A motorist team led by a homeopathic doctor from Mumbai has successfully concluded the ground breaking “Heal with Homeopathy” campaign, which took place from July 23, 2022. The campaign covered a challenging route spanning Mumbai, Amritsar, Srinagar, Kargil, Ladakh, Leh, Chandigarh, and back to Mumbai, traversing some of the highest locations on their bikes. This pioneering campaign holds the distinction of being the world’s first homeopathy initiative conducted in such demanding circumstances, exploring breathtaking landscapes. The team expresses heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support and well wishes received, contributing to the resounding success of the campaign. The campaign’s social media posts were widely shared, spreading awareness about the power of homeopathy.
o Treatment of Painful Teething in Children- An Open Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial on the Effectiveness and Safety of a Homoeopathic Medicinal Products
o Antiobesity effect of Phytolacca berry in rats
o Electrolytes Changes Induced by Weight Loss Herbal Drugs Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits
o Role of Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Lipid Profile Alleration in Hypercholestrolemia Induced Rabbits
Editorial
It feels good when we make people happy. We at Schwabe India are fortunate to have this feeling often, when we share knowledge and help the needy. There were around 850 students and faculty members who have visited Schwabe India to learn the modern technologies used in the homoeopathic manufacturing in the first half of 2015. Year on year this number keeps increasing. Officers at Schwabe India are enthusiastic to take them to the factory tour to make them understand the technological know-how. Other reasons for our happiness is conducting camps and supporting the needy. Schwabe India had conducted camps and health check-ups and supported earthquake victims of Nepal. These are covered under Current news.
Many current polychrests in homoeopathy were used in low potencies or mother tincture in earlier days. Subsequently, exhaustive provings and clinical verifications have made them to use in high potencies. Alfalfa, Carica papaya and Cephalandra indica are the drugs majorly used in mother tincture. Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy had proved and published these drugs. Materia medica of these drugs with such new symptoms is given under Provings. Practitioners may use them with this updated information.
Mother tincture info covers the drugs Gambogia, Gossipium herbaceum and Gallium aparine. Gambogia is a drug with organ affinity towards gastrointestinal tract and Gossipium herbaceum is a drug of female organs. Gallium aparine is used in renal problems like gravel. Scientific information given on these drugs will be helpful to handle the cases in a better way.
Alpha-Liv is a formulation of its kind. It is not only used as a liver tonic, but also for detoxification, blood purification, constipation, etc. It is formulated in such a way that it helps the hepatobiliary system to function better and to overcome related problems. Its ingredients Carduus marianus, Chelidonium majus, Andrographis paniculata, Hydrastis canadensis, Podophyllum peltatum, Ipecacuanha and Acidum citricum are known for their roles in hepatobiliary functions. The scientific information on these drugs along with a Kindi Range product Chamodent are given under product watch.
Research news covers a recent research publication on Chamodent and different studies of Phytolacca related to metabolism, obesity, etc.
Hope you will find this issue informative to enhance your knowledge, to equip yourself the serve the humanity better.
Dr. R. Valavan, BHMS, MD (Hom), MBA
Editor
Current news
Students and faculty members from across India visited Schwabe India
Around 850 students and faculty members have visited Schwabe India in the first half of 2015. They were from different homoeopathic medical colleges covering length and breadth of the country. Not only the homoeopathic students, but also the students from management institutes have started visiting Schwabe India for the last 2-3 years. This time the Acharya Nagarjuna University had sent their management students to learn and understand from the management operations from Schwabe India. Homoeopathic institutes who have sent their students included Sendhwana Homoeopathic Medical College (HMC), MP, Bharati Vidyapeeth HMC, Pune, CM Patel HMC, Mumbai, Shree B.G. Garaiya HMC, Rajkot, SNJB HMC Nasik, Maharashtra, 2015-04-08 Narayan Shree HMC, Bhopal, MP, Shri Bhagwan HMC, Aurangabad, MS, Hahnemann HMC, Bhopal and Alwas HMC, Modbidvi, Karnataka. After the plant visit, students interacted with our Scientific Adviser Dr. P. N. Varma and the scientific team. ‘Certificate of Visit’ for every student has been provided authenticating their visit. Photographs of these visits can be viewed at www.fb.com/schwabeindia.
Camps organised by Schwabe India
Awareness of homoeopathy is increasing on a steady pace. There are many organisations and institutes conducting various awareness programmes. Schwabe India has constantly been conducting such awareness programmes through free medical camps, community based camp OPD, institutional check-up and advice, educational institute visit, etc. A camp was conducted at Indian Oil employees’ society in Noida, Sector 62 in the month of March. Residents of the society have consulted the homoeopaths during the camp. Free medical consultation, booklets and pamphlets on homoeopathy were distributed.
A general medical check-up was organised at Mother’s Pride, Indirapuram, in the month of June, 2015. Kids were checked-up for hygiene, anaemia, general growth, eating habits, etc. Kids needing treatment were prescribed homoeopathic medicines. Many parents were looking for switching to homoeopathy due to their experience of side-effects from conventional treatment.
Support to homoeopathic camps for Nepal earthquake victims
When an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude had jolted the Nepal and some places of India on 25th April,2015, it had become devastating black day for both neighbouring countries. Both the countries have been sharing the relation traditionally, religiously and geographically. More than 8000 people were engulfed and more than 19,000 were injured in Nepal by the terrible earthquake. India placed a good example in front of the world as a good neighbour by providing first assistance to Nepal. Schwabe India had extended its support in association with Noida Homoeopathy Medical Association and International Ashthangyog to the earthquake victims. Homoeopathy medicines supplied by Schwabe India were distributed at different camps organised in different places like Morain Ghat, Jawang Khola, Benighat Dharing, Furme Khola, Sita Khola, Chundi (Dhadhing), Zilla Benighat, Sheetal Bazar, etc.
Proving & clinical verification
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is also called as Lucerne, Children clover, California clover and scientifically Medicago sativa. Recently Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, India, had proved this drug. The proving details are in the book Homoeopathic Drug Provings, published by the council in 2005. The drug has earlier been reported by E. P. Anshutz, W. Boericke, J. H. Clarke and others. Its mother tincture is prepared from the whole plant excluding root. The said proving was conducted in 1998-99 using 6, 30 and 200 centesimal potencies. 25 provers in the age group of 18-33 years took part in the proving with 22:3 of male females ratio. For the readers of Schwabe News, a combined materia medica from both existing materia medica(s) and new proving is given.
Mind
It induces a general feeling of wellbeing, clear and bright mind. Gloominess with palpitation will be present in patient. Patient has no inclination to work.
Head
Dull heavy pain in the frontal region of head, better moving the head. Pain in left side of head, violent in nature. Heaviness in head which is worse at night and better in the morning. Frontal headache, gets relieved after washing with cold water.
Nose
Coryza with sneezing.
Mouth
Painful boils near left corner of the mouth.
Throat
Irritation in throat gets better tea and hot drinks.
Stomach
Increased thirst and diminished appetite. He must eat frequently, so that he cannot wait for regular meals.
Abdomen
Flatulence with distention. Shifting type of flatulence causes fullness of abdomen. It is indicated in chronic appendicitis.
Rectum
Burning sensation in anus. Frequent urging to pass stool. Pain in rectum. Stool yellow and painful.
Urine
Kidneys inactive; frequent urging to urinate, polyuria, increased elimination of urea, indican and phosphates.
Respiratory
Cough which is generally dry causing irritation in throat.
Back
It is indicated in acute drawing pain in neck, worse morning. Sensation as if something is crawling in back, better open air, after taking off shirt.
Chest
There is a discomfort in chest. Palpitation is felt during sadness.
Sleep
Sleep is disturbed. Patient is sleepy in the morning and daytime. Patient desires to sleep during weakness.
Skin
Popular reddish eruptions on left leg with itching and burning after scratching, better applying cold water. Painful boils in gluteal region and in middle of right leg. Small vesicular eruptions on hands; scratching relieves itching but is followed by burning.
Generalities
Weakness with headache, lethargy and sleepiness. Dull aching pain in whole body.
Carica papaya
It is called Papaya, Papeeta (Hindi), Pappali, etc. in Indian languages. The drug has been covered by T. F. Allen, S. K. Banerjea, P. Banerjee, W. Boericke, J. H. Clarke, C. Hering and others. Its mother tincture is prepared from the green unripe fruit excluding seeds. Recently Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, India, has published a new proving detail in the book “Homoeopathic Drug Provings”. The proving was conducted in 1990 using 6, 30 and 200 centesimal potencies. 26 provers in the age group of 19-44 years took part in the proving. 8 of them were females.
Mind
Two contrasting symptoms may be seen in the patient. First symptom is dull headed, cannot understand anything easily, annoyed and absent minded; second the patient is very intelligent, too much concentrated in education and concerned matters; does not feel tired; some times likes people and some times dislikes.
Head
Giddiness (dyspeptic patient); nausea, often after taking sweets or, in the afternoon. Pleasure in cold weather. Bursting pain in head with sensation of tightness and laziness, which is get worsen from movement, sitting; better lying down. Dull aching pain in head, worse reading; better lying down, rest. Heaviness in head with feverish feeling, which is get worsen from sitting; better pressure, lying down. Heaviness of head with throbbing pain in ears and dry cough. Aching pain in occipital region after rising in morning with constipation, worse in cold air; better pressure. Bursting pain in occipital region when stooping, worse motion, hot application; better rest, pressure, lying down. Bursting pain with throbbing sensation in frontal region, from sunrise to sunset, better pressure. Stitching pain in forehead, worse standing; better closing eyes, lying down. Sudden onset of stitching pain in frontal region, worse mental exertion, afternoon, reading, writing; better moving freely. Throbbing pain in frontal region, worse taking food, journey, thinking about examinations; better rest.
Eyes
Conjunctivitis. Yellow discolouration of conjunctiva. Pressing pain in both eyes, worse night, pressing and closing the eyes; better warm fomentation. Lachrymation from both eyes, worse sunlight. Redness of right eye with itching and swelling of upper eyelid.
Nose
Choked nose; difficulty in taking breath; running at nose. Dry coryza with nasal obstruction and heaviness of head, worse open air; better inside room. Epistaxis, better bland discharge from nose with cough and scanty expectoration.
Mouth
Mouth is dry, frequent thirst for large quantity of cold water. Aphthae on tongue with excessive salivation and stinging pain, worse touch of teeth.
Throat
Cough; huskiness or aphonia. Stitching pain in throat, worse swallowing, drinking cold water, morning; better warm drinks, hot water gargles. Pain and sensation of roughness in throat, with easy mucus on coughing. Pain in throat on deglutition with red and enlarged tonsils. Frequent loose cough and sneezing.
Stomach
Vomiting tendency after taking meals; food aliments protrude out of the stomach; the patient becomes weak and anaemic. Face becomes pale. Heartburn, sour eructation with loss of appetite.
Abdomen
Dyspepsia; rumble in the bowels; constipation or diarrhoea. Fullness of abdomen as if it would burst due to flatulence, uneasy feeling in abdomen, acidity and loss of appetite, worse after drinking cold water in large quantity. This drug in crude or mother tincture form is not advised to be given to diarrhoeic patients. Abdomen distended after taking meals with burning in throat, sour eructation, better after eructation, drinking cold water. Spasmodic pain and heaviness in abdomen with loose, watery, yellowish stool and general weakness, better passing flatus, after stool. Spasmodic pain with ineffectual urging to pass stool, better passing flatus, movement. Cramping pain in umbilical region and lower abdomen with ineffectual desire for stool, passes hard stool followed by unfinished sensation. Stitching pain around navel with dryness of lips, worse night; better pressure. Griping pain around umbilicus, increases gradually, worse while sitting; better pressure. Dull aching pain in hypochondrium with laziness and dryness of mouth, better rest, passing flatus, after stool.
Rectum
Painful boil near anus with burning during stool, worse touch; better pressure, lying down in supine position, cold application. Itching and burning in anus after scratching. It is indicated in black, hard stool with bleeding from anus. Patient have constipation with hard stool, no urging for stool or loose, mucoid, muddy, adherent stool with flatulence. Stool is loose, offensive, and yellowish with pain in lower abdomen, weakness and sweat on forehead after stool. Stool contains mucus, blood and pain in abdomen or hard stools with no urging and no pain in abdomen. Constant mild pain in umbilical region with foul eructation and loose stool. Copious, mucoid, blackish or yellow stool of offensive odor, with flatulence, acidity and weakness after stool. Offensive, yellow frequent stool with spasmodic pain in abdomen and weakness in calf muscles, better after passing stool. Profuse, sour smelling, loose, mucoid, stool followed by weakness and increased appetite. Scanty, yellow, semisolid stool with mild pain in abdomen and general weakness before stool.
Respiratory
Dry cough with sneezing, worse morning. Cough with pain in the chest and scanty thick, yellow expectoration.
Back
Stiffness of neck with intolerable pain on left side, worse turning head on either side, least motion, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; better lying down with support of pillow.
Extremities
Dragging pain in both extremities, worse movement; better lying down, rest. Burning pain, redness and soreness in left axilla, worse from sweating, moving the arm. Acute cramping pain, coming suddenly disappearing gradually; extending from hip to ankle, worse standing; better sitting. Cramping pain in calf muscles with fever and chill sensation, worse movement better rest, lying down.
Sleep
Sleeplessness due to flatulence in abdomen.
Fever
High fever with chill and drowsiness, temporal headache, dry tongue, thirst for large quantity of water at long interval, worse cold application; better covering, warmth. High fever with chill without thirst and general weakness, worse after sweating. Flushes of heat with dryness of mouth, better evening, after sweating.
Skin
Dry reddish eruptions on right elbow with itching, worse night, warmth; better cold application. Itching and creeping sensation in lower limb with burning after itching, worse from covering; better applying cold water.
Generalities
Aching pain in triceps and belly of muscles, worse pressure, motion. Severe body ache with weakness, restlessness and loss of appetite. Weakness with aversion to work, better rest, especially by lying down.
It is commonly called as Ivy gourd, Telakucha, Kunduri (Hindi) and Kovakkai (Tamil). The drug was introduced to homoeopathy by S. C. Ghose, and covered by S. K. Banerjea, P. Banerjee and others. Its mother tincture is prepared from the leaves. Recently Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, India, had proved and published the proving details in the book “Homoeopathic Drug Provings, Volume 2”. The proving was conducted with 27 provers of which 10 of them were controlled provers.
This drug is reported in the treatment of haematemesis, dyspnoea, catarrh, flatulence, fever, blood-poisoning and diabetes.
Mind
Morose, fretful; disinclined to do any work, gloomy; memory partially gone; over-sensitiveness (mentally and physically). Annoyed; especially after discharge of urine; fails to concentrate mind. Patients have no inclination to do work. He is always gloomy morose and fretful. Patient is oversensitive to all expression.
Vertigo
Giddiness; weakness of the head marked by discharge of excessive urine. Vertigo, worse turning head, stooping, better by lying down.
Head
Burning sensation of face. Difficulty in raising head. Burning sensation over face. Pain in whole head with nausea, worse morning, reading loud; better lying down, pressure, after sleep, cold application. Stitching pain in whole head with fever. Headache starts from eyes extends to forehead, worse morning, reading, thinking, walking, better lying down, rest. Headache with feverish feeling. Headache with vomiting; burning hammering pain in vertex, better after sleep. Pain in head with gastritis and throbbing pain in forehead. Pain in temporal region, stitching pain, better by tight binding.
Eyes
Burning of eyes. Painful opening of the eyes. Redness of right eye. Itching, hot sensation with lachrymation. Burning sensation in eyes.
Nose
Coryza, nasal watery discharge with cough. Watery discharge from nose with sneezing, worse early morning.
Mouth
Dryness of mouth with great thirst for large quantity of water at a time. Sour taste.
Throat
Dryness of mouth with great thirst for large quantity of water at a time. Dryness of the throat and tongue. Thirsty, consequently the quantity of urine is more. Hoarseness of voice, worse morning, better in day time. Tonsils enlarged, difficult swallowing, worse open air and cold.
Stomach
Loss of appetite. Nausea and vomiting, worse after taking food, washing mouth, morning, during after eating. Great thirst of small quantity of water with bodyache and fever. Vomiting with headache.
Abdomen
The patient is reluctant to take food; flatulence. Cramping, stitching pain in abdomen with loose stool, which is worse during stool. Griping pain in lower abdomen, worse before stool; better after stool. Violent pain in hypochondrium, cutting and stitching type of pain.
Rectum
Constipation; stool with mucus. Hard scanty stool. Stool with greenish mucous. Unsatisfactory stool, semisolid, slight slimy, worse morning. Burning pain in rectum not relieved by applying cold water, worse passing stool. Stool frequent with nausea and vomiting. Frequent desire for stool. Liquid, watery stool with mucous. Unsatisfactory stools with blood. Stool hard, scanty, worse in morning. Brownish slimy semisolid scanty stool. Loose watery stool passes with pain in hypochondrium, worse eating, drinking, better eructation. Frequent loose yellowish, offensive stool.
Urinary
Profuse urination. Weakness and exhaustion after urination. Yellowish urine with burning during urination, worse morning. Little but frequent discharge of urine which contains sufficient amount of starch.
Respiratory
Cough with yellowish green expectoration. Cough with slimy expectoration.
Extremities
Burning sensation in hands, legs, better by cold water. Small painful boils in both axilla with burning sensation. Intolerable pains in all joints. Muscles of hands are painful, worse cold, rest, night, cold application, better by motion, warm application. Pain in legs, better by pressure.
Sleep
Disturbed sleep due to pain in abdomen. Unrefreshing sleep.
Fever
Fever with enlarged tonsils and vertigo. Feverish feeling with bodyache.
Generalities
Bodyache with fever, worse night, general weakness. General weakness feeling with loose mucoid stool. General weakness after nausea and vomiting, worse after taking food. Lethargic feeling with sleepiness. Lethargic, sleepy after vomiting. Weakness in general with feverish feeling and headache. Uneasy, restlessness with cough and coryza.
Mother Tincture info
Gambogia
Its botanical name is Garcinia morella. It is also known as monkey fruit, Indian gamboge or Gummi gutti. It is an evergreen tree. It is small tree reach up to 18-20 m high. Its average trunk diameter is 50cm. Leaves are 10-15 cm long, base is acute and veins are indistinct. Leaves are arranged in opposite and are with leather like appearance. The petioles measure up to 2cm long. The flowers are sub sessile, axillary and obtuse. Female flowers are longer than male. Fruits are with fleshy endocarp. Fruits are spherical and measure 3-4cm in diameter.
It is native to Asia, Australia, tropical and southern Africa. In India, it is found in Assam, Bengal, and Western Ghats from northern Karnataka and southward to Kerala
It is consists of resin which is almost 70% and gum 23%. Resin is mainly acidic in nature and known as gambogic acid and it is the main active principle. The resin is obtained by extracting gamboge with ether.
It is covered by Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of United States. Resin is used for the preparation of homoeopathic mother tincture.
Gambogia’s main action is upon the gastro-intestinal tract. It acts as strong purgative and causes vomiting and colic. It is of service in cases of diarrhoea as well. It produces diarrhoea very similar to croton tig. The stool varies in character from a yellow or green. In the ancient time its decoction is given in rheumatism and for bowel complaints. It has property to increase metabolism so it helps in weight loss. Gambogia contains certain amount of vitamin ”C”. Reported to be used as heart tonic. It is also used for the expulsion of tapeworm, in inactivity of the bowels, dysmenorrhoea, etc.
Recommended Dose: Third to thirtieth potency. Gamboge is painted on the chest in lung tuberculosis. According to Boericke, it is considered as specific for these cases, and incipient cases are symptomatically cured in several weeks.
Caution: It is contraindicated during pregnancy, enteritis, gastritis, in disease of uterus or haemorrhoid.
It is commonly known as cotton plant. Perennial or annual shrub or subshrub up to 3 m tall, with few branches and nearly all parts irregularly dotted with black oil glands; stem thick and rigid, stem and branches hairy or glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged; stipules small, linear, caducous; petiole 2–3.5 cm long; blade 3–7-lobed, cut less than halfway, 2–6 cm × 2–7 cm, base cordate, lobes ovate to rounded, only slightly constricted at the base, upper surface glabrescent, lower surface stellate hairy, glands present on midvein beneath. Flowers solitary, usually on sympodial branches; pedicel 7–30 mm long, not articulated, glandless; epicalyx segments (bracteoles) 3, flaring widely from the flower and the fruit, rounded or broadly triangular, usually wider than long, cordate at base, margin with 5–13 triangular teeth, persistent; calyx 5–10 mm long; corolla yellow or white with a dark centre, petals 5, 2.5–5 cm long; stamens numerous, forming a antheriferous column throughout, filaments short, anthers 1-celled; pistil with 3–5-celled ovary and one short style, stigma entire, rarely cleft at the top. Fruit (‘boll’) a rounded capsule 2–3.5 cm long, beaked, surface smooth or very shallowly dented, with few oil glands, 3–4-valved, opening slightly when ripe, with up to 11 seeds per valve. Seed ovoid, with a dense covering of long, pure white, woolly hairs (lint or floss) and sometimes also with a fine, short tomentum (fuzz), strongly attached to the seed. Seedling with epigeal germination.
It is indigenous to India and Arabian Peninsula. It is also grown in the south of Europe, and other countries bordering on the Mediterranean Persia, etc.
Constituents like acrid resin, glucose, starch, fixed oil which is gossypol, tannin, and flavonoid are found.
It is covered by Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India as well as Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of United States. Inner bark of root is used for the preparation of homoeopathic mother tincture.
It is a powerful emanagogue when used in physiological doses. It is reported to be used to increase the natural expulsive power of the womb and prevent the complication of post-partum haemorrhage. It has a property of haemostatic. Its use in uterine fibroid and uterine carcinoma is reported. Homeopathically, it corresponds to many reflex conditions, depending on disturbed uterine function and pregnancy. Gossypium will relieve tardy menses, especially with sensation that the flow is about to start and yet does not do so. It encourages the blood to clot and increase the secretion of breast-milk. In China it used as male contraceptive by degeneration of sperm producing cells.
Recommended dose: Q/1x, to sixth attenuation.
Caution: Not to be prescribed during pregnancy.
Gallium aparine
It is commonly known as cleavers. It is a typical struggling climber, grows up to 3m. Stems have 4 angles in lighter colour and rough. On the outer surface in downward direction tinny prickles are present. Its leaves are arranged 6-8 in number which can grow up to 7cm long. Leaves and stipules are sessile, linear- oblanceolate, with single vein.
It is native to Northern America but abundantly found in North Africa, Europe, India, Japan to Canary Island. These days it is naturalised in all parts of America, Canada, Maxico.
The phytochemical present in Galium aparine is iridiod glycosides which is asperulosidic acid and 10-deacetylasprulosidic acid. Polyphenolic acids anthraquinones, alkanes, citric acid and coumarins are also found.
It is covered by German homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia.
Galium aparine has good reputation in domestic medicine. It used as poultices/plaster. It is a valuable diuretic drug. It is also used in many skin diseases such as seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis. It is used as generally detoxifying agent in serious illness such as cancer. Due to its diuretic property it is used to evacuate renal stone in juice form. According to a French research in 1977, an extract of Galium aparine is appears to lower blood pressure. Galium acts on the urinary organs, is a diuretic and of use in dropsies, gravel and calculi. It is indicated in Dysuria and cystitis. Has power of suspending or modifying cancerous action. Has clinical confirmation of its use in cancerous ulcers and nodulated tumors of the tongue. It has on Inveterate skin affections and scurvy. It favors healthy granulations on ulcerated surfaces.
Recommended dose: Q/1x,fluid extract in herbal medicine as half-dram doses, in cup of water or milk, three times a day.
The liver plays a key role in metabolism. It has anabolic and catabolic, exocrine and endocrine functions. The liver is a blood reservoir, filter and store of different substances (e.g. glycogen, vitamins). It is the site of serum protein (e.g. albumin, prothrombin, and fibrinogen) and enzyme synthesis. Metabolic processes (e.g. bilirubin, hormone, and carbohydrate and lipid turnover) and the removal of toxic products are important liver functions.
Hepatotoxins (e.g. alcohol, tetracycline, acetaminophen, fungal toxins, and anabolic steroids) can cause specific damage to liver cells. Toxic hepatitis may be clinically silent or severe enough to lead to the rapid development of hepatic failure. Clinical features include hepatomegaly, enzyme abnormalities, fever, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, and vomiting and weight loss. In patients with underlying cirrhosis, manifestations of portal hypertension may predominate. Aversion to fatty food, abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting after meals may be symptoms of cholelithiasis. Jaundice results from accumulation of bilirubin. It has non-hepatic as well as hepatic causes. Hyperbilirubinaemia may be due to abnormalities in the formation, transport, metabolism or excretion of bilirubin.
Alpha?-Liv aids recovery and normalisation of liver functions. Severe liver disease needs specialised treatment.
Indications: Slow liver functions, fatty liver, and for supportive treatment of hepatocellular jaundice and toxic liver damage.
Composition
Carduus marianus Q 10%
Chelidonium majus Q 2%
Andrographis paniculata Q 5%
Hydrastis canadensis Q 1%
Podophyllum peltatum Q 1%
Ipecacuanha Q 1%
Acidum citricum 1x 5%
Excipients Q.S.
Alcohol content 11.5% v/v
Proven indications of the individual ingredients in the sphere of claimed action and recent researches:
Carduus marianus acts on liver, vascular and portal system, in particular. It is used for liver problems due to abuse of alcoholic beverages, enlargement of liver causing fullness and soreness, hyperaemia of liver, jaundice and initial stages of cirrhosis. Irritability and apathy, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, profuse diarrhoea and constipation, haemorrhagic piles, and itching at night are covered. Many in-depth studies have proved this drug to be anti-oxidative, antilipidperoxidative, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating and liver regenerative.1 Many clinical trials on this have proven its efficacy on alcoholic liver diseases, liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, toxic and iatrogenic liver diseases, etc. A study presented at an international seminar on recent advances in homoeopathy has showed that Carduus marianus is effective in drug induced hepatitis; especially the 30CH potency has showed more effectiveness than mother tincture and 6CH.2
Chelidonium majus is a liver remedy, covering many of the direct reflex symptoms of diseased conditions of the organ. It is indicated in jaundice, enlarged liver, gall colic, distension and sluggish bowels due to hepatic disease or bilious complications. It possesses anti-cancer and analgesic properties.3,4,5
Andrographis paniculata is indicated for liver disease in children, prolonged fever, general debility, enlarged liver and jaundice. It is a tonic and anthelmintic, and is useful in the treatment of dysentery and dyspepsia. This drug is among the top liver remedies used in Indian system of medicine. Its active phyto-constituents have structurally been elucidated. Andrographolide is the most abundant terpenoid present in the drug. It has proven to accelerate the metabolism rate of tolbutamide through increased expression and activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, confirming its positive activity on liver, diabetes, etc.6,7
Hydrastis canadensis has a marked action on the liver. It acts on torpid and tender liver, jaundice, dull dragging pain in the right groin, gall stones, constipation, tumour state when pain is prominent. In a recent study it was found that the extract of Hydrastis canadensis inhibit the H1N1 influenza A virus (known as swine flu virus) growth together with berberine.8
Podophyllum peltatum is indicated for distended abdomen, feeling of heat and emptiness, sensation of weakness or sinking, painful liver region, jaundice, portal engorgement, gastro-enteritis-like symptoms.
Ipecacuanha acts on persistent nausea and vomiting, cutting pain around the naval, tenesmus and liver sore.
Acidum citricum is used in haemorrhages, oedema and all forms of dropsy. It regulates the bile flow and some forms of acid-base imbalance.
Directions for use
Dosage: Unless otherwise prescribed by the physician, 1-2 teaspoon thrice daily. As the symptoms improve, it can be reduced to 1-2 teaspoon twice daily. It is well-tolerated drug and can be used for prolonged periods. Children should be given half the adult dose. It contains syrup and care should be taken regarding dose and duration in diabetes.
Note: For treatment during pregnancy and lactation, and for patients with serious liver or alcohol problems, in particular, please note that this product contains a small quantity of alcohol. For treatment of patients with diabetes, please note that this product contains sugar.
Side effects: No side effects of Alpha?-Liv are known.
Contra-indications: No contra-indications for the use of Alpha?-Liv are known.
Interactions: No interactions between Alpha?-Liv and other products are known.
Presentation: Bottle of 100 ml (syrup base).
References:
1. Thyagarajan SP, Jayaram S, Gopalakrishnan V, Hari R, Jeyakumar P, Sripathi MS., Herbal medicines for liver diseases in India. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2002 Dec;17 Suppl 3:S370-6.
2. K. Rajamanickam, Effect of Carduus Marianus on Drug Induced Hepatitis, Presented in the International Seminar on Recent Advances in Homoeopathy, Kolkatta, 19-21st February 2010, organised by National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkatta.
3. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
4. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
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7. Shahid Akbar, MD, PhD, Andrographis paniculata: A Review of Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Effects, Alternative Medicine Review, Volume 16, Number 1
8. Chad E. Cecil, Inhibition of H1N1 influenza A virus growth and induction of inflammatory mediators by the isoquinoline alkaloid berberine and extracts of goldenseal (Hydrastiscanadensis), International Immunopharmacology, Volume 11, Issue 11, November 2011, Pages 1706–1714
Chamodent
Introduction
Chamodent is a homoeopathic medicine which is useful in the case of teething problems and teething pains accompanied by pain in the ears. Around six months of age, the baby normally starts to get its first teeth. The baby is normally very restless, irritated, cries continuously and sleeps badly. Chamodent? helps the baby to overcome the problems associated with this physical change and influences the behaviour of the baby positively
Indications: Teething problems and associated symptoms.
Composition:
Each tablet of 100 mg contains:
Belladonna 6x 15mg
Chamomilla 6x 15mg
Ferrum phosphoricum 6x 15mg
Hepar sulphur 12x 15mg
Pulsatilla nigricans 6x 15mg
Excipient Q.S.
Proven indications of the individual ingredients in the sphere of claimed action:
Belladonna: It is indicated in throbbing pain in teeth, gum-boil, grinding of teeth, red-hot face, pain in middle or external ear and child cries in sleep. It covers enlargement of tonsils, if any, liver, thin greenish or white lumpy stools.
Chamomilla: It is made from German Chamomila which is frequently employed in the diseases of children where peevishness, restlessness, and colic are main guiding symptoms. Prominent areas of this medicine are irritability, perspiration on forehead, earache, and flatulent colic.
Ferrum phosphoricum: An all-rounder for inflammations, febrile conditions, anaemia, the medicine relieves teething pains which radiates to ears with fever. It covers first stage of cough, watery stools undigested or at times with blood, and restlessness in sleep.
Hepar sulphur: It covers conditions like painful gums, throat infection, tonsilitis, mastoiditis and improves elimination of stools and toxins.
Pulsatilla nigricans: It lowers toothache, timidity, neuralgic pains, coryza, flatulence, colics and rambling watery motions.
Dosage: Unless otherwise prescribed by the physician,
During the teething problems, give 2-3 tablets 3-4 times a day.
In very acute cases, 3 tablets every hour can be given which should be reduced when the symptoms diminish to the initial dosage.
Side effects: No side effects of Chamodent? are known.
Contra-indications: No contra-indications for the use of Chamodent? are known.
Interactions: No interactions between Chamodent? and other products are known.
Presentation: Bottle of 10g of tablets.
A study on this product is presented under Research news.
Research news
Treatment of Painful Teething in Children- An Open Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial on the Effectiveness and Safety of a Homoeopathic Medicinal Products
Homoeopathic products which are available at counter and frequently used for treatment in children such as painful teething, are really useful or have some placebo effect? For this objective an investigation was conducted in Moscow, Russia to know the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of homoeopathic product Cham-Bell for use in children complaints during dentition. For that they arranged three outpatient paediatric clinics with two parallel treatment groups.
200 children of either sex, divided into two groups aged less than or equal to six years having painful teething were enrolled from March-July 2009 in the study and randomized to receive Cham-Bel-5-02 tablets or VIB suppositories. The exclusion criteria were body temperature more than or equal to 38 °C and severe comorbidity. Initial effectiveness endpoints were change of total severity scores of subjective complaints and clinical sign rated by after seven days treatment. Against the number of adverse events treatment were assessed satisfactory and safety.
As per the analysis, the total severity scores of subjective complaints and total severity scores of clinical sign decreased after the 7 days treatment from median 7.0 to 1.0 and 6.0 to 1.0 points respectively in the intervention group and from 5.0 to 1.0 and 5.5 to 1.0 points in the control group. The group receiving Cham-Bell had 5 to 2.5 times higher improvements. Furthermore the intervention group showed a more favourable outcome regarding treatment satisfaction. By the intervention group no Adverse effects were recorded where as in control group three mild to moderate, non-serious adverse effects occurred.
Reference: Jong MC, Verwer S, Vijver L, Klement P, Burkart J, et al. (2015) A Randomized Open Comparative Clinical Trial on the Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability of a Homeopathic Medicinal Product for the Treatment of Painful Teething in Children. Altern Integ Med 4: 178. doi:10.4172/2327-5162.1000178
Antiobesity effect of Phytolacca berry in rats
Anti-cholesterol effects extract of berries from Phytolacca americana L. plant (Phytolacca berry) is widely used in alternative systems of medicine i.e. in homeopathy for the treatment of obesity. A study was made to evaluate its anti-obesity effect in the rat model. The experiement was conducted in rats using the diet-induced obesity model in which cafeteria and atherogenic diets were used. The activity was tested by measuring body weight, glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in comparison with a control group. The results revealed that the Phytolacca berry extract had significant anti-obesity activity by reducing excess body weight, and cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. This activity may be due to its appetite suppressant activity and also by increasing the metabolic rate. Further studies are needed to be conducted to prove its utility in humans.
Reference: G. Ravi Kiran, Akondi Butchi Raju, Antiobesity effect of Phytolacca berry in rats, Environmental and Experimental Biology (2014) 12: 95–99
Electrolytes Changes Induced by Weight Loss Herbal Drugs Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits
Present study deals to find out the effects of two herbal weight reducing drugs Phytolacca Americana (PA) and Phytolacca Berry (PB) on plasma electrolytes in common rabbits followed by the induction of hypercholesterolemia. In PA garlic, bladder wrack and grapefruit are the additional ingredients to poke weed while PB has poke weed only. Test animals of two groups were orally administrated PA and PB in doses of 33.3 mg/day and 1.15 mg/day respectively, for 37 days. Blood samples drawn on day 0, 3, 9, 14, 21, 27 and 37 were used to measure plasma Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+) and Calcium (Ca++). Both herbal drugs maintained plasma Na+ to normal levels while plasma K+ concentration that remained low returned to normal after four weeks of treatment, significantly (p<0.05) depending on the duration of drug administrated. However, PA effectively returned the very high Ca++ concentration to normal level within one week of treatment whereas PB achieved the same normal level after three weeks of treatment. Thus it may be concluded that both weight reducing herbal drugs although maintained the plasma Na+, K+ and Ca++ concentrations to normal levels when administrated for more than five weeks, showed pronounced alterations in plasma concentrations of K+ and Ca++ during early period of treatment. This effect might be attributed to the interference of drugs with Na+-K+ ATPase activity or blocking the Ca++ channels at the cellular level.
Reference: Ruqaiya Hasan, Aisha Javaid, Kalim R. Khan and Safia Malik, Electrolytes Changes Induced by Weight Loss Herbal Drugs Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits, Canadian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, SENRA Academic Publishers, British Columbia, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 2217-2222, Feb 2013
Role of Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Lipid Profile Alleration in Hypercholestrolemia Induced Rabbits
Present study is concerned to find out the induced effects of two herbal weight reducing drugs Phytolaccca Americana (PA) and Phytolacca Berry (PB) in hypercholestrolemia on lipid profile of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Pokeweed was the single constituent of PB, the other additional ingredients of PA are bladder wrack, garlic and grape fruit. Both herbal drugs were administered orally to the respective test animals in the doses of 33.3mg PA/day and 1.15mg PB/day, for 27 days and blood samples drawn on day 0,3,9,14,21 and 27 were used to measure mean plasma cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) concentrations. After one week of administration of drugs although both drugs reduced the cholesterol and TG concentrations to lower levels but PB effectively decreased them below their normal concentrations when given approximately for four weeks. Similarly, both drugs lowered plasma LDL-C concentration after two weeks of treatment again PB reduced concentration below normal. However plasma HDL-C levels declined to normal levels following the one week of treatment, started to elevate along the passage of treatment and decreased to normal in the later part of experiment. These findings suggested that pokeweed comparatively, more effectively maintained the lipid profile at normal concentrations probably inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase activity and affecting the lipoprotein metabolism. In case of PA interactions of ingredients may interfered the enzymes of lipoprotein metabolism thus constant elevated levels of LDL- C and TG were observed.
Reference : Ruqaiya Hasan, Kalim R Khan and Sadia Kiran, Role of Phytolacca Americana and Phytolacca Berry in Lipid Profile Alleration in Hypercholestrolemia Induced Rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus, Canadian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, SENRA Academic Publishers, Burnaby, British Columbia, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1797-1802, Feb 2012.
