New approaches to treating pollenosis--a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a homoeopathic drug combination in the treatment of pollenosis under condition of daily practice. DESIGN: Care review. SETTING: A general practice in Germany. PATIENTS: 35 patients with pollenosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Objective and subjective symptoms of acute pollenosis. RESULTS: During an average treatment period of 61 days it was found that 28 of 35 patients experienced an improvement in pollenosis symptoms. The medication was well tolerated thought patients preserved oral to subcutaneous administration. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving the homoeopathic drug combination experienced improvements without side effects. Whether this improvement is due to the medicine or some other factor would need to be determined in a controlled trial.

Comparison of solid and liquid forms of homeopathic remedies for tonsillitis.

The efficacy of three plants used in homeopathy to treat acute tonsillitis was evaluated. A fixed combination of three plant substances (Phytolacca americana, Guajacum officinale, Capsicum annuum) was used in either solid (tablet) or liquid (drop) formulation: 107 patients were treated and no antibiotics were used. The objective and subjective symptoms of acute tonsillitis were noted. A significant decrease in symptoms was observed as early as 2.5 days after treatment startup; no serious adverse effects were reported. It was concluded that acute tonsillitis can be treated with a homeopathic remedy characterized by its immunomodulatory, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

[Drugs for special therapies. Demonstration of the effectiveness of homeopathy drugs]. / Arzneimittel der besonderen Therapierichtungen. Wirksamkeitsnachweise am Beispiel von Homöopathika.

The drugs employed in special types of therapy-phytotherapy, homeopathy, anthroposophic medicines--are being used more and more frequently. In view of the fact that they are equated by law with chemical-synthetic drugs, they must meet the criteria of quality and harmlessness. With respect to effectiveness, the specific peculiarities of these special types of therapy have to be taken into account, and this is illustrated taking homeopathic agents as an example.

[A meta-analysis of homeopathic treatment of pollinosis with Galphimia glauca]. / Eine Metaanalyse der homöopathischen Behandlung der Pollinosis mit Galphimia glauca.

OBJECTIVE: 1) To assess the efficacy of homeopathic prepared Galphimia glauca compared to placebo in the treatment of pollinosis. 2) To estimate the corresponding overall success rate of Galphimia glauca. Meta-analysis of clinical trials. STUDY SELECTION: 7 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials and 4 not placebo-controlled trials (1 randomized and controlled, 1 prospective uncontrolled, 2 retrospective uncontrolled) performed by our study group between 1980 and 1989. An additional MEDLINE search revealed no further trials on this topic. Exclusion and inclusion criteria were identical over all trials. In total, 1038 ambulatory patients that suffered from acute pollinosis (752 in placebo-controlled trials) entered the analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative frequency and relative risk for showing noticeable and soothing relief in ocular symptoms as assessed by the patient. The overall rate of improved eye-symptoms is about 1.25 (CI: 1.09 to 1.43) times higher in the verum than in the placebo group. Verum success rate is estimated by 79.3% (CI: 74.1% to 85.0%). Across the single studies the results were highly comparable except for the study run in 1985. A significant superiority of Galphimia glauca over placebo is demonstrated. Estimates of verum success rates are comparable with those of conventional antihistaminics, but no side effects occurred. As not all of the single studies were analyzed by intention to treat analysis the results may be biased.

Double-blind trial comparing the effectiveness of the homeopathic preparation Galphimia potentiation D6, Galphimia dilution 10(-6) and placebo on pollinosis.

The preparation of homeopathic drugs is based on potentiation. In this potentiation the primary substance is specially mixed with a carrier (typically 90% ethanol) in the ratio 1:10. Usually this potentiation is done repeatedly and the final drug is labeled, e.g., "D6" which means a 6 times decimal potentiation. In a controlled randomized strictly double-blind trial with 164 patients the effectiveness of homeopathically prepared Galphimia D6, a conventional Galphimia dilution 10(-6) and a placebo was investigated for the therapy of pollinosis. The average duration of treatment was about 5 weeks. Although no statistical significance was achieved, it is remarkable that there was a clear trend for the superiority of Galphimia D6 while the Galphimia dilution 10(-6) was about equally effective compared with placebo. The study itself demonstrates that it is possible to do strictly controlled trials for homeopathic drugs and with medical practitioners.

[Naturopathy as a contribution to cost control. Attempt at a cost analysis]. / Naturheilkunde als Beitrag zur Kostendämpfung. Versuch einer Kostenanalyse.

OBJECTIVE: A data analysis has been performed to investigate to what extent naturopathy may contribute to reducing costs of medical care. METHODS: The study included anonymous data from the second quarter of 1988 obtained from the North-Württemberg Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung (insurance company). Physicians practicing in this area at that time were compared to a similarly large collective of those designated additionally as naturopaths and/or homeopaths. RESULTS: Differences between the two groups were significant with respect to drug costs and disability certificates however not with respect to physician fees.

[Efficiency of homeopathic preparation combinations in sinusitis. Results of a randomized double blind study with general practitioners]. / Wirksamkeitsprüfung von homöopathischen Kombinationspräparaten bei Sinusitis. Ergebnisse einer randomisierten Doppelblindstudie under Praxisbedingungen.

In a controlled randomized double-blind trial carried out by 47 physicians in private practice with totally 152 patients with sinusitis the therapeutic success of the following homeopathic drug preparations was investigated: Group A: combination of luffa operculata D4, kalium bicromicum D4 and cinnabaris D3. Group B: combination of kalium bicromicum D4 and cinnabaris D3. Group C: luffa operculata D4. Group D: placebo. Criteria for the therapeutic result were headache, blocked nasal breathing, trigeminal tenderness, reddening and swelling of nasal mucosa and postnasal secretion. There was no remarkable difference in the therapeutic success among the investigated homeopathic drug combinations nor between the active drugs and placebo. Averaged over all four groups 81% of the patients with acute sinusitis and 67% of the patients with chronic sinusitis recovered. In the literature comparable therapeutic results are reported for antibiotic therapy, decongestant nose drops and for the drainage of nasal cavities.