Influence of adjunctive classical homeopathy on global health status and subjective wellbeing in cancer patients

A pragmatic randomized controlled trial

Michael Frassemail
, Helmut Friehsemail
, Christiane Thallingeremail
, Narinderjit Kaur Sohalemail
, Christine Marosiemail
, Ilse Muchitschemail
, Katharina Gaertneremail
, Andreas Gleissemail
, Ernst Schusteremail
, Menachem Oberbaumcorrespondenceemailemail
Published Online: March 24, 2015

http://www.complementarytherapiesinmedicine.com/article/S0965-2299%2815%2900037-0/abstract

Summary
Objectives

The use of complementary and alternative medicine has increased over the past decade. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether homeopathy influenced global health status and subjective wellbeing when used as an adjunct to conventional cancer therapy.

Design

In this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, 410 patients, who were treated by standard anti-neoplastic therapy, were randomized to receive or not receive classical homeopathic adjunctive therapy in addition to standard therapy. The study took place at the Medical University Vienna, Department of Medicine I, Clinical Division of Oncology.

Main outcome measures

The main outcome measures were global health status and subjective wellbeing as assessed by the patients. At each of three visits (one baseline, two follow-up visits), patients filled in two different questionnaires.

Results

373 patients yielded at least one of three measurements. The improvement of global health status between visits 1 and 3 was significantly stronger in the homeopathy group by 7.7 (95% CI 2.3–13.0, p = 0.005) when compared with the control group. A significant group difference was also observed with respect to subjective wellbeing by 14.7 (95% CI 8.5–21.0, p < 0.001) in favor of the homeopathic as compared with the control group. Control patients showed a significant improvement only in subjective wellbeing between their first and third visits.

Conclusion

Results suggest that the global health status and subjective wellbeing of cancer patients improve significantly when adjunct classical homeopathic treatment is administered in addition to conventional therapy.
Keywords:
Cancer, Homeopathy, Additive homeopathy, Global health status, Subjective well being

A bridge between homeopathy and molecular biology?

Gelsemium sempervirens effects in vitro: A bridge between homeopathy and molecular biology?

https://www.hri-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/HRI_ResearchArticle_26_Winter_2014.pdf

Debora Olioso, Marta Marzotto, Clara Bonafini, Paolo Bellavite
Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona

Introduction
Recent studies conducted in human/animal cells 1-4 have suggested that homeopathic remedies may have an effect on the gene regulation, initiating a cascade of gene actions to correct the disorder or disease at a cellular level. We have focused our attention on the possible
gene modulation effect of Gelsemium sempervirens , a traditional medicinal plant employed in phytotheraphy and homeopathy as a nervous system relaxant to treat various types of anxiety, pain, headache and other ailments. Previous investigations in our laboratory 5 have
shown a significant anxiolytic-like activity of Gelsemium s . high dilutions in mice emotional models. To follow up on the above evidence, we further investigated the Gelsemium s
. mechanism of action in in-vitro neuronal  models in order to asses the effects of a wide range of
drug dilutions on whole genome expression 6-7 . For this gene expression study we used sensitive microarray and real-time PCR techniques, able to survey the whole human transcriptome and specific genes of interest respectively. In our case the high-throughput microarray
analysis assisted by bioinformatics could provide a strong clue as to the mechanism of action and the biological relevance of ultra-low doses, whereas the real-time PCR was useful in order to validate the microarray data and to further investigate a narrow group of genes, i.e. a panel
of human neurotransmitter receptors and regulators, involved in neuronal excitatory signaling. To further investigate the possible mechanisms of gene regulation, we also analysed the possible effect of Gelsemium s. on the methylation status of a group of genes involved in mental disorders.
The chief innovation in our experimental design is that it employs a wide range of doses/dilutions: from low dilutions (2c or 3c), where the active substances can still be expected to exert their normal pharmaceutical action, to high dilutions (9c or 30c), where the most controversial
principles of high dilution pharmacology come into play. We think that this type of investigation may be useful to start building a bridge between the more subjective point of view of symptomatology – basis of the homeopathic remedy choice – and a more accurate and objective
one, consisting in the identification of specific molecular markers related with the disease and the prescribed remedy.

Experimental setup Global changes in gene expression produced by exposure to high dilutions of
Gelsemium s . extracts in human neuroblastoma cells were investigated by and real-time
PCR techniques; the methylation analysis was conducted with a PCR Array. Cells were incubated for 24h with the 6 dilutions of Gelsemium s.: 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 9c and 30c, produced by
Boiron Laboratoires, according to the French Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia. Four replicate experiments were carried out under identical conditions.

Results
Using microarray analysis, we observed that the diluted drug Gelsemium s . 2c significantly modulates the expression of 56 genes (49 were downregulated and 7 upregulated) involved in neuronal functions (G-protein coupled receptor signalling pathways, calcium
homeostasis, inflammatory response and neuropeptide receptors). The expression of these genes also decreased significantly, although with small changes, after treatment with medium dilution (3c, 4c and 5c) and high dilutions of Gelsemium s 9c and 30c. In the study conducted using the real-time PCR technique (RT-PCR Array) 7 exposure of a human neurocyte cell-line to
Gelsemium s . 2c dilution, containing the active principle gelsemine, induced a down-regulation of most genes of this array. In particular, the treated cells showed a statistically significant down-regulation of the prokineticin receptor 2, whose ligand is a neuropeptide involved in nociception (ability to sense pain), and in depression-like behavior. In the latter study, the 9c dilution was not
active. The difference between the two gene-expression studies 6-7
is probably due to technical factors: while real-time PCR is the “gold standard” for gene expression analysis of specific genes or small groups of genes,
microarray is a powerful screening method for the whole genome and in our conditions exhibited higher sensitivity, detecting extremely low dose effects. In the epigenetic study the Gelsemium s
. 2c treatment induced an increased methylation of the homeobox A1 gene (HOXA1), which has a role in neural development and autism spectrum disorders. The mean methylation frequency after treatment with Gelsemium s . 2c was 53% compared to 28% for the controls (p=0.008).
The increased level of methylation could indicate a reduced gene expression of this autism related gene.
Conclusions
The results of this study, conducted with three different techniques, provided evidence that
Gelsemium s. exerts a prevalently inhibitory effect on a series of genes across a wide dose-range. The results suggest the extreme sensitivity of human gene expression to regulation by
ultra-low doses and high dilutions/dynamizations of a plant remedy and encourage further efforts in research on this field. Studies using sensitive genetic approaches may be particularly suitable for surveing of the effects of highly diluted natural compounds and for the identification of specific molecular markers related with the disease.
Acknowledgements
Experimental work was supported by grants from Boiron Laboratoires to Verona University – Department of Pathology and Diagnostics and from Italian Research Ministry. The authors have no conflicts of interest.

References
1. Sunila ES, Kuttan R, Preethi KC, Kuttan G. Dynamized preparations in cell culture.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2009; 6 :257-263.

2. Hofbauer R, Pasching E, Moser D, Frass M. Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor expression in KATO-III cells after Helicobacter pylori stimulation under the influence of strychnos
Nux vomica and Calendula officinalis. Homeopathy 2010; 99 :177-182.

3. Mukherjee A, Boujedaini N, Khuda-Bukhsh AR. Homeopathic Thuja 30C ameliorates benzo(a)pyrene-induced DNA damage, stress and viability of perfused lung cells of mice in vitro.
J Integr Med 2013; 11 :397-404.

4. Sikdar S, Mukherjee A, Ghosh S, Khuda-Bukhsh AR. Condurango glycoside-rich components stimulate DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest and ROS-mediated caspase-3 dependent apoptosis through inhibition of cell-proliferation in lung cancer, in vitro and in vivo.
Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2014; 37 :300-314.

5. Magnani P, Conforti A, Zanolin E, Marzotto M, Bellavite P. Dose-effect study of Gelsemium sempervirens in high dilutions on anxiety-related responses in mice. Psychopharmacology
2010; 210(4) :533-45

6. Marzotto M, Olioso D, Brizzi M, Tononi P, Cristofoletti M,
Bellavite P. Extreme sensitivity of gene expression in human
SH-SY5Y neurocytes to ultra-low doses of Gelsemium
sempervirens.
BMC Complement Altern Med
2014;
14
:104.
7. Olioso D, Marzotto M, Moratti E, Brizzi M, Bellavite P. Effects
of Gelsemium sempervirens L. on pathway-focused gene
expression profiling in neuronal cells.
J Ethnopharmacol
2014;
153(2)
:535-9

Jury Clears Homeopathy

Federal jury clears producer, marketer, and seller of homeopathic products in $255m class … Tucker Ellis

“Bell testified about her scientific studies in multiple chemical sensitivity and homeopathy, including how “nanoparticles” and “nanobubbles” can have an effect in biological cells. Dr. Bell opined, “It is very clear that nanoparticles in low doses are capable of capable of creating hermetic effects…similar to vaccine.” Dr. Bell explained how “hormesis” is a medical principle that describes how small doses of a substance can trigger the opposite effect of high doses of the same substance.”

USA September 18 2015

In a class action of importance to producers, marketers, and sellers of homeopathic products, on Friday, September 18, 2015, a federal jury in the false advertising trial of Allen, et al. v. Hylands, Inc., et al., Case No. 2:12-cv-01150 (“Hylands”) took less than a day to find defendants did not breach any express warranty or violate the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California Civil Code sections 1750 et seq.

The putative class plaintiffs sued defendants Hylands, Inc. and Standard Homeopathic Company alleging they made false and misleading representations about the effectiveness of the active ingredients in 12 homeopathic products produced, marketed, and sold by the defendants throughout the United States.

Homeopathic products are derived from botanical, mineral or biological substances and are classified as either over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicines. In contrast to conventional (allopathic) medicines, homeopathic remedies are predicated in part on the “principle of dilutions” under which active ingredients are thought to be more clinically useful or effective when they are significantly diluted, typically with purified water or an alcohol solution.

Homeopathic remedies and their packaging are not reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Homeopathic remedies, however, are classified as drugs under, and subject to, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and thus, must comply with the labeling requirements of the Act. The FDA has stated that it is not aware of any scientific evidence that homeopathic products are effective.

Back in August 2014, a California federal district court judge certified a nationwide class of purchasers of 10 of the products covering February 2008 to the present. The plaintiffs claimed defendants’ 12 homeopathic products, including some intended for infants and children, did not work as advertised because they were so diluted that the ingredients were “effectively non-existent” and the products were therefore not effective for their intended uses. The plaintiffs also alleged the homeopathic products labeling claims of “100% Natural,” “All Natural,” and “Natural” were untrue as the products purportedly contained synthetic chemicals, synthetically derived or chemically reduced elements, artificially produced elements, and/or dangerous or potentially dangerous ingredients.

The trial in Hylands spanned approximately two weeks and included expert testimony from both sides. Plaintiffs’ expert, Dr. Noel Rose, the director of John Hopkins’ Center of Autoimmune Disease Research testified as a medical expert, having reviewed materials provided by the plaintiffs’ counsel, as well as his own research into clinical and compilation studies, expert reports, published journal reports and the Hyland’s products and their labels. Dr. Rose stated, “[In] my opinion, there is no sound scientific or medical evidence that they provide any benefit to patients with medical conditions, such as those described and indicated on the labels, beyond the placebo effect.”

Defendants kicked off their defense by calling Dr. Iris Bell, a former Harvard psychiatry instructor and holder of a doctorate degree from Stanford University in neuro- and biobehavioral sciences who has consulted with Highlands, Inc. to design clinical trials. Bell testified about her scientific studies in multiple chemical sensitivity and homeopathy, including how “nanoparticles” and “nanobubbles” can have an effect in biological cells. Dr. Bell opined, “It is very clear that nanoparticles in low doses are capable of capable of creating hermetic effects…similar to vaccine.” Dr. Bell explained how “hormesis” is a medical principle that describes how small doses of a substance can trigger the opposite effect of high doses of the same substance.

Although the plaintiffs initially sought full refunds worth $350 million, plaintiffs’ counsel wrapped up closing arguments with a demand of $255 million for allegedly tricking consumers into purchasing “simple sugar pills” that provide no medical benefit. The jury of six women and three men did not agree, and needed less than a day to deliberate.

Tucker Ellis – Ronie M. Schmelz, Matthew I. Kaplan and Ndubisi Ezeolu

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7d9b009a-e041-422c-b9cc-bb0437958523

Management of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Management of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections by Different Medical Practices, Including Homeopathy, and Consumption of Antibiotics in Primary Care: The EPI3 Cohort Study in France 2007–2008

Lamiae Grimaldi-Bensouda,1,2,* Bernard Bégaud,3 Michel Rossignol,4,5 Bernard Avouac,1 France Lert,6 Frederic Rouillon,7 Jacques Bénichou,8,9 Jacques Massol,10 Gerard Duru,11 Anne-Marie Magnier,12 Lucien Abenhaim,13,14 and Didier Guillemot15,16
C. Mary Schooling, Editor
Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ►
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Go to:
Abstract
Background

Prescribing of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) varies substantially in primary care.
Objectives

To describe and compare antibiotic and antipyretic/anti-inflammatory drugs use, URTI symptoms’ resolution and occurrence of potentially-associated infections in patients seeking care from general practitioners (GPs) who exclusively prescribe conventional medications (GP-CM), regularly prescribe homeopathy within a mixed practice (GP-Mx), or are certified homeopathic GPs (GP-Ho).
Method

The EPI3 survey was a nationwide population-based study of a representative sample of 825 GPs and their patients in France (2007–2008). GP recruitment was stratified by self-declared homeopathic prescribing preferences. Adults and children with confirmed URTI were asked to participate in a standardized telephone interview at inclusion, one-, three- and twelve-month follow up. Study outcomes included medication consumption, URTI symptoms’ resolution and potentially-associated infections (sinusitis or otitis media/externa) as reported by patients. Analyses included calibration to account for non-respondents and groups were compared using multivate analyses adjusting for baseline differences with a propensity score.
Results

518 adults and children with URTI (79.3% rhinopharyngitis) were included (36.9% response rate comparable between groups). As opposed to GP-CM patients, patients in the GP-Ho group showed significantly lower consumption of antibiotics (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27–0.68) and antipyretic/anti-inflammatory drugs (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38–0.76) with similar evolution in related symptoms (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.64–2.10). An excess of potentially-associated infections (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 0.90–3.20) was observed in the GP-Ho group (not statistically significant). No difference was found between GP-CM and GP-Mx patients.
Conclusion

Patients who chose to consult GPs certified in homeopathy used less antibiotics and antipyretic/anti-inflammatory drugs for URTI than those seen by GPs prescribing conventional medications. No difference was observed in patients consulting GPs within mixed-practice. A non-statistically significant excess was estimated through modelling for associated infections in the GP-Ho group and needs to be further studied.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3960096/

WWNLD What Would Nobel Laureates Do?

What Nobel Laureates said on Homeopathy June 5, 2012 · homeopathy

homeopathiccures ♦ October 5, 2015 ♦ Leave a comment

by Dr. Nancy Malik BHMS

Nobel laureates, doctors, scientists, professors and science writers had plenty to say on homeopathy.

Nobel Laureates agreed that there’s strong evidence for Homeopathy [click to tweet]. Homeopathic remedies act as they are supposed to. By the end of year 2013, there have been 5 Nobel laureates in support of Homeopathy, 1 in opposition and 857 have not stated any opinion on Homeopathy.

1. Emil Adolf von Behring (1905)

The Father of Immunology

Emil Adolf von Behring (1854–1917) won the first Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1901 for his discovery of the diphtheria antitoxin.

FATHER OF IMMUNOLOGY Emil Behring asked to suppress his successful work on Homeopathy. He discovered that homeopathic medicine enhances immunogenic activity. Behring wrote: “Samuel Hahnemann was right when he took his starting point in the symptoms of patients.”

Ref: Coulter, Harris L, Divided Legacy: A History of the Schism in Medical Thought, Volume IV: Twentieth-Century Medicine: The Bacteriological Era. The North Atlantic Books, Berkley, 1994, p. 96

In 1892 Behring actually experimented with serial (homeopathic) dilutions and found paradoxically enhanced immunogenic activity, but he was advised to suppress this experiment due to the aid and comfort it would provide to homeopaths. Only after he won the Nobel Prize did he feel comfortable in making public these experiments. In 1905, Behring admitted that colleagues remonstrated with him not to make such remarks public ‘since it was grist for the mill of homeopathy’.

Ref: ibid p.97

Behring broke from orthodox medical tradition by recognizing the value of the homeopathic law of similar in 1905

Ref: Dana Ullman http://bit.ly/HdOryq

He asserted that vaccination is, in part, derived from the homeopathic principle of similars. “In spite of all scientific speculations and experiments regarding smallpox vaccination, Jenner’s discovery remained an erratic blocking medicine, till the biochemically thinking Pasteur, devoid of all medical classroom knowledge, traced the origin of this therapeutic block to a principle which cannot better be characterized than by Hahnemann’s word: homeopathic. Indeed, what else causes the epidemiological immunity in sheep, vaccinated against anthrax than the influence previously exerted by a virus, similar in character to that of the fatal anthrax virus? And by what technical term could we more appropriately speak of this influence, exerted by a similar virus than by Hahnemann’s word “homeopathy”? I am touching here upon a subject anathematized till very recently by medical penalty: but if I am to present these problems in historical illumination, dogmatic imprecations must not deter me….only the road of Homeopathy lead to my goal.”

Ref: Behring, A. Emil von, Moderne phthisiogenetische und phthisoitherapeutische: Probleme in historischer Beleuchtung. Margurg: Selbsteverlag des Verfassers, 1905, http://bit.ly/YVpoZs

Behring concludes, ‘If I were confronted with a hitherto incurable disease and could see no way to treat it other than with homeopathy, I can assure you that I would not be deterred from following this course by dogmatic considerations’.

Ref: http://sueyounghistories.com/archives/2008/07/08/emil-adolf-von-behring-and-homeopathy-2/

2. Brian David Josephson (1997)
Nobel Laureate – Physics 1973

Nobel Laureate – Physics 1973

“Simple-minded analysis may suggest that water, being a fluid, cannot have a structure of the kind that such a picture would demand. But cases such as that of liquid crystals, which while flowing like an ordinary fluid can maintain an ordered structure over macroscopic distances, show the limitations of such ways of thinking. There have not, to the best of my knowledge, been any refutations of homeopathy that remain valid after this particular point is taken into account.”

Dr. Brian D. Josephson’s (Emeritus Professor, University of Cambridge) responding to an article in the New Scientist (October 18, 1997) Ref: How Homeopathic Medicines Work: Nanopharmacology At Its Best 3. Luc Antoine Montagnier (2009)

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008

“Nobel Laureate Luc Montagnier is to science what homeopathy is to medicine” ~Nancy Malik

Interdisciplinary Sciences: Life Sciences (SpringerL­ink)
Nanostructures in highly diluted biological samples of bacteria and virus DNA produces electromagnetic signals (2009) FULL TEXT

Luc Montagnier observed that potentised bacteria and virus DNA sequence emits electro-magnetic signals (low frequency radio waves) at 5C and 6C potencies and forms specific nano-structures which lasts 48 hours and are responsible for the EM effects measured. The EM signature changed with dilution levels but was unaffected by the initial concentration and remained even after the remaining DNA fragments were destroyed by chemical agents. However the EM signal was sensitive to heat over 70 degrees C and freezing -80 degrees C. Not only that, DNA sequences were recreated from its EM signature in pure water. That means EM signals were transmitted to pure water (that never had a DNA in it) placed in a container nearby in 18 hours. He reproduced his results 12 times.

Discussion on Luc Montagnier paper by Society of Homeopaths, Institute of Science in Society,Homeopathy World Community

Dr. Luc Montagnier, the French virologist said about homeopathy, “High Dilutions of something are not nothing…”

Nobel laureate Montagnier says homeopathic medicine is “real” phenomenon & Benveniste is today’s Galileo

Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier escapes intellectu­al terrorism and he currently works as a full-time professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University in China. He, in an interview in Science (24 Dec 2010) said, “”I am told that some people have reproduced Benveniste’s results (showing effects from homeopathic doses), but they [Europe] are afraid to publish it [homeopathy] because of the intellectu¬¬al terror from people who don’t understand it.” He concluded the interview by saying, “These are real phenomena which deserve further study.”

It shows intellectu­al terror the so-called science puts up on homeopathy and homeopaths

Water has a memory

Nobel Prize Winner does homeopathic study; with supportive findings.

Nobel Prize winner reports effects of homeopathic dilutions

Luc Montagnier delivered talk on “Electromagnetic Waves & Water Properties” in UNESCO Headquarter on 8th Oct 2014

4. Ervin Laszlo (2004)
Hungary

Twice nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2004/5

“Water has a remarkable capacity to register and conserve information, as indicated by, amongst other things, homeopathic remedies that remain effective even when not a single molecule of the original substance remains in a dilution”,

-Dr. Ervin Laszlo, Professor of ‘Systems Theory’ and the author of book ‘Science and the Akashic Field’, 2004, p. 53.

5. Rabindranath Tagore (1936)
indian writer

Nobel Prize in Literature 1913

“I have long been an ardent believer in the science of Homeopathy and i fell happy that it has got now a greater hold in India than even in the land of its origin. It is not merely a collection of a few medicines but a real science with a rational philosophy as its base. We require more scientific interest and inquiry into the matter with special stress upon the Indian environment.”

Ref: Bagchi, A. K. Rabindranath Tagore and His Medical World. New Delhi: Konark Publishers, 2000

6. Mother Teresa (1950)
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu

Nobel Peace Prize 1979

Mother Teresa added homeopathic care to the services at her missions. She opened her first charitable homeopathic dispensary in Calcutta in 1950. At present, four charitable homeopathic dispensaries are run under the guidance of the Mother’s Missionaries of Charity

Ref: Dana Ullman, The Homeopathic Revolution: WhyFamous people and cultural heroes love homeopathy

7. Mahatma Gandhi (1936)

Nominated 5 times Nobel Peace Prize between 1937-1948

“Homeopathy is the latest and refined method of treating patients economically and nonviolently. Government must encourage and patronize it in our country. Late Dr. Hahnemann was a man of superior intellectual power and means of saving of human life having a unique medical nerve. I bow before his skill and the Herculean and humanitarian labour he did. His memory wakes us again and you are to follow him, but the opponents hate the existence of the principles and practice of homeopathy which in reality cures a larger percentage of cases than any other method of treatment and it is beyond all doubt safer and more economical and the most complete medical science.”
-Mahatama Gandhi, 30 Aug 1936

Ref: Das, 1950; All India Homeopathic Medical Conference, 1968, http://sueyounghistories.com/archives/2009/07/26/mohandas-karamchand-gandhi-1869-%E2%80%93-1948/

“Homeopathy is the most modern and the most intelligent way to economically and nonviolent sick to treat. The government must promote in our country and support.”

-Ghandi cited in Martin Schmitz (ed.), Strömungen der Homöopathie, KVC Verlag Essen, Essen 2002

Gandhi also persuaded people to study homeopathy

https://drnancymalik.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/nobel-prize-winners-on-homeopathy/

A report on the use of homeopathic treatment in patients with depression and anxiety.

Altern Ther Health Med. 1997 Jan;3(1):46-9.

Davidson JR1, Morrison RM, Shore J, Davidson RT, Bedayn G.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Homeopathy is a well-established therapeutic system with potential relevance to psychiatry, but as yet it is largely untested.
OBJECTIVE:

To report the use of homeopathic treatment in patients with depression and anxiety.
METHODS:

Individually selected homeopathic remedies were used on an outpatient basis to treat 12 adults who had major depression, social phobia, or panic disorder. The patients either requested homeopathic treatment or received it on a physician's recommendation after partial or poor response to conventional therapies. Duration of treatment was 7 to 80 weeks. Response was monitored by using a clinical global scale (n = 12), the self-rated SCL-90 scale (n = 8), and the Brief Social Phobia Scale (n = 4).
RESULTS:

Overall response rates were 58% according to the clinical global improvement scale and 50% according to the SCL-90 or the Brief Social Phobia Scale.
CONCLUSIONS:

Homeopathy may be useful in the treatment of effective and anxiety disorders in patients with mildly to severely symptomatic conditions.

Homeopathy and ACUTE TRAUMA PTSD and addictions etc... published from HPathy 2015

ACUTE TRAUMA PTSD

REMEDIES

• Aconite (as above)
• Androctonos (Scorpion)

ANDROCTONOS

• Over confidence
• potentially dangerous, either to self or to others.
• A sense of adolescent omnipotence, of invulnerability emerged.
• Contemptuous. Want of moral feeling.
• Quarrelsome. Unsympathetic.
• Deceitful and defiant.
• Delusion they are going to be assaulted.
• Malicious with desire to injure.
• Cruel and unfeeling.
• Cold knife-edged violence, desire to stab things.
• Suspiciousness.
• Fear of one’s own impulses.

Lack of control.

• Uncontrollable emotions. Or: complete inability to express emotions; can’t weep.
• Wants to control others.

One of the main features of the remedy is a total lack of guilt and remorse, unfeeling. This is more so than in Anacardium which is more like snake remedies in that there is a strong sense of duality.

CONCLUSIONS:

• The Swiss government has determined that homeopathy is the most cost effective method of medical treatment for ‘ambulatory’ patients.

• “From 1999 to 2005, 5 methods of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) applied by physicians were provisionally included in the mandatory Swiss basic health insurance. Within this process, an evaluation of cost-effectiveness is required.”

• Homeopathy was one of the five methods and it turns out that it is the most cost effective, more than conventional medicine or any other complimentary medicine. Patients reported a better quality of the patient-physician relationship and fewer adverse side effects than with all other complementary medical approaches.

• The positive general conclusion of the study was: “This study uses a health system perspective and demonstrates at least equal or better cost-effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in the setting of Swiss ambulatory care. CAM can therefore be seen as a valid complement to conventional medicine within Swiss health care.”

• The study “Comparison of swiss basic health insurance costs of complementary and conventional medicine” was published in PubMed. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22189362 “Statistical procedures show similar total practice costs for CAM and COM, with the exception of homeopathy with 15.4% lower costs than COM.”

Homeopathy may not be easy, but it’s cheap!

About the author

Elena Cecchetto

Elena Cecchetto DCH, CCH, HMC, RSHom(NA), MSc (Cand)
El Cecchetto is on the founding board of Side by Side Homeopathy, a group of Homeopaths who are helping people in the Downtown Eastside with any of their health concerns. Some of the common complaints she helps people to address include anxiety, PTSD, depression, migraines, digestion concerns and insomnia. Her most happy moments are when she hears back from new parents about getting the colic, teething, nursing, sleeping, coughing, and rashes successfully addressed with homeopathic care. Her Homeopathic Pediatrics studies have been supported by extra conferences with Dr. Sunil Anand and Louis Klein.

El makes is very involved in Homeopathic associations such as the West Coast Homeopathic Society (WCHS), the BC Society of Homeopaths (BCSH) and the Canadian Society of Homeopaths (CSH).

Homeopathy for addictions, trauma and old-standing grief... continued from HPathy

GRIEF AND LOSS:

REMEDIES

• Ignatia
• ‘Papa’

Ignatia part:

CASE: “My wife just died (3 months ago). Aches in back of neck and shoulder. The grief is way worse than anything. There’s anger, confusion, loss, despair – all at once… the first week, all I did was cry. We made it through everything. That’s what we wanted. To live old and die old together. I’m not accepting of it yet. Denial. Blame myself. anger.”

IGNATIA:

Mental conditions change rapidly, in an incredibly short time, change from joy to sorrow, from laughing to weeping, moody. Persons mentally and physically exhausted by long , concentrated grief.

A year and two months later:

“My wife died last Feb. I did drugs for five months, then came here… I think about her all the time, miss holding her hand. Smells remind me of her. I’ve been everywhere in the city with her. Coffee shops. etc… all I see is my death. I am very violent when I’m on drugs. I rob people, hurt people. I have a head injury from a big chunk of glass. It opened my skull. April 2, 2010 (two months prior). I think it did brain damage. I hurt myself sometimes, subconsciously. Gets me out of myself, stop thinking of her…. I don’t care how I come out of it. I’m very strong – I just use my knuckles. I got attacked by a gang of 20 people. They had bats and bars. I walked away… I welcomed death at that time”

Remember the description of opium earlier? Strength in the face of danger…

PAPA (OPIUM) (NUMBED)

• Withdrawal, especially after emotional or physical shocks [fright, shame, sight of an accident, reproaches, head injury, surgery].
• Unaffected by external impressions; or boldness and fearlessness..
• Worse Heat; better cold.
• All secretions suppressed [ie. constipation], except perspiration.
• No pain.
• Needs stimulants (coffee, alcohol, heroin)

OR!

AGITATED!

Heroic measures. Bold actions in the face of danger (adrenaline – pumped physical feats).

INSOMNIA (AGITATED)

REMEDIES

• Avena
• Opium/Papa (as above)
• Coffea (as above)

AVENA:

Improves the nutrition of brain and nervous system. It is useful therefore in nervous exhaustion; debility after exhausting diseases. Nervous tremors of the aged, Inability to keep the mind fixed on any one subject. Bad effects of Morphine habit.

Insomnia.

For our client (C.F.) for her insomnia… she gets up 3-4 times a night. It’s from the pain. It’s been like this for years. Will have a cigarette each time she gets up.

OBSERVATIONS: She is very sleepy and lethargic. She is talking a lot but not really saying much. Fibromyalgia, swelling. Hot showers help for about half an hour afterwards. We gave her Avena and Apis and then Kali carb. She reported that the Avena is helping for the sleep. First time she’s slept only getting up once a night instead of 3 or 4 times a night. Sleeping longer (four hours).

Homeopathy and people with a history of trauma and addictions .. continued from HPathy publication→

Follow up – feeling on top of the world. Talks about reconnecting with his sister. Constipation is not bad. Digestion is good. Appetite is good. Talks about quitting smoking. Only two cigarettes today. … he called to pass on the message that he did really well at the treatment centre and has been reunited with his family and is doing great. Said to say thank you to the homeopaths.

Panic attacks, anxiety/restlessness/agitation/anger/irritability

REMEDIES

• Stramonium
• Aranea
• Tarentula
• Carbo veg (as above)
• Nux (as above)

STRAMONIUM (AGITATED/but can see it in numbed state)

Mostly – if not then staring (eyes off kilter):

Violence and violent fears.

• Worse darkness; better light.
• Worse alone; better company.
• Suppressed secretions.
• Spasmodic affections; recurrent.

ARANEA (AGITATED)

CASE: He presents as very restless. Has anxiety. “Do I speak really quickly? Can you understand me? Go, go, go, comes out in the way I talk. Tried to read out loud yesterday. Not breathing between sentences. Like holding my breath. Need to slow down. Take a deep breath. Confusion. Discombobulated. All these thoughts. Trying to assemble them. Can find the words but can’t get them out. My brain is like mush. Pains – neck, limbs, knees ankles and especially hands. I’ve seen a lot of violent things that the human mind isn’t supposed to see. Worst dream ever last night. Crying when I woke up. A vicious attack. Traumatic. Stunned. Petrified. Like a deer in headlights. Had to wake myself up in it. I was seeing myself die, or almost. I’ve lived a crazy life. Could write a book or a movie. Sold drugs on the street. Chaos, death, destruction, tragedy, trauma… Wants children. Two miscarriages then my girlfriend had a baby but both she and the baby died.”

ARANEA:

Frantic restlessness and ailments from unrequited love and pain in the hands. Foggy headed. Sleep restless, with frequent waking, and always with a sensation as if hands and forearms were swollen and heavy.

Next time we see him (two weeks later), he says he is happy. So we give him some of the rx to bring with him (aranea 220C)

TARENTULA:

• fidgeting, very jittery, knees bouncing, hand spinning, rubbing fingers]
• He says – “I’m a bit irritable, hyper, can’t sit still. Can’t concentrate, I pace around. Like a dog that’s jumping up and wants to go for a walk or begging for food. He’s trying to quit smoking… he says – it’s like somebody keeps nagging at you, knocking at your door. Your mind goes 100 miles an hour.”

Constant movement of the legs, arms, trunk, with inability to do anything; twitching and jerking of muscles. Restlessness, could not keep quiet in any position; must keep in motion, though walking agg. all symptoms.

Amelioration: In open air; music; rubbing affected parts. Termini of nerves became so irritated and sensitive that some kind of friction was necessary to obtain relief.

Side by Side Homeopathy - Hpathy Ezine, November, 2015 | Clinical Cases • Homeopathy Papers • Materia Medica

Homeopath Elena Cecchetto reports on her experiences using homeopathy in a community of homeless and substance addicted people. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of homeopathy in situations where there is extreme need but there are very few resources.

Introduction:

I went to school at Vancouver Homeopathic Academy with Murray Feldman graduating in 2007. When I was in my fourth year of school, I did a project on using homeopathy for substance misuse. This work was inspired by the troubles my partner at the time was going through. I was asked by a woman who worked for the Portland Hotel Society if I would be interested in doing that kind of work for the people in Vancouver’s DownTown EastSide (DTES).

The area is known as a downtown Vancouver area covering a few block radius where the police turn a blind eye to drugs being used and dealt very openly. It’s a very densely populated area where there are many marginalized, homeless and substance addicted people.

Portland Hotel Society (PHS) is a Canadian non-profit society created in 1993 to provide advocacy, housing and various services for the marginalized citizens of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. It had approximately 451 staff and supports, 1,153 rooms (AKA SROs-Single Residency Occupancy hotels – old hotels that are used as living spaces in the DTES). PHS is also famous for opening North America’s first legal supervised-injection site called INSITE.

PHS began by converting old local hotels to housing for homeless people and named the first one after the American city of Portland, Oregon due to its reputation for aiding homeless people.

Once I graduated I put in a proposal to the executive director but it didn’t go forward at that time. Less than a year later, I was working with a homeopath who also held a ‘doctor’ title before his name and I told him he should give it a try. We were able to get on the PHS’s good side and were allowed to offer homeopathy to their clients. Then a group of more than 20 homeopaths started the non-profit group called Side by Side Homeopathy back in 2008 to volunteer with the marginalized populations of Vancouver in the DTES.

We now have three ‘pods’ (different DTES PHS locations) that we send our homeopaths to. Each pod gets a team of two homeopaths one half day weekly or every second week.

At the POD that I work at (ONSITE which is above the injection site called INSITE) we’ve been consistently seeing approximately 200 people per year. There, we are using homeopathy for acute and chronic trauma, PTSD, constipation, digestive concerns (and other detox-like symptoms), anxiety/restlessness, anger/irritability, grief/loss, insomnia, liver problems and acute and chronic pain.

Case Examples:

(Excerpts from Materia Medica are taken from Vermeulen’s Synoptic unless otherwise noted.)

This was one of our very first clients and we were being observed by the social worker staff member of PHS to see what it was we were going to actually do. Along with another homeopath I started asking some questions of our first client. She’s was an obese, elderly woman hooked up to an oxygen machine because she suffered from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Crack was her drug of choice and it sends her into panic attacks. Neither of us had seen a client this fragile with such a deep chronic illness as COPD in our regular private practice. Luckily she described to us what she needed and what she felt like during those panic attacks. “I Couldn’t breathe – felt like I wasn’t getting enough air”. We could see in that she was slouched. I thought she was going to slip down out of her wheelchair. She looked clammy, grey and like she was trying to use the least energy to exist. After hearing her tell us that she needed to have the window open no matter how cold it is in the room or outside – that she wanted the air blown directly on her face, we just turned and looked at each other and it was decided… Find The Carbo Veg!

CARBO-VEG Allen’s KEYNOTEs:

-desire to be fanned (air on her face)

-Hippocratic pallor (grey clammy look)

-craves things that do themselves harm (her drug of choice gives her panic attacks)

THE STATES

When I was doing my project in the fourth year, I theorized that it would be relatively easy to do homeopathy for that population. I had watched documentaries on addictions and on the DTES and saw some very distinct characters and characteristics. Mainly the impression I got is that there is that raw state – the uncompensated state – they are who they are – been through so much – they have no energy for keeping up pretenses or ‘compensating’. Some of this is true. At ONSITE, the POD that I volunteer at, most of the people that we see are fresh off injectibles as their drugs of choice.

Prescribing on ‘THE STATE’ fresh from detoxing from various injectibles…

1. ACUTE / IN AGITATION

Everything is very immediate and sudden. There is a lot of restlessness, nervousness, they are very tense, they have a very wide eye response with a feeling of imminent danger/threat to someone/something. Distrust is common.

REMEDIES

– aconite, arnica, arsenicum, carb-v, opium, nux-v, ign, liver rxs, stram, gels,

Aconite:

Great fear, anxiety and worry accompany every ailment, however trivial. Forebodings and fears. Delirium characterised by unhappiness, worry, fear, raving, rarely unconsciousness. Fears death, but believes that he will soon die; predicts the day. Fears the future, crowds, crossing busy streets; of touching others passing by; fear of loss of reason. Restlessness, tossing about. Tendency to start. Imagination acute, clairvoyance.

• Stupefaction alternating with restlessness
• self soothing mechanism for substance users

Nux Vom: (Agitated)

• Fastidious, ambitious, irritable, malicious, violent, hurried.
• Worse Early morning [unrefreshed, irritable, depressed, pains].
• Very chilly. Pains better heat.
• Craving for stimulants.
• Cramped states.
• Strong urge; ineffectual urging; feeling as if not finished. Pains and urging for stool.

2. NUMBED

Everything seems unreal, there is a pronounced lack of reaction, there is an element of escapism, heroic efforts, ANGER (reserved).

REMEDIES

opium, the solonaceaes (belladonna, hyos, helleborous), staphysagria, phos-ac, natrums

Phos Acid:

Emaciation with suffering expression and sunken eyes. Twitching here and there, agg. lower limbs. Epilepsy. Discomfort after eating, with anxiety. Dullness of head and limbs as after intoxication or loss of sleep. Think of them as burning through or burnt out.

Nitric Acid:

Pains: sticking, pricking as from splinters; suddenly appearing and disappearing; Sensation: of a band around head, around the bones. broken – down constitutions. After continued loss of sleep, long – lasting anxiety; over – exertion of mind and body from nursing the sick; anguish from the loss of his dearest friend; indifference; tired of life;

Opium/Papa (Numbed)

• Withdrawal, especially after emotional or physical shocks [fright, shame, sight of an accident, reproaches, head injury, surgery].
• Unaffected by external impressions; or boldness and fearlessness.
• Snoring respiration.
• Worse Heat; better cold.
• All secretions suppressed [ie. constipation], except perspiration.
• No pain.

Needs stimulants (coffee, alcohol, heroin

3.CHRONIC SUFFERER

Trauma (discrimination), abuse, injuries, ANGER (expressed or reserved).

The state has a stronger hold on them. It is more complex and a deeper part of them at this point.

REMEDIES

• alum, natrums, the lacs, ANGER (EXPRESSED), androc, latrodrectus, some snake remedies.

Chief Complaints (agitated and/or numbed) Matching to… the Homeopathic Remedies’ state.

Treating the Drugs’ States:

• methadone
• Suboxone
• Clonazepam (benzo)
• Xanax
• Respiradone
• Trazedone
• Prozac
• Divalproacz (was for seizures, bipolar (epival)
• zoplaclone

Numbed states, joint pains, nightmares, foggy head, tired feeling, OR nervous/jittery feeling, constipation, diarrhea, other digestive complaints…

DIGESTIVE COMPLAINTS

• Nux vom (agitated) impatient, irritable, hurried
• Opium (numb)
• Sulphur

Agitated. hurried. Sharp pains. extreme. Burps and tastes of sulphur. Can’t eat. Needs to lie down. Lying down helps. Sharp cramps in right side. Two hours after eating. Quickly. Pain, burping & gas. Worse from dairy. Takes lactaid but it doesn’t help. Sulphur 30C single dry dose followed by Sulphur 6X in RSB every second day for two weeks. Follow up after two weeks. Less indigestion, haven’t been burping, no burps, stomach not cramping anymore. Just better generally. Sleep is great.

ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN

ACUTECHRONIC

ArnicaArnica

Rhus toxCamphor

BryoniaCrot casc

Methadone

A case example of Crot Casc for agitated/restlessness and pain in the ribs (hernia).

CASE: “Constant. Like a knot. Size of an egg”. He broke his leg in 5 places. “Head injury. Sucker punched. Never saw it coming. Spit out teeth. ‘took it like a champ’.” He has a heart murmur. Is on methadone. Has constipation and sleep problems. So we give Arnica and some methadone 6C in RSB daily. Follow up – he has had a heart attack. Feeling better than before the heart attack. He had felt like it was heart burn. Burning & squeezing feeling. Wants to quit smoking. He talks about nasty dreams. Violent dreams. Flying dreams. Colours in his dreams. Green. It is about people being two faced and about being lied to. There is a duality within him where he is joking with us but also very serious. He is loquacious and he is flirting with us.

We give crot casc 220C dry doses.

More - to be posted... in future posts.

https://hpathy.com/materia-medica/side-side-homeopathy/