Objective: The primary objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of homoeopathic treatment with standard allopathic regimen in acute ADL and secondary objective was to assess the reduction in frequency, duration and intensity of subsequent attacks, improvement of the quality of life of patients. Methods: The study was designed as a comparative randomized trial conducted from October 2012 to April 2014, on 112 patients at Regional Research Institute, Puri, Odisha. The ADL patients enrolled were randomized to receive either homoeopathic treatment or standard allopathic treatment for a period of six months. The outcome parameters used were ADL score and WHO QOL Bref. Results: 112 Patients were considered for primary outcome analysis as per the Intention to treat principle. (Homoeopathy= 55 and Allopathy= 57) and were analysed on 11^th day of treatment. Both the treatments produced equal improvement in ADL scores. However, during the six months study period, the frequency, duration and intensity of attacks were better in Homoeopathy group compared to allopathy group. There was statistically significant improvement in Homoeopathy for Domain 4 of WHOQOL (P = 0.004) as compared to allopathy group. Medicines like Apismellifica (n = 23), Rhus toxicodendron (n = 20), Pulsatilla (n = 8), Arsenic album (n = 1), Bryonia alba (n = 1), Silicea (n = 1) and Hepar sulph (n = 1) were found most useful in the acute attacks. Conclusion: This study provides evidence to support the fact that individualized homoeopathy treatment is equally effective for ADL as the standard allopathy treatment in the management of ADL.

Background: Japanese encephalitis(JE) is highly prevalent in many states of India. Belladonna 200C is widely used in the prevention and treatment of JE.The effect of Belladonna 200C in virus replication inside different tissues has not been studied. Objective: To study the effect of Belladonna 200C in virus replication inside different tissues utilising chick embryo model. Materials and Methods: Twelve-day-old fertilised eggs of Black Australorp were inoculated with JE via chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) route in different experimental sets: infection, Belladonna 200C treated and vehicle control, keeping matched blank sets. All experimental sets were incubated for 48 hours. After incubation, viable eggs were sacrificed humanly and different tissues were observed and collected for viral load determination by real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The control group showed visible pocks over the CAM; brains were liquefied due to haemorrhagic liquefactive necrosis and white patches were found over the liver. However, the medicine-treated group was apparently normal; there were no visible changes in the brain and the liver was healthy like control. Real-time-PCR results showed high viral load in CAM and brain with absence of viral RNA in liver of the virus-infected group. Pre-treatment with Belladonna 200C significantly reduced the overall load (P < 0.05) in CAM and brain which correlated with the morbid pathological changes of the organs. Conclusion: Although Belladonna 200C did not completely inhibit JE viral replication in the brain, it reduced the severity of JE by diminishing the viral loads in this tissue.

Background: In previous screening experiment, out of some homoeopathic medicines in 30 and 200 potencies Mezereum 200 showed maximum inhibition to growth of Candida albicans on comparing the 'Zone of Inhibition' in culture plates treated with homoeopathic medicines keeping standard antifungal Ketoconazole, rectified spirit and distilled water as control by using Disc method. Objective: To observe the impact of various forbidden edible items such as garlic, onion, cardamom, clove, caraway, ginger, fenugreek, black pepper, asafoetida, red chilli, green chilli, turmeric, lemon and camphor on the efficacy of Mezereum 200 in the inhibition of growth of human pathogenic fungus C. albicans. Materials: Isolation of human pathogenic fungus: Sample collected from patients suffering from oral ulcers was incubated for 15 days at 37+1°C for growth of fungus, if any. The growth of Candida albicans was obtained. Preparation of prohibited items: 500 mg of fine powdered prohibited items were dissolved/mixed in 5 ml distilled water. 5 μl of autoclaved solution of each item was mixed with 5 μl of Mezereum 200. Method: Disc method was used to assess the impact of prohibited items on the efficacy of homoeopathic medicine Mezereum 200 in in-vitro conditions against Candida albicans by “Inhibition Zone Technique”. Result: The result of this in-vitro experiment has shown that there is no inhibitory effect of prohibited items in question on Mezereum 200 in causing inhibition to growth of Candida albicans. Conclusion: It is evident from this experiment that there is no interference of prohibited items on the action of homoeopathic medicine.

Immunomodulation is a kind of regulatory modification in the immune system so as to bring the desired response. In this review the immunomodulatory effects of homoeopathic medicines – Rhus toxicodendron, Mercurius solubilis, Echinacea, Aconitum, Lachesis and Apis – and homoeopathic combination remedy Canova^® are discussed. The review was conducted using PubMed and references from the relevant articles. The keywords comprising the names of above homoeopathic medicines along with terms 'immune function', 'cytokines', etc., were used for search. The review shows that homoeopathic medicines produced modulation of immune function at multiple levels such as modulation of expression of genes, stimulation of macrophage and polymorph nuclear cells, changes in expression of surface receptors and induction of cytokines. Extensive studies are required to explore the immunomodulatory effects of vast number of homoeopathic medicines. Studies based on human-derived immune cells specifically need more attention.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects approximately 5% of all women which are very commonly found in day-to-day (routine) practice. However, these cases present with many complications and it is difficult to cure in contemporary system and treatment is also very costly. A case of 22 years female suffering from PCOS reported here was treated successfully within 1.5 years by a single individualised homoeopathic medicine Calcarea cabonicum 30-1M with repetition as per requirement, The improvement is evident from regularity of menstrual cycle and also from the ultrasonography (USG) reports. The case was observed for further 3 years without recurrence which suggests that permanent cure is achievable through individualised homoeopathic treatment.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is commonly seen in men above the age of 50 years and its incidence approaches 75-80% in men above 80 years. It is one of the frequent reasons for elderly men undergoing surgery. BPH symptoms range from least voiding difficulties to urinary retention and renal failure. In this case, treated with Causticum, both subjective symptoms and prostate size were assessed post treatment. This case shows the usefulness of this medicine on subjective and pathological parameters.