Historical Research of Interest
When one reads current journals, or has an opportunity to write for them, there is an emphasis on “current” research. This usually means material published less than eight years prior to writing. However, older research does provide demonstrative and/or reproducible results on the use of homeopathy or can give hints regarding the mechanism by which homeopathy works. Here are five “older” research studies with which you may not be familiar.
Report on Mustard Gas Experiments
In 1941, the British Homeopathic Society approached the U.K. Ministry of Home Security to conduct a test to determine if “potentized gases” could be used in the treatment of casualties caused by contact with “war gases” such as mustard gas. The Ministry supported the project and asked the British Homeopathic Society to undertake the research; the Ministry supplied a solution of mustard gas for these purposes.
A portion of the mustard gas was potentized to 30C. The study was conducted separately in Glasgow and London with a total of 293 volunteers of who approximately half were controls and the other half were administered the potentized mustard gas. The remaining mustard gas was applied to subjects’ arms to determine if the potentized preparation would be an effective prophylactic against the resulting lesions.
Upon visual examination, lesions were dramatically less on volunteers simultaneously treated with potentized mustard gas than on those who received placebo. An independent statistical analysis clearly showed prophylactic use of mustard gas 30C was effective in reducing size and severity of lesions and that Rhus tox 30C was efficacious in treating volunteers after lesions had developed.
The report concluded “... Statistical analysis confirms in a remarkable manner what might have been expected from an acquaintance with homeopathic law, viz. that Rhus tox being similar (homeopathic) would be more efficacious in the treatment of the actual lesion caused by mustard gas; also that mustard gas potency being a like (isopathic) would be more efficacious in the prevention.”
The complete reports appeared in the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy (February and March 1944).
Diabetes Treatment with Alloxan
In 1965, a paper was presented at the Triennial Congress of the International Homeopathic League on research of experimental diabetes treatment with infinitesimal doses of Alloxan. The short presentation, with graphs, reported on a series of trials, using mice and rabbits, that confirmed the effect of infinitesimal doses of alloxan on diabetes in a variety of experimental situations. These included: rapid control of glycemia induced by IV injection of glucose solution using a 7C dilution of alloxan; inhibition of hyperglycemia reaction to injection of alloxan by pretreatment with alloxan 9C; curative treatment with alloxan 9C of diabetogenic injections of alloxan.
Salicylates and Homeopathy in Rheumatoid Arthritis I
In a study on rheumatoid arthritis, 41 patients were treated with salicylates; 54 were treated with homeopathic preparations; and a further 100 patients received placebo. The patients treated with homeopathy did better than those on salicylate treatment, though the single-blind nature of the pilot study made it difficult to determine what effect the homeopathic physicians themselves had on their patients’ illness.
One of the most interesting results was the complete lack of adverse side effects due to the homeopathic treatment in comparison to the 39% of conventionally treated patients who dropped out of the study because of toxic effects. The authors point out that homeopathic treatment can be used for long periods of time with satisfactory results in rheumatoid arthritis while eliminating the concern and problems associated with conventional first line therapy for this disease.
Two-thirds of the homeopathically treated patients showed clinical improvement; however there was no improvement in the patients who received placebo. The authors make scant comment on this fact, but this data clearly debunks the thought that any response from homeopathy is from a placebo effect only.
Salicylates and Homeopathy in Rheumatoid Arthritis II
A follow-up double-blind trial was conducted to answer criticisms of the previous pilot trial (see above). In the follow-up trial, all patients were encouraged to continue their conventional anti-inflammatory medicines; the two homeopathic physicians involved prescribed medicines for all patients who were then randomized by an independent physician into groups receiving homeopathic medicine or placebo.
This trial showed significant improvement in those patients receiving homeopathic medicines in their subjective pain, articular index, stiffness and grip strength. There was no significant change in those receiving placebo. In addition, no difference in results was obtained between the patients treated by the two physicians, thereby indicating that the homeopathic medicines were responsible for the improvements, and not the patient/physician relationship.
As in the follow-up study, no side effects were observed in those patients using the homeopathic medicines. Though this was a small trial (with a total of 46 patients), the authors conclude: “From the data, it therefore appears that homeopathy is a safer and probably no less effective alternative to present day second-line drugs. Since approximately half of all side effects reported annually are due to anti-rheumatic therapy, this in itself is a very important consideration. … It therefore seems important to find some means of making homeopathic knowledge more accessible to the medical profession.”
Research on the Manufacture of Tinctures
In a study on the quality of homeopathic tinctures, authors manufactured a tincture of the plant Holarrena antidysenterica, (Wall.) using six different concentrations of alcohol. All six tinctures were subsequently tested for physical and chemical parameters, including total solids, total ash, alkaloid content, and were subjected to identification testing using thin layer chromatography (TLC). In addition to these standard quality assessments, they also measured the percentage of inhibition of spasmogens-induced contractions on isolated guinea-pig ileum.
The authors determined that while the monograph for the tincture states that it is to be manufactured with “strong alcohol” (95%v/v) the best balance of alkaloid content, stability after six months of storage and physiological response was found in the tincture manufactured with 70% alcohol.
The daily needs of business can distract homeopathic manufacturers from researching the fundamentals of homeopathic production. This is an interesting article in which the authors examine the manufacture of a tincture and its physical, chemical and physiological properties. With the growing application of quality testing and standards through the HPUS and TLC and quality seminars, their approach to optimizing tincture quality and efficacy both confirms the value of such testing and leads the way towards a greater understanding of the tinctures we use every day.
Reprinted from the AAHP NetworkNews May 2002 issue.
References
1. “Report on Mustard Gas Experiments (Glasgow and London).” Br Hom J. (1943 Jan.); 33:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.homp.2011.02.006
2. Cier, A., Boiron, J., and Vingert, M. “Experimental Diabetes Treated with Infinitesimal Doses of Alloxan.” Br Hom J. (1967 Jan.); 56(1):51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-0785(67)80014-0
3. Gibson, R.G., Gibson, S.L., MacNeill, A.D., Gray, G.H., Dick, W.C., and Buchanan, W.W. “Salicylates and Homoeopathy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Preliminary Observations.” Br. J. Clin. Pharmac. (1978 Nov.); 6:391–395. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1978.tb04602.x
4. Gibson, R.G., Gibson, S.L., MacNeill, A.D., and Buchanan, W.W. “Homoeopathic Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evaluation by Double-Blind Clinical Therapeutic Trial.” Br. J. Clin. Pharmac. (1980 May); 9(5):453–459. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1980.tb05840.x
5. Nandi, M. “Alcohol Concentration in the Preparation of Mother Tinctures of Vegetable Origin. The Example of Holarrhena Antidysenterica.” Homeopathy. (2002 Apr.); 91(2):85–88. https://doi.org/10.1054/homp.2002.0006