Background:Platynosomiasis is a disease caused by a biliary fluke, which can lead to chronic weight loss and liver damage, contributing to declining health and high mortality rates in non-human primates. The aim of this study was to describe the treatment of platynosomiasis using a Platynosomum sp. 30cH biotherapeutic. Methods:A female Callithrix jacchus presented loss of appetite, abdominal distension, pain, and diarrhea. Ultrasound examination revealed findings suggestive of platynosomiasis. The treatment with biotherapeutic Platynosomum sp. 30cH was started, and one globule was given twice a day. Ultrasound monitoring was carried out monthly, and the condition improved during a period of 90 days. Results:Ultrasound monitoring was carried out monthly, and the condition improved in 90 days with the biotherapeutic Platynosomum sp. 30 cH. The MOdified NARanjo Criteria for Homeopathy (MONARCH) score was +10, suggesting a causal link between the use of homeopathic therapy and clinical outcome. Conclusion:Biotherapy is an option to be considered for the treatment of platynosomiasis in non-human primates.
Background:The outcome of most therapies in medicine is uncertain. Research based on hypothesis testing with a dichotomous outcome is therefore not very useful in daily practice. An increased probability of recovery of the individual patient is often the best possible outcome. Considerations:Attempts to prove that homeopathy is not placebo have shown to be unproductive, both in convincing the medical community because of an implausibility of biological action of high dilutions, and in improving homeopathy's effectiveness. Priority should instead be given to improving the homeopathic method itself. A large amount of long-standing knowledge must be confirmed, but confirmation bias must be avoided. Clinical practice requires probability statistics, Bayesian statistics, clinical judgment and handling of bias. Classification of statistical uncertainty based on cumulative binomial probability seems more appropriate than one cut-off value for statistical significance. Bias should be better understood in order to prevent and correct it. A large amount of clinical expertise is already available to improve our method. Conclusion:Uncertainty cannot be ruled out in clinical practice and requires probability statistics. Probability and clinical judgment are realities that cannot be ignored. The reduction of bias requires a paradigmatic shift towards critical appraisal of research outcome and searching for independent data that do not necessarily confirm our findings. Such data could reveal bias and help to explain and reduce it.
Homeopathy is a form of complementary medicine that - despite the controversial debate in the media - is frequently used in several countries worldwide. Criticisms of homeopathy primarily concern the process of potentisation, arguing that high dilutions are unlikely to contain any active ingredient. To overcome the current impasse, citizen science may offer a promising means of encouraging dialogue and collaboration. Accordingly, our objective was to develop a very simple bioassay that would facilitate replication and multi-centre trials without the need for sophisticated equipment.Cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L.) were grown in vitro within calcium nitrate salt tolerance levels, resulting in a moderate reduction of the seedling length compared to cress grown in water. Screening experiments were conducted with seven homeopathic preparations (Aurum muriaticum natronatum, Nitricum acidum, Carbo vegetabilis, Natrium muriaticum, Nux vomica, Phosphorus and Silicea) in the potency levels 10x, 20x, 30x (applied as commercially available globules) with 160 cress seeds per condition. Corresponding systematic negative control (SNC) experiments were performed to assess the stability of the experimental set-up. The primary outcome parameter was total seedling length, whereas shoot length and root length were considered secondary parameters. The experiments with the homeopathic samples demonstrated unequivocal, statistically significant growth-modulating effects compared to control (unimpregnated globules) for multiple preparations in different potency levels for both sets of parameters (p < 0.001 for root length for the combined 10x and 20x treatments; whereas for the 30x treatments p < 0.001 for root and total length and p < 0.01 for shoot length). The SNC experiments did not result in statistically significant effects, thus documenting the stability of the experimental set-up.The results of this very simple bioassay provide a foundation for future citizen science initiatives in homeopathic basic research. Further replication experiments are necessary to identify potential influencing factors, including seasonal effects.
