Zebrafish as an evolving model in Homoeopathy: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: The scientific community has used the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) model significantly more often which adheres to the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) philosophy as demanded by numerous national and international regulatory agencies. Thus, by substituting Zebrafish for mammals in research, it is possible to decrease the use of those animals and address issues with their welfare. Methodology: Data was collected from various databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, Research gate, and Google Scholar, to identify preclinical studies examining the effects of Homoeopathic formulations on the variance of diseases in Zebrafish. The 13 qualified manuscripts were included in the full-text analysis after the identified publications were reviewed in accordance with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: A systematic search of the databases retrieved 10 studies screened for eligibility after duplicates were removed. A total of 10 full-text articles were assessed with a total of 09 meeting the inclusion criteria and included in the scoping review. Conclusion: Zebrafish revealed to be an ideal model to explore studies on toxicity, genetics, behavior and bone diseases. Additionally, researchers can use Zebrafish to discover novel therapies and preventive measures for a range of human ailments.