Safety Assessment of Intravenous Application of the Homeopathic Medicine Viscum Album D3 in Dogs

Abstract

Background: Viscum album (VA) extracts have a wide variety of biologically active compounds that can be used in the treatment of various diseases, with cancer being the main one. However, few data on the effects of homeopathic VA are found in the literature, even though commercially VA formulations are available, with extremely low doses of its active compounds. Previous studies used the anthroposophical form of Viscum and provided information on the mechanisms of action of this drug in tumor cells or in cells of the immune system. Materials and methods: This study aimed to evaluate the safety of intravenous and subcutaneous application of D3 homeopathic Viscum album (VAD3) in dogs. Healthy dogs (n=7) underwent blood collection for blood cells count and biochemistry analysis and clinical examinations 7 days prior and at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14 after the beginning of treatment. The dogs received intravenous application of VAD3 at days 0, 5, 10, and 14, and subcutaneous at days 3, 7, and 12. Results: There was a transient increase in the number of monocytes (P=0.0022) at day 5, while there were no significant (P>0.05) changes in any of the other blood endpoints over time. Nevertheless, all blood parameters remained within the reference values for the species. All animals completed the study in good health conditions. According to the Quality-of-Life Assessment Questionnaire, all animals showed improvement in mood and appetite after receiving VAD3. Conclusion: The homeopathic medicine VAD3 is safe for intravenous and subcutaneous applications in dogs, besides possibly bringing benefits to the entire organism.