An Update on Research in Homeopathy
Robert Medhurst | BNat ND DNutr DRM DBM DHom
Homeopathy works . For those of us who use it regularly that ' s an incontestable fact . But for many potential clients our confidence that homeopathy works may not be enough for them to want to use it without some form of objective evidence – evidence of a positive clinical outcome from someone they know and trust , or objective evidence from some other trusted source . While there ' s debate about the validity of the standard clinical trial , it currently serves as a trusted source of evidence and is the generally accepted tool used to assess the effects of a clinical intervention . There is a large body of human , animal , plant and in vitro trials that attest to the effectiveness of homeopathy and homeopathically potentised substances . Following are summaries of some recent examples of that evidence taken from peer-reviewed journals .
Human Studies
1 . Miglani A , Manchanda RK . Azadirachta indica in treatment of acne vulgaris – an open‐label observational study . Indian J Res Homoeopathy , 2014 , 8 , 218-223 . This prospective , non‐randomised , open‐label interventional study was conducted to assess the effect of the homeopathic medicine Azadirachta indica prescribed in increasing potencies from 6C up to 1M in the management of acne in 29 people diagnosed with the disease . The observational period was 6 months . Outcome measures were lesion counts , Global Acne Grading System ( GAGS ) score and Acne‐specific Quality of Life questionnaire ( Acne‐QoL ) scores . Data were analysed using paired t‐test , Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Pearson ’ s correlation tests . At the end of the study it was found that the use of the medicine was associated with a statistically significant improvement in lesion counts , GAGS and Acne QoL score ( P < 0.001 ) but no effect was seen in inflammatory lesions .
2 . Alizadeh Charabandabi SM , Biglu MH , Yousefi Rad K . Effect of Homeopathy on Pain Intensity and Quality Of Life of Students With Primary Dysmenorrhea : A Randomized Controlled Trial . Iran Red Crescent Med J , 2016 , 18 , 9 , e30902 . The objective here was to evaluate an association between homeopathy and pain relief and quality of life improvement in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial with two parallel arms . Fifty-four students with primary dysmenorrhoea residing at the dormitories of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Iran , who had moderate or severe menstrual pain , were randomised to receive either a homeopathic remedy or placebo . The homeopath and participants were blinded to treatment assignment . Primary outcomes were pain intensity and quality of life assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale and short-form 36 ( SF-36 ), respectively , and the secondary outcome was number of analgesic pills used . Each group initially comprised 27 students , with 26 in the homeopathic group and 21 in the placebo group able to be followed up . Compared with the baseline scores , statistically significant improvements were observed in pain intensity ( P = 0.021 ) and physical health ( P = 0.020 ) scores only in the homeopathic group , and in the mental health score in both groups ( P = 0.014 in the homeopathy group and P = 0.010 in the placebo group ).
3 . Nayak D , et al . Managing acute alcohol withdrawal with Homoeopathy : A prospective , observational , multicentre exploratory study . Indian J Res Homoeopathy , 2014 , 8 , 224-30 . This reports the results of a prospective , observational , exploratory , multi-centre trial to assess the role of homeopathy in acute alcohol withdrawal ( AAW ). Individualised homeopathic treatment was provided to 112 patients reporting with AAW . The clinical assessment was done for 5 days using the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Scale of Alcohol‐Revised ( CIWA‐Ar ). At post‐withdrawal phase , the quality of life of patients was assessed at the end of 1st , 3rd and 6th months using the World Health Organisation quality of life scale . The results showed a significant decrease in CIWA‐Ar mean scores and increase in quality of life score ( P < 0.001 ). The medicines most commonly prescribed were Arsenicum album , Lycopodium clavatum , Belladonna , Nux vomica and Pulsatilla .
4 . Kumar M , et al . Use of homoeopathic remedies in the management of learning disabilities . Indian J Res Homoeopathy , 2014 , 8 , 87-94 . The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic usefulness of homeopathy in the management of learning disabilities ( LD ), viz ., dyslexia and dysgraphia . A 3-year randomised double blind case control study was carried out in 3 Marathi‐medium schools in Mumbai on 67 children between ages 8-12 years fulfilling the criteria of LD ( ICD-10 ) for dyslexia and dysgraphia with a minimal observation period of one year . The children , all of whom fulfilled the criteria of LD ( ICD-10 ) for dyslexia and dysgraphia , were studied for a minimal observation period of 1 year . All received remedial education as it is the standard mode of management . Thirty-two children constituted Group I and were
138 | vol29 | no3 | JATMS