Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy
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Role of homoeopathic medicine in the treatment of infantile haemangioma
Get PDFInfantile haemangioma is a benign vascular tumour of childhood, characterised by endothelial cell proliferation. It usually develops shortly after birth and grows most rapidly over the first 6 months. However, it may keep growing for up to 12–18 months. After that, it undergoes regression or involution, and 50% of all infantile haemangiomas have completed involution by the age of 5 years, 70% by the age of 7 years and 90% by the age of 9–12 years. However, in a small percentage of patients in whom haemangioma is not disappearing completely, residual fatty tissue or superficial skin telangiectasias remains. These patients may require drug therapy (propranolol/timolol/steroids/vincristine), surgery and/or laser therapy often during childhood involving certain risks or side effects. However, homoeopathic medicine can quickly, safely and effectively diminish proliferative growth and hasten resolution without any side effects. Two children with infantile haemangioma were treated with homoeopathic medicines, selected on the basis of their totality of symptoms and repertorisation. Each child was followed up every 2–4 weeks’ interval, and photographs were taken to assess/compare the vascularity, height (thickness), pliability and pigmentation according to the Vancouver Scar Scale chart. In the 1st case, the score reduced from 9 to 1 in about 10 months of follow-up and showed 88.8% improvement. In the 2nd case, the score reduced from 9 to 0 in about 10 months of follow-up and showed 100% improvement. These case reports show that early treatment of infantile haemangioma with Homoeopathy medicine can diminish proliferative growth and hasten resolution as early as possible without any side effects
Resolution of vocal cord nodules with individualised homoeopathic treatment
Get PDFVocal Cord Nodules (VCNs) are localised benign, superficial growths on the medial surface of the true vocal folds resulting primarily from voice abuse, overuse or misuse and clinically manifested by progressive hoarseness of voice, with increased effort required to produce the voice, vocal fatigue and discomfort or pain in the throat. Conventional treatment methods include conservative voice therapy and surgical intervention. Both treatment methods are required for the resolution of VCNs with improvement of clinical symptoms. Here, a 44-year-old male teacher presented with a history of progressive hoarseness with vocal fatigue, discomfort in the throat during talking and bilateral VCNs since 8 months. There was no improvement after voice rest and voice therapy interventions for 5 months and he was finally advised for surgery, which he denied. He was, instead, successfully treated by individualised homoeopathic single medicine Hepar sulphuricum (30C, 200C and 1M) selected on holistic approach. Over the period of 5 months of homoeopathic treatment, the patient\u27s presenting symptoms of VCNs were improved and with resolution of it. This case report suggests that homoeopathic intervention may be the treatment for the resolution of VCNs with its presenting symptoms
Proving non-conventional methods: A paradigmatic paradox
Get PDFOriginally, it was thought that Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) would supplant decision-making based on intuition or plausibility. Later, it appeared that the gold standard in EBM, the Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), was not as \u27hard\u27 a reference point as had been supposed, and an assessment of credibility was needed. After some decades, \u27credible\u27 RCT-centred EBM has led to the dismissal of therapies deemed to be implausible, such as Homoeopathy. Nevertheless, such therapies remain widely appreciated by patients who use them alongside conventional medicine. Nearly two hundred RCTs of Homoeopathy showed no difference in efficacy between Homoeopathy and comparable conventional trials. There is no proof that conventional trials are of better quality and there is no proof of harm by Homoeopathy. However, selective analysis of evidence shows statistically insignificant results, then interpreted as unscientific \u27confirmation\u27 of the hypothesis that Homoeopathy is a placebo. As a result, the use of Homoeopathy instead of antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections has been discouraged, despite the absence of evidence of the efficacy of antibiotics for this indication and an established risk of harm. Complex statistical interpretations of RCT evidence lead to impractical and even harmful advice. Credible proof is actually based on many subjective (often continuous) variables. As an endpoint for EBM, Bayesian probabilities, based on more than RCT evidence, would provide a more practical and personalised type of advice for patients, and would develop the diagnostic process into a prognostic framework, offering alternatives if one particular solution was to fail
The role of homoeopathic treatment in women suffering from post-caesarean backache: An open observational clinical trial
Get PDFContext: An open observational trial was carried out at National Institute of Homoeopathy, India, to assess the possible effects of individualised Homoeopathy in individuals suffering from post-caesarean backache. Aim: The aim of the study was to find the role of homoeopathic treatment in individuals suffering from post-caesarean backache. Methods: Fifty subjects were enrolled. The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) were used as the outcome measures, assessed at baseline and after 3 months of treatment. Medicines prescribed followed homoeopathic principles. Non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test was applied to compare the dependent observations. P \u3c 0.05 two-tailed was considered statistically significant. Results: Five subjects dropped out and 45 completed the trial. Intention-to-treat sample (n = 50) was analysed. There were statistically significant reductions in pain rating index percentage score (median 83.3 (IQR 66.7 to 100) vs. median 66.7 (IQR 33.3 to 71.1), P \u3c 0.001); visual analogue scale score (median 7.0 (IQR 6.0 to 8.0) vs. median 6.0 (IQR 4.8 to 7.0), P \u3c 0.001); present pain index score (median 3.0 (IQR 2.0 to 3.0) vs. median 2.0 (IQR 2.0 to 3.0), P = 0.019) and ODQ% score (median 44.0 (IQR 39.5 to 50.0) vs. median 39.0 (IQR 31.9 to 44.0), P \u3c 0.001) over 3 months of treatment. Natrum muriaticum (n = 11, 22%); Staphysagria (n = 8, 16%); Bryonia alba and Rhus toxicodendron (n = 6 each, 12%) and Pulsatilla nigricans (n = 4, 8%) were prescribed frequently. Conclusion: Indicated homoeopathic medicines reduced SF-MPQ and ODQ scores. Further randomised trials are warranted with enhanced methodological rigour
Evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant potential of some homoeopathic mother tinctures
Get PDFObjectives: In homoeopathic system of medicine, mother tinctures are prescribed for several diseases especially for septic conditions and cure of many illnesses. This study was done to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant potential of ten commonly used homoeopathic mother tinctures. Materials and Methods: Ten prepared mother tinctures were tested against five clinically important human pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella typhi [S.T], Escherichia coli [E.C], Bacillus subtilis [B.S], Staphylococcus aureus [S.A], and Pseudomonas aeruginosa [P.A]) by broth micro-dilution method with ciprofloxacin as positive control. Antioxidant activity was estimated by 2,2-diphenyl 1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition assay. Ascorbic acid was taken as positive standard in antioxidant activity. Results: All mother tinctures showed more or less antibacterial activity. Cinchona officinalis had maximum activity (89% inhibition) against Salmonella typhi than all the tested mother tinctures. Pulsatilla nigricans showed the highest inhibition of DPPH (85%) among other tested plant mother tinctures. Conclusion: This study reveals that the above-tested mother tincture has antibacterial and antioxidant potential against the particular microorganism and 2,2- diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPHH), respectively
Retrospective estimation of prevalence and likelihood ratio of general symptoms of 29 less frequently prescribed homoeopathic medicines by clinical verification
Get PDFContext: Scientific assessment of proving symptoms or already recorded symptoms in patients refers to Clinical Verification (CV). There are serious shortcomings of existing methods of CV, mostly arising from qualitative observations made on absolute occurrence of symptoms instead of relative ones. This problem can be resolved by the use of the Likelihood Ratio (LR). Aim: This study aims to estimate the prevalence and LRs of general symptoms of 29 less frequently prescribed homoeopathic medicines. Methods: The study was multicentric, open and observational. Patients were enrolled as per pre-specified eligibility criteria. Alongside, presenting complaints and general symptoms were taken into account during prescription. Medicines were prescribed in centesimal potencies. LR calculation of general symptoms was based on clinician-rated outcomes as \u27improved\u27 and \u27not improved\u27 of presenting complaints and was divided into three sections: (1) when the prevalence of a symptom was available from literature, LR was calculated by assessing the prevalence of that symptom in the responder sample, (2) in the absence of so, calculation was restricted to mean prevalence data from study sample (\u27confined LR\u27) and (3) \u27confined LRs\u27 were not calculated for symptoms whose prevalence were not recorded for at least five medicines and were kept for estimation in future. Results: Of 166 general symptoms of 29 medicines, LRs and confined LRs \u3e1.5 were elicited for 6 and 49 symptoms, respectively. Conclusion: In spite of considerable caveats, it is the first insight into prevalence and LRs of general symptoms of less frequently prescribed homoeopathic medicines. Further research is warranted