OBJECTIVES To assess whether any benefits from adjunctive homeopathic intervention in patients with RA are due to the homeopathic consultation, homeopathic remedies or both. METHODS Exploratory double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted from January 2008 to July 2008, in patients with active stable RA receiving conventional therapy. Eighty-three participants from three second...

Finding safer and more effective treatments for specific cancers remains a significant challenge for integrative clinicians and researchers worldwide. One emerging strategy is the use of nanostructured forms of drugs, vaccines, traditional animal venoms, herbs, and nutraceutical agents in cancer treatment. The recent discovery of nanoparticles in traditional homeopathic medicines adds another p...

OBJECTIVES Advancements in nanotechnology have led to nanoparticle (NP) use in various fields of medicine. Although the potential of NPs is promising, the lack of documented evidence on the toxicological effects of NPs is concerning. A few studies have documented that homeopathy uses NPs. Unfortunately, very few sound scientific studies have explored the toxic effects of homeopathic drugs. Citi...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a homeopathic treatment of plantar warts. DESIGN Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. SETTING Hospital-based family medicine unit. PATIENTS Patients were recruited from the unit, through advertisements in the local media and through personal contacts with colleagues. Of the 853 people screened between December 1987 and January 1989, 174 m...

Based on the widespread use of homeopathy in treatment of animal disease and the poor documentation of its possible effects and consequences, a clinical trial was carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of homeopathy in treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows and a design for clinical studies on homeopathic treatment, taking into account the guidelines for randomized-clinical trials ...

BACKGROUND The issue of potency choice in homeopathy has always been controversial. In "high" potencies there are no molecules of the starting substance remaining and in low potencies (including tinctures) the line between homeopathy and herbal medicine is blurred. METHOD The literature on potency selection is reviewed, including the use of low potencies and their effects on organ physiology....

A major challenge in basic research into homeopathic potentisation is to develop bioassays that yield consistent results. We evaluated the potential of a seedling-biocrystallisation method. Cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L.) germinated and grew for 4 days in vitro in Stannum metallicum 30x or water 30x in blinded and randomized assignment. 15 experiments were performed at two laboratories. CuCl...

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are well-documented disorders causing significant morbidity in the female population. Treatments prescribed do not necessarily reflect proven clinical effectiveness. A recent systematic review from the Exeter Department of Complementary Medicine failed to endorse complementary therapies as a whole for treatment of PMS. Howev...

OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment details and possible effects of an individualized homeopathic treatment in patients with migraine in usual care. DESIGN This was a prospective multicenter observational study. Consecutive patients beginning homeopathic treatment in primary care practices were evaluated over 2 years using standardized questionnaire...