Article
in English
| HomeoIndex (homeopathy) | ID: hom-11054
Using the empirical or phenomenological researchmethod by observing the effects of drugs in the humanphysiology, Samuel Hahnemann proposed the homeopathic treatment. He synthesized modern pharmacodynamic in the primary action of the drugs and in the consequent and opposite secondary action or vital reaction of the organism. Noting that drugs with contrary primary action to the symptoms of the diseases caused worsening of the symptoms after its withdrawal, as a result of secondary action of the organism, Hahnemann proposed using this vital reaction (secondary action) in a curative way, administering to sick individuals the drugs that causedsimilar symptoms in healthy individuals (therapeutic use of the similitude principle). According to the clinical and experimental pharmacology, this secondary action (vital reaction) of the organism is observed in the rebound effect or paradoxical reaction of several classes of drugs, which is the scientific basis of the homeopathic pharmacology. In the last decade, exponents of modern pharmacology have suggested the therapeutic use of the paradoxical reaction(paradoxical pharmacology), proposing the use of drugs that cause an exacerbation of the disease in the short term to treat these same diseases in the long-term. In this review, we compare the various aspects between the homeopathic pharmacology and the paradoxical pharmacology, reinforcing the validity of homeopathic assumptions and expanding the knowledge to optimize both proposals.(AU)