Homeopathy最新文献

Objective:  The study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of Eupatorium perfoliatum (EP) 30C on the incidence of dengue fever.

Design:  This study was designed as a prospective, open label, parallel cohort study.

Interventions:  Participants were enrolled in two medicine cohort (MC) communities and one control cohort (CC) community. Participants in MC who were more than 5 years of age received four medicated globules and those aged between 1 and 5 years received two medicated globules of EP 30C once a week for 10 weeks. Participants in CC received no medical intervention. Both cohorts received information and educational material regarding dengue.

Outcome measures:  The primary outcome was incidence of dengue cases based on laboratory confirmation or the clinical definition of dengue as per the case definition notified by the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Program, Government of India, during the 14 weeks of intervention and observation.

Results:  The analysis included 20,607 participants residing in three slums of Delhi, of which MC and CC included 15,298 and 5,309 participants respectively. The overall protective effect of EP 30C in MC against probable/laboratory-confirmed dengue was 59.59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 50.74 to 66.85, p = 0.0001). The overall protective effect of EP 30C against laboratory-confirmed dengue was 72.78% (95% CI, 54.45 to 83.74, p = 0.0001): 26 cases per 15,298 (0.13 per 1,000 person-weeks) in MC versus 33 cases per 5,309 (0.46 per 1,000 person-weeks) in CC.

Conclusion:  The use of EP 30C was associated with some protection against probable and laboratory-confirmed dengue.

Background:  In the last 2 years of the pandemic, a wide range of cases of post-COVID functional gastrointestinal disorders (PC-FGIDs) has been reported.

Aim:  This case series aimed to investigate the role of homeopathic intervention in the treatment of PC-FGIDs.

Methods:  This is a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of individuals who had suffered from PC-FGIDs that were diagnosed based on clinical symptoms using the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) and treated exclusively with individualized homeopathic medicines. Cases that had undergone regular monthly assessment using the GSRS and had a Post-COVID-19 Functional Status (PCFS) score for up to 3 months were considered.

Results:  Thirty cases were screened and twelve were included according to the study criteria. The mean age of seven women and five men was 36 years. GSRS and PCFS scores showed marked improvement in each of 10 cases within the 3-month treatment period.

Conclusion:  Homeopathic intervention proved beneficial in 10 of 12 patients with PC-FGIDs. The findings may help researchers plan future controlled clinical studies in this field.

Background and objectives:  Over the past decade, research using various methods has claimed the material nature, including nanoparticles (NPs), of high homeopathic potencies. The current study aims to verify these findings using NP tracking analysis (NTA).

Methods:  Six independent serial dilutions of commonly used homeopathic medicines-either soluble (Gelsemium, Pyrogenium, Kalium mur) or insoluble (Cuprum, Argentum, Silicea)-were prepared according to European Pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dynamisations (DYNs) in pure water with their potentised controls and with simple dilutions (DIL) up to 30cH/10^-60. We also tested the influence of the container (glass or PET) on the solvent controls.

Results:  We observed the presence of particles from 20 to 300-400 nm in all DYNs, DILs and controls, except in pure unstirred water. The sizes and size distributions of NPs in high homeopathic potencies were smaller than those in controls for soluble sources and larger for insoluble sources, even above 11cH. The opposite behaviour was observed in the number of NPs. When comparing DYN and DIL, the number, size, presence of aggregates or chains and brightness of NPs increased with DYNs, which was also observed above 11cH. Many NPs scattered light of low intensity, indicating the presence of material particles. The container had a significant effect on the number and size of NPs, indicating the involvement of the atmosphere and leaching processes.

Conclusion:  Homeopathic medicines contain NPs with specific properties, even when diluted beyond Avogadro's number. Homeopathic potentisation is not a simple dilution. The starting material, the solvent used, the type of container and the manufacturing method influence the characteristics of these NPs. The nature of these NPs is not known, but most likely they are a mixture of nanobubbles and elements from the atmosphere and container, including insoluble ones.

Background:  The Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy (MONARCH) inventory is a novel and useful tool for assessing the likelihood of a causal relationship between the homeopathic intervention and the ultimate clinical outcome.

Objectives:  To explain and elaborate on the use of the MONARCH inventory to improve its consistency of use and thereby elevate the overall quality and evidentiary value of homeopathy case reports.

Explanation and elaboration:  Each of the 10 MONARCH inventory domains is explained and elaborated with the aid of references from published literature and hypothetical clinical situations. The MONARCH total score can range from -6 to +13; within that range, an arithmetic total of +6 is available from the scores of four critical domains, which should be given prominence in the overall consideration of causality. In reporting a clinical case, great importance should be placed on the narrative of the MONARCH evaluation process, domain by domain.

Conclusion:  The application of MONARCH allows us to evaluate the likelihood of a causal relationship between the intervention and the observed clinical outcomes in successfully treated cases, thereby augmenting their evidentiary value.

A prognostic factor (PF) refers to any feature of a disease or a characteristic of a patient that can be used to predict the likely outcome or course of a disease in an individual. Prognostic factor research (PFR), which is relatively new in homeopathy, focuses on investigating PFs and helps in therapeutic decision-making. The main challenge is the large number of eligible symptoms, but these can be reduced by condition-confined assessment, in which PFR is restricted to sub-populations of patients suffering from the same disease or condition. Condition-confined PFR (CC-PFR) identifies useful medicines for a given disease and compares with great precision different medicines regarding their relationship with common symptoms.To overview PFR and the findings from CC-PFR studies in homeopathy to date.A review of PFR, followed by a summary of six CC-PFR studies in homeopathy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was performed, outlining the methods, the challenges, the interpretation of outcomes and the lessons learned from each of the six studies in considering the further development of this model.The six CC-PFR studies during COVID-19 identified PFs for the 10 most frequently used medicines: Bry, Ars, Puls, Gels, Bell, Hep, Nux-v, Phos, Puls and Rhus-t. These PFs usually contain common symptoms, which in combination become 'specific' enough to select a medicine. These PFs or symptoms also helped to differentiate between these 10 medicines. This model was reproducible and the outcomes were verifiable in the subsequent waves of COVID-19. The outcomes of CC-PFR studies were mostly generalisable and resulted in the preparation of a mini-repertory and repertorisation app. However, these studies revealed key issues. The main problems were the reliability of observations, identification of biases and assessing causality. The quality of PFR data depends on the scientific skills of practitioners, who are typically not trained researchers. Thus, they require additional training in data collection, methods, management of bias and causal analysis.CC-PFR improves the reliable use of common symptoms and thus reduces the inappropriate use of peculiar symptoms based on confirmation bias. CC-PFR studies may be helpful in diseases where rare and peculiar symptoms are difficult to find, for example in one-sided ailments, and in epidemic diseases. PFR, however, requires reliable observations by the participating practitioners. Hence, training and encouragement of clinicians is needed to develop the existing data and integrate research into everyday clinical practice.

Background:  A rising incidence of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in India has escalated the rate of lower limb amputations in the country. The present study aims to evaluate the potential healing properties of homeopathic medicines as a part of the integrative management of DFUs through two evidence-based case reports.

Methods:  Two patients with DFUs, identified as Wagner grade 2, having had diabetes for 12 years, were treated with individualized homeopathic medicine within a multi-disciplinary approach. Both cases were on oral hypoglycemic agents for managing blood sugar, continued their diabetic medication, and were advised to use regular wound dressings. The DFUs were assessed using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) score at baseline and every 4 weeks until complete wound healing. Neuropathic changes were evaluated by the 10g monofilament tactile test, and the Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy-Causal Attribution Inventory (MONARCH) tool was used to assess the likelihood of there being a causal relationship between clinical improvement and the homeopathic intervention.

Results:  The DFUs showed healing within 12 weeks, with a significant improvement in the PUSH score, though there was no change in tactile sensation as assessed by the monofilament test. The MONARCH tool yielded +9 in both cases, indicating the likelihood of a causal relationship between the clinical outcome and homeopathic intervention. The homeopathic medicines Arsenicum album and Lachesis respectively were found useful by each patient.

Conclusion:  Homeopathy appeared beneficial in facilitating the early healing of DFUs within a multi-disciplinary integrative approach.