Research - Arthritis
Effect of Homoeopathic treatment on Activity of Daily Living (ADL) in Knee Osteoarthritis: A prospective observational study
FF Motiwala1, Tapas Kundu1, Kamlesh Bagmar1, Vijay Kakatkar2, Yogesh Dhole2
1 Head of Department of Organon of Medicine, Motiwala Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
2 Ramakrishna Orthopedic Hospital and Research Centre, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the effect of individualized homoeopathic medicines in improving ADL by reducing pain, stiffness and limiting the disease progress.
Materials and Methods: 131 consecutive patients with OA of knee were recruited and followed up for minimum period of twelve months. Two orthopaedic surgeons diagnosed the disease based on clinical examination of the patients. Three trained homoeopathic physicians prescribed individualized homoeopathic simillimum and the patients were evaluated for pain on WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index LK3.1 (IK) survey form measuring pain, stiffness and ADL. The pain was also measured on Numerical pain rating scale for confirmation.
Result: Individualized homoeopathic medicines prescribed as per law of similia improved the mean ADL from 35.85 to 19.08 (p- 0.0001). Mean pain on WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index survey form improved from 10.50 to 5.48 (p-0.0001). The mean pain score on NRS improved from 6.34 to 3.77 (p-0.0001) and the mean morning stiffness also improved from 4.55 to 2.18 (p-0.0001).
Conclusion: Homoeopathic medicines have potential to improve the ADL of OA patients by reducing pain and stiffness and limiting progress of the disease without any adverse systemic effects and can safely be employed as a comprehensive health care therapeutics.
Source : Indian Journal of Research in Homeopathy
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Role of homoeopathic mother tinctures in rheumatoid arthritis: An experimental study
Surender Singh1, Ritu Karwasra1, Prerna Kalra1, Rohit Kumar1, Shalu Rani1, Debadatta Nayak2, YK Gupta1
1 Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2 Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi, India
Abstract
Objectives: The objective of present preliminary study was to assess the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-arthritic effect of some homoeopathic mother tinctures viz. Ricinus communis (RCMT), Rauwolfia serpentina (RSMT), Bellis perennis (BPMT), Curcuma longa(CLMT), Terminalia arjuna (TAMT) and Tribulus terresteris (TTMT).
Materials and Methods: Paw oedema was induced by administration of 0.1ml 1% carrageenan in normal saline into right hind paw. Degree of inflammation was evaluated according to paw swelling. Arthritis was induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) injection in metatarsal footpad of Wistar albino rats.
Result: Curcuma longa and Tribulus terresteris mother tinctures reduced hind paw swelling decreased the paw volume in Carrageenan treated rats. Thus, revealed potent activity against inflammation. All homoeopathic mother tinctures showed peripheral analgesic activities in hot plate induced thermal algesia in mice.
Source : Indian Journal of Research in Homeopathy
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Anti-rheumatoid and anti-oxidant activity of homeopathic Guaiacum officinale in an animal model
Amrita Sarkar, Poulami Datta, Asok Kumar Das, Antony Gomes
Abstract
Background
Homeopathy is a popular form of complementary and alternative medicine. Guaiacum extract is said to be useful for pain and inflammation, but there appears to be no scientific evidence to support this.
Aims
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-rheumatic and anti-oxidant activity of homeopathic preparations of Guaiacum officinale (Gua) on experimental animal model.
Design
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was induced in male albino rats by Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) at a dose of (0.25 mg heat killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis/ml of emulsion). Gua mother tincture (MT) (prepared from the latex part of the plant) (MT), Gua 30cc and 200cc were purchased commercially from King Company, Kolkata, India. Male albino Wistar rats (130 ± 10 g) were divided into 6 groups: Sham control; Arthritis control; Standard treatment indomethacin (0.25 mg 100 g−1 p.o. × 5 alternative days), Gua MT (1 ml kg−1 p.o. × 5 days) treated; Gua (30c 1 ml kg−1 p.o. × 5 days) treated; Gua (200c; 1 ml kg−1 p.o. × 5 days) treated. Anti-rheumatic activity was examined through physical, urinary, serum parameters. All the results were expressed in terms of mean ± SEM (statistical error of mean n = 6) at each dose level. The level of significance was determined through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
It was observed that body weight, ankle and knee diameter, urinary parameters (hydroxyproline (OH-P), glucosamine, calcium (Ca2+), creatinine (CRE), phosphate (PO43−)), serum ACP (acid phosphatase)/ALP (alkaline phosphatase)/Ca2+/CRE/PO43−/gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)/Lipid peroxidation (LPO)/Glutathione (GSH)/Superoxide dismutase (SOD)/Catalase, serum GGT, serum interleukins like IL-1β/CINC-1/PGE2/TNF-α/IL-6, IL-12/IL-4/IL-6 levels were significantly affected. After treatment with Guaiacum in all 3 regimes was associated with normalization of these parameters compared to control group.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that homeopathic G. officinale possesses anti-rheumatic and anti-oxidant activity in experimental animal and these activities may be more significant in higher potencies.
Source : Homeopathy Journal
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A Modern Homeopathic Medication Works as well as COX 2 Inhibitors
Relieving pain and reducing inflammation are the cornerstones of pharmaceutical therapy for osteoarthritis
of the knee. Depending on the patient’s symptoms, treatment may be either systemic or topical and may in-
clude peripherally active analgesics, anti-inflammatories such as COX 1 or COX 2 inhibitors, topical steroids,
hyaluronic acid, and therapeutic injections of local anesthetics.1 More and more physicians, however, are
prescribing alternative therapeutic measures.
In homeopathy, for example, potentized extracts of Rhus toxicodendron, Solanum dulcamara, and Sanguinaria canadensis are used to relieve the pain and inflammation of rheumatic conditions. These three ingredients are combined with Arnica montana and sulfur in the homeopathic medication Zeel® comp. N (tablets).
A previous controlled, double-blind clinical study proved that the clinical efficacy of this combination medica-
tion is equivalent to that of COX 1 inhibitors in treating mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee.2, 3 The
purpose of the present study is to compare the efficacy of Zeel® comp. N and COX 2 inhibitors.
Source : Del Allgemeinarzt
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HOMOEOPATHIC THERAPY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: EVALUATION BY DOUBLE-BLIND CLINICAL THERAPEUTIC TRIAL
R. G. GIBSON, SHEILA L. M. GIBSON, A. D. MacNEILL & W. WATSON
BUCHANAN
The Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital and The Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, University Department of Medicine, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland
1 Twenty-three patients with rheumatoid arthritis on orthodox first-line anti-inflammatory
treatment plus homoeopathy were compared with a similar group of twenty-three patients on
orthodox first-line treatment plus an inert preparation.
2 There was a significant improvement in subjective pain, articular index, stiffness and grip strength
in those patients receiving homoeopathic remedies whereas there was no significant change in the
patients who received placebo.
3 Two physicians were involved in prescribing for the patients and there were no significant
differences in the results which they obtained.
4 No side effects were observed with the homoeopathic remedies.
Source : Br. J. clin. Pharmac. (1980), 9, 453-459
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