Background: Homoeopathic drug proving is an integral part of Homoeopathic System of Medicine. It is the first step in finding out the pathogenetic powers of a drug. Objective: To elicit the pathogenetic response to Allium sativum in homoeopathic potencies on healthy human provers. Materials and Methods: A multi-center randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was conducted at two centers of the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH). Proving was conducted on 33 healthy provers after the pretrial medical examination. All the provers were given 12 doses of placebo divided in 4 doses/day for 3 days during the first phase of the trial. After randomization, in the intervention group (21 provers), Allium sativum (A. sativum) was proved in 6C and 30C potencies, in two phases. In the placebo group, 12 provers were administered placebo in the same manner. The symptoms manifested during the trial period were noted down by the provers and then elaborated by the proving masters. The generated data on A. sativum were then compiled and analyzed at proving-cum-data processing cell at CCRH headquarters. Results: Out of 21 provers who were on actual drug trial, only nine provers manifested symptoms. Drug was able to manifest symptoms in both the potencies, in more or less every part of the body. Conclusion: The pathogenetic response elicited during the proving trial expands the scope of use of the drug A. sativum and will benefit the research scholars and clinicians. The generated symptoms of this drug will carry more value when verified clinically.

Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of homoeopathic medicines in fifty millesimal (LM) potencies vis-à -vis centesimal (CH) potencies on symptomatic uterine fibroids. Materials and Methods: A multicentric randomized clinical trial was conducted at six centers under the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Patients were screened for symptomatic uterine fibroids with the preset inclusion and exclusion criteria. A consultant specialized in obstetrics and gynecology was engaged at each center to screen and follow-up the enrolled patients. Homoeopathic physicians engaged in the study were responsible for prescription and follow up for 12 months. The primary outcome was changes in symptoms of uterine fibroid on a visual analog scale (VAS) of 0–10 and findings through ultrasonography (USG) between LM and CH potencies. The secondary outcome was to assess the changes in uterine fibroid symptom quality of life questionnaire (UFSQOL). Data analysis was done as per intention to treat (ITT) analysis. Results: Of 216 patients enrolled in the study (LM: 108 and CH: 108), 209 patients were analyzed under modified ITT (LM: 106, CH: 103). Both LM and CH potencies were equally effective in reducing the symptoms (percentage change) due to uterine fibroid on VAS scale after 1 year of treatment (P > 0.05). The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and subdomains of UFSQOL also showed equal effectiveness in both the groups (P = 0.05). However, no difference was observed in all the USG findings except for uterine volume (P = 0.03). There was overall difference before and after homoeopathic treatment irrespective of assigned groups, i.e., LM or CH (P < 0.05) in all the above parameters. The medicines frequently prescribed were: Pulsatilla, Sulphur, Lycopodium, Sepia, Phosphorus, Calcarea carbonica, and Natrum muriaticum. Conclusion: LM and CH potencies are equally effective in giving symptomatic relief to patients suffering from symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Objectives: Antiseptics are used extensively in hospitals and other health care centers (clinics) to control the growth of microbes on living tissues. They are essential parts of infection control practices, especially in wound treatment and aid in the prevention of nosocomial infections. This study was done to evaluate and compare the antibacterial effectiveness of povidone iodine and eight commonly used homoeopathic mother tinctures. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Faculty of Pharmacy and alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. All the selected Homeopathic mother tinctures were purchased by Masood Homeopathic Pharmaceuticals, Pakistan. Prepared PYODINEâ (povidone iodine) solution 10% w/v, batch no. 084F4 used as positive control while 70% ethanol was used as negative control in each test. These tinctures were tested against three clinically important human skin-pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) by disc diffusion method with povidone iodine as positive standard. Results: Seven out of eight mother tinctures showed more or less antibacterial activity; some of them have high activity than povidone iodine. Rhus glabra had maximum activity (zone of inhibition 32 mm) against Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa than povidone iodine and among all the tested mother tinctures. Conclusion: This study confirms the antibacterial activity and more effectiveness of Thuja occidentalis and Rhus glabra mother tinctures than povidone iodine. The other tested mother tinctures also have antibacterial activity against tested bacteria, except Echinacea.

Objective: To study, the effect of a homoeopathic medicine Crotalus horridus 200C on ehrlichiosis in dogs in an endemic area of Aizawl district of Mizoram state of India. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the efficacy of Crotalus horridus 200C against ehrlichiosis dogs. 12 positive cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were divided into two groups comprising six dogs in each group. One group was treated with standard therapy (doxycycline) and other group was treated with Crotalus horridus 200C at 4 pills orally for 20 days. Clinical improvement of affected dogs was recorded after therapy. Important haemato-biochemical parameters before and after therapy such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC), differential leukocyte count (DLC), platelet count, total protein, albumin, globulin, A:G ratio, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and liver-specific enzymes namely alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed following standard protocol. All the parameters were compared with a control healthy group (T3). All experiment dogs were from different age with different breeds and bloods were collected at forenoon only. Results: PCR test yielded 13 dogs positive out of 67 suspected samples screened (19.40%) with an amplification of 387 bp fragment from 16S rRNA gene of E. Canis. Off total positive, only 8 (61.53%) could be detected in peripheral blood smear. Crotalus horridus-treated group of dogs showed clinical recovery from fever and temperature to normalcy by the 14^th day posttreatment. Haemato-biochemical profiles of affected dogs such as Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC, DLC, platelet count, total protein, albumin, globulin, A:G ratio, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, BUN, and liver-specific enzymes namely ALT and ALP were turned to normalcy within 21 days of post-treatment. Conclusion: Nested PCR assay had been shown to be sensitive and specific for detection of Ehrlichia canis. Crotalus horridus 200C may be an effective and choice of drug for control of canine ehrlichiosis.

Background: There are experimental evidences of nanoparticle aspect of homoeopathic medicine. It has also been established that the size of these nanoparticles (NPs) decrease with increase in potency. Aim: We have used this aspect of homoeopathic medicines in some technical applications. Here, to improve the electrical properties of an electroactive polymer, poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexa-fluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), we have incorporated in the polymer film, a very novel and unique probe Ferrum metallicum (FeM), a homoeopathic medicine, the size of which can be changed by dilution, followed by controlled agitation. Settings and Design: The composite film was synthesized by solution-casting technique. Using standard procedures, the characterization studies by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed to check the incorporation of the NPs in the film. Material and Method: Each sample was freshly prepared 2 times by doping FeM in PVDF-HFP matrix using solution-casting technique, and the experiment was repeated with each sample for 5 times. Statistical Analysis: This being a continuous data recording, error bars cannot be shown. We have presented the graphs which have been repeated maximum number of times. Result and Conclusion: Our result shows that the electrical properties such as dielectric constant, tangent loss, and electrical conductivity of these polymer films get significantly modified due to incorporation of this homoeopathic nanomedicine and the effect increases with the increase in concentration of the probe up to a critical value. These FeM-incorporated PVDF-HFP films will have potential applications as high-energy storage devices such as multilayered high-charge storage device.

Validation of homoeopathic medicines is about validating effectiveness in individual cases. Homoeopathic practitioners base their expectation that a medicine will work on the experience that specific symptoms of the patient indicate specific medicines. The prevalence of such symptoms is higher in a population responding well to a specific medicine than in the remainder of the population. This principle has a solid mathematical foundation in Bayes' theorem, identifies homoeopathic symptoms as prognostic factors, and offers an interesting perspective of individualized research. This kind of research depends on recording symptoms and results of treatment. An important challenge in this research is establishing causality between medicine and improved health. Prognostic factor research could become one of the main pillars of Homoeopathy's scientific identity.

Background: There are diverging opinions about scientific evidence for Homoeopathy, but evidence for conventional medicine is not perfect either. In fact, proof for Homoeopathy is not inferior to conventional. However, the evidence for Homoeopathy has been downplayed by selection of trials (cherry-picking). The effect of Homoeopathy in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), however, is small due to many ineffective prescriptions. This is caused by shortcomings of our Materia Medica and Repertories. Discussion: The hegemony of the RCT is increasingly questioned; it does not provide all answers, especially not for the individual patient. The individual patient wants to know his individual prognosis: Will this medicine work for him? This is even more important than his individual diagnosis. It is possible to assess prognosis scientifically the same way as diagnosis. Prognostic research is based on daily practice; practitioners should have knowledge about statistics to fulfill their role in this process. Conclusion: The discussion in this paper elucidates that RCT has its limitations, especially for the patient whose main concern is recovery/prognosis. Drug validation is a key to improve the outcome of clinical practice in Homoeopathy.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disease characterized by itching, typical morphology, and distribution of rash, chronic relapsing course, and personal or family history of “atopic diathesis.” Stress is an important precipitating factor of AD. Stress has also some causal link with depression. Rationale of this case report is to demonstrate the co-occurrence of AD and depression in a patient, and better improvement of AD occurs when homoeopathic treatment focuses on psychological symptoms. Here, a 38-year-old male presented with a 6-month history of eczematous skin lesions with associated symptoms of depression in the background of chronic ongoing stress. A diagnosis of AD with comorbid depression was made. He initially did not show stable improvement on homoeopathic medicine selected on the basis of totality of symptoms and miasmatic background. On changing the medicine giving more priority to psychological symptoms, he gradually showed stable improvement on both the domain of symptoms and reached remission by 3 months. Remission maintained without any recurrence over the next 3½ years. Hence, the main lesson from this case is the demonstration of importance of mental symptoms over other physical symptoms in homoeopathic treatment.