Homeopathic Products Research Articles

Experimental infection with Escherichia coli in broilers: Impacts of the disease and benefits of preventive consumption of a stimulator of homeopathic immunity

Colibacillosis is a disease caused by Escherichia coli that manifests itself when there are homeostatic imbalances or in the context of increased exposure, in which case the organism displays opportunistic behavior. To control this problem in poultry, antibiotics are used in the feed, because E. coli is component of the intestinal microbiota of birds. However, because of the changing dietary habits of the human population that seeks out healthier foods without antimicrobial residues, there have been many studies of alternatives to replace conventional antimicrobials as performance enhancers. Thus, the objective of the present study was to determine whether daily consumption of a homeopathic product (immune stimulator) by broilers stimulates immune responses and thereby minimizes the negative effects of experimental E. coli infection. We used 320 1-day-old Cobb 500 chicks, distributed in two groups with eight repetitions each, and 20 birds per repetition: control (CG) and homeopathy (HG). HG birds consumed doses of 0.02 mL/bird/day (1–7 d) via water, 0.01 ml/bird (8–21 d), 0.02 ml/bird (22–28 d), 0.01 mL/bird (29–35 d), and 0.02 mL/bird (35–45 d), as recommended by the manufacturer. At day 22 of the birds' life, the two groups were divided into four subgroups, with four repetitions per subgroup. On day 22, birds in CG1 and HG1 groups were infected intraperitoneally with 0.5 mL of inoculum containing 1.0 × 108 CFU of E. coli/mL. During the experimental period, data were collected for analysis of performance. On days 21 and 45 of age, we collected blood and feces. During the first 21 days of the experiment, we found that birds that consumed the immunostimulator had lower neutrophil counts and higher levels of globulins, however without significant difference between groups in terms of performance. Uninfected birds that consumed the homeopathic product in the water had less feed conversion (HG2) between days 1–35 and 1 to 45 compared to the other treatments. Mortality was higher in groups experimentally infected with E. coli (HG1 and CG1) from 22 to 35 days of life. There were greater numbers of lymphocytes in the HG2 group on day 45 than in CG1 and CG2; while numbers of neutrophils were lower at 42 days in birds of groups HG1 and HG2 than in CG1. Lower total bacterial counts, total coliforms and E. coli were observed in the feces of birds in the HG2 group compared to the other groups. Taken together, these findings suggest that inclusion of homeopathic product in the water of broilers had positive effects on the modulation of the immune response and on feed conversion in birds not challenged with E. coli. But the preventive protocol used in this study was not able to minimize the negative effects caused by the experimental E. coli intraperitoneal infection in broilers, featuring a substantial infectious challenge.

International Patent Survey of Products and Processes Concerning Homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a complementary medicine characterized by the use of diluted and potentized medicines. Innovations in this area are constantly being proposed in the relevant literature, such as scientific articles and patents. The objective of this study was to carry out a patent survey of homeopathic products and processes. A free and international patent database, Espacenet, was used. The search was carried out using the keyword homeop*, with two approaches: (1) no date restrictions for the search and (2) a date limit for the publication years 2008 to 2018. The patents from the limited period were organized as depositor countries, ownerships and groups, including homeopathic formulations, equipment, packaging, production procedures, and analytical methods. Without date restriction, 601 patents were identified in the survey. Of these, 174 were related to homeopathy and published in the period 2008 to 2018. Technologies come mainly from the following countries: United States (55 patents), Russia (24), Germany (15), France (13), India (12), Ukraine (11), Brazil (6), and China (6). Among the ownerships, 69% of patent applications were by independent depositors, 23% by companies, 7.5% by universities, and 0.5% by company/university partnerships. New formulations represented 75.9% of technologies, whilst the others comprised 14.3% for equipment, 3.8% for drugs packaging, 3.8% for production procedures, and 2.2% for analytical methods. The present review helps visualize the homeopathy-related patents published in recent years, as well as the main countries and researchers investing in the field of homeopathy.

Evidence-based homeopathy and veterinary homeopathy, and its potential to help overcome the anti-microbial resistance problem - an overview

The basic principles of homeopathy, and its legal and scientific foundations, are discussed in an overview to address the positions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the commission of the European Union (EU) on complementary medicine. According to the WHO,the antimicrobial resistance problem poses aglobal threat. The EU Commission's current One Health Action Plan requests research in complementary medicine, the WHO urges member states to include complementary medicine in their national health policies. Regarding external evidence on the general use of human and veterinary homeopathy, evidence level 1a studies are reviewed. Focusing on the external evidence on the use of homeopathy in infections, some evidence level 1a, 1b, 2c studies, and a case report, are described in more detail. In conclusion, evidence for the effectiveness of human and veterinary homeopathy in general, and in particular, of homeopathic treatment for infections, is available. Especially, individualized homeopathy demonstrates effects at all quality levels according to Cochrane criteria, even in the methodologically high-quality studies. As in most areas of veterinary medicine and medicine, further good/excellent studies are necessary. In compliance with the principles of homeopathy, further methodologically high-quality trials focusing on the homeopathic treatment of infections are the next logical step. The selection of the simile (individually fitting homeopathic medicinal product) by appropriately trained homeopathic doctors/veterinarians is essential for the effectiveness of homeopathy. Implementation of studies at university facilities is a prerequisite for quality assurance.Consequently, further integration of homeopathy at universities is a necessary requirement for the patients'best interests.

The preclinical studies of the stress-protective activity of “Tonus-aktiv” homeopathic granules

Aim. To perform the preclinical studies of the stress-protective activity of a new “Tonus-Aktiv” homeopathic medicinal product.Materials and methods. The stress-protective effect of the “Tonus-Aktiv” homeopathic medicinal product (MP) and the reference drug – “Stress-gran” homeopathic granules were studied on the model of neuromuscular tension by Selye. The stress-protective effect of the drugs was assessed by the conventional methods described in the scientific literature and the corresponding current instructional guidelines. All factual material was processed by variational statistics methods using parametric (Newman-Keuls test) and non-parametric methods of analysis (Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney).Results and discussion. It was found that “Tonus-Aktiv” had a pronounced gastro-protective effect, reducing the area of ulcers by almost 3 times, having a statistically significant antioxidant effect, reducing the level of TBA (thiobarbituric acid) active products in the liver homogenate. It did not have a normalizing effect on the protein metabolism, but it did contribute to enhancing energy-supplying metabolic processes: aerobic glycolysis indicated by a reliable increase of the pyruvic acid level in the blood serum, and lipolysis, as evidenced by a significantly higher level of the total blood lipids. “Tonus-Aktiv” showed a pronounced antioxidant activity: it reduced the TBA level of active products in the liver homogenate. At the same time, the level of endogenous antioxidant of reduced glutathione was observed to be lower than in the stressed animals against the background of the “Tonus-Aktiv” application. It indicates the physiological nature of the stress protective activity of the drug.Conclusions. A moderate stress-protective activity of “Tonus-Aktiv” homeopathic granules can be observed; it is caused by antioxidant properties, as well as a probable activating effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, which may be manifested by the protective action.

Analysis of Patented Homeopathic Products and Medicines in Brazil

Objectives: This study was to carry out a prospective study on the patents reports of homeopathic formulations in the brazilian intellectual property bank, the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI). Methods: This is a prospective research of patents referring to homeopathy products and medicines carried in May 2020. Searches were made for patents deposited with homeopathic purpose with the terms “homeopathy” and “homeopathic” from the first document until the last one deposited in 2019. We have found thirty-eight deposits with the search terms cited above, after exclusion of duplicates we selected twenty four. Results: Among the 24 patent reports selected, 15 (62.5%) were patents of invention. Among the classification of products, we highlight those of type A61K with 19 (79.1%). Twenty-four deposits were selected with the search terms “homeopathy” and “homeopathic”. 20 (83.3 %) deposits with the term “homeopathic” and 4 (16.66%) to the term “homeopathy”. Among the reports stand out patents of homeopathic formulations 14 (58.3%). There were a greater number of deposits in the years 2009 and 2013, both with 4 (16.6%) deposits. Conclusion: After analyzing patents on homeopathic products at the intellectual property bank in Brazil, it is concluded that most are related to new formulations. It can be seen that in Brazil the interest in relation to the protection of intellectual property in this topic is still small. Key words: Homeopathy, Homeopathic medicines, Pharmacy, Property Intellectual, Patents.

Uso de secnidazol y homeopatía para el control de giardiasis en perros

Los perros con infecciones por Giardia tienen diarrea que persiste durante días, incluso después del tratamiento. Manejamos la giardiasis canina usando dos enfoques distintos: tratamiento con el secnidazol antiprotozoario solo; y secnidazol más un producto homeopático indicado para el control de la diarrea en perros. Tratamiento I: Diez perros beagle mostraron signos clínicos de diarrea severa. Sus heces revelaron una gran cantidad de quistes compatibles con Giardia sp. Por lo tanto, tratamos a los perros con secnidazol (10 mg/kg, dosis única) por vía oral. Cinco días después del tratamiento, todos los perros fueron negativos para Giardia spp. Tratamiento II: Tres meses después, los mismos diez Beagles nuevamente presentaron diarrea. Se recogieron las heces, revelando Giardia sp. en todos los perros. Esta vez, los tratamos con un antiprotozoo (secnidazol, dosis de 10 mg/kg) combinado con un medicamento homeopático comercial para el control de la diarrea (dosis de 3 g/animal a intervalos de 12 h). Descubrimos que se necesitaban de tres a cinco dosis homeopáticas para lograr puntajes fecales normales en todos los perros. Después de 5 días de tratamiento, las muestras de heces tuvieron una consistencia normal y fueron negativas para Giardia. Este es el primer registro de uso de secnidazol para el control de la giardiasis canina. asociado con homeopáticos en la evitación de diarrea.

CAM treatments for cough and sore throat as part of an uncomplicated acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review of prescription rates and a survey among European integrative medical practitioners

IntroductionMost Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) interventions have not been tested in clinical trials and systematic reviews (SRs). It is therefore important to collect knowledge from experienced practitioners to identify (lower level) evidence to support their use and to prioritize interventions for future research. This study aimed to document the CAM treatments for cough and sore throat as part of uncomplicated, acute respiratory tract infections (RTI), most frequently recommended by experienced integrative medical practitioners; and to assess whether these approaches have been tested in clinical trials and SRs. MethodsData on treatment approaches were collected by means of (1) a SR on prescription rates of CAM treatments for RTIs in CAM practice by searching Pubmed and CINAHL databases; and (2) a survey among integrative medical doctors and TCM practitioners in five European countries. ResultsThe SR identified 336 articles. After screening five studies were included (Anthroposophic Medicine (AM): two and homeopathy (HOM): three). The survey resulted in 262 responses (including 99 AM and 95 HOM experts). Of 19 products that were described in both the SR and the survey, two (22%) AM (Hustenelixier, Echinacea) and three (30%) homeopathic products (Belladonna, Hepar sulphuris, Mercurius solubilis) had been studied in a clinical trial and one AM treatment (Echinacea) in a SR for this indication. ConclusionsCAM treatments for RTI related cough and sore throat were identified (medicinal products, syrup, external applications, tea and acupuncture). These treatments have hardly been studied in clinical trials (26%) and SRs (5%) and require further evaluation.

Ulva lactuca, green algae, a homeopathic medicine in line with current environmental questions

Ulva lactuca, the green algae, is a homeopathic medicinal product whose Materia Medica has been discovered thanks to a pathogenetical trial realized in 2012.Up till then, its use was mostly phytotherapeutic. By studying the natural history of the plant, of its pathogenetical features and with clinical cases we can describe the indications of this medicine and notice their correlation with the invasive and polluting nature of this seaweed.

Development of a Prognostic Factor Prediction Model in Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain Treated with Homeopathy: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis of Three Randomized Clinical Trials

Background: Prognostic factor research methodology has not yet been applied to randomized clinical trial data of homeopathic medicines. Objectives: To investigate the principle of individualization in homeopathy by developing a prognostic factor prediction model. Method: A pooled, in­dividual patient data meta-analysis of 3 randomized trials ­investigating the efficacy of a homeopathic gel (Spiroflor SRL®) containing Rhus toxicodendron as a key ingredient in osteoarthritis of the knee and acute low back pain. The prognostic value of a predefined set of 5 typical R. toxicodendron symptoms was investigated by assessing treatment-by-symptom interactions on pain as an outcome measure in a regression model. Results: The pooled dataset consisted of 284 patients in the Spiroflor SRL group and 275 patients in the control group. Adjusted for pain at baseline, a statistically significant effect modification for the symptoms “numbness or tingling of the affected part” (+2.0 mm VAS; p = 0.02), “amelioration by movement” (–5.6 mm VAS; p = 0.01), and “amelioration of pain by local heat” (+7.0 mm VAS; p = 0.02) was found. Conclusions: Investigating aspects of treatment individualization in homeopathy using randomized trial data and standard meta-analytical techniques is possible. The symptom amelioration by local heat is of possible value as a homeopathic symptom (prognostic factor) predicting an increased likelihood of pain relief following treatment with the homeopathic product.

Safety assessment of homeopathic medicines: The Adonis vernalis paradox and the 'analysis trap' of using different pharmacopeias.

Regulatory agencies have to ensure the end-user safety of botanically derived homeopathic medicines prepared with diluted starting materials derived even from toxic plants. In the case of plant-derived homeopathic products, assessment must consider the particular characteristics of an extract and its component molecules, even if diluted. The identification and quantification of these molecules have a crucial role in risk assessment, as it allows complete toxicological evaluation in a regulatory perspective. Different results can be achieved using different approaches and references supported by the same regulatory framework, as different methods of preparation used, assays and test analysis performed in compliance with different referent pharmacopoeias. All these facts can introduce a bias in the safety assessment and the paradoxical outcome for homeopathic Adonis vernalis underlines the need for caution. The case also demonstrates the relevance of considering the analytical method for assessment of all herbal medicinal products or herbal supplements, with the purpose of finding the total amount of toxicants as a good approach.

An Integrative Medicine Is Prudential Hope for Covid-19 Therapeutics

The human body is an integrated system. The prudential co- operation of antiviral herbs, vitamins and homeopathic products are economically feasible offer of complementary medicine to COVID-19 therapeutics.

Desempenho, qualidade de ovos e controle de ectoparasitas em poedeiras em idades avançadas suplementadas com produto homeopático

Produtos homeopáticos são uma das principais alternativas aos alopáticos, tendo diversos produtos comerciais para uso veterinário disponíveis no mercado para diferentes finalidades. Por isso, objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho zootécnico, qualidade de ovos e a contagem de ectoparasitas (piolhos) em poedeiras com idades avançadas. O experimento foi realizado no Instituto Federal do Triângulo Mineiro - campus Uberaba, utilizando 90 aves da linhagem comercial Delkalb®, com idade de 89 a 93 semanas, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, divididas em três tratamentos com cinco repetições contendo 6 aves por repetição totalizando 30 aves por tratamento. Os tratamentos utilizados consistiram em: tratamento 1 – sem uso do produto homeopático; tratamento 2 – 1,0 g/ave/dia do aditivo homeopático, tratamento 3 – 1,5 g/ave/dia do aditivo homeopático. Não foi observada diferença estatísticas sobre o desempenho zootécnico e qualidade de ovos, contudo a percentual de postura das aves estavam em valores esperados para a idade das aves, já sobre a qualidade de ovos pode ser observado que a unidade Haugh ficou muito abaixo dos valores encontrados na literatura. A contagens de ectoparasitas não foi estatisticamente influenciado pela utilização do produto homeopático, este efeito pode ser explicado devido ao alto índice de infestação de piolhos que acometeram sobre as aves. Conclui-se que o produto homeopático utilizado não foi eficiente no controle da infestação de ectoparasitas (piolhos) presente nas aves, contudo o mesmo não proporcionou efeitos adversos sobre, desempenho zootécnico ou qualidade de ovos.

Artemisia cina 30 CH homeopathic treatment against Haemonchus contortus

The anthelmintic resistance problem is widely recognized in sheep production. Therefore, new methods of control against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) need to be integrated. The aim of this work was to assess the toxicity of A. cina 30 CH as a homeopathic product against Haemonchus contortus in in vitro and in vivo assays. A. cina 30 CH was obtained from a commercial laboratory, and confirmation of artemisinin as a key ingredient was performed with mass spectrophotometry. The A. cina 30 CH and the artemisinin pure reagent were used for the inhibition of egg hatching (IEH) and for the inhibition of larval migration of H. contortus L3 (ILM). In addition, three groups of 10 naturally infected lambs with GIN were treated with A. cina 30 CH and albendazole, and 10 were used as control. The parasitic infection was monitored at 0, 7, 14 and 28 d postreatment (PT) to determine the number of eggs per gram (epg) and FAMACHA index. The in vitro data showed 100 % IEH and 64.7 % ILM by A. cina 30 CH, and nonlethal activity was observed with the artemisinin pure reagent. The toxicity of A. cina 30 CH against H. contortus in infected lambs was observed after 7 d of infection. Administration of the A. cina 30 CH yielded a 69 % reduction in the epg at 28 d PT, similar to the albendazole (P<0.05). In conclusion, A. cina 30 CH had the ability to IEH and ILM of H. contortus in in vitro assays and reduced the number of eggs of H. contortus, which is the primary parasitic nematode in grazing lambs, thereby reducing infection.

Daily consumption of a homeopathic product decreases intestinal damage and stool bacterial counts in mice challenged with Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli is a bacterium normally found in the gastrointestinal tract of domestic animals that can usually control the infection. Nevertheless, some factors (high exposure, stress conditions, animal category, among others) can favor the exacerbation of E. coli infection and cause of disease. Because it is a zoonotic bacterium, it is important to control the infection, avoiding contamination of home interiors in the case of pets. There are various forms of treatment for E. coli; nevertheless, there are few options for prevention. In the present study, we evaluated homeopathy. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine whether administration of a prophylactic homeopathic in water would minimize the negative effects of E. coli infection, as well as reducing bacterial counts in the feces of a experimental model. Forty mice were divided into four experimental groups (n = 10/group). Groups NC (negative control) and PC (positive control) were not treated; in group T1, the animals received 0.002 mL/day/animal of the homeopathic in water, and animals in group T2 0.004 mL/day/animal. The experiment lasted 54 days, and on the 31st day, mice of T1, T2 and PC groups were infected orally a 0.2 mL inoculum of 1.5 × 108 CFU of E. coli. Euthanasia and sample collection were performed on the 40th and 54th days of the experiment (n = 5/group/time point). Blood, liver, spleen, intestine, and feces samples were collected from the final portion of the intestine. There was no significant difference in animal weight between groups at the end of the experiment. Neutrophil count was lower in PC group animals on day 40, while on day 54, the counts were lower in T2 and PC. Lymphocyte counts were lower only in the PC group than in the NC group on day 54. Globulins were lower in the NC and PC groups than in T1 and T2 on day 40, remaining lower the PC group and higher in T1 on day 54; levels of immunoglobulin IgG and IgM were higher in groups T1 and T2, which differed from PC and NC. TNF-α levels were higher in the T1 and T2 groups at 40 and 54 days. INF-γ levels were higher in T1, T2, and PC compared to NC on day 40, remaining higher than NC in groups T1 and T2 on day 54. Total bacterial count, total coliforms and E. coli counts were lower in group T1 and higher in NC and PC on days 40 and 54, when they were lower for T1 and T2. Histologically, no lesions were observed in extra-intestinal tissues; however the height of intestinal crypts in the PC group was smaller than the others on day 40. On day 54, villi and crypts of all infected groups were larger in T1 and T2 than in NC; sizes in the PC group were higher than those of all other groups. These data suggest that the homeopathic agent in the drinking water improved health of the mice.

Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs

An online questionnaire survey investigated (1) management and (2) treatment methods for firework fears in dogs used by dog owners and their (perceived) effectiveness. A Principal Components Analysis on data from 1,225 respondents revealed four management strategies (i.e., interventions during firework exposure): the principal components are “environmental modification” (e.g., providing a hiding place, keeping windows and blinds closed, and playing music), “feed/play” (providing the dog with chews, play, and food during fireworks in general, as well as contingent on loud bangs), “alternative” (use of calming nutraceuticals, pheromones, herbal products, homeopathic products, Bach flowers, and essential oils), and “interaction” (allowing body contact, petting, and talking to the dog when loud bangs occurred). To explore possible effects of these management methods on fear development, the components were correlated with a score for fear progression. Of the four components, only “feed/play” was statistically associated with an improvement in fear responses to fireworks. To evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment strategies, owners were asked to select from a range of options which interventions they had used and whether they considered them as effective. With prescription medication (N = 202), improvements were noted by 69% of owners, with high success rates reported for the most frequently prescribed drugs, alprazolam (91%) and Sileo® (74%). Although individual products were not evaluated, the reported success rates for the categories “pheromones” (N = 316), “herbal products” (N = 282), “nutraceuticals” (N = 211), “essential oils” (N = 183), “homeopathic remedies” (N = 250), and “Bach flowers” (N = 281) were all in the range of 27-35%, which is not higher than that would be expected based on a placebo effect. Pressure vests were deemed as effective by 44% of respondents (N = 300). Counterconditioning (providing desirable stimuli after the occurrence of noises) was the most successful training technique according to the owners (N = 694), with a reported effectiveness of over 70%. Relaxation training (N = 433) was reported to be almost as successful at 69%, whereas noise CDs (N = 377) were effective in 55% of cases. Thus, counterconditioning, relaxation training, and anxiolytic medication appear to be the most effective strategies in the treatment of firework fears in dogs. On this basis, it is recommended that ad hoc counterconditioning and relaxation training should complement the standard behavioral technique of desensitization/counterconditioning with noise recordings.

Off-label prescribing during pregnancy inFrance: the NéHaVi cohort .

To describe the off-label medication use in a cohort of pregnant women. We performed a multicenter prospective longitudinal observational study in the Haute-Vienne department (France) called the NéHaVi cohort ("Né en Haute-Vienne" meaning "born in Haute-Vienne"). Women who had given birth to a viable baby in one of three maternity wards in the Haute-Vienne were included in the study after giving their informed consent. Data on the progress and outcome of pregnancies, childbirth, and drug or toxic exposure during pregnancy were collected. Drugs were classified, according to the labeling of the summary of product characteristics (SmPC) regarding the use in pregnancy, as follows: on-label, off-label at risk, and off-label contra-indicated. During their pregnancy, the 397 included women gave birth to 400 viable babies (209 boys, 191 girls, 3 sets of twins). All women had used at least 1 health product: 3,533 (92%) drugs, 298 (7.5%) homeopathic products, and 18 (0.5%) herb derivatives. The mean number of different drugs taken was 8.9±5.3 (min 1, max 31). All pregnant women used at least 1 drug either with a license or considered as safe to take during pregnancy. Among the 2,538 (71.6%) on-label drugs, the most frequently used were analgesics (n=611, 24.1%) (acetaminophen (n=566)), antianemia preparations (n=528, 20.8%), drugs for functional gastrointestinal disorder (n=269, 10.6%), vitamins (n=192, 7.5%), drugs for acid-related disorders (n=148, 5.8%), and antibacterials (n=118, 4.6%). In total, 321 (80.9%, 95% CI: 77.0-84.7) pregnant women used at least 1 off-label drug; and more precisely, 285 (71.8%, 95% CI: 67.4-76.2) used at least 1 off-label high-risk drug, and 189 (47.6%, 95% CI: 42.7-52.5) at least 1 contra-indicated drug. Among the 995 off-label drugs (28.2%), 760 (21.5%) were considered high-risk, including vasoprotectives (n=156, 20.5%) (treatment of hemorrhoids (n=147)), antithrombotic agents (n=91, 11.6%) (heparins (n=88)), and calcium channel blockers (n=88, 11.6%). Lastly, 235 (6.7%) off-label drugs used were contraindicated medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the 3rd trimester (n=231)). Five babies were born with malformations not related to the drugs used during pregnancy. We showed for the first time the magnitude of off-label prescription during pregnancy in France. Women and health professionals should be made more aware of the potential drug-induced risk during pregnancy. Drug adverse effects during pregnancy should be evaluated through an improved notification in pharmacovigilance and appropriate pharmacoepidemiologic studies in order to change SmPC labelings as early as possible, when necessary.

Homeopatia na alimentação de cordeiros

Objetivou-se avaliar a eficácia de um medicamento anti-helmíntico homeopático em ovinos naturalmente infectados por parasitas gastrointestinais. Foram utilizados 15 cordeiros Santa Inês, desmamados, machos, castrados, com idade entre 50 a 60 dias, com peso entre 20 e 30 kg, distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 3 tratamentos experimentais e 5 repetições cada, controle, homeopático; e alopático oral, durante 90 dias. Foram avaliados, o número de ovos de nematódeos nas fezes (OPG), consumo de matéria seca, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, rendimento de carcaça quente, rendimento de carcaça fria, perda por resfriamento, peso de carcaça quente e peso de carcaça fria. O tratamento de ovinos, durante três meses, com diferentes anti-helmínticos não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa (p>0,05) em relação à OPG dos grupos tratados. Não houve efeito (p>0,05) nas variáveis, conversão alimentar, rendimento de carcaça quente, rendimento de carcaça fria, perda por resfriamento, peso de carcaça fria e peso de carcaça quente. Verificou-se que o tratamento utilizando o produto homeopático obteve um maior consumo de matéria seca, resultando em maior ganho de peso diário. A aplicação do medicamento homeopático utilizado na presente pesquisa é viável na produção de ovinos Santa Inês por apresentar resultados semelhantes ao tratamento alopático e não prejudicar o desempenho do animal.

HOMEOPATHIC PRODUCT IN DOG DIETS MODULATE BLOOD CELL RESPONSES

Every year, numbers and life expectancies of pets increase, especially for dogs and cats. Pets are exposed to environmental factors such as pollutants, pathogens, and oxidants that hamper the animals’ ability to respond to stressors. Nutrition and hygiene are increasingly important among animal professionals and pet owners. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a commercially-available homeopathic herbal product formulated with plants, designed to stimulate canine immunity. We used 10 male dogs (beagles) weighing 5.5–6 kg and 5 months of age. Animals were randomly allocated to Control (C, n = 5) and Treated (T, n = 5) groups. The treated group received a basal diet with an additional dose of 0.5 mL/animal/day homeopathic solution and group C received only the basal diet (300 g/day). The product was supplied for 45 days. The animals were weighed and blood samples collected for complete blood counts and serum biochemistry on days 1, 15, 30 and 45 of the experiment. Higher numbers of lymphocytes were observed in conjunction with lower numbers of neutrophils in the T group on days 30 and 45. Total and neutrophil leukocytes decreased throughout the experiment in both groups, and lymphocytes increased with significant difference only in the T group. Erythrocytes and hematocrit increased in both groups over time, as did glucose, triglycerides, total protein, albumin and urea levels. ALT was higher in the control group on day 45. We conclude that the use of a homeopathic agent stimulated lymphocyte production in healthy dogs; and this suggests that homeopathic use is beneficial, because lymphocytes are directly related to cellular and humoral immune responses. Studies in adult animals and those focusing on infectious challenges may reveal more information about the actions of this homeopathic agent.

Justification of Safety of Homeopathic Medicines in a Registration Dossier

Regulatory approaches to assessing the safety of homeopathic medicines in the Russian Federation and abroad are formed in accordance with regulatory acts, national and international rules and guidelines. Scientific literature is particularly important for justification of safety of homeopathic medicines. The purpose of this study was to determine the requirements and procedure for presenting justification of homeopathic medicines safety in the registration dossier in accordance with the documents of the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. According to the current Russian and foreign regulatory approaches the safety may be justified by scientific literature data on homeopathic use and by substantiation of the dosage in the case of medicines that have long experience of safe use and those that are authorized under a simplified procedure based on a dossier with a product instruction that does not establish indications for use. In both cases, there is no need to provide the results of preclinical or clinical studies of the drug. This approach reflects specific features of homeopathic medicines. An objective criterion of the safety of homeopathic medicines is the assessment of the dosage of active substances, taking into account the «first safe dilution» of homeopathic substances. A formal safety justification using registration data for similar drugs or additional information on the use of these pharmaceutical substances in homeopathy is also possible, but may be insufficient. The completeness and proper documentation of bibliographic data are the main criteria for an appropriate rationale for the safety of homeopathic products.

FDA warns of potentially harmful homeopathic products

FDA warns of potentially harmful homeopathic products