ARTICLE
Homeopathic research update
Robert Medhurst | BNat ND DHom daily for 4 weeks of either a placebo , or a combination of the Cat saliva and Histaminum , and attended a follow-up consultation at the end of weeks 2 and 4 . The measurement tool used was the SPT , conducted at the beginning and at the end of the study . The active medicine produced a statistically significant reduction in the wheal diameter of the cat allergen SPT at the end of week 4 . The placebo group showed no statistically significant change .
Regardless of the belief of some that there ' s no evidence for homeopathy , the evidence continues to appear . Following are some recent examples from the scientific journals .
Human Research
1 . Malapane E , Solomon EM , Pellow J . Efficacy of a Homeopathic Complex on Acute Viral Tonsillitis . J Altern Complement Med . 2014 ; 20 ( 11 ): 868- 873 . This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a homeopathic complex on the symptoms of acute viral tonsillitis in children in South Africa using a randomised , double-blind , placebocontrolled design . Thirty children aged 6 to 12 years and diagnosed with acute viral tonsillitis were recruited from a primary school in Gauteng , South Africa . Participants took two tablets containing a homeopathic combination four times daily for 6 days . The treatment group received lactose tablets medicated with the homeopathic combination ( Atropa belladonna 4X , Calcarea phosphoricum 4X , Hepar sulphuris 4X , Kalium bichromat 4X , Kalium muriaticum 4X , Mercurius protoiodid 10X , and Mercurius biniodid 10X ). The placebo consisted of unmedicated lactose tablets . Symptoms were assessed using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale measured pain intensity , and a Symptom Grading Scale . The results showed that the treatment group had a statistically significant improvement in the following symptoms compared with the placebo group : pain associated with tonsillitis , pain on swallowing , erythema and inflammation of the pharynx , and tonsil size .
2 . Mourao LC , et al . Additional Effects of Homeopathy on Chronic Periodontitis : A 1-year Follow- Up Randomized Clinical Trial . Complement Ther Clin Pract . 2014 ; 20 ( 3 ): 141-146 . Periodontology experts from Brazil tested the hypothesis that homeopathy ( H ) enhances the effects of scaling and root planing ( SRP ) in patients with chronic periodontitis ( CP ). To do this , 50 patients with CP were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups : SRP ( C-G ) or SRP + H ( H-G ). Assessments were made at baseline and after 3 and 12 months of treatments . The local and systemic responses to the treatments were evaluated by clinical and serologic parameters , respectively . After analysing the results it was found that both groups displayed significant improvements , however , using clinical attachment gain and reductions in HDL , LDL and total cholesterol , triglycerides , glucose and uric acid , from baseline to 1 year , as criteria for treatment success , H-G performed significantly better than C-G .
3 . Naidoo P , Pellow J . A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study of Cat Saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH in Cat Allergic Adults . Homeopathy . 2013 ; 102:123-129 . A team from the University of Johannesburg conducted a study designed to determine the effect of Cat saliva 9C and Histaminum 9C ( combined ) on cat allergic adults . A total of 30 participants with a positive test result for a cat allergy skin prick test ( SPT ) were recruited to a double-blind , randomised , placebo controlled clinical trial . Participants took two tablets twice
4 . Rossi E , et al . Long-Term Results in Children with Atopic Dermatitis . Homeopathy . 2012 ; 101:13-20 . Researchers from Tuscany in Italy studied the sociodemographic features and the results of homeopathic treatment for atopic diseases in children . This was an observational longitudinal study carried out on 213 children with atopic diseases out of 551 children consecutively examined from September 1998 to December 2008 . The team used the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome
Score to evaluate the results that were classified on the basis of a Likert scale . Eighty-three ( 39 %) children were affected by asthma , 51 ( 24 %) by allergic rhinoconjunctivitis , 76 ( 36 %) by atopic dermatitis ( AD ) and 3 ( 1 %) by food intolerance . A total of 104 children were available for follow-up and 65 ( 62.5 %) of them reported a major improvement or resolution . The parents of paediatric patients suffering from AD , who had started homeopathic treatment at < 4.9 years of age were invited to a follow-up assessment 8 years later and 40 children ( mean age 12.9 ) were examined ; 28 / 40 ( 70 %) showed a complete disappearance of AD , 12 / 40 children ( 30.0 %) were still affected by AD ; 8 / 40 ( 20 %) had asthma ; and 8 / 40 patients had , or developed , allergic rhinitis .
5 . Bell IR , et al , Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Effects of Homeopathic Remedies on Multiscale Entropy and Correlation Dimension of Slow Wave Sleep EEG in Young Adults with Histories of Coffee-induced Insomnia . Homeopathy . 2012 ; 101:182-192 . Iris Bell and a team of researchers from the University of Arizona investigated
90 | vol27 | no2 | JATMS