Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy
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Immunomodulatory effects of homoeopathic medicines: A review of pre-clinical studies
Get PDFImmunomodulation is a kind of regulatory modification in the immune system so as to bring the desired response. In this review the immunomodulatory effects of homoeopathic medicines – Rhus toxicodendron, Mercurius solubilis, Echinacea, Aconitum, Lachesis and Apis – and homoeopathic combination remedy Canova® are discussed. The review was conducted using PubMed and references from the relevant articles. The keywords comprising the names of above homoeopathic medicines along with terms \u27immune function\u27, \u27cytokines\u27, etc., were used for search. The review shows that homoeopathic medicines produced modulation of immune function at multiple levels such as modulation of expression of genes, stimulation of macrophage and polymorph nuclear cells, changes in expression of surface receptors and induction of cytokines. Extensive studies are required to explore the immunomodulatory effects of vast number of homoeopathic medicines. Studies based on human-derived immune cells specifically need more attention
Homoeopathic drug dilutions of Thuja occidentalis attenuate complete Freund\u27s adjuvant-induced arthritis in Wistar rats
Get PDFContext: Thuja occidentalis is prescribed in Homoeopathy in treating rheumatoid arthritis. We speculated the anti-arthritic mechanism of Homoeopathic dilutions of Thuja occidentalis against the complete Freund\u27s adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis in rats. Materials and Methods: Arthritis was induced (n = 28) by subplantar injection of 0.1 ml CFA in the right hind paw of rats. The oral dose of crude Thuja occidentalis was 30 mg/kg/b. i. d and that of Homoeopathic dilutions was 0.1 ml/b. i. d. Orally administered diclofenac at 5 mg/kg/day served as a standard. The treatments continued for 24 days. The severity of arthritis was determined weekly as rise in paw volume, mechanical allodynia and changes in body weight. On the 25th day, X-ray imaging of the arthritic paws was recorded, and the biopsy samples extracted from the paws were subjected to the estimation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and histological evaluations. Results: Thuja occidentalis Homoeopathic dilutions and its crude form protected rats against the CFA-induced arthritic lesions. The mother tincture, 6cH, 30cH and 200cH dilutions of Thuja occidentalis significantly reduced the CFA-induced rise in paw volume, reduced the mechanical allodynia and also reduced the levels of interleukin (IL) IL-1, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha in paw tissue. CFA-induced articular changes, oedema, cellular infiltrations and cartilage damage were reduced by Thuja occidentalis dilutions. The radiological images indicated that Thuja occidentalis treatment reduced the CFA-induced joint swelling, bone erosion and joint space narrowing. Conclusion: Our findings substantiate the anti-arthritic effects of Thuja occidentalis Homoeopathic dilutions against CFA-induced arthritis and indicate that Homoeopathic dilutions of Thuja occidentalis, particularly 6cH dilution, exert more potent anti-arthritic effects than its crude form
Effect of cephalandra indica against advanced glycation end products, sorbitol accumulation and aldose reductase activity in homoeopathic formulation
Get PDFBackground: Extreme generation of free radicals leads to oxidative stress which has been apprehensive in several disease processes such as diabetic complications and vascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the potential of homoeopathic preparations of Cephalandra indica L. against oxidative stress. Materials and Methods: Potencies of Cephalandra indica (mother tincture, 6C and 30C) were procured from Dr. Willmar Schwabe India Pvt. Ltd. The antioxidant activity of Cephalandra indica was evaluated by employing various in vitro antioxidant methods. Results: The total phenol content was found to be 1905, 849 and 495 mg/g gallic acid equivalents in mother tincture, 6C and 30C of Cephalandra indica and total antioxidant capacity was found to be 2710, 759 and 510 μM/g ascorbic acid equivalents, respectively. Mother tincture, 6C and 30C of Cephalandra indica was found to have strong reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and superoxide radical scavenging activity. Percentage inhibition of AGEs formation by mother tincture, 6C and 30C of Cephalandra indica (10–50 μl) was found to be 30.34%–91.77%, 29.98%–65.71% and 33.05%–57.75%, respectively. Mother tincture, 6C and 30C of Cephalandra indica showed inhibitory effect against sorbitol accumulation with IC50value of 26.12 μl, 203.10 μl and 897.3 μl, respectively, whereas, in aldose reductase inhibition assay, the IC50value was 32.54 μl, 175.02 μl and 834.34 μl, respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed that homoeopathic preparations of Cephalandra indica exhibit protective effect against oxidative stress
Comparison of the efficacy of ibuprofen and belladonna in the control of orthodontic separator pain
Get PDFBackground: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of ibuprofen and Belladonna in the control of orthodontic pain and to ascertain the pain relief by Belladonna in comparison with ibuprofen during orthodontic separation. Materials and Methods: Patients, between 20 and 35 years of age, 51 females and 21 males, were included in this study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups; one group was assigned to ibuprofen 400 mg and second group was allocated to Belladonna 6C group. Patients were given two doses of medication of their respective groups, 1 h before placement of elastomeric separators (Ormco Separators, Ormco Corporation, CA, USA) which was administered in the department and one dose 6 h after the placement. Pain scores recorded on visual analogue scale (VAS). VAS was a 10 cm scale with millimetre calibration to record their pain at the following intervals, 2 h after placement, 6 h after placement, bedtime, day 1 morning, day 2 morning, day 3 morning and day 5 morning. Results: Post hoc comparisons indicated that there was no difference between the two groups at 2 h (P = 0.77), 6 h (0.073), 1 day (P = 0.120), 2 days (P = 0.283), 3 days (P = 0.363), 5 days (P = 0.622) and 7 days. Conclusion: Ibuprofen and Belladonna 6C are effective and provide adequate analgesia with no statistically significant difference. Lack of adverse effects with Belladonna 6C makes it an effective and viable alternative
Obituary of Dr. Upma Bagai
Get PDFDr. Upma Bagai left for her heavenly abode on 8 September 2018. At the time of her untimely demise, she was serving as Professor and Chairperson, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh
Effect of individualised Homoeopathy in the treatment of infertility
Get PDFA 37-year-old woman, being married for 6 years, presented to the homoeopathic outpatient department, after treatment of infertility by a gynaecologist for few years. She had a past history of emergency ovarian cystectomy for endometriosis 1 year after her marriage. Her subsequent infertility workup revealed hydrosalpinx with one-sided tubal block along with the evidence of poor ovarian reserve. Her husband\u27s semen analysis was normal and was advised for donor-ovum in vitro fertilisation. At this point, she was treated with constitutional homoeopathic medicine following the miasmatic analysis with the holistic concept of Homoeopathy over 6 months. Treatment started with Silicea and later switched to Syphilinum. She conceived normally after that and subsequently delivered a healthy baby at full term. This case shows the positive role of classical homoeopathic treatment on subfertility
An open-label pilot study to identify the usefulness of adjuvant homoeopathic medicines in the treatment of cerebral stroke patients
Get PDFBackground: Stroke, the third leading cause for neurological morbidity and mortality has a global annual incidence of 0.2–2.5/1000 population. The clinical sequelae of stroke are often devastating with hemiparesis, depression, walking difficulties and aphasia. It is essential to take measures halting the progression of stroke. Homoeopathic literature mentions many medicines for stroke. Till a pilot study was undertaken to study the usefulness of Homoeopathy as an adjuvant therapy to standard conventional care in stroke patients. Materials and Methods: An open-label pilot study was conducted at Princess Durru Shehvar Children\u27s and General Hospital, Hyderabad, in coordination with Extension Clinical Research Unit of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Fifty patients presenting with episodes of cerebral stroke of the different period were assessed by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Score, prior homoeopathic treatment and after 6 months of treatment. Results: Of 50 patients, 10 patients had stroke more than 1 year and suffering with sequelae, 27 patients had stroke episode between 1 month and 1 year and 13 patients had a stroke episode within 4 weeks. The reduction in NIHSS score after 6 months of treatment was statistically significant in all three groups. The useful medicines found were Causticum (n = 11), Arnica montana (n = 7), Nux vomica (n = 6), Lycopodium (n = 6) and Lachesis (n = 3). Neither patient had worsening signs nor any new infarcts during the study. Conclusion: This pilot study showed encouraging results. Further randomised control trials are suggested to evaluate the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines in stroke
Impact of forbidden foodstuffs on the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines: An in vitro evaluation
Get PDFBackground: In previous screening experiment, out of some homoeopathic medicines in 30 and 200 potencies Mezereum 200 showed maximum inhibition to growth of Candida albicans on comparing the \u27Zone of Inhibition\u27 in culture plates treated with homoeopathic medicines keeping standard antifungal Ketoconazole, rectified spirit and distilled water as control by using Disc method. Objective: To observe the impact of various forbidden edible items such as garlic, onion, cardamom, clove, caraway, ginger, fenugreek, black pepper, asafoetida, red chilli, green chilli, turmeric, lemon and camphor on the efficacy of Mezereum 200 in the inhibition of growth of human pathogenic fungus C. albicans. Materials: Isolation of human pathogenic fungus: Sample collected from patients suffering from oral ulcers was incubated for 15 days at 37+1°C for growth of fungus, if any. The growth of Candida albicans was obtained. Preparation of prohibited items: 500 mg of fine powdered prohibited items were dissolved/mixed in 5 ml distilled water. 5 μl of autoclaved solution of each item was mixed with 5 μl of Mezereum 200. Method: Disc method was used to assess the impact of prohibited items on the efficacy of homoeopathic medicine Mezereum 200 in in-vitro conditions against Candida albicans by “Inhibition Zone Technique”. Result: The result of this in-vitro experiment has shown that there is no inhibitory effect of prohibited items in question on Mezereum 200 in causing inhibition to growth of Candida albicans. Conclusion: It is evident from this experiment that there is no interference of prohibited items on the action of homoeopathic medicine
