Bone computed tomography mineral content evaluation in chickens: effects of substances in homeopathic concentration.

METHODS: Ninety-six cobb race chickens were equally divided in 4 groups and randomly assigned to receive a standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Symphytum (S.) officinalis (9CH), or standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Tricalcarea (4CH), or standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Calcarea (C.) carbonica (30CH) or a placebo (the same feed but without any homeopathic compound) in order to assess the ability of the homeopathic compounds to increase the concentration of calcium hydroxyapatite in the sternal spongy bone tissue. We measured the concentration of calcium hydroxyapatite in the sternal spongy bone tissue of all chickens by means of a computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: 30%, 36% and 63% increase of sternum spongy-bone mineralization was observed after a 2 years period in the treatment groups with S. officinalis (9CH), Tricalcarea (4CH) (*P < 0.05) and C. carbonica (30CH) (***P < 0.001) respectively. CONCLUSION: Bone mineralization is usually low in battery chickens reared in commercial poultry-sheds, creating a weakness of the whole animal supporting apparatus. Homeopathic preparations with bone-tissue tropism may improve their health quality.

A perspective on complementary/alternative medicine use among survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Benefits and uncertainties.

The widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer survivors is well known despite a paucity of scientific evidence to support its use. The number of survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) is growing rapidly and HCT clinicians are aware that many of their patients use CAM therapies consistently. However, due to a paucity of data regarding the benefits and harms of CAM therapies in these survivors, clinicians are reluctant to provide specific recommendations for or against particular CAM therapies. A systematic literature review was conducted with a search using PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Ovid online for each CAM therapy as defined by the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The search generated 462 references, of which 26 articles were deemed to be relevant for the review. Due to extensive heterogeneity in data and limited randomized trials, a meta-analysis could not be performed but a comprehensive systematic review was conducted with specified outcomes for each CAM therapy. In randomized controlled trials, certain mind and body interventions such as relaxation were observed to be effective in alleviating psychological symptoms in patients undergoing HCT, whereas the majority of the other CAM treatments were found to have mixed results. CAM use is an understudied area in HCT survivorship and clinicians should convey the benefits and uncertainties concerning the role of CAM therapies to their patients.

[THE APPLICATION OF ANTIHOMOTOXIC DRUG PREPARATIONS IN THE COMPLEX TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF LUMBAR OSTEOCHONDROSIS].

The expediency of application homeosyniatry by preparations of Traumel S and Placenta Compositum after the offered chart in relation to a complex with classic acupuncture and in relation to the group of the generally accepted treatment has been proved in complex treatment patients with reflex syndromes of lumbar osteochondrosis. A similar conclusion was done after the statistically reliable (P < 0.05) dynamics of parameters of endogenous intoxication, liperoxydation and antioxydant systems of the protection (by the level of katalase, superoxyddismutase, SH-groups, ceruloplasmine).

Public awareness, patterns of use and attitudes toward natural health products in Kuwait: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: There has been a global rise in the use of natural health products (NHPs). Proper regulation of NHPs is pivotal to ensure good quality control standards, enhance consumers' safety and facilitate their integration into modern healthcare systems. There is scarcity of published data on the prevalence of NHPs usage among the general Kuwaiti population. Hence, this study was designed to determine awareness, patterns of use, general attitude and information requirements about NHPs among the public in Kuwait. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was performed using a pretested self-administered questionnaire on a sample of 1300 Kuwaiti individuals, selected from six governorates in Kuwait using a multistage stratified clustered sampling. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis. RESULTS: The response rate was 90.2%. NHPs were thought to be herbal remedies by most of participants (63.5%), followed by vitamins/minerals (40.5%), traditional medicines (21.1%), probiotics (14.9%), amino acids and essential fatty acids (7.2%), and homeopathic medicines (5.6%). NHPs usage was reported by 71.4% (95% CI: 68.8-74.0%) of respondents, and mostly associated with females (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.44-2.51). Herbal remedies were the most commonly used (41.3%; 95% CI: 38.5-44.2%). The most common reasons for using NHPs were to promote and maintain health and to prevent illness and build immune system. Family members and/or friends and mass media were the main sources for providing information about NHPs. About 18% of consumers have experienced a side effect due to using a NHP. Attitudes toward NHPs were generally positive; with more than 75% of participants believing that the Ministry of Health in Kuwait should regulate the claims made by the manufacturers of NHPs and it is important to talk to a medical doctor or a pharmacist prior to using NHPs. Most of the respondents showed increased interest to acquire knowledge about different types of information related to NHPs. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of use of NHPs among Kuwaiti population is high. The present findings have major public health policy implications for Kuwait. Therefore, there is an apparent need to establish effective health education programs and implement better and more regulated NHPs use policies in Kuwait.

Use of natural health products in children: experiences and attitudes of family physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the experiences of family physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador with parents' use of natural health products (NHPs) for their children and to assess physicians' attitudes toward use of NHPs in children. DESIGN: A survey using the Dillman approach. SETTING: Newfoundland and Labrador. PARTICIPANTS: All family physicians in the province. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physician demographic characteristics; whether physicians inquire about the use of NHPs in children; the degree to which they think patients disclose use of NHPs in children; whether they counsel parents about the potential benefits or harms of NHPs; their own opinions about the usefulness of NHPs; whether they recommend NHPs in children and for what reasons; and the particular NHPs they have seen used in children and for what reasons. RESULTS: A total of 159 (33.1%) family physicians responded; 65.4% were men, 71.7% were Canadian medical graduates, and 46.5% practised in rural areas. Overall, 18.8% of family physicians said they regularly or frequently asked about NHP use; 24.7% counseled patients about potential harms. Only 1.9% of physicians believed NHPs were usually beneficial, but a similarly small number (8.4%) thought they were usually harmful. Most respondents were somewhat neutral; 59.7% said they never recommend NHPs for children, and a further 37.0% said they would only "sometimes" recommend NHPs. CONCLUSION: Most physicians believed that NHPs were probably of little benefit but not likely to be harmful. Most NHPs used were vitamins and minerals. Physicians recognized that NHPs were often used by parents for children, but in general they believed NHPs had little effect on their day-to-day medical practices. Thirty-eight (24.7%) of the 154 physicians had at least once recommended an NHP (including vitamins) for their pediatric patients. Physicians believed that parents did not often disclose use of NHPs for their children, but at the same time physicians generally did not actively inquire.

[Antihomotoxic therapy in patients with inflammatory and dystrophic salivary gland diseases].

Traumeel S was used as monotherapy for salivary glands inflammatory and dystrophic disorders. The study showed the drug to be especially efficient by exacerbation of the recurrent disease but the results were poor by indolent disease and on the latter stages of dystrophic disorder. Traumel S may be recommended to be used in combined therapy for salivary glands inflammatory and dystrophic disorders treatment.

Total antioxidant capacity of venous blood, blood plasma, and serum of patients with periodontitis, and the effect of Traumeel S on these characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: Periodontal diseases are among the most common chronic infections in humans. Chronic low-level bacteremia and a septicemic inflammatory response have been suggested as a pathogenetic link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis, diabetes and other systemic diseases. All this significantly increases the relevance of the search for the means for treatment and prevention of periodontal diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate blood count and the antioxidant capacity of venous blood, blood plasma, and serum in patients with periodontitis and control subjects with healthy periodontal tissues, and to investigate the effect of the homeopathic medication Traumeel S on the antioxidant capacity of venous blood, plasma, and serum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed using venous blood of 21 individuals with chronic periodontitis and 22 healthy subjects. Reduction properties of venous blood, blood plasma, and serum were investigated using the method of reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium, proposed by Demehin et al. RESULTS: The data showed that there was no significant difference in venous blood hemoglobin levels or erythrocyte counts between the groups, while significantly higher leukocyte counts were observed in the periodontitis group (P<0.05). The antioxidant capacity of blood plasma was significantly higher in the periodontitis group than it was in the controls (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the antioxidant capacity of serum was significantly lower in the periodontitis group as compared with controls (P<0.05). The preparation Traumeel S had no effect on the antioxidant capacity of venous blood or blood plasma in the studied groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to healthy individuals, the antioxidant capacity of blood plasma in patients with periodontitis was higher, while the antioxidant capacity of serum was lower. The homeopathic medication Traumeel S had no effect on the antioxidant capacity of venous blood, blood plasma, or serum. Our findings concerning the elevated leukocyte counts in venous blood of patients with periodontitis confirm the presumption that periodontal diseases cause low-grade systemic inflammation induced by the host response to periodontal bacteria.

Traumeel S for pain relief following hallux valgus surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In spite of recent advances in post-operative pain relief, pain following orthopedic surgery remains an ongoing challenge for clinicians. We examined whether a well known and frequently prescribed homeopathic preparation could mitigate post-operative pain. METHOD: We performed a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the homeopathic preparation Traumeel S in minimizing post-operative pain and analgesic consumption following surgical correction of hallux valgus. Eighty consecutive patients were randomized to receive either Traumeel tablets or an indistinguishable placebo, and took primary and rescue oral analgesics as needed. Maximum numerical pain scores at rest and consumption of oral analgesics were recorded on day of surgery and for 13 days following surgery. RESULTS: Traumeel was not found superior to placebo in minimizing pain or analgesic consumption over the 14 days of the trial, however a transient reduction in the daily maximum post-operative pain score favoring the Traumeel arm was observed on the day of surgery, a finding supported by a treatment-time interaction test (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Traumeel was not superior to placebo in minimizing pain or analgesic consumption over the 14 days of the trial. A transient reduction in the daily maximum post-operative pain score on the day of surgery is of questionable clinical importance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. # NCT00279513.

Homeopathic medicines for adverse effects of cancer treatments.

BACKGROUND: Homeopathic medicines are used by patients with cancer, often alongside conventional treatment. Cancer treatments can cause considerable morbidity and one of the reasons patients use homeopathic medicines is to help with adverse effects. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate effectiveness and safety of homeopathic medicines used to prevent or treat adverse effects of cancer treatments. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following were searched up to November 2008: Cochrane PaPaS Trials Register; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; BNI; CancerLIT; AMED; CISCOM; Hom-Inform; SIGLE; National Research Register; Zetoc; www.controlled-trials.com; http://clinicaltrials.gov; Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis (LMHI, Liga) conference proceedings; reference lists of relevant studies were checked; and homeopathic manufacturers, leading researchers and practitioners were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of homeopathic medicines in participants with a clinical or histological diagnosis of cancer where the intervention was aimed at preventing or treating symptoms associated with cancer treatments. All age groups, and all stages of disease were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and two review authors extracted data. Three review authors independently assessed trial quality using the Delphi List and the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Where available, data were extracted for analysis. MAIN RESULTS: Eight controlled trials (seven placebo controlled and one trial against an active treatment) with a total of 664 participants met the inclusion criteria. Three studied adverse effects of radiotherapy, three studied adverse effects of chemotherapy and two studied menopausal symptoms associated with breast cancer treatment.Two studies with low risk of bias demonstrated benefit: one with 254 participants demonstrated superiority of topical calendula over trolamine (a topical agent not containing corticosteroids) for prevention of radiotherapy-induced dermatitis, and another with 32 participants demonstrated superiority of Traumeel S (a proprietary complex homeopathic medicine) over placebo as a mouthwash for chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. Two other studies reported positive results, although the risk of bias was unclear, and four further studies reported negative results.No serious adverse effects or interactions were reported attributable to the homeopathic medicines used. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This review found preliminary data in support of the efficacy of topical calendula for prophylaxis of acute dermatitis during radiotherapy and Traumeel S mouthwash in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. These trials need replicating. There is no convincing evidence for the efficacy of homeopathic medicines for other adverse effects of cancer treatments. Further research is required.

Efficacy of homeopathic remedies as prophylaxis of bovine endometritis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 different homeopathic prophylactic strategies for the prevention of endometritis. The drugs used were Lachesis compositum (Lachesis), Carduus compositum (Carduus), and Traumeel LT (Traumeel). Each drug contained a mixed formula of homeopathic remedies. All 929 cows received the first treatment within 24 h postpartum. The second to fourth treatments were conducted at 7 to 13, 14 to 20, and 21 to 27 d in milk, respectively. In the first group, the 4 treatments were Traumeel, Lachesis, Carduus, and Carduus, respectively (n = 206). In the second group, Lachesis was administered 3 times, followed by 1 treatment with Carduus (n = 198). The control group received 4 injections of saline (n = 189). In the fourth week after calving, the prevalence of clinical endometritis, uterine involution, and ovarian activity was monitored by rectal palpation and by ultrasonography. To assess the resumption of ovarian activity, blood samples were taken to determine the concentration of serum progesterone. The concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids in blood serum were examined to evaluate energy metabolism. The incidence of clinical endometritis at 21 to 27 d in milk did not differ between the groups (44.4, 44.8, and 36.9% in the Traumeel, Lachesis, Carduus, and Carduus group; the 3x Lachesis, followed by Carduus group; and the control group, respectively). The proportion of cows with cyclic activity at 21 to 27 d in milk and the proportion of cows above threshold values of progesterone, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and nonesterified fatty acids did not differ significantly between groups. When reproductive performance data were analyzed, no significant differences were found between groups. Hence, the treatment protocols tested were not effective in preventing bovine endometritis or in enhancing reproductive performance in this study.