Research Updates: homeopathy

Relton C and colleagues, University of Sheffield, Medical Care Research Unit, School of Health & Related Research, Regent Court, Regent Street, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK  c.relton@sheffield.ac.uk  discuss ways to promote clarity in design, reporting and interpretation of homeopathy research. ... more

Thompson EA and colleagues, Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, Bristol, UK elizabeth.thompson@ubht.nhs.uk  report findings from a pilot data collection study within a programme of quality assurance, improvement and development across all five homeopathic hospitals in the UK National Health Service (NHS). ... more

RELTON and co-workers, HSR, Sheffield School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK,  c.relton@sheffield.ac.uk, have conducted a pilot study on patients treated by homeopaths. ... more

RUTTEN and STOLPER, The Netherlands have analyzed the findings of published met-analyses in 1997 and 2005 which reached opposite conclusions. ... more

DOS SANTOS and others, Faculdade de Ciencias da Saude de Sao Paulo, R. Bartolomeu de Gusmao, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, have assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of the homeopathic remedy, Rhus Tox (poison ivy).

MATHIE and FARRER, Faculty of Homeopathy and British Homeopathic Association, Hahnemann House, Luton LU1 3BE, UK, rmathie@trusthomeopathy.org, have carried out a pilot study of homeopathic prescribing in dental practice.

MOJAVER and co-authors, Department of Oral Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Dental School, Rafsanjan, Iran, Yalda_n_m@Yahoo.com, have studied the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia with homeopathy.

FONNEBO and BAUM, NAFKAM, University of Tromso, Norway, Vinjar.Fonnebo@fagmed.uit.no, report that a letter to the NHS has stimulated an international dialogue on CAM research.

Abstract: Prompted by the open letter by 13 prominent British scientists to National Health Service (NHS) trusts questioning the use of homeopathy, Vinjar Fonnebo MD PhD and Michael Baum MB ChM FRCS MD(Hon) entered into an e-mail exchange about the issues of research and documentation of practices in ‘complementary’, ‘alternative’, and ‘integrated’ medicine. The paper presents the whole exchange unedited. Researchers who are well-acquainted with the field benefit from discussing and challenging, and will achieve a clearer understanding of both the opinions of the others as well as their own positions. ... more

JOHNSON and BOON, University of Toronto, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, ON, Canada, have reviewed (84 references) the question of where homeopathy fits into pharmacy practice.

Abstract: Homeopathy has been the cause of much debate in the scientific literature with respect to the plausibility and efficacy of homeopathic preparations and practice. Nonetheless, many consumers, pharmacists, physicians, and other health care providers continue to use or practise homeopathic medicine and advocate its safety and efficacy. As drug experts, pharmacists are expected to be able to counsel their patients on how to safely and effectively use medications, which technically includes homeopathic products. Yet many pharmacists feel that the homeopathic system of medicine is based on unscientific theories that lack supporting evidence. Since consumers continue to use homeopathic products, it is necessary for pharmacists to have a basic knowledge of homeopathy and to be able to counsel patients about its general use, the current state of the evidence and its use in conjunction with other medications. ... more

FREI and co-authors, Swiss Association of Homeopathic Physicians, Lucerne, Switzerland, have commented on methodological aspects of a randomized trial of homeopathy in children with ADHD. ... more

TEIXEIRA, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, has studied the principle of similitude in iatrogenic events.

Abstract: Samuel Hahnemann attributed fundamental importance to the principle of similitude. Observing that enantiopathic or allopathic treatment produced enduring aggravation of the disease symptoms after a brief and transitory initial relief, he systematised homeopathic treatment, prescribing substances that provoke similar symptoms in healthy individuals. Based on clinical and experimental observations, he anticipated the concept of homeostasis, dividing the effects of substances into primary action of the medicine followed by secondary action or reaction of the organism. This reaction, known as the rebound effect or paradoxical action in modern pharmacology, which is used to awake the curative response of the body when the principle of similitude is applied, is responsible for several iatrogenic diseases when used on the basis of the principle of contraries. This study discusses the role of this paradoxical reaction of the organism in the fatal side effects of four important drugs, used according to the model of allopathic treatment of the symptoms. The author presents evidence relating to Aspirin, rofecoxib, antidepressants and long-acting bronchodilators. The consequences of the allopathic treatment could be decreased if health professionals valued homeostasis, minimising the rebound effect of the organism by gradual termination of drug treatments. ... more

ROBINSON, Barton House, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3EQ, UK, doctortwrobinson.com, has studied responses to homeopathic treatment in an NHS general practice. ... more

ROBINSON, Barton House, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3EQ, UK, has analyzed the responses to homeopathic treatment in general practice. ... more

AMMERSCHLAGER and colleagues, Facharzt fur Allgemeinmedizin, Aschaffenburg, Germany, have compared a homeopathic remedy (Euphorbium compositum nasal drops SN) and an allopathic one in the treatment of sinus infection. ... more

THOMPSON and co-workers, Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, Bristol, UK, have carried out a pilot study of homeopathy for the symptoms of oestrogen withdrawal in breast cancer survivors. ... more

BELTON and WEATHERLEY-JONES, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK, c.relton@sheffield.ac.uk, have audited the homeopathy service in an NHS menopause clinic. ... more

WITT and colleagues, Institut fur Sozialmedizin, Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsokonomie, Charite-Universitatsmedizin, Berlin, Claudia.witt@charite.de, have found that high homeopathic potencies are different from potentized solvent. ... more

BAUMGARTNER and colleagues, Kollegiale Instanz für Komplementärmedizin, Universität Bern, Insel-Spital, Imhoof-Pavillon, Bern, Switzerland, s.baumgartner@hiscia.ch, have demonstrated that homeopathic potencies of plant growth substances stimulate the growth of dwarf peas. ... more

LADE and co-workers, Coventry City Primary Care Trust, Christchurch House, Greyfriars Lane, Coventry, CV1 2GQ, UK, karen.slade@doctors.org.uk, have evaluated a GP based homeopathy service. ... more

BELL and co-workers, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA, ibell@u.arizona.edu, have investigated individual differences in response to randomly assigned active individualized homeopathic treatment in fibromyalgia. ... more

BELL and others, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA, ibell@u.arizona.edu, have found a way to distinguish patients with fibromyalgia who respond exceptionally well to homeopathic remedies using electroencephalograms. ... more

STEINSBEKK and FONNEBO, Institutt for Samfunnsmedisin, Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenkapelige Universitet, Medisinsk – Teknisk Forskningssenter, 7489 Trondheim, Norway, aslak.steinsbekk@medisin.ntnu.nor, have surveyed the users of homeopathy in Norway. ... more

THOMPSON, department of General Practice, University of Glasgow, UK, trevor.thompson@bristol.ac.uk, reflects on the application of qualitative research methods to the design of case studies in homeopathy. ... more

TVEITEN and BRUSET, Baerumsveien 451, 1346 Gjettum, Norway, datveite@online.no, have studied the effect of Arnica D30 in marathon runners. ... more

VICKERS and SMITH, Integrative Medicine, Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA, have reviewed (16 references) the use of homeopathic Oscillococcinum for preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like syndromes. ... more

BELL and co-workers, Department of Psychiatry, Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, ibell@u.arizona.edu, report on a trial of individualized homeopathic remedies in fibromyalgia patients. ... more

BELL and colleagues, Department of Medicine and Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, 85724-5153, USA, ibell@u.arizona.edu, have described bio-psycho-social-spiritual correlates of the strength of the vital force in homeopathy within a complex systems context ... more

MCCARNEY and colleagues, Department of Psychological Medicine, Imperial College London, Room 4.06, Paterson Centre, 20 South Wharf Road, London W2 1PD, have reviewed (23 references) homeopathy for chronic asthma. ... more

MERCER and REILLY, Section of General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, 4 Lancaster Crescent, Glasgow G12 0RR, Scotland, UK, stewmercer@blueyonder.co.uk, present a qualitative study on patients' views of the consultation at the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital. ... more

VAN WASSENHOVEN and IVES, Unio Homoeopathica Belgica, 132 Chaussee de Bruxelles, 1190 Brussels, Belgium, have published an observational study of patients receiving homeopathic treatment. ... more

THOMPSON and REILLY, Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 0XQ, UK, elizabeth.thompson@ubht.swest.nhs.uk, present a prospective observational study on the homeopathic treatment of symptoms of oestrogen withdrawal in breast cancer patients. ... more

TRICHARD and others, Laboratoire BOIRON, 20 rue de la Liberation, Sainte-Foy Les-Lyon 69 110, France, etudes-economie@boiron.fr, have carried out a study of the practice of homeopathic general practitioners in France. ... more

JAIN, Kingfisher Medical Centre, South East London, UK, asha.jain@gp-985020.nhs.uk, has asked the question whether homeopathy reduces the cost of conventional drug prescriptions in general practice. ... more

KOCZIAN and KOELNEI present a history of homeopathy in Hungary between 1820 and 1990. After Hahnemann's discovery of homeopathy, the theory found enthusiastic followers in Hungary. A first generation of practitioners including Pal Almasi Balogh, Jozsef Bakody, and Gyoergy Forgo established successful practices although the doctrine had been banned by the Habsburg Empire in 1819. The so-called second generation which included Ferenc Hausmann and Istvan Vezekenyi Horner had Hahnemann's main work translated into Hungarian, and the first homeopathic hospitals were founded in 1833 and 1838. In 1837, the order banning homeopathy was rescinded, and in 1844 the Hungarian parliamanet decided to establish a homeopathic department at the University of Pest. In 1847, Doeme Argenti published his extraordinarily successful book 'Homeopathic Treatment of Varius Illnesses'. In the 1860s, a new generation of homeopathic physicians including Tihamer Almasi Balogh, Lorant Hausmann, Abraham Szontagh and others, published the first homeopathic periodicals and founded the Society of Hungarian Homeopathic Physicians. In 1870 the homeopathic hospital, the Elisabethinum, opened, and at the University of Pest two different homeopathic departments began to operate. At the end of the 19th century, homeopathy entered into a period of decline due to the resistance of conventional physicians and the success of conventional medicine. Between the two World Wars, Gusztav Schimert and his circle sustained the theory and practice in Hungary. After the Second World War, Schimert emigrated, and homeopathy was informally banned in Hungary although the practice survived in secret. It was not until 1991 that the Society of Hungarian Homeopathic Physicians was re-established. ... more

MATHIE, Faculty of Homeopathy, 15 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1R 0AA, UK, rmathie@trusthomeopathy.org, has reviewed (116 references) the research evidence for homeopathy. ... more

JACOBS and colleagues, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA, jjacobs@igc.org, have analyzed the results from three randomized controlled trials of homeopathy for childhood diarrhoea. ... more

BELL and colleagues, Program ion Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724-5153, USA, ibell@u.arizona.edu, have studied homeopathic practitioner views of changes in patients using constitutional treatment for chronic disease. ... more

OBERBAUM and co-workers, Institute of Research on Complementary Medicine and The Center of Integrated Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zadek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, oberbaum@netvision.net.il, have reviewed (27 references) clinical trials of classical homeopathy and reflected on appropriate research designs. Abstract: The difficulties encountered in attempting to study complementary medicine using methods developed for conventional medicine are the result of the different paradigms underlying the two different branches of medicine, and the differences in the healing processes. This paper suggests two possibilities of studying homeopathy using conventional research methodology. One is the randomization into placebo and treatment group after an individual remedy has been chosen for each patient. This method requires an experienced homeopath and is reproducible only by the same homeopath in the same population. However the success rate can be expected to be high. Another method is the prescription according to keynotes, a set of symptoms known to respond to a particular remedy. This method is more suitable to a conventional design of clinical studies and can be reproduced by anyone. The expected success rate is however much lower. Some general considerations that may have particular relevance to homeopathy are discussed including the need for sufficiently high powered trials to detect relatively small effects, strategies to manage patient preference, and embracing the use of 'active control' pragmatic trial designs. ... more

OBERBAUM and colleagues, The Center of Integrated Complementary Medicine Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, oberbaum@szmc.org.il, present a case series on homeopathic treatment in emergency medicine. ... more

STEINBEKK and FOENNEBOE, Department of Community Medicine and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norwaym aslak.steinsbekk@medisin.ntnu.no, have surveyed users of homeopathy in Norway in 1998 and compared them to previous users and GP patients. ... more

WHITMARSH, Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 9UY, Scotland, UK, tom.whitmarsh@virgin.net has reviewed (9 references) homeopathy in multiple sclerosis. Abstract: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the Central Nervous System. No definitive treatment exists to halt the almost inevitable decline in function and accumulation of disability over the years in sufferers. Management is largely of symptoms which arise variably in the course of the illness. Problems such as urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, cramps and spasms, tremor and trigeminal neuralgia can often be helped to some extent by conventional therapies. There are some commonly reported symptoms such as fatigue or emotional lability for which there are no generally accepted conventional treatments. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is often used by MS sufferers, and some studies in this area are summarized. It is interesting to reflect on what this CAM use says about what MS sufferers really need from their carers. Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital has about 100 admissions a year of MS sufferers and aims at an integrated response to their distress. A homeopathic approach is of particular benefit in MS. By its nature, it is a whole-person approach and takes account of the minutiae of the sufferer's life. This is discussed, and some examples of treatment for commonly encountered symptoms are given. ... more

SMITH and colleagues, Loma Lux Laboratories, Tulsa, OK, USA, ssmith@lomalux.com, evaluated the effects of a homeopathic mineral therapy in patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis and/or chronic dandruff . ... more

SMITH, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide University, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, Australia, SA 5006, caroline.anne.smith@adelaide.edu.au, reviewed (15 references) literature reporting on randomized controlled trials of homeopathy for use during the third trimester of pregnancy to aid cervical ripening or induce labour . ... more

BERREBI and colleagues, Federation of Gynecologie-Obstetrique, Service de Pharmacie, CHU La Grave, 31052 Toulouse Cedex, France, investigated the efficacy of a homeopathic treatment in inhibiting lactation in new mothers unable or not wanting to breast feed. ... more

OBERBAUM and colleagues, The Institute of Research on Complementary Medicine, The Center of Integrated Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, P. O. Box 3235, Jerusalem 91031, Israel, oberbaum@netvision.net.il, assessed the efficacy of a homeopathic remedy, TRAUMEEL S(R), in the management of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth) in children and young adults undergoing bone marrow transplantation . ... more

RILEY and colleagues, University of New Mexico Medical School, Albuquerque, USA, dsriley@integrativemed.org, compared the effectiveness of homeopathy in primary care with conventional medicine in primary care for three commonly encountered clinical conditions . ... more

AABEL and colleagues, Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, Department of General Practice, University of Oslo, Norway attempted to reproduce the previously reported positive results of a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of homeopathic solutions. ... more

MILGROM and colleagues, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK attempted to reproduce the differences in low resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T2 spin-spin relaxation times between homeopathically potentized and unpotentized nitric acid solutions previously reported by Conté et al . ... more

RICHARDSON-BOEDLER, reviewed (29 references) data and literature on the source of the homeopathic remedy Tarentulal hispanica and found evidence to indicate that the 'official medicinal source' is incorrect. ... more

LONG and ERNST, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Studies, University of Exeter, UK, L.Long@exeter.ac.uk reviewed (45 references) the clinical evidence for and against the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines in the treatment of osteoarthritis . ... more

STAM and colleagues, Regulatory Affairs Department, VSM Geneesmiddelen bv, Alkmaar, The Netherlands compared the efficacy and tolerability of the homeopathic gel Spiroflor SRL gel (SRL) with that of Cremor Capsici Compositus FNA (CCC) in treating low-back pain . ... more

WALACH and colleagues, Department of Environmental Medicine and Hygiene, University Hospital Freiburg, Germany, walach@ukl.uni-freiburg.de followed up patients who had taken part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of classical homeopathy on chronic headaches to determine the long-term effects 1 year later . ... more

ATTENA and colleagues, Istituto di Igiene e Medicina Preventiva, Facolta di Medicina, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Italy evaluated homeopathy by investigating its impact in primary health care, i.e. its impact on outpatients to a homeopathy centre. ... more

VICKERS and SMITH, Integrative Medicine, Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA, andrewline@earthlink.net evaluated data from placebo-controlled trials of the homeopathic medicine Oscillococcinum or similar medicines investigating its efficacy in the prevention or treatment of influenza and influenza-like symptoms . ... more