Background: External environmental influences can cause an increased generation of reactive oxygen species in the body, which overwhelm the body's own antioxidant enzyme systems. The result is oxidative stress, which can damage cells and organs which then might cause neuronal dysfunction and even neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory processes. Multidimensional nonlinear systems (MNLS) are recognized and applied as analysis and balancing systems in complementary medicine that restore the energetic and functional status of an organism. The measurement is based on biophotons. However, MNLS-based systems are not yet accepted in conventional medicine. In this animal-free study with cultured cells, the effects of the MNLS-based system from METAVITAL were investigated at the cellular level.

Experimental: Based on the knowledge of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y) and inflammation-mediating cells (differentiated HL-60 as functional neutrophils) were used in this in vitro study. A single exposure for 60 minutes by the MNLS-based system with the biophoton trigger sensor consisting of a light intensity sensor and an infrared light source positioned 40 mm below the cell cultures was applied. The effect on vitality, regeneration and environmental oxidative stress of the neuronal cells as well as the effect on superoxide anion radical generation by inflammation-mediating cells was investigated. At least three independent experiments with replicates were performed.

Results: The MNLS-based system had positive effects on all parameters tested in this in vitro study compared with untreated controls. Neuronal cell vitality was improved by 10.1 ± 3.3 %, cell regeneration was improved by 65.9 ± 10.5 % and cell viability after oxidative stress was improved by 47.1 ± 6.8 %. Moreover, the endogenous radical generation of inflammation-mediating cells in the tissue was reduced by 18.8 ± 4.4 % (all data represent mean values ± standard deviations). The observed effects of the MNLS-based system were significantly different from untreated controls (p ≤ 0.05 or p ≤ 0.01; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney two-tailed rank sum test).

Conclusions: Oxidative stress plays a central role in the damage of nerve cells and the development of many neurological disorders and diseases. As demonstrated in the cell-based assays presented here, the single application of METAVITAL's MNLS-based system has beneficial properties that might counteract neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation and the associated functional disorders in a complex organism, thus, maintaining and improving individual well-being and neuronal health.