Homeopathic Practitioners Research Articles

A Delphi Study on the Management of Female Infertility by Homeopaths in South Africa

ackground: Infertility affects millions of people worldwide and has a negative social and psychological impact on the lives of infertile couples. Homeopathy offers an alternative treatment option for female infertility; however, there is currently no research describing how homeopaths manage this condition in their practice.Aim: To determine homeopathic practitioners’ approaches to managing female infertility.Method: The electronic Delphi technique consisting of three rounds was used to establish consensus among homeopaths. Twelve registered homeopaths with a minimum of 5 years of clinical experience in managing female infertility participated, 11 of whom completed the study. In round one, participants elaborated on interventions found beneficial in clinical practice for female infertility. Responses were qualitatively analysed to create a structured list of items; participants rated their level of agreement with these items on a 5-point Likert scale in the second and third rounds. Consensus was determined for items that reached an agreement level of 75% or more.Results: Thirty-two statements achieved expert consensus, which were placed into the following categories: homeopathic treatment, dietary and lifestyle modifications, supplementation and referrals.Conclusion: The results of this study provide a baseline depicting the homeopathic approach to treating female infertility. Several research gaps have been identified and further studies are necessary to explore these interventions to improve future patient care.Contribution: This study highlights the various approaches used by homeopathic practitioners in the management of female infertility.

Acceptance of Alternative Medicine in Bangladesh: A Study on Homeopathy

Homeopathy is widely recognized globally, including in Bangladesh, as part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is noted for effectively treating various conditions without adverse effects, which has garnered significant interest. This recent study investigated the acceptance of homeopathic medicine among Bangladeshi people, surveying 157 respondents. The participants comprised of 64.3% males and 35.7% females; among them a large majority (88.5%) had at least a graduate-level education, and 72.6% belonged to middle-class families. Interestingly, middle-aged individuals (45.2%) showed a particular affinity for homeopathy. This study revealed a high awareness levels among the respondents, with 89.8% familiar with homeopathic medicine and 86.6% erudite about its utilization. In addition, safety was mentioned by 65.6% of respondents, affordability by 55.4%, and effectiveness in many cases by 44.9%. However, all the above points collectively influenced their preference for homeopathy. There was a consensus among 69.4% of respondents advocating for integrating homeopathy into mainstream healthcare. The study participants endorsed few ideas including ensuring quality control of homeopathic medicines, promoting research initiatives, and providing greater integration opportunities for homeopathic practitioners within the healthcare system. Bioresearch Commu. 10(2): 1619-1626, 2024 (July)

Plant Sources of Formulated Homoeopathic Drugs

A survey was conducted in the homoeopathic pharmacies in Chennai to study the plant sources of formulated homoeopathic drugs that are common and popularly sold in commercial outlets. This study deals with 127 homoeopathic medicinal plants that are used in various formulated preparations such as cosmetics, drops, oils, ointments, powders, tablets and tonics. Medicinal plants that are exclusively used as mother tinctures diluted and prescribed by homoeopathic practitioners for treatment are excluded. Many practitioners of homoeopathic system prescribe formulated drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical companies that specialize in homoeopathic drugs. Another survey was conducted to explore the most frequent prescriptions given by the homoeopathic practitioners in Tamil Nadu. Plant sources of these prescriptions are studied. It is found that 34 of these plant sources are commonly used as ingredients in many formulated drugs sold in the commercial outlets.

Menorrhagia and its Homoeopathic Management

Menorrhagia is a frequent illness that affects females during their reproductive years. The term "profound menstruation" is now used to describe an excessive or increased flow of the menses. These illnesses can have dreadful repercussions that could burden an allopath. Many people who deal with these instances see how completely hopeless they are. The amazing qualities of homoeopathic medicines, including their ability to stop even the rapid loss of critical fluid itself, are known to homoeopathic practitioners, who are also aware of the unique and characteristic signs. Keywords: Menorrhagia, Homoeopathy, menses, hormonal imbalance, symptoms.

Magic of Dals or Pulses in Homoeopathy

Objective: When we say staple food, cereals & pulses come to our mind. The concept of food security that encompasses 3As & 1U is not to be thought of without cereals & pulses. These are Availability, Accessibility, Affordability and Utilization. This holds good for pulses as well. The current article deals with homoeopathic medicines made from pulses [1, 17]. Before going to therapeutics, the production, consumption & export of pulses in India has also been discussed from the past till date. The role of green revolution in decreasing the production & consumption has also been discussed. All these processes are essential part of the process of nutrition [14]. As pulses are a part of our life, some of the basics on pulses have also been discussed in a paragraph. Since eating pulses is an integral part of our life, Homoeopathy also has made pulses an integral part of its therapeutics. The medicines prepared from pulses have been used by Homoeopathic practitioners since the advent of 19th century after it was introduced to the world by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in 1790 [18].

Practice, prescription habits, experience and perception of Indian homeopathic practitioners in treatment of diabetes mellitus: An online observational study

BackgroundStudies have shown homoeopathy to effectively control blood sugar levels and improve quality of life (QOL), though a standard treatment protocol is required. ObjectiveThis study intended to assess the homoeopathic practice, prescription habits, experience, and perception of Indian Homeopathic Practitioners (HPs) in treating DM. MethodologyA web-based cross-sectional with a snowball sampling method was conducted between 30th July 2021 and 18th August 2021. A questionnaire to record clinical attributes of Indian HPs in the management of DM was formed after the consensus of the subject experts and pilot testing for feasibility. ResultsParticipants were 513 HPs with mean age [Standard Deviation (SD)] of 40.44 years (11.16) and a mean duration of the homoeopathic medical practice of 14.67 years [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 13.71–15.63]. The majority of HPs made classical homoeopathic prescription (201, 39.2%) though the success in the management of DM was better among HPs who prescribed more than one potentized medicine [vs classical prescription, Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.34, p = 0.032]. As perceived by the HPs, homoeopathic treatment resulted in a major improvement in QOL of the diabetic patients (418, 81.5%) with very few adverse effect (100, 19.5%). The blood sugar level was controlled better when homoeopathy was given alongside conventional medicine (348, 67.8%). ConclusionThe clinical experience of HPs in this study has shown that homoeopathic treatment can benefit DM patients in preventing complications and improving QOL. It further reported that homoeopathy can be an important adjuvant to conventional treatment in managing DM.

A Guide to Writing Case Series in Homeopathy: A Supplement to Part 2 of the Research Method Series

AbstractWriting a case series in homeopathy is a valuable endeavour that contributes to the advancement of knowledge and understanding within the field. This article serves as a concise guide providing essential insights on how to effectively compose case series in homeopathy. It highlights key considerations, including study design, case selection, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, ethical considerations, and addressed common misconceptions surrounding case series. By adhering to this guidance, homeopathic practitioners and researchers can document their clinical experiences, share valuable insights and contribute to the ongoing development of homeopathic practice.

Unleashing the Power of Narratives: Crafting Compelling Homeopathic Case Reports—Part 2 of the Research Method Series

AbstractThe case report is an essential genre in medical literature that presents unique clinical observations, findings, and outcomes of an individual patient. In the field of homeopathy, case reports hold significant value as they contribute to the growing body of evidence and provide insights into the extent of effect and applicability of homeopathic treatments in real-world scenarios. This article aims to provide guidance on how to write a comprehensive case report in homeopathy, highlighting key elements such as case selection, data collection, preparation, ethical considerations, and submission. The article emphasizes the importance of accurate and detailed documentation, adherence to reporting guidelines, and the role of case reports in advancing medical knowledge, guiding clinical decision-making, and inspiring further research. Additionally, it addresses the nuances of clinical photography, the de-identification process, and maintaining patient confidentiality. By following the recommended practices outlined in this article, homeopathic practitioners and researchers can effectively contribute to medical literature, enhance their clinical practice, and promote real-word homeopathic care.

Ian Townsend, Homeopathic Practitioner, but Always a Teacher First; He Was 76

Ian Townsend, Homeopathic Practitioner, but Always a Teacher First; He Was 76

Governing therapeutic pluralism: An environmental scan of the statutory regulation and government reimbursement of traditional and complementary medicine practitioners in the United States.

The World Health Organization has called on nation-states to statutorily govern, and integrate into state-funded healthcare systems, practitioners of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) (whose therapeutic approaches that fall outside the boundaries of conventional biomedicine). To date, however, there exist few rigorous reports of the degree to which individual nations have responded to this call. This study, an environmental scan, comprehensively documents the statutory governance and government reimbursement of T&CM practitioners in the United States (US). Across the US, where health practitioner governance falls within state and territorial (rather than federal) jurisdiction, over 300 laws have been enacted to statutorily regulate a wide range of T&CM practitioners. Nurse-midwives and chiropractors are universally licensed across all 56 US regulatory jurisdictions (50 states, 5 territories and the District of Columbia); other major T&CM practitioner groups are regulated in fewer jurisdictions (acupuncturists, n = 52; massage therapists, n = 50; direct-entry [non-nurse] midwives, n = 36; naturopaths, n = 24). Additional statutory stipulations exist to govern chiropractic assistants (n = 30), auricular (ear) acupuncture practitioners (n = 24), homeopathic practitioners (n = 3), and psychedelic facilitators (n = 1), as well as biomedical professionals who practice acupuncture and related techniques, e.g., 'dry needling' (n = 44). While professional entry requirements for licensed T&CM practitioners are substantially harmonized across jurisdictions, restricted titles and statutory scopes of practice vary. Ten states have furthermore implemented 'safe harbor' ('negative licensing') exemption laws enabling otherwise-unregulated T&CM practitioners to legally practice. Limited government reimbursement for T&CM care is available across several federal and state programs, including Medicare, Tricare, Veterans Health Authority, and Medicaid. Nurse-midwifery and chiropractic care is most frequently reimbursed; acupuncturists, naturopaths and massage therapists are eligible for much more limited coverage. Medicaid programs for low-income people in ten states furthermore cover the services of (unlicensed but statutorily-recognized) birth doulas. Additional research is needed to assess the impact of these regulations on US health care.

Is the Doctor Who Cures Right? Or Should We Look for Black Swans? Complementary Aspects of Homeopathy's Scientific Identity

AbstractPopper's point of view that a hypothesis can only be proven wrong by finding one counter-instance and that confirmation is unscientific is widely acknowledged. In medicine, however, we can only optimise the probability that a therapy works. For this we have to search for counter-instances for our existing ideas. The inclusion of a medicine in a repertory symptom-rubric when the symptom is seen in a cured case is wrong. This biased idea could be replaced by the Bayesian likelihood ratio (LR).LR can be assessed by prognostic factor research (PFR) using data collection by homeopathic practitioners. In the past 25 years, several PFR projects have been performed. It appeared that practitioners correct for biased entries in the repertory by finding practical solutions. Such solutions are keynote prescribing, selecting sub-rubrics that semantically confirm the preferred medicine and lowering threshold values for symptoms that confirm the preferred medicine. There is also variation between practitioners in confirming medicine selections by repertorisation. This way the bias of the repertory results in biased data collection. Statistical analysis of biased data results in biased conclusions.Research protocols should deal with bias in data collection and statistical analysis. Practitioners and researchers involved in data collection should be thoroughly trained. Incoming data should be monitored from the start resulting in adequate feedback to observers.

Father Augustus Muller: An extraordinary life dedicated to the cause of Homoeopathy and charity

Abstract Fr Augustus Muller was a great homeopathic practitioner and the first Indian repertorian. He possessed the secrets of manufacturing quality homeopathic medicines. He drew his strength from his compassion for the poor. He worked relentlessly to bring assistance to the poor and suffering. Fr Muller was a man of self-sacrifice, love for the poor and the sick, of the lepers in particular and by his universal charity, which deserved the gratitude of all classes. This article is a brief sketch of the life history of Fr Muller, which will inspire and motivate future generations of Homeopathy.

Evaluation of hypolipidemic activity of homeopathic drug Allium sativum 6C potency on different grades of dyslipidemia in Wistar albino rat models

BackgroundUnhealthy dietary patterns and lifestyle modification could exacerbate heart-related diseases, and the risk factors for cardivascular disease mortality includes dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. However, controlling cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein could minimize the occurrence of risk factors. Although homeopathic preparation of Allium sativum is effective in treating various ailments, it's therapeutic usage by the homeopathic practitioners must be validated scientifically to ascertain its action. ObjectivesThe present study is designed to evaluate the hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of the homeopathic drug A. sativum 6C in mitigating dyslipidemic changes in different types of dyslipidemic rat models. MethodsAssessment of serum biochemical parameters, evaluation of liver cytokines, and immunoblot analysis of inflammatory proteins were performed in this study. ResultsAdministration of a homeopathic preparation of A. sativum 6C to different types of dyslipidemic rat model showed a significant improvement in the serum lipid profile, reduction in the activity of serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, LDH, and ALP), and decrement in the levels of liver inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β). Further, the expression of inflammatory proteins (CRP, P-Selectin, E- Selectin) down regulated in the liver of dyslipidemic animals upon administration of A. sativum 6C. However, among the various dyslipidemic models, the efficacy of A. sativum is more profound in the HCD and HFD-fed animals. Analyzing the GC–MS data of A. sativum 6C revealed that it contains some active ingredients (Undecane; 1-methylene 1H-Indene, and Oxazolam) that might be responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of A. sativum 6C. ConclusionHomeopathic preparation of A. sativum 6C modulates the levels of serum biochemical parameters and inflammatory events in HCD-T and T2DM-T animals than in the STZ-T animals, mitigating metabolic dysfunction. Therefore, this study brings limelight to support the potency of the homeopathic drug A. sativum for therapeutic purposes in correcting metabolic dysfunction associated with the current lifestyle.

Study on Allopathic and Alternative Treatments of Asthma and Factors Influencing Treatment Choices.

Materials and Methods The cross-sectional survey was conducted; primary data were collected from asthmatic patients in different hospitals and clinics of allopathic, homeopathic, and herbal practitioners in Karachi, Pakistan. The study duration was from January 2020 to December 2020. Asthmatic patients aged over 13 years were selected for the study. A written informed consent was taken from the patients before the interview. Collected data were analyzed by the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) 22. Result Among 255 asthmatic patients; 51.4% (n = 131) were male and 48.6% (n = 124) were female. For control of acute attacks of asthma 88.2% (p = 0.0001) of patients significantly preferred allopathic treatment while 6.3% (p = 0.008) used homeopathic treatment and 5.5% chose herbal treatment. For maintenance of asthma, 78.8% (p = 0.0001) patients used allopathic treatment while 12.4% (p = 0.0001) homeopathic and 8.8% (p = 0.0001) patients used herbal treatment. About 63.4% (p = 0.0001) of the asthmatic patients used short-acting β-2 agonists for managing acute asthmatic episodes while long-acting β-2 agonists (p = 0.0001) and inhaled corticosteroids (p = 0.0001) were found to be the preferred medicines for maintenance therapy. Effectiveness of treatment (p = 0.004) and cost effectiveness (p = 0.0001) significantly act as contributing factors for the selection of the treatment. The majority of the patients were satisfied with their chosen treatments for control of asthmatic symptoms. Conclusion Most asthmatic patients preferred allopathic treatment for the management of acute episodes and control of asthmatic symptoms. It was found that the major factors for selecting a specific treatment include effectiveness, cost, and minimal side effects.

What is the out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines in India? An empirical assessment using a novel methodology.

The share of expenditure on medicines as part of the total out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on healthcare services has been reported to be much higher in India than in other countries. This study was conducted to ascertain the extent of this share of medicine expenditure using a novel methodology. OOP expenditure data were collected through exit interviews with 5252 out-patient department patients in three states of India. Follow-up interviews were conducted after Days 1 and 15 of the baseline to identify any additional expenditure incurred. In addition, medicine prescription data were collected from the patients through prescription audits. Self-reported expenditure on medicines was compared with the amount imputed using local market prices based on prescription data. The results were also compared with the mean expenditure on medicines per spell of ailment among non-hospitalized cases from the National Sample Survey (NSS) 75th round for the corresponding states and districts, which is based on household survey methodology. The share of medicines in OOP expenditure did not change significantly for organized private hospitals using the patient-reported vs imputation-based methods (30.74-29.61%). Large reductions were observed for single-doctor clinics, especially in the case of 'Ayurvedic' (64.51-36.51%) and homeopathic (57.53-42.74%) practitioners. After adjustment for socio-demographic factors and types of ailments, we found that household data collection as per NSS methodology leads to an increase of 25% and 26% in the reported share of medicines for public- and private-sector out-patient consultations respectively, as compared with facility-based exit interviews with the imputation of expenditure for medicines as per actual quantity and price data. The nature of healthcare transactions at single-doctor clinics in rural India leads to an over-reporting of expenditure on medicines by patients. While household surveys are valid to provide total expenditure, these are less likely to correctly estimate the share of medicine expenditure.

Brief overview on vasomotor rhinitis and its utility from repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica by J.T. Kent

Vasomotor Rhinitis (VMR) is one of the type of Non-Allergic Rhinitis which is not related to infections, allergy, drug abuse, systemic lesions or structural problems in disease. It comprises 71% of all non allergic rhinitis and it is the most common form of Non-Allergic Rhinitis (NAR). This disease prevalence is estimated to 320 million approaching worldwide. According to the epidemiological data of Rhinitis, the ratio between Allergic Rhinitis (AR) and Non- Allergic Rhinitis is 3:1 [1] VMR presents in adulthood between 20-60 years of age group. Females are more commonly affected than men. VMR is triggered by conditions of environment such as strong smell, exposure to the cold air from air conditioner, weather change, temperature change, cold air exposure, humidity changes, intake of alcoholic beverages and stress [2, 12] VMR is misdiagnosed often as Allergic Rhinitis most of the time and leads to improper medications which ultimately result in failure of treatment in this specific type of Rhinitis – and becomes a challenge for modern medicine. But Homoeopathic practitioners try to bring out good improvement in VMR as they select medicine based on symptom similarity and individuality of the patient. VMR has several mental and physical triggers without involvement of IgE (Non-Allergic reaction) and with internal and external environmental surrounding of the individual. Even in this modern era, Kent repertory is most commonly used and one among the trusted Repertory. VMR rubrics are found under the chapter Nose, mind and Generalities of Kent Repertory. Kent Repertory follows deductive logic (General symptom to particular symptom) and the individualisation concept is achieved by considering the patient’s totality i.e considering the patient as a whole.

Ethical practice of Homoeopathy from Indian perspective

Moral principles and ethics are essential and inseparable from medical practices. The father of Medicine, Hippocrates introduced the Corpus Hippocraticum in the last decades of the fifth century. Physicians have been starting their career by swearing the solemn oath called Hippocratic Oath from the Corpus Hippocraticum as Horkos (Oath), for ages. Ethics is an important branch of philosophy that examines rights and wrongs, and guides what needs to be done. Four principles are guiding in all situations, which are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice in general. Homoeopathic practitioners also follow the ethics in general like allopathic physicians. The declaration and oath that the homoeopathic physicians swear at the time of registration is an added responsibility that is supreme. The Hahnemannian Oath guides Homoeopathic practitioners to take inspiration from Master Hahnemann's teachings and obtain the strength to believe in Homoeopathy. Ethical practice in Homoeopathy is determined keeping in view ‘the highest and the only mission’ for the homoeopathic physician as mentioned in the first aphorism of Organon of Medicine i.e., to restore the sick to health. Overall ethics guide all the practitioners of the medical system. A physician while rendering services to humanity should always perform duty with dignity. He/She should keep up the honour of his/her profession at all times.

Robin Murphy (15 August 1950 to 17 November 2021)

Known and appreciated by legions of homeopathic students, practitioners and clients for his relaxed, yet authoritative laid-back lecturing style, naturopathic doctor, Robin Murphy, succumbed to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia infection during the Thanksgiving month of 2021. He crossed the threshold at the age of 71.

Pharmacovigilance in Homoeopathy—Need of the Hour: A Narrative Review

Abstract Background Homoeopathy is the newest art and science of healing. Like conventional medicine, pharmacovigilance is an important aspect of homoeopathy. There is a paucity of knowledge and ignorance among the practitioners. The necessity is to create awareness and encourage the homoeopathic professionals regarding drug safety surveillance, documentation and reporting of adverse events. Methods A web-based online search from databases, journals, bibliographic resources regarding the practice of pharmacovigilance in homoeopathy was done. Articles and publications till January 2021 along with literature from homoeopathic books were analysed. Results Data on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and events in homoeopathy have been collected and reported in European countries. In India, of late these terminologies are being acknowledged among a group of homoeopathic practitioners only. Still, a dearth of cognizance on the subject exists and little reporting is done. People usually do not relate such adverse reactions to the use of homoeopathic medicines. For scrutinising the same, the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, has taken an initiative for Pharmacovigilance of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani & Homoeopathy systems of medicine for reporting and taking measures against ADR and objectionable advertisements. The probable risk factors and ways to prevent ADR and benefits of pharmacovigilance in homoeopathic practice could be deduced. Conclusion Homoeopathy is a widely followed system of medicine that is quite popular among the common people. The need of knowledge and promotion of suspected ADR reporting should be emphasised to increase the credibility of homoeopathy among the scientific community. Also, the profession should refrain from misleading and objectionable advertisements in print and electronic media.

The Philosophical and Evidentiary Basis of Homoeopathic Immunisation: a Response to Teixeira

Homeopathic immunisation was first used in 1798, but remains controversial with some homeopathic practitioners. Teixeira supported the use of genus epidemicus (GE) remedies, but strongly condemned the use of nosodes for disease prevention. However Teixeira failed to fully understand the Principal of Similars, he used a double standard when comparing evidence using GE remedies and nosodes, he misread information demonstrating the safety of long-term HP, and he appeared to be unaware of scientific evidence which is available supporting the prophylactic use of nosodes. These four areas are addressed in turn, and evidence from 1798 to 2012 is presented showing that appropriate homoeopathic immunisation using GE remedies and/or nosodes has the potential to prevent much suffering without any risk of possible short-term toxic damage or long-term energetic adverse effects.