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Schwabe News Volume 2 | Issue 4 | August 2011

Research news

A study of homoeopathic Plumbum metallicum in workers exposed to lead

Poisoning due to lead and its compounds has short and long-term effects primarily on the nervous, hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, renal and reproductive systems. It can manifest in acute or chronic symptoms. Measuring serum concentration is the primary method for diagnosing and monitoring exposed workers. Presently, elevated lead levels are treated by drugs whose effectiveness is contested on various fronts. Experimental studies suggest that homoeopathic preparations may be useful in controlling blood lead levels in laboratory animals, creating the need for controlled studies to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these preparations in humans. This double-blind randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the homoeopathic preparation Plumbum metallicum in reducing the blood lead level of workers exposed to this metal. The trial setting was a workers’ clinic in the Ajax battery plant, which employs 900 workers with varying degrees of lead exposure in Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil. 131 workers exposed to lead were randomly selected. Plumbum metallicum 15cH or placebo, was given orally for 35 days to these subjects. The results showed that percentage of workers who demonstrated a reduction in lead counts by a percentage greater than or equal to 25% following treatment was the same for both groups: 20.3% in the homoeopathic groups versus 21% in the control group [Relative Risk (RR) = 0.95, confidential interval (CI) 95%: 0.47–1.92)]. Analysis by intention-to-treat also did not show any difference between the groups: 18.2% in the treated group versus 20% in the placebo group (RR = 0.91, CI 95%: 0.45–1.84). The homoeopathic preparation Plumbum metallicum had no effect, in this study, in terms of reducing serum lead in workers exposed to lead.

Reference:

• Roberto Queiroz Padilha, Rachel Riera, Álvaro Nagib Atallah, Homoeopathic Plumbum metallicum for lead poisoning: a randomized clinical trial, Homeopathy, Volume 100, Issue 3, Pages 107-200 (July 2011)

A paper correlating modern pharmacology with similia principle

Homoeopathy is universally known as an opponent of allopathic Medicine, namely scientific medicine based on ponderal drugs and recognised mechanisms of receptor agonism and antagonism following the dose-response curve. Over time the difficulty to explain with arguments the action of homoeopathic ultra-diluted remedies has led many homoeopaths to distance themselves from any pharmacological knowledge. Nevertheless this position forgets not only the modalities in which homoeopathy was born and has grown, but a lot of modern changes of view in body-mind communication, cell communication, neuro-immune-endocrinology and bioelectromagnetism, that could give new reasons to treat as clinical homoeopathic practice is teaching and to recognize the principle of similars as a modern pharmacological principle. These arguments, receptorial cell communication, bioelectromagnetism and body-mind unity are the bases of Homoeopathy and of the Similia Principle and are all included in embryonic but sufficiently clear considerations in the fundamental book of Hahnemann, the Organon (parr. 11, 13, 15-18, 21, 22, 29-32, 63-70). Two kind of evidences confirm the pharmacological bases of Similia Priniciple, in vitro experiments and homoeopathic pathogenetic trials on healthy volunteers, best known as provings. Even clinical homoeopathic phenomena like initial aggravation and return of old symptoms confirm this pharmacological view of the Simila Principle.

Reference:

• Andrea Signorini, Pharmacology and similia principle: indirect secondary counter-regulation. Confirmation from in vitro experiments and classical provings, International Journal of High Dilution Research, Vol 10, No 35 (2011). Full article available from: http://www.feg.unesp.br/~ojs/index.php/ijhdr/article/view/452/464

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