Research - Depression
Homeopathic medical practice for anxiety and depression in primary care: the EPI3 cohort study
- Lamiae Grimaldi-Bensouda
- Lucien Abenhaim,
- Jacques Massol,
- Didier Guillemot,
- Bernard Avouac,
- Gerard Duru,
- France Lert,
- Anne-Marie Magnier,
- Michel Rossignol,
- Frederic Rouillon,
- Bernard Begaud and
- for the EPI3-LA-SER group
Abstract
Background
The purpose of the study was to compare utilization of conventional psychotropic drugs among patients seeking care for anxiety and depression disorders (ADDs) from general practitioners (GPs) who strictly prescribe conventional medicines (GP-CM), regularly prescribe homeopathy in a mixed practice (GP-Mx), or are certified homeopathic GPs (GP-Ho).
Methods
This was one of three epidemiological cohort studies (EPI3) on general practice in France, which included GPs and their patients consulting for ADDs (scoring 9 or more in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS). Information on all medication utilization was obtained by a standardised telephone interview at inclusion, 1, 3 and 12 months.
Results
Of 1562 eligible patients consulting for ADDs, 710 (45.5 %) agreed to participate. Adjusted multivariate analyses showed that GP-Ho and GP-Mx patients were less likely to use psychotropic drugs over 12 months, with Odds ratio (OR) = 0.29; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.19 to 0.44, and OR = 0.62; 95 % CI: 0.41 to 0.94 respectively, compared to GP-CM patients. The rate of clinical improvement (HADS <9) was marginally superior for the GP-Ho group as compared to the GP-CM group (OR = 1.70; 95 % CI: 1.00 to 2.87), but not for the GP-Mx group (OR = 1.49; 95 % CI: 0.89 to 2.50).
Conclusions
Patients with ADD, who chose to consult GPs prescribing homeopathy reported less use of psychotropic drugs, and were marginally more likely to experience clinical improvement, than patients managed with conventional care. Results may reflect differences in physicians’ management and patients’ preferences as well as statistical regression to the mean.
Source : BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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The Effects of Homeopathic Medicines on Reducing the Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Randomized, Double Blind and Placebo Controlled
Mandana Bagherian*, Adis Keraskian Mojembari and Mohammad Hakami
Department of Psychology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
Background: Anxiety and depression are two of the most prevalence psychological disorders in the world.
Objective: This study investigates the effects of homeopathic medicine on reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Method: According to the procedure, thirty patients (twenty female and ten male) with the mean age of 45 (range 22-67) were selected randomly and classified in two experimental and controlling groups. The patients were evaluated based on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)-Y. The Pretest – posttest, and follow-up pattern was designed, homeopathic remedies were used and analysis of covariance with repeated measures is used for data analysis.
Results: Findings depict significant differences (P<0.01) between two stages of intervention and sustaining of this effectiveness is shown in following-up procedure.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that homeopathic therapy can be used as an effective method to treat anxiety and depression disorders.
Source : Journal of Traditional Medicine and Clinical Naturopathy
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Individualized Homeopathic Treatment and Fluoxetine for Moderate to Severe Depression in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women (HOMDEP-MENOP Study): A Randomized, Double-Dummy, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Abstract
Background
Perimenopausal period refers to the interval when women's menstrual cycles become irregular and is characterized by an increased risk of depression. Use of homeopathy to treat depression is widespread but there is a lack of clinical trials about its efficacy in depression in peri- and postmenopausal women. The aim of this study was to assess efficacy and safety of individualized homeopathic treatment versus placebo and fluoxetine versus placebo in peri- and postmenopausal women with moderate to severe depression.
Methods/Design
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, double-dummy, superiority, three-arm trial with a 6 week follow-up study was conducted. The study was performed in a public research hospital in Mexico City in the outpatient service of homeopathy. One hundred thirty-three peri- and postmenopausal women diagnosed with major depression according to DSM-IV (moderate to severe intensity) were included. The outcomes were: change in the mean total score among groups on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Beck Depression Inventory and Greene Scale, after 6 weeks of treatment, response and remission rates, and safety. Efficacy data were analyzed in the intention-to-treat population (ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test).
Results
After a 6-week treatment, homeopathic group was more effective than placebo by 5 points in Hamilton Scale. Response rate was 54.5% and remission rate, 15.9%. There was a significant difference among groups in response rate definition only, but not in remission rate. Fluoxetine-placebo difference was 3.2 points. No differences were observed among groups in the Beck Depression Inventory. Homeopathic group was superior to placebo in Greene Climacteric Scale (8.6 points). Fluoxetine was not different from placebo in Greene Climacteric Scale.
Conclusion
Homeopathy and fluoxetine are effective and safe antidepressants for climacteric women. Homeopathy and fluoxetine were significantly different from placebo in response definition only. Homeopathy, but not fluoxetine, improves menopausal symptoms scored by Greene Climacteric Scale.
Source : PLOSOne
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HOMOEOEPATHIC MANAGEMENT OF “DEPRESSION”
DR. RABIYA BASHRI MD(Hom)
Department of Materia Medica,
H.K.E.’S Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Gulbarga, Karnataka
Background and Objectives
Depression is one of the form of mood disorder characterized by predominant disturbance in mood. The first 3 editions of the Diagnosis and statistical manual of mental disorder published by the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-I, II, III) use the term “Affective disorder” to describe disturbance in mood. The revised third edition (DSM-III-R) which is presently in uses, substituted mood, disorder in place of “Affective disorder”. Susceptible or predisposed persons exposed to stress in any form physical, psychological or psychosocial precipitates the illness. Anti-depressive, drugs not to be continued more than 3 weeks develops tolerance, habituation addiction or psychosis. Drugs tried for psychoneurosis may have temporary effect, effect last for few hours.
In Homoeopathy the psychic treatment will perhaps bring down the number of suicidal to half.
By definition Depression is one of the form of mood disorder characterized by predominant disturbance in mood. Clinically significant depression is often referred to major depressive disorder. It has somatic as well as psychological symptoms means that it may be difficult to distinguish from a medical condition. In cases of doubt it is helpful to seek the psychological. Symptoms of depression. Criteria for www.similima.com Page v
major depressive episode, source-diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder, 4th edition.
Objectives
1.To assess the role of Homoeopathic remedies in treatment of depressed women with family stressors.
2.To treat the disorder by selecting the constitutional remedy on basis of totality of symptoms.
3.To reduce recurrent attack and relapses.
4.Counselling and rehabilitation of women.
Methods
The present study consisted 30 patients of Depression, who attended my clinic during the period of 29-10-2003 to 31-03-2005.
30 cases of depression were selected on the basis of inclusion criteria, which are all females
Females of reproductive age group were considered from menarche to menopause.
Diagnosis of depression where made on following points.
Basic and absolute manifestation with determinative symptoms of the disease (as per ICD-10 classification of mental disorder) and criteria for major depressive episode (Source-Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder, 4th edition).
Determinative symptoms of an individual on the basis of totality of symptoms.
Miasmatic diagnosis done.
Selection of remedy was done on the basis of repetorial results, characteristic symptoms and miasmatic diagnosis of the patient.
Results
Out of 30 cases 26 cases improved, 2 cases not improved and 2 cases discontinued.
Interpretation and Conclusion
I arrived at the conclusion that Homoeopathic Management of Depression in females with family stressors along with counseling and psychotherapy has shown tremendous result in most of the cases taken for my study.
After prescribing indicated remedy patient started improving mentally and physically, as the prescribed remedy has reduced episodes, unnecessary imaginative process come unnecessary in mind.
Hence she started feeling better, sense of well being is also followed by.
Indicated Homoeopathic remedy after prescribing created awareness to the patient that she is unnecessarily over reacting to the situation around her, and also Homoeopathic indicated remedies will minimize negative reactions to all exposures like mental stress.
The Homoeopathic medicines seems to be efficacious in reducing recurrence and bring about significant improvement.
Source : Similima
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Anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® (pre-clinical study)
Aline Ferreira Vaz1, Raiza Marques Vieira Campos1, Kélem Costa dos Santos1, Benedito Junior Medeiros1, Ezequiel Paulo Viriato2, Fabio Ferreira Perazzo3, José Carlos Tavares Carvalho1
(1) Federal University of Amapá, Amapá, Brazil.
(2) Faculty of Pharmacy “Osvaldo Cruz”, São Paulo, Brazil.
(3) Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil.
ABSTRACT
The homeopathic complex Homeo-Pax® has been used as an antidepressant and anxiolytic homeopathic medicine available in Brazil. It is a complex mixture prepared with Aconitum nap. 6cH, Aurum met. 6cH, Phosphorus 6cH, Argentum nitricum 6cH, Arsenicum alb. 6cH, and Valeriana officinalis 3cH. This study had evaluated the behavior in rats after treatment with Homeo-Pax® in pre-clinical models of depression and anxiety. Elevated Plus Maze Test (EPM), Forced Swimming Test (FST), Open Field Test (OFT) and the Rota Rod Test (RRT) behavior assays were used to confirm its activity. In the EPM, the animals treated with Homeo-pax® on the 1st day and until the 20th day of treatment remained longer in the open arms of the maze than on 30th day. This result was statistically significant compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In the FST, the treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) increased the swimming time, compared to the control group. This effect was dependent on treatment time, resulting in a similar effect to that presented by amfepramone (10 mg/kg, p.o). In the OFT, crossing by the animals was significantly increased by the treatment with amfepramone (10mg/kg, p.o), and also with the 30-day treatment with Homeo-pax®. In the RRT, the 30-day treatment with Homeo-pax® (0.5 ml, p.o) did not affect the animals’ motor coordination, compared with the control group, which presented the same behavior. Based on the results obtained, it can be suggested that the homeopathic complex Homeo-pax® has anxiolytic and antidepressant properties without affecting motor coordination capacity.
Source : Int J High Dilution Res 2011; 10(34):04-14
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Homeopathic Individualized Q-Potencies versus Fluoxetine for Moderate to Severe Depression: Double-Blind, Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial
U. C. Adler, N. M. P. Paiva, A. T. Cesar, M. S. Adler, A. Molina, A. E. Padula, and H. M. Calil*
Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Homeopathy Graduation Programme, Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, R. Napoleão de Barros, 925 São Paulo, SP 04024-002, Brazil
Abstract
Homeopathy is a complementary and integrative medicine used in depression, The aim of this study is to investigate the non-inferiority and tolerability of individualized homeopathic medicines [Quinquagintamillesmial (Q-potencies)] in acute depression, using fluoxetine as active control. Ninety-one outpatients with moderate to severe depression were assigned to receive an individualized homeopathic medicine or fluoxetine 20mgday−1 (up to 40mgday−1) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind double-dummy 8-week, single-center trial. Primary efficacy measure was the analysis of the mean change in the Montgomery & Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) depression scores, using a non-inferiority test with margin of 1.45. Secondary efficacy outcomes were response and remission rates. Tolerability was assessed with the side effect rating scale of the Scandinavian Society of Psychopharmacology. Mean MADRS scores differences were not significant at the 4th (P = .654) and 8th weeks (P = .965) of treatment. Non-inferiority of homeopathy was indicated because the upper limit of the confidence interval (CI) for mean difference in MADRS change was less than the non-inferiority margin: mean differences (homeopathy-fluoxetine) were −3.04 (95% CI −6.95, 0.86) and −2.4 (95% CI −6.05, 0.77) at 4th and 8th week, respectively. There were no significant differences between the percentages of response or remission rates in both groups. Tolerability: there were no significant differences between the side effects rates, although a higher percentage of patients treated with fluoxetine reported troublesome side effects and there was a trend toward greater treatment interruption for adverse effects in the fluoxetine group. This study illustrates the feasibility of randomized controlled double-blind trials of homeopathy in depression and indicates the non-inferiority of individualized homeopathic Q-potencies as compared to fluoxetine in acute treatment of outpatients with moderate to severe depression.
Source
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