ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To research the effects of Alligator Zhikegao on relieving cough, dispelling phlegm and anti-inflammation. METHOD: The coughing tests in mice, the phenol red secreting tests in mice, ear edema tests in mice,and paw edema tests and subcutaneous cotton ball granuloma in rats were adopted for observing the related pharmacological effects of Alligator Zhikegao. RESULT: Alligator Zhikegao could obviously prolong the latent period and decrease the times of mouse coughing, and remarkably inhibit the mouse ear edema (P < 0.001), the rat paw edema and the hyperplasia of subcutaneous cotton ball granuloma in rats. Alligator Zhikegao 11.70 g x kg(-1) could significant improve the carbonic clearances of macrophages (P <0.05) and the hemolysin level in serum (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Alligator Zhikegao has significant effects on relieving cough, dispelling phlegm, anti-inflammation and immunological regulation.
Subject(s)
Alligators and Crocodiles , Antitussive Agents/therapeutic use , Expectorants/therapeutic use , Glycosaminoglycans/therapeutic use , Materia Medica/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/isolation & purification , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Antitussive Agents/isolation & purification , Cough/drug therapy , Drug Combinations , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Ear Diseases/drug therapy , Edema/drug therapy , Expectorants/isolation & purification , Female , Glycosaminoglycans/isolation & purification , Granuloma/drug therapy , Male , Materia Medica/isolation & purification , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Mice , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials in homeopathy have suggested that homeopathy is more than a placebo response. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the effectiveness of homeopathy in primary care with conventional medicine in primary care for three commonly encountered clinical conditions. DESIGN: An international multicenter, prospective, observational study in a real world medical setting comparing the effectiveness of homeopathy with conventional medicine. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty (30) investigators with conventional medical licenses at six clinical sites in four countries enrolled 500 consecutive patients with at least one of the following three complaints: (1) upper respiratory tract complaints including allergies; (2) lower respiratory tract complaints including allergies; or (3) ear complaints. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes criterion was the response to treatment, defined as cured or major improvement after 14 days of treatment. Secondary outcomes criteria were: (1) rate of recovery; (2) occurrence of adverse events; (3) patient satisfaction; and (4) length of consultation. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty-six (456) patient visits were compared: 281 received homeopathy, 175 received conventional medicine. The response to treatment as measured by the primary outcomes criterion for patients receiving homeopathy was 82.6%, for conventional medicine it was 68%. Improvement in less than 1 day and in 1 to 3 days was noted in 67.3% of the group receiving homeopathy and in 56.6% of those receiving conventional medicine. The adverse events for those treated with conventional medicine was 22.3% versus 7.8% for those treated with homeopathy. Seventy-nine percent (79.0%) of patients treated with homeopathy were very satisfied and 65.1% of patients treated with conventional, medicine were very satisfied. In both treatment groups 60% of cases had consultations lasting between 5 and 15 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathy appeared to be at least as effective as conventional medical care in the treatment of patients with the three conditions studied.