause damage to the same cells when they are active in ‘the wrong’

amount or under different circumstances.

However, we no longer live in a world where we can trust our instinctual ability to decide on the right

amounts of poisonous plants to stay alive and healthy. We also no longer have well structured religious

rites which could amplify the symbolic relationships and evolutionary trade-offs that we have developed

with these plants. We now need proper research to open up new ways of understanding plants with

hormetic qualities and to negotiate optimum interaction with these substances that were so crucial to our

evolution.

Unfortunately, modern medical research seldom happens in natural environments or in real life. No rats,

chimpanzees or dogs living in a laboratory have the same spectrum of interaction with the outer world as

animals that have to act and form their own survival strategies amidst climate change, hunger, illness and

competition with other species. Even situations of stress and unpredictability become artificially predictable

in the laboratory. More importantly, these animals are not in interaction with the same wide spectrum of

plants, whether in their areas of shelter, as possible alternative foods, as self-discovered remedies for

injury or as defences against invasion by microbes or attacks from natural predators. And yet, in this

unnatural world, scientists shape their essential hypotheses, which are loaded with subjective expectations

based upon laboratory results by the time they are tested on people 'out there' in the world.

Gradually there is a new sense in the medical world that we can no longer be satisfied with the crude way

in which research detaches scientific procedure from nature, separates “the earth from the fire”. Although

medical science can extract and refine natural substances one by one and predict with relative certainty

what the effect of each will be, that same substance in coordination with other substances and

environmental influences may have quite a different effect. It is especially the subtle relationships between

knowledge and nature, the psychological and mystical, which have to be included in discerning research. It

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

is a mistake to believe that we have despiritualised plants and animals in the laboratory with our objective

research and now have a greater truth. In fact, we have only driven these embedded symbolic realities

into the unconscious from where they surprise us regularly with unexpected results.

Confusing research results about the effects of meat and carbohydrates on health, the constant but

diverse claims for a new wonder supplement or herb, unforeseen side effects of medicines, and

inconsistencies in the prediction of toxic or harmful effects of industrial substances are clear examples that

we are far from separating the “subtle from the coarse” with ingenuity.

Including the concept of hormesis into our reasoning when we design research methods and

make deductions from results could be a

first step.

the green lion and the red

“From my body you may extract the green lion and the red.

But if you do not have exact knowledge of me, You will destroy your five senses...” Aurelia Occulta

from Theatrum Chemicum

What is unknown about the inner mind's

functioning is still felt, and is always projected

on that which is known such as animals,

planets, chemical elements and subatomic

particles. Plants carry the most potent

projections, not only because they are part of the total evolutionary path of humans, but also because this

projection is continually amplified by their ongoing and direct interaction with our inner chemistry in the

form of food, medicine or when used for the induction of trance states. It is not only the immediate

chemical effect of the substances that is important, but also the potential effect that is woken up in our

mind whenever we interact with the plant through intake, ritual or imagination. The potential effect is

amplified by shape, colour, taste and effect inside the body, all of which contribute to the eventual

symbolic value of the plant, which then will decide whether it heals or poisons, stimulates or soothes.

In other words, it is irrelevant whether the plant carries a spirit as earlier humans believed, or whether it

has a specific scientifically proven chemical. The inner mind is not troubled by the conscious ego's sense of

reality. Whatever works to get the job done, to secure adaptation and improve survival, is the only reality

that counts to our system’s inner organisation. We will never really know whether a plant substance or

medication works only because of an immediate molecular exchange or also because of the network of

interactive feedback activities that it initiates through its influence on the more subtle dimensions of our

system - placebo or semi-placebo effects.

Medicine can therefore never be merely a science but is truly also an art, and the way the physician uses

his own unconscious may have a more powerful effect on the patient than the drug employed. Of course

the medicine must first and foremost have direct effects on chemical receptors in the body or influence

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolic products to improve the maintenance and communication

between cells by becoming part of our inner chemistry. However, a herb, drug or other substance may

merely influence subtle energy shifts based upon highly symbolic impressions. And it is especially here

that they may have unpredictable effects and even cause damage to the same cells that they normally

heal.

Over thousands of years our system has adapted by designing networks of complex feedback processes

that use these biphasic effects optimally for our system’s own survival. This biphasic tendency is so

inherent to nature that it has become the essential quality of most mythological and religious systems. It

is no wonder that the involvement of hormetic substances in the symbolic processes of our inner

organisation can indirectly influence wide ranging energy exchanges in our system.

A bio-dynamic explanation of the modern world is based on complex systems rather than linear

causality and we need exact as well as inclusive knowledge to incorporate both sides of

biphasic or hormetic adaptation.

tea and spice...

The essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the

essence of water is plants, the essence of plants is the human being.

(Chandogya, Upanishads)

Although almost impossible to the present scientific

model of medical research, we need to include the

subtle dimensions of our inner organisation to

understand and incorporate the full spectrum of our

interaction with nature. The list of plant substances that

have become part of our mythological self by nature

of their hormetic ability is endless. From camphor to

codeine, strychnine to digitalis, nicotine to caffeine,

resveratrol to tannin- all the substances that are so

popular in modern research take part in a fascinating

bio-mythological interplay between humans and plants.

In fact, hormetic substances in the form of wine, tea, witches’ concoctions, miracle cures or secrets stolen

from the gods have been part of the human story since the beginning of human consciousness. No myth

or ritual has ever forgotten that these are substances that have two sides, innocuous and dangerous,

supportive and destructive; they are like nature herself. It is impossible to imagine the everyday lives of

humans without the rituals and habits that existed and still exist around these substances. What would

social interaction and subtle human bonding be without tea, wine, coffee and tobacco?

Herbs and spices are particularly rich in hormetic substances, and many ingredients in our everyday diet

are the medicines of previous times. These substances have strong tastes and aromas because their

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

function in the plants is actually to create natural avoidance responses. Just try and feed potatoes, garlic,

onions or broccoli to your dog. Humans, however, have excelled in learning how to use the substances

that cause a natural stress response in biological cells for their own benefit. Not only do these substances

enhance the enjoyment of food, they also stimulate the immune system and important enzyme feedback

cycles, even increasing the ability of cells to resist internal cancer changes. This effect has been widely

promoted in the media, making green and herbal teas central to daily social and health rituals in modern

urban societies. The same is true for the many spices we use to store and improve food.

Other hormetic plants are still mainly used as medication. There is digitalis from foxgloves, which is a

potent poison but was also the best medication against cardiac failure for many centuries. In Europe, the

elderberry tree in any possible form was essential to every healer's medicine supply, and Hippocrates

called it his ‘medicine chest’. St. Germain, the popular liqueur, and Sambuc, the trusty green ointment we

all know from our childhood, are familiar substances from this tree.

It is obvious that we cannot ignore the strong link between the bio-chemical effects of these substances

and the associative energy that they accumulated over millennia in the minds of people. This will always

influence the outcome of their value and toxicity to our system’s inner organisation.

The modern interest in food preparation and the

revival of traditional herbal treatments make the

effect of hormesis more evident again, and we

need to find a balanced view towards research in

this field.

old-fashioned modernity

“When a man undertakes to create something, he establishes

a new heaven, as it were, and from it the work that he desires to create flows into him...” Paracelsus.

Hormetic herbs are central to modern alternative

treatment regimes such as traditional Chinese

medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy. This

considerable interest in herbal medicine has forced

orthodox medicine to turn both their business seeking

Curcumin, for example, which comes from the roots of Curcuma longa and is the yellow substance in turmeric, is the key component of curry spice. However, it has been used as medication for at least four millennia and has

featured in Ayurvedic medicine since about 2000 BCE. In Nepal it is especially used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-septic effect. In China it is dominant in treating stomach and bowel conditions and in India turmeric is used

for liver, digestive and inflammatory conditions. In modern research, it has turned out to be a good scavenger of free radicals. It thus increases the cancer fighting ability of the immune system, and could actually have an anti-

inflammatory effect in low dosages. It has also shown promise in protecting the brain cells in Alzheimer's, but in certain dosages, it actually causes stomach ulcers and cancer in the colon.

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

and technological expansion towards the properties of popular herbs. Ten years ago articles on herbal

medicine were few and far between on PubMed (a digital archive of life sciences journal literature from the

National Centre for Biotechnology Information). Now they appear regularly and comply with proper peer

review research standards. Let us explore a few examples.

Resveratrol, a substance in red wine, has been in the news recently for all kinds of health benefits. For a

long time, research with laboratory rats

convinced us that all alcohol contributed to

metabolic syndrome, until the reality that

red wine loving Italians have less heart

disease dawned upon the medical world.

Suddenly red wine became the answer for

heart disease, and researchers rummaged

around for the applicable justification. Soon

resveratrol (a phytophenol) became the

greatest of antioxidants, which would protect

against heart disease and cancer. However,

it also became clear that it may induce cell death in certain important parts of the brain. Is this scientific

discovery new or does it merely highlight the intuitive, age-old interaction between humans and the

natural chemicals of the archetypal grape?

In another example, we see extended research into Chinese herbal teas. The sweet wormwood (Artemisia

annua) called qing hao is a popular herb used in Traditional Chinese medicine to “clear heat from the

system”. This means that apart from countering feverish illnesses such as malaria and bowel infections, it

is able to create alertness without causing irritability and exhaustion. Lately there has been research into

its ability to prevent secondary infection in people with AIDS and auto-immune diseases and its ability to

fight breast cancer. Chinese scientists are also in the forefront of developing an anti-malaria drug from

sweet wormwood against resistant malaria parasites.

Phytochemicals activate stress-responsive transcription factors such as NRF2, CREB, FOXO-3 and NF-kB. They

up-regulate the expression of stress-resistance proteins inside cells such as antioxidant enzymes, Bcl-2 family members and neurotrophic factors. This improves neuronal plasticity and the general resistance and survival of

nerve cells. We are, however, far from understanding the nature of this interaction between phytochemicals and our nerve cells. The organo-sulfur compounds in garlic and onions, such as allium and allicin, have been

researched for their ability to protect nerve cells. The hormetic pathways are probably linked to mitochondrial stress resistance and the NRF pathways TRP channels in neurons. Broccoli is rich in sulfo-raphane (an

isothiocyanate) that usually stimulates NRF2 in certain astrocytes (brain cells) and actually damages these cells. Sulfo-raphane, however, protects the pigment cells in the retina against damage induced by light. The feedback

hormesis network of diferuloyl methane (curcumin) includes the NRF2 pathway, the production of HO-1, p38 MAP-kinase and other intra-cellular stress cycles. It has been shown to protect brain cells against ischemia. It

may also increase the levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and noradrenaline in the hippocampus. In the stomach, curcumin inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori and is related to gastric ulcers and cancer.

Ondamtanggagambang is used for anxiety disorders due to its hormetic effect on both the brain and the muscle cells of the heart via the induction of HO-1, the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and

bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7). Sub-neurotoxic doses of kainic and domoic acids in red algae can protect neurons against ischemic and excitotoxic death via the up-regulation of neurotrophic factors and protein

chaperones. Kainate receptors play a role in long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission (LTP), and subtoxic activation of these receptors with kainite agonists are presently being investigated for the treatment of memory

disorders.

Resveratrol is found in high amounts in red grapes and wine. It has strong antioxidant qualities, and recent research

suggests a hormetic feedback between it and our system. Studies have shown that resveratrol extends the lifespan of

worms by activating histone deacetylase Sir2, which is part

of an adaptive response to mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In humans, studies indicate that resveratrol

may protect neurons against ischemic injury by activating SIRT1 (a homologue of Sir2 in mammals). However, SIRT1

has been shown to deacetylate a specific subunit of NF-kB,

which could be harmful to brain cells, although at the same

time it inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Copyright – www.momohealth.co.za

A popular herb from traditional Western medicine that has caught the attention of medical science is St.

John's Wort. Its active hormetic phytochemical is hypericin, which increases dopamine and could function

as an antidepressant. However, it also sharpens the immune system's ability to 'see' cancer cells, and

there are many research projects in the pipe line that are investigating its anti-cancer properties.

Unfortunately its ability to increase sensitivity causes a heightened sensitivity to sunlight, and together

with other antidepressants it may cause the dangerous serotonin syndrome, where the immune system

goes into a state of psychotic exaggeration.

One substance that has set enthusiastic neurological research in motion, illustrates hormesis better than

any other. Kainic acid, in red algae, is neuro-excitotoxic and causes epileptic fits. It is often used in

medical research to cause epileptic attacks in animals for research. In high dosages it kills brain cells,

especially in the hippocampus, the part of the brain important for memory. However, new research shows

that it could be used to enhance repair in damaged brain cells.

In fact, neurologists are fascinated with research into hormesis and even use the term neurohormesis for

the way in which the brain uses hormesis as a specific adaptation tool. Neurons or brain cells learn over

time to alert our system about the presence of any molecules, which could be toxic in certain dosages. In

other words, the brain is quite inventive in using plant chemicals to signal to other cells when to increase

their natural stress responses – a creative process that happens amongst all living organisms that exist

together in nature. Because the brain is seen as a complex network, neuro-scientific research is also in the

forefront with the use of complex mathematics, making it easier to extend research into those natural

phenomena that rely on interactions that are too complex for linear research techniques.

It is thus clear that research into herbs with hormetic qualities opens up new ways of understanding the

relationship between humans and herbs. New insight into the way brain and immune cells work, in

particular, may eventually tell us why these substances influence people with such consistency that they

have become part of our archetypal and symbolic self-description.

At last there is hope for the hormetic substances which have been an inherent part of human

evolution, but fell out of scientific favour because of their association with traditional medicine.

Images:

The red sun rising over the city, the final illustration of 16th-century alchemical text, Splendor Solis. The word

rubedo, meaning "redness", was adopted by alchemists and signalled alchemical success

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Splendor_Solis_22_sun_rising_over_city.jpg

1632 copy of Avicenna's 1025 The Canon of Medicine, showing a physician talking to a female patient in a

garden, while servants prepare medicines

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Physician_talking_to_a_female_patient_in_a_garden_Wellcome_L00

73711.jpg

A Medieval physician preparing an extract from a medicinal plant, from an Arabic Dioscorides, 1224

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Folio_Materia_Medica_Dioscurides_Met_13.152.6_(cropped).jpg

Atropa belladonna https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atropa_belladonna_-

_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-018.jpg