ARTICLE
of influenza-like illness in India during the 2009 pandemic of A / H1N1 influenza (‘ swine flu ’, SF ) with respect to : ( a ) patients ’ symptoms at presentation and at follow-up ( FU ) consultation , and ( b ) homeopathic medicines prescribed . Data collection took place from October 2009 to February 2010 , at the peak of the pandemic . All patients satisfying the minimum diagnostic symptoms of SF were eligible for inclusion . Data per appointment ( in person or by telephone ) were recorded by practitioners in spreadsheet format . All records were included regardless of whether the patient was immunised against A / H1N1 : influenza symptoms at consultation , the homeopathic medicine / s prescribed , or whether antiviral medicine was prescribed . Twenty-three homeopathic physicians contributed to data collection . At the first appointment , 1126 patients had valid SF symptoms . A total of 89 different combinations of SF symptoms was observed , the most common being temperature > 38 _ C + cough + runny nose ( n = 170 ; 15.1 %). A total of 44 different homeopathic medicines ( or combinations of medicines ) were used at these first appointments , the most frequently prescribed being Arsenicum album ( n = 265 ; 23.5 %). For a total of 99 FU appointments with valid SF symptoms , Arsenicum album was prescribed most frequently overall ( n = 28 ; 28.0 %).
Animal Research
1 . Patil CR , et al . Modulation Of Arthritis In Rats By Toxicodendron Pubescens And Its Homeopathic Dilutions . Homeopathy , 2011 , 100 , 131-137 . Rhus tox ( Toxicodendron Pubescens ) is commonly prescribed in homeopathy for inflammatory joint disorders . This study was designed to confirm these effects experimentally and determine if the homeopathic potency of the medicine influenced these effects . Rats that were destined to develop arthritis were pretreated with one of five forms of Rhus tox - the crude substance , 3C , 6C , 30C and 200C . Asessment was made using clinical symptoms , haematology , C-reactive protein assay and blinded radiology . All of the homeopathic potencies and the crude preparation were shown to be effective , with the highest level of activity being seen in the crude form of Rhus tox at a dose of 10mg / kg per day .
3 . Junior RP , et al . Morphometry of White Muscle Fibers and Performance of Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) Fingerlings treated with Methyltestosterone or a Homeopathic Complex . Homeopathy , 2012 , 101 , 154-158 . The Nile tilapia is a popular farmed table fish and scientists from various universities in Brazil tested a homeopathic combination product against methyltestosterone or a negative control to determine whether or not the homeopathic combination had an anabolic effect and affected survival rates . A total of 4800 post-larval fish were randomly assigned by tank to receive one of three treatments : negative control , homeopathic combination , or 17-alpha-methyltestosterone , supplemented in the feed for 28 days . At the end of the study it was found that fish treated with the homeopathic combination had improved survival and muscle fibre hypertrophy , but were smaller ( probably related to increased survival and overcrowding ) compared to fingerlings treated with synthetic hormone or control .
Plant Research
1 . Jager T , et al . Comparative Study of Two Bioassays with Weakened Duckweed and Yeast Treated with Homeopathic Preparations . Homeopathy , 2014 , 103 , 1 , 71 . Swiss and German researchers in this study examined the hypothesis that more complex organisms show stronger reactions to homeopathic medicines than less complex ones by comparing the response to two homeopathic preparations of Arsenic ( As5 +) stressed bioassays with duckweed ( Lemna gibba , a multi-cellular autotrophic organism ) and yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae , a singlecellular heterotrophic organism ). For duckweed , growth rates of leaf area and leaf number were evaluated . For yeast , growth kinetics were determined by measuring slope , yield and Et50 ( point in time when yield was half maximum ) of the sigmoid growth curve . The experiments with duckweed and yeast were performed in parallel ( same day , same location and identical homeopathic preparations ). After screening 17 substances , three homeopathic preparations ( Arsenicum album , nosode , and Gibberellic acid ) were chosen for a repeated experimental series . Five independent experiments were conducted for each medicine with both organisms in parallel . Potency levels used were in the range of 17X to 33X for duckweed and 17X to 30X for yeast . To control for test system stability , systematic negative control experiments were conducted over the complete experimentation period . All experiments were blinded and randomised . The systematic negative control experiments did not yield any significant effects . The application of potentised Arsenicum album in the duckweed bioassay yielded the largest effects compared to water controls without medicines for the parameters , leaf area and leaf number ( p < 0.001 ). Potentised nosode preparations also had significant effects on duckweed ’ s leaf area and leaf number ( p < 0.01 ). Growth was enhanced across all potency levels . In the yeast system the three homeopathic medicines did not show any significant effects on any growth curve parameter . The results obtained are in line with the hypothesis that more complex organisms show stronger reactions to homeopathic remedies than less complex organisms .
146 | vol27 | no3 | JATMS