Homoeopathic Mother Tinctures Research Articles

Immunomodulatory and antioxidant potential of Asparagus racemosus Wild and Terminalia chebula Retz and their corresponding homeopathic mother tincture against canine demodicosis

A study was conducted to carry out the immunomodulatory and antioxidant potential of Asparagus racemosus and Terminalia chebula extracts and their corresponding homeopathic mother tincture (MT) on clinical cases of canine demodicosis. Alopecia, erythema, pustule/papules/vesicles, scale/excoriation/crust, hyperkeratinization and general appearance were the clinical manifestations of scoring demodicosed canine. The mean clinical scores were significantly higher in demodicosed canine than healthy dogs. The oral Asparagus racemosus extract or its homeopathy MT, in combination with amitraz dipping responded better in respect with the cellular and humoral immunities in demodicosed canine as compared with only amitraz dipping. In demodicosed canine there was increase in the level of lipid peroxidation in terms of malondialdehyde and the activity of superoxide dismutase and decrease in the activities of catalase and reduced glutathione in erythrocytes. The oral Terminalia chebula extract along with amitraz dipping exhibited maximum antioxidant activity in terms of reduced level of lipid peroxidation and activity of superoxide dismutase and increase activities of catalase and reduced glutathione in erythrocyte as compared with the decreasing orders of antioxidant activities of Asparagus racemosus extract, homeopathy Terminalia chebula MT and homeopathy Asparagus racemosus MT. In conclusion, demodicosis produced immunosuppression and oxidative stress in canine and for the treatment, amitraz dipping in combination with oral Asparagus racemosus extract responded better recovery.

Homeopathic mother tincture of Conium initiates reactive oxygen species mediated DNA damage and makes HeLa cells prone to apoptosis

Adverse side-effects and lack of scientific validation of some chemotherapeutic agents prevent the use of many traditional medicines claimed to have anti-cancer effects. Ethanolic extract of Conium maculatum has long been used in traditional and alternative systems of medicine including homeopathy for the treatment of glandular enlargements, cancerous tumours or hard lumps of testicles, prostate, ovaries, breasts and/ or uterus, particularly in the breast. However, if and how it acts still remains scientifically unknown. This study aims to test if Conium extract (CE), used as mother tincture of Conium in homeopathy, has demonstrable anti-cancer potentials without having much cytotoxicity in normal cells. Cytotoxicity of the drug was tested by conducting MTT assay on both normal (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and HeLa cells. We also evaluated DNA fragmentation and DNA damage by DAPI and diphenylamine assay. The LDH activity assay was done to evaluate the percentages of apoptosis and necrosis. ROS accumulation also was evaluated to pin-point the actual events of apoptosis. Administration of drug clearly demonstrated its anti-cancer potentials as evidenced by the DNA damage analysis. The ROS activity also increased in case of the CE treated cells. LDH data revealed that the mode of cell death was mainly apoptotic and not necrotic. CE appears to induce apoptosis of cancer cells through ROS mediated pathway, and has negligible cytotoxicity against normal cells.

Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles by ethanolic extracts of Phytolacca decandra, Gelsemium sempervirens, Hydrastis canadensis and Thuja occidentalis induce differential cytotoxicity through G2/M arrest in A375 cells

The capability of crude ethanolic extracts of certain medicinal plants like Phytolacca decandra, Gelsemium sempervirens, Hydrastis canadensis and Thuja occidentalis used as homeopathic mother tinctures in precipitating silver nanoparticles from aqueous solution of silver nitrate has been explored. Nanoparticles thus precipitated were characterized by spectroscopic, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, atomic force and transmission electron microscopic analyses. The drug–DNA interactions of silver nanoparticles were analyzed from data of circular dichroism spectroscopy and melting temperature profiles using calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) as target. Biological activities of silver nanoparticles of different origin were then tested to evaluate their effective anti-proliferative and anti-bacterial properties, if any, by exposing them to A375 skin melanoma cells and to Escherichia coli C, respectively. Silver nanoparticles showed differences in their level of anti-cancer and anti-bacterial potentials. The nanoparticles of different origin interacted differently with CT-DNA, showing differences in their binding capacities. Particle size differences of the nanoparticles could be attributed for causing differences in their cellular entry and biological action. The ethanolic extracts of these plants had not been tested earlier for their possible efficacies in synthesizing nanoparticles from silver nitrate solution that had beneficial biological action, opening up a possibility of having therapeutic values in the management of diseases including cancer.

Rapid green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate by a homeopathic mother tincture Phytolacca Decandra

To examine if a homeopathic mother tincture (Phytolacca Decandra) is capable of precipitating silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) and to characterize the biosynthesized nanoparticles for evaluating their biological activities. A total of 100 mg of AgNO(3) was added to 20mL of Milli-Q water and stirred vigorously. Then 5mL of the homeopathic mother tincture of Phytolacca Decandra (ethanolic root extract of Phytolacca decandra) was added and stirred continuously. Reduction took place rapidly at 300K and completed in 10 min as shown by stable light greenish-yellow color of the solution which gave colloid of silver nanoparticles. The colloid solution was then centrifuged at 5000×g to separate the nanoparticles for further use. The nanoparticles were characterized by spectroscopic analysis, particle size analysis and zeta potential measurements, and morphology was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The drug-DNA interaction was determined by circular dichroism spectrophotometry and melting temperature profiles by using calf thymus DNA as the target. The biological activities were determined using a cancer cell line A549 in vitro and using bacteria Escherichia coli and fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae as test models. Phytolacca Decandra precipitated silver nanoparticles in ambient conditions. The nanoparticles had 91 nm particle size, with polydispersity index of 0.119 and zeta potential of -15.6 mV. The silver nanoparticles showed anticancer and antibacterial properties, but no clear antifungal properties. This could be a novel environment-friendly method to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles using a cost-effective, nontoxic manner. The homeopathic mother tincture may utilize this property of nano-precipitation in curing diseases or disease symptoms.

The Quality of Selected South African and International Homoeopathic Mother Tinctures

The high potential variability of chemical composition of the plant material involved in the manufacture of homoeopathic mother tinctures (a common source of homoeopathic medicines), renders both their quality control and assurance a significant challenge (Pande and Pathak, 2006). The absence of significant regulations regarding the quality of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in South Africa contributes to this challenge (Gqaleni et al, 2007). In order to assess any quality differences between local and international manufacturers, the following homoeopathic mother tinctures, Artemisia absinthium, Rosmarinus officinalis e foliis recentibus, Salvia officinalis and Sambucus nigra, were chosen on the basis that they can be grown both locally in South Africa and internationally and are prepared according to the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia (GHP), method 3a. Colour analysis was followed by thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis on each selected sample and relevant reference sample using both aluminum-backed TLC plates and glass-backed HPTLC plates. Photographs were taken of the resultant chromatograms, active components were identified, comparisons to the reference chromatograms were made and the overall quality of each homoeopathic mother tincture deduced. The quality of all nine of the selected samples manufactured internationally complied with the minimum quality standards set by the GHP. Five out of the six local samples complied with the minimum standards of the GHP._Notwithstanding the minimum GHP standards, the superior number of high quality international samples implies that their quality exceeded that of the locally manufactured tinctures. Greater regulation regarding the quality of these types of products has therefore been identified.

Thujone‐Rich Fraction of Thuja occidentalis Demonstrates Major Anti‐Cancer Potentials: Evidences from In Vitro Studies on A375 Cells

Crude ethanolic extract of Thuja occidentalis (Fam: Cupressaceae) is used as homeopathic mother tincture (TOΦ) to treat various ailments, particularly moles and tumors, and also used in various other systems of traditional medicine. Anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing properties of TOΦ and the thujone-rich fraction (TRF) separated from it have been evaluated for their possible anti-cancer potentials in the malignant melanoma cell line A375. On initial trial by S-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, both TOΦ and TRF showed maximum cytotoxic effect on A375 cell line while the other three principal fractions separated by chromatography had negligible or no such effect, because of which only TRF was further characterized and subjected to certain other assays for determining its precise anti-proliferative and apoptotic potentials. TRF was reported to have a molecular formula of C10H16O with a molecular weight of 152. Exposure of TRF of Thuja occidentalis to A375 cells in vitro showed more cytotoxic, anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects as compared with TOΦ, but had minimal growth inhibitory responses when exposed to normal cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cell). Furthermore, both TOΦ and TRF also caused a significant decrease in cell viability, induced inter-nucleosomal DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial transmembrane potential collapse, increase in ROS generation, and release of cytochrome c and caspase-3 activation, all of which are closely related to the induction of apoptosis in A375 cells. Thus, TRF showed and matched all the anti-cancer responses of TOΦ and could be the main bio-active fraction. The use of TOΦ in traditional medicines against tumors has, therefore, a scientific basis.

Evaluation of Blatta orientalis (Q) nasal gel formulation in milk aspiration induced eosinophilia

Background: The purpose of the present study was to develop intranasal delivery systems of the homeopathic anti-asthmatic remedy Blatta orientalis mother tincture (Q) using thermoreversible polymer Pluronic F127 (PF127) and mucoadhesive polymer Carbopol 934P (C934P).Methods: Formulations were modulated so as to have a gelation temperature below 34°C to ensure gelation at physiological temperature after intranasal administration. Its gelation temperature, mucoadhesive strength, viscosity and gel strength were studied. B. orientalis (Q) nasal gel was tested with recurrent milk aspiration to determine whether it produces changes in eosinophilia in a murine model of asthma.Result: The gelation temperatures of the formulations and mucoadhesive strength, determined using sheep nasal mucosal membrane, increased by the addition of increasing concentrations of Carbopol. The results of milk aspiration induced eosinophilia, B. orientalis (Q) nasal gel significantly (P < 0.001), decreased eosinophil cell count as compared with toxicant by using in absolute eosinophilia count method. Finally, histopathological examination did not detect any damage during in vivo studies.Conclusion: The PF127 gel formulation of B. orientalis (Q) with in situ gelling and mucoadhesive properties with increased permeation rate is promising for prolonging nasal residence time and thereby nasal absorption.

Photoreactive substances in homoeopathic mother tinctures: analysis and risk assessment

Photoreactive substances in homoeopathic mother tinctures: analysis and risk assessment

Urushiol congeners of Rhus sp. Mother tincture

Rhus genus belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. Several species such as Poison sumac (R. vernix L.) or Atlantic poison oak or poison ivy (R. toxicodendron L.) are well known to cause irritation, inflammation, and blistering of the skin of sensitive individuals [1]. This study focuses on several homoeopathic Mother Tinctures (MT) provided by Boiron Laboratory. Screening of urushiols congeners has been done on the heptanic fraction of the MT. A very sensitive HPLC-ESIMS system has been developed to allow us to identify 8 urushiol congeners (Table 1) on the basis of their fragmentation pattern [2]. Urushiol congeners (C17 and C15 substituted, monoene, diene, triene and tetraene) have been detected only in MT of Rhus sp. which in fact belong to the Toxicodendron synonym genus as described by Miller and Kuntze. (Table 1). The quantitative analyses of urushiols C15 substituted congeners, realised with a validated HPLC-DAD method, reveals a great variability between the Rhus sp. The urushiol congeners profiling could be used to identifiy Toxicodendron species for MT production.

Phytochemical and pharmacognostical study of Cimicifuga racemosa L. Nutt. and standardization of plant raw material and homoeopathic mother tincture on its basis

Cimicifuga racemosa L. Nutt. has a long history of usage as a herbal dietary supplement, medical product as well as homeopathical remedy in the Russian market and throughout the world indicated to women as a remedy for the symptoms of menopause and other gynecological disorders [1–3]. The Russian normative base on production and quality control of Cimicifuga racemosa introduced in Russia and its pharmaceutical forms is absent. Additionally, problems of production and standardization of mother tincture are not solved. The aim of this work was the phytochemical and pharmacognostical study of rhizomes and roots of Cimicifuga racemosa and of the mother tincture on the basis of this plant material and development of Russian State Monographs. Applied methods included study of anatomical characteristics by methods of Russian State Pharmacopoeia XI, HPLC-UV, TLC and UV spectroscopy. Results revealed anatomic characteristic features of the plant raw material as well as phytochemical composition of the main secondary metabolites. A new method of qualitative identification of triterpenoids is developed by means of TLC analysis with the use of 27-deoxyactein as an internal standard. Isoferulic acid was chosen as a chemical marker of the plant and the method of quantitative determination is developed. To conclude, draft documents of Russian State Monographs on fresh rhizomes and roots of Cimicifuga racemosa introduced in Russia and Cimicifuga mother tincture are developed and submitted to Russian State Institute of Standardization and Quality Control of Medical Products.

Application of HPTLC in the Standardization of a Homoeopathic Mother Tincture of Nux Vomica

In this study,we have chosen HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) as a method of analysis to develop a standard procedure based on fingerprinting characteristics for the evaluation of homreopathic formulations. A simple and accurate HPTLC method has been developed for the quantification of brucine,one of the chief active chemical components of Nux vomica (along with strychnine),and the fingerprinting of the in-house mother tincture of Nux vomica, considered here to be a standard, with that of different marketed samples available from manufacturers of homreopathic medicines in India. This HPTLC method was quantitatively evaluated in terms of stability, repeatability, and accuracy.

Quality relevant compounds in homeopathic mother tinctures – Isolation and characterisation of 3,5- and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid

Quality relevant compounds in homeopathic mother tinctures – Isolation and characterisation of 3,5- and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid

Quantitative analysis of homeopathic mother tincture ofBoerhaavia diffusaLinn. by HPTLC employing the therapeutically active marker “punarnavoside”

Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. (Family: Nyctaginaceae) is a diffusely branched plant, widely distributed throughout India, mainly used for its diuretic and hepatoprotective effect [1], although unproven reported uses of the plant include cardiotonic, antiinflammatory, antifibrinolytic, and antiviral activity [2]. The plant is reported to contain alkaloids (punarnavine-I and punarnavine-II), an antifibrinolytic glycoside (punarnavoside), rotenoids (boeravinones A, B, C, D and E), lignan (liridodendrin and syringaresinol mono-β-D-glucoside), flavones, steroisofuroxanthone, boeravine, and hypoxanthin-9-L-arabinofuranoside [2]. The plant is marketed as a homeopathic mother tincture which contains punarnavoside as therapeutically active phytoconstituent. The structure of punarnavoside is shown in Figure 1. Although research on the phytoconstituents of this plant has been reported, no work seems to have been performed on quantitative evaluation of the mother tincture by HPTLC. The Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia reports the use of UV spectrophotometry and TLC for the analysis of punarnavoside but the Indian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia does not describe quantitative analysis of the mother tincture of Boerhaavia diffusa, important for standardization of the product. HPTLC fingerprinting has been reported as an effective tool for evaluation of herbal extracts [3, 4]. This communication reports the isolation and identification of punarnavoside and its use to establish a simple validated HPTLC method for quantitative estimation of the compound. The method has been used to compare amounts of punarnavoside in mother tinctures prepared from the roots of the plant and in an ethanolic extract of the roots prepared in this laboratory. On the basis of the results obtained, a probable range of concentration of punarnavoside expected to be present in a standard preparation of mother tincture of this plant has been established.

Standardization of the homeopathic mother tincture ofCalendula officinalisLinn.

The quality of two samples (Indian and German mother tincture) of Calendula officinalis Linn. prepared from marigold flowers have been evaluated on the basis of homeopathic literature. In addition to non-specific standards, two biomarkers, rutin and quercitin, have been used for microfingerprinting analysis of the samples of mother tincture. The results indicated the total absence of rutin in the Indian mother tincture whereas both rutin and quercitin were present in the German mother tincture. On the basis of these results a ratio calculation was performed. The study will be useful to manufacturers of homeopathic mother tinctures.

Zur pharmazeutischen Vergleichbarkeit von therapeutisch verwendeten Echinacea-Präparaten

Pharmaceutical Comparability of Different Therapeutically Used Echinacea Remedies Cichoric acid and Dodeca 2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide (alkamides 8,9) are described as immunomodulating active components of Echinacea . We quantified both substances in 25 Echinacea -containing remedies customary in trade. Concerning both active components, we found highly concentrated remedies as well as remedies without any detectable cichoric acid or alkamides. The concentration of both active components varied extremely depending on the type of remedy (homeopathic mother tincture, pressed juice, tablets, spagyric tincture), on the Echinacea -species ( Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea purpurea ) and on the part of the plant (root, herb, whole plant). Moreover, we found large differences between comparable drugs of different manufacturers and between different charges of the same remedy. We recommend that preclinical and clinical studies with Echinacea -containing drugs should always include the quantification of the potentially active components. We are convinced, that in the long term this will help to clarify how the different active components contribute to the immunomodulating effect of Echinacea.

Determination of ingenol in homoeopathic mother tinctures of Euphorbia species by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatograpic method was developed for the identification and determination of ingenol in homoeopathic mother tinctures of eight Euphorbia species. The ingenol esters were hydrolysed with KOH in methanol and the free ingenol was measured using a C 18 reversed-phase column with methanol—water (60:40, v/v) as the mobile phase. The ingenol content ranged from 0.5 to 16.7 μg/ml. Euphorbia resinifera Berg. mother tincture was found to be the richest in ingenol. On the other hand, the ingenol content was not significant in E. amygdaloides L. E. pilulifera L. mother tinctures.

Computer-Aided Identification of Homoeopathic Mother Tinctures Without the Use of Reference Compounds

Computer-Aided Identification of Homoeopathic Mother Tinctures Without the Use of Reference Compounds