The Potentized Homeopathic Drug,Lycopodium clavatum (5C and 15C) Has Anti-cancer Effect on HeLa Cells In Vitro.

Cancer is a disease that needs a multi-faceted approach from different systems of medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether homeopathically-potentized ultra-high dilutions of Lycopodium Clavatum (LC-5C and LC-15C, respectively) have any anti-cancer effects on HeLa cells. Cells were exposed to either LC-5C (diluted below Avogadro's limit, i.e., 10^?10) or LC-15C (diluted beyond Avogadro's limit, i.e., 10^?30) (drug-treated) or to 30% succussed ethanol (“vehicle” of the drug). The drug-induced modulation in the percent cell viability, the onset of apoptosis, and changes in the expressions of Bax, Bcl2, caspase 3, and Apaf proteins in inter-nucleosomal DNA, in mitochondrial membrane potentials and in the release of cytochrome-c were analyzed by utilizing different experimental protocols. Results revealed that administration of LC-5C and LC-15C had little or no cytotoxic effect in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but caused considerable cell death through apoptosis in cancer (HeLa) cells, which was evident from the induction of DNA fragmentation, the increases in the expressions of protein and mRNA of caspase 3 and Bax, and the decreases in the expressions of Bcl2 and Apaf and in the release of cytochrome-c. Thus, the highly-diluted, dynamized homeopathic remedies LC-5C and LC-15C demonstrated their capabilities to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, signifying their possible use as supportive medicines in cancer therapy.     

Use of complementary and alternative therapies in outpatients with Parkinson's disease in Argentina

We interviewed 300 patients (54.7% male; mean age was 65.8 ± 9.5) attending the Movement Disorders Clinic at the Buenos Aires University Hospital to determine the prevalence of CATs use and their association with demographic, social, or disease‐specific characteristics among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We found that 25.7% of the PD patients interviewed (77/300) stated they had used CATs to improve their PD symptoms whereas 38.0% (114/300) had used some CATs without any relation to PD, at least once in life. At the moment of the interview, CATs prevalence use was 50.6% in the former group and 25.0% in the latter. The use of CATs was much more frequent among women and more common in the 50‐ to 69‐year age group. Friends and neighbors of the patients had most frequently recommended these therapies. No major association was observed between CATs use and the duration of the disease, side of initial involvement, PD phenotype, or the Hoehn and Yahr staging. Acupuncture, homeopathy, yoga, and therapeutic massage were the most widely used therapies. After the initiation of conventional treatment the use of massage, yoga, and acupuncture in patients using CATs to improve PD significantly increased. Neurologists should be aware and inquire about the use of CATs to rule out potentially harmful effects. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society     

顺势疗法药物山金车30C通过上调核苷酸切除修复基因的表达减少紫外线照射后大肠杆菌的DNA损伤

目的：检测高度稀释的顺势疗法药物山金车30C是否能够调节暴露于紫外线照射下的大肠杆菌的核苷酸切除修复基因的表达。方法：大肠杆菌在标准培养基中培养至对数阶段,然后接受亚致死剂量的紫外线照射（25和50J／m。分别照射22．5和45s）。接受不同剂量紫外线照射的大肠杆菌分别与山金车30C及安慰剂30C共同培养,90min后检测其DNA损伤情况及氧化应激状态。采用多种方法及指标如彗星实验、梯度凝胶电泳、细胞内活性氧生成及测量其他生物活性指标如过氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶及谷胱甘肽衡量DNA损伤情况及细胞氧化应激状态。逆转录聚合酶链反应检测大肠杆菌细胞紫外线损伤修复基因uvrA、B、c（核苷酸切除修复基因）mRNA的表达情况。结果：接受照射后的大肠杆菌出现了DNA损伤及氧化应激反应,表现为细胞内活性氧生成增加及过氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶和谷胱甘肽活性降低。与安慰剂组相比,山金车30C降低了大肠杆菌的DNA损伤及氧化应激反应,表现为细胞内活性氧生成减少及过氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶和谷胱甘肽活性增强。与对照组相比,山金车30C上调了大肠杆菌细胞紫外线损伤修复基因的表达。结论：山金车30C能够通过上调紫外线损伤修复基因的表达修复紫外线引起的大肠杆菌细胞的DNA损伤,并通过减少细胞内活性氧的生成及调节抗氧化酶活性降低细胞的氧化应激反应。     

Can homeopathic arsenic remedy combat arsenic poisoning in humans exposed to groundwater arsenic contamination?: a preliminary report on first human trial

Groundwater arsenic (As) has affected millions of people globally distributed over 20 countries. In parts of West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh alone, over 100 million people are at risk, but supply of As-free water is grossly inadequate. Attempts to remove As by using orthodox medicines have mostly been unsuccessful. A potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album-30, was administered to a group of As affected people and thereafter the As contents in their urine and blood were periodically determined. The activities of various toxicity marker enzymes and compounds in the blood, namely aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione, were also periodically monitored up to 3 months. The results are highly encouraging and suggest that the drug can alleviate As poisoning in humans.