CHNH2 CHNH2 @ @ @ COOH COOH COOH The transformation of cystein to cystin occurs in the air through oxygen, naturally with cooperation of constantly present traces of iron. This simplest form of sulphur-containing building stone is determining for the function of sulphur in the protein molecule, but, through further compounds, the complex gains some new properties. So cystin or cystein forms a dipeptid with glutaminic acid- CH (NH2) COOH = CH2 CH2 COOH namely the glutathion discovered by Hopkins in 1920. Probably this compound is present in most cells. The easy oxidation to cystin form and likewise the easy reduction to the cystein form also remains in this compound. In contrast to cystin, the cystein form of glutathion is soluble in the fluids of the body. This is a sign that the complex form is better adapted to the functional DOSE : Usually D 6 (trituration).
In group VI of the periodic system sulphur has such central position that we can designate the group according to it, particularly since the first element of the group, oxygen, provides no medicinal substance. The transition from the non- metallic sulphur to the metallic tellurium will come into evidence in the effect picture of this substance. Selenium and tellurium appear considerably less significant than sulphur and its compounds.
SULPHUR
In the earth, sulphur, S, is the prevailing element of the chalkosphere. In this layer of the earth, which perhaps extends about 1200-2900 km: in depth, those metals are abundant which have a special affinity for sulphur. Here sulphur plays a role for the so-called metallogenous elements (earth builders) which has its group neighbor, oxygen, in the lithosphere for the petrogenous elements (stone builders). With the exception of the noble metals, all heavy metals occur in nature as sulphur compounds. In the earth crust the sulphur compounds of heavy metals are fairly strangers. However, we shall find the relation of sulphur to metallic foreign substance to be of some significance. Through volcanic eruptions sulphur comes from the great depths to the surface of the earth. The life- endangering forms of this volcanic source, hydrogen sulphide, H2S, and sulphur dioxide, SO2, reciprocal actions of which also lead to the deposition of free sulphur, are bound on the earth surface mostly as completely oxidized compounds, sulphates of alkalies, and particularly as earthy alkalies. In this form they are utilizable for the assimilative activity of of plants. The plants reduce sulphate and build organic sulphur compounds. In the reduction from sulphates, bacteria of the soil also participate. Other bacteria and certain algae (for example Beggiatoa) further oxidize H2S and deposit sulphur in their cells; they gain energy from this oxidation as other forms of the life from the oxidation of carbohydrates.
For the animal organism the building activity of plants is a necessary preliminary step for their sulphur metabolism; they convert plant protein compounds for their own function. More or less completely oxidized sulphur is excreted, or after death the animal organism undergoes decomposition into H2S. Then the circulation of sulphur can begin anew.
The chemical property of sulphur which occurs as an atom as the negative divalent (H2S) as well as the positive six valent (SO3=H2SO4 – H2O), remains decisive in the living organism. To lead the change between oxidation and reduction is the chief task of organically bound sulphur. So far the sulphur serves merely as an intermediator and its organic compound is not destroyed, so this function is a reversible catalysis. But the sulphur – containing building stone destroys itself in oxidative decomposition and indeed it seems to offer an especially good point of attack in the protein complex.
The diverse forms in which sulphur is able to appear according to its molecular structure, its modifications, gain considerable significance for the medicinal use of the pure substance. In homoeopathic uses these differences of modifications in general are exceeded through the extensive subdivision.
PHYSIOLOGIC SIGNIFICANCE
All proteins of cells and their higher split products (with the exception of peptones and protamines) contain sulphur. Even from this the great significance of sulphur for the organism can be measured. An important, perhaps the single, sulphur containing building stone is cystin. Cystin is dicystein, a product of the union of two cystein molecules with the liberation of H2. (Cystein is thio-amino-propionic acid). Between cystin and cystein we have a transformation relationship of the type:
CH2SH CH2 – S – S – CH2 @ @ @ 2CHNH2 = H2 + CHNH2 CHNH2 @ @ @ COOH COOH COOH
The transformation of cystein to cystin occurs in the air through oxygen, naturally with cooperation of constantly present traces of iron. This simplest form of sulphur-containing building stone is determining for the function of sulphur in the protein molecule, but, through further compounds, the complex gains some new properties. So cystin or cystein forms a dipeptid with glutaminic acid-
CH (NH2) COOH = CH2 CH2 COOH namely the glutathion discovered by Hopkins in 1920. Probably this compound is present in most cells. The easy oxidation to cystin form and likewise the easy reduction to the cystein form also remains in this compound. In contrast to cystin, the cystein form of glutathion is soluble in the fluids of the body. This is a sign that the complex form is better adapted to the functional requirements of the organism. Glutathion has its working optimum at a pH which it presents in the environment of the cells. The limitations of an element always to complicated organic compounds signifies obviously an orientation and a balance of the elementary properties to the reaction conditions in the living system with its very great liability in contrast to the test tube.
One has found further that, in many protein bodies, cells and tissues, the cystein form is present; in others, the cystin form (demonstration of SH group of cystein through a color reaction with sodium nitroprusside.) In particular it is worthy of note for this chief action that the sulphur-rich keratin in the upper layers of the skin contains the cystin form, while the lower layers contain the cystein form. Perhaps the capacity of absorption of ultraviolet rays by cystin is significant for skin function. In general the predominance of the cystein form, seems the active phase; and the exclusive presence of the cystin form, more the rest phase, because for example, the cartilage cells contain cystein the cartilage primary tissue, cystin.
The old conception of Heffter that the SH group of cystein functions as an oxygen carrier has recently received further support through the newer studies on glutathion. So the cystein form oxidized in the air to the cystin form also yields H2. The cystin form of glutathion is again able to take hydrogen on itself (for example the SH group of muscle protein) and thereby introduce an oxidation process of protein. So the action can consist at one time according to the substrate of an oxidation process; at another time, in the introduction of a reduction process, and indeed according to the manner of action of a ferment, which is active only under certain conditions.
The physiologic role of sulphur-containing protein compounds as the carrier serving for oxidation as well as reduction processes can be accomplished through the regular introduction of nutrient materials which contain sulphur in organic protein combination. How far these proteins are split in order to permit a resynthesis in the organism to cystein or the glutathion fraction of cell protein is not known as yet. It is not probable that the destruction proceeds as far as H2S. On the other side of protein metabolism, the sulphur fraction for a great part (about three-fourths of the total sulphur metabolism) seems completely oxidized and bound as sulphate ions of alkalies or earthy alkalies, or appears in the urine again as ether-sulphuric acid. The last compound of the sulphate ion with organic split products (phenols) also serves outside of excretion for the detoxication of these products. An intermediate step in the oxidative splitting of cystin is known as taurin, which is paired with cholic acid and, as taurocholic acid in the bile, plays a role in the digestion of fats. In the failure of cystin destruction cystinuria appears. The taurin is not excreted through the feces but is again utilized. About one-fourth of the total sulphur appears in the urine normally as organic bound, incompletely oxidized, so-called neutral sulphur. The sulphur excretion in the sweat is merely incidental in comparison to that of the urine. However, the dry excretion of sulphur through the skin and its appendages with their great content of sulphur is of significance. The traces of sulphur which are excreted in the saliva as the sulphocynate (KCNS) have a significance in the detoxification of CN. Whether the traces of sulphocyanate have a certain disinfectant action in mouth is doubtful.
Leeser, a Consultant Physician at the Stuttgart Homeopathic Hospital and a member of the German Central Society of Homeopathic Physicians, fled Germany in 1933 after being expelled by the German Medical Association. In England Otto Leeser joined the staff of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. He returned to Germany in the 1950s to run the Robert Bosch Homeopathic Hospital in Stuttgart, but died shortly after.
Otto Leeser wrote Textbook of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Leesers Lehrbuch der Homöopathie, Actionsand Medicinal use of Snake Venoms, Solanaceae, The Contribution of Homeopathy to the Development of Medicine, Homeopathy and chemotherapy, and many articles submitted to The British Homeopathic Journal,