Synopsis
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1997 Mar / Apr Vol V No 2
Parinaz Humranwala.
In his editorial Ken Mac A I 'Maishi' stresses on the need to revise Organon presented by Hahnemann in the light of the sea of change modern science has undergone. He argues that if Hahnemann could revise his views with experimentation and practice why do the Homoeopaths of today remain standstill and do not further update the work.
In a clinic in Ghana, patients with malaria were treated with Homoeopathic medicines as against a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial with the other group receiving chloroquine. Though the trial proved that Homoeopathic treatment is certainly beneficial whether it is better than chloroquine could not be asserted from the study. Rubrics used to treat malarial cases were: time and onset of chills; origin periodicity and radiation of chills; succession of stages of chill, heat and sweat; thirst; location and type of headache; nausea, vomiting; stools. The remedies found most useful were Arsenic-alb, China, Eup-perf, Nat-mur, Nux-vom, Puls, Rhus tox and Sulphur.
The results of a pilot study to assess the effect of potentized histamine on serum cortisol levels in healthy volunteers suggest that there may be a subgroup of people who are particularly sensitive to potentized histamine. It is suggested by the author Adam Ward, that a larger, double, blind study would provide a useful and easily reproducible way of evaluating the effect of potentized histamine on serum cortisol in vovo using standard laboratory investigations.
Solanum-nigrum-linn is a constituent of many marketed hepatoprotective formulations. 50% alcoholic extract of Solanum-nig was studied for hepatoprotective effect against country made liquor challenge in albino rats. The extract at the dose of 50mg/100 GPO produces significant hepatoprotection.
A reproving and comparative study of Parthenium-hysterophorus, a medical hazard in India, was taken up by Maishi, Shoukath Ali, Chaghtai and Miss Gizala Khan. This plant got introduced in India in 1950's along-with Mexican wheat and its dermatitis causing tendency was first reported by Ranade from Poona. Dr E Fornias, Dr Duenas and Dr Sleight [as quoted by J H Clarke] had proved it earlier on human beings and few animals, how-ever, the authors who proved it in India found few important and characteristic symptoms missing. The symptoms were dermatitis, eczema, itching, eruption on skin particularly upper eyelids, sides of neck, part of face, 'V' of the neck, front of elbows and back of knees; allergic rhinitis, breathlessness, resembling asthma. The non-occurrence of these symptoms outside India as cited by Clarke J H may be attributed to the climatic conditions which prevail there and also to the susceptibility of persons over there. Parthenium-hysterophorus, occurring here belongs to a different race or strain which is more virulent than the European from found outside India.
Tetanus, an infection due to the anaerobic bacillus Clostridium tetani, is a scourge in tropical countries and in the absence of systematic antitetanus immunization, it kills about 800000 children each year through lack of hygiene, or because of ancestral customs such as applying poultices on open wounds. Catherine Gaucher opines that although Homoeopathy can help it will not replace the antitetanus vaccine which continues to be the easiest and least expensive method of preventing tetanus. However, the role of medicines like Nux-vom, Strychnus, Belladona, Stramonium, Passiflora; Hypericum; Hydrocyanic acid; Cicuta virosa; Ledum, Arnica, Pyrogen and last but not the least Tetanotoxinum must be discovered in context to Tetanus. Dr P N Pai of Bombay has carried out a study which was published in 1964 in British Homoeopathic Journal. However Catherine feels these studies deserve repetition to confirm the role of Homoeopathy in treating tetanus.
Post therapeutic evaluation of gall bladder disease cases by ultrasonography in response to Homoeopathic treatment was carried out by Dr G Gupta. The main drugs used were Lycopodium, Cal-carb, Sulphur, Nat-sulph, Berberis-vulg, Dioscorea, China, Nux-vom, Feltauri etc. Mother tinctures used were Chelidonium, Cardus, Hydrastis, Berberis, Chionanthus. The biggest gall-stone dissolved was 20mm in size.
Fungal infections are of more significance in tropical countries like India, because of favourable temperature and humid conditions. Efficacy of Homeopathic drugs against fungi isolated from human patients was taken up by Chandra, Garg, and Girish Gupta. Specimens were collected from the tongue, skin the ear of infected patients by swab and scrapping methods and were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar Media. Three fungi were obtained viz, Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and asperigullus niger. Against the above three isolates in vitro, antifungal efficacy of six Homoeopathic drugs ie Bacillinum 200, Ustilago 1M, Petroleum 200, Sulphur-iod 1M, Mezerium 1M and Acid-benzoic 200 were tested. Sulphur-iodatum 1M and Acid-benzoic 200 were found useful against all the three fungi.
How does Homoeopathy cure? A classification of hypotheses concerning the mode of action of potentized medicine is proposed. Hypotheses are analysed according to their adequacy for explaining the phenomenon by German Barnal. Two main groups: Reactive hypotheses and Non Reactive hypothesis depending on the active or passive role of the organism during Homoeopathic treatment is described. Under the reactive hypothesis-Hormesis, Biochemical, Neutralization are explained. Every Homoeopath should think about each of these hypothesis to make Homoeopathy more authentic to the world.
Stimulation of self recovery by similia principle? This paper describes how the similia principle can be studied best in fundamental research. Two questions are raised: What is known about the regulatory principles at which Homoeopathic treatment is directed? And In what kind of conditions can these regulatory principles be studied best? The vision of Hahnemann and ideas related to the field concept developed in this century are discussed.