Thuja
Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of povidone iodine and homoeopathic mother tinctures as antiseptics
Muhammad Mohsin Zaman1, Muhammad Aslam Shaad1, Saeed Ahmad2, Waheed Mumtaz Abbasi3, Tayyeba Rehman3
Abstract
Objectives: Antiseptics are used extensively in hospitals and other health care centers (clinics) to control the growth of microbes on living tissues. They are essential parts of infection control practices, especially in wound treatment and aid in the prevention of nosocomial infections. This study was done to evaluate and compare the antibacterial effectiveness of povidone iodine and eight commonly used homoeopathic mother tinctures.
Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Faculty of Pharmacy and alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. All the selected Homeopathic mother tinctures were purchased by Masood Homeopathic Pharmaceuticals, Pakistan. Prepared PYODINEâ (povidone iodine) solution 10% w/v, batch no. 084F4 used as positive control while 70% ethanol was used as negative control in each test. These tinctures were tested against three clinically important human skin-pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) by disc diffusion method with povidone iodine as positive standard.
Results: Seven out of eight mother tinctures showed more or less antibacterial activity; some of them have high activity than povidone iodine. Rhus glabra had maximum activity (zone of inhibition 32 mm) against Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosathan povidone iodine and among all the tested mother tinctures.
Conclusion: This study confirms the antibacterial activity and more effectiveness of Thuja occidentalis and Rhus glabra mother tinctures than povidone iodine. The other tested mother tinctures also have antibacterial activity against tested bacteria, except Echinacea.
Source : Intl Journal of Research in Homeopathy
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Homeopathic remedies with antineoplastic properties have immunomodulatory effects in experimental animals
Valsalakumari Remyaa, Girija Kuttan
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Affiliated to the University of Calicut, Amala Nagar P.O., Thrissur, Kerala, India
Abstract
Highlights
- •Potentized preparations of Thuja, Carcinosinum and Ruta exhibit immunomodulatory activity.
- •Immunomodulation might be a means by which their pharmacological actions are being accomplished.
- •The effects were most pronounced for higher potencies compared to lower ones.
- •The drugs can serve as non-toxic, antineoplastic immunomodulators in malignant conditions.
Background
Our previous work suggests that Thuja occidentalis, Carcinosinum and Ruta graveolens have antineoplastic properties. The mechanism of this action has not previously been studied. We studied the hypothesis that the mechanism of action is through the immune modulation.
Methods
We evaluated the effects of Thuja occidentalis, Carcinosinum and Ruta graveolens 1M, 200c and 30c on the immune system of Balb/c mice. The homeopathic preparations were administered orally for ten consecutive days. Haematological parameters (Total White Blood Cell (WBC) Count, Differential Count and Haemoglobin content), haematopoietic parameters (bone marrow cellularity and α-esterase positive cells) and immune parameters for antibody response and lymphoid cell proliferation were assessed using standard methods. Results were analysed by statistical comparison with the control.
Results
We observed significant enhancement of haematological parameters including total WBC count, haematopoietic parameters such as bone marrow cellularity and the number of α-esterase positive cells, other parameters of immune response such as circulating antibody titre and the number of plaque forming cells (PFC), particularly with higher dilutions of Thuja and Ruta. Enhanced proliferation of B and T lymphoid cells was also observed. No toxic effects were observed.
Conclusions
The results suggest immunomodulatory activity of homeopathic preparations in high dilution. This may be a mechanism through which homeopathic preparations act.
Source : Journal Homeopathy
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Homeopathic Thuja 30C ameliorates benzo(a)pyrene-induced DNA damage, stress and viability of perfused lung cells of mice in vitro
1. Avinaba Mukherjee (Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India )
2. Naoual Boujedaini (Boiron Laboratories, Lyon, France )
3. Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh (Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To examine if the ultra-highly diluted homeopathic remedy Thuja 30C can ameliorate benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)-induced DNA damage, stress and viability of perfused lung cells of Swiss albino mice in vitro.
METHODS:
Perfused normal lung cells from mice were cultured in 5% Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium and exposed to BaP, a potent carcinogen, at the half maximal inhibitory concentration dose (2.2 μmol/L) for 24 h. Thereafter, the intoxicated cells were either treated with Thuja 30C (used against tumor or cancer) or its vehicle media, succussed alcohol 30C. Relevant parameters of study involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, total glutathione (GSH) content, and generations of heat shock protein (hsp)-90 were measured; the cell viability and other test parameters were measured after treatment with either Thuja 30C or its vehicle media. Circular dichroism spectroscopy was performed to examine if Thuja 30C directly interacted with calf thymus DNA as target. For ascertaining if DNA damaged by BaP could be partially repaired and restituted by the remedy, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining was performed.
RESULTS:
Thuja 30C increased cell viability of BaP-intoxicated cells significantly, as compared to drug-untreated or drug-vehicle control. A minimal dose of Thuja 30C significantly inhibited BaP-induced stress level, by down-regulating ROS and hsp-90, and increasing GSH content. Thuja 30C itself had no DNA-damaging effect, and no direct drug-DNA interaction. However, it showed quite striking ability to repair DNA damage caused by BaP.
CONCLUSION:
Thuja 30C ameliorates BaP-induced toxicity, stress and DNA damage in perfused lung cells of mice and it apparently has no effect on normal lung cells.
Source : Journal of Integrative Medicine
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