Background. The quality of information gathered from homeopathic pathogenetic trials (HPTs), also known as 'provings', is fundamental to homeopathy. We systematically reviewed HPTs published in six languages (English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Dutch) from 1945 to 1995, to assess their quality in terms of the validity of the information they provide.Methods: The literature was comprehensively searched, only published reports of HPTs were included. Information was extracted by two reviewers per trial using a form with 87 items. Information on: medicines, volunteers, ethical aspects, blinding, randomization, use of placebo, adverse effects, assessments, presentation of data and number of claimed findings were recorded. Methodological quality was assessed by an index including indicators of internal and external validity, personal judgement and comments of reviewers for each study.Results: 156 HPTs on 143 medicines, involving 2815 volunteers, produced 20,538 pathogenetic effects (median 6.5 per volunteer). There was wide variation in methods and results. Sample size (median 15, range 1-103) and trial duration (mean 34 days) were very variable. Most studies had design flaws, particularly absence of proper randomization, blinding, placebo control and criteria for analysis of outcomes. Mean methodological score was 5.6 (range 4-16). More symptoms were reported from HPTs of poor quality than from better ones. In 56% of trials volunteers took placebo. Pathogenetic effects were claimed in 98% of publications. On average about 84% of volunteers receiving active treatment developed symptoms. The quality of reports was in general poor, and much important information was not available.Conclusions: The HPTs were generally of low methodological quality. There is a high incidence of pathogenetic effects in publications and volunteers but this could be attributable to design flaws. Homeopathic medicines, tested in HPTs, appear safe. The central question of whether homeopathic medicines in high dilutions can provoke effects in healthy volunteers has not yet been definitively answered, because of methodological weaknesses of the reports. Improvement of the method and reporting of results of HPTs are required.

in studies by Walach, Sherr et al. A proving is a suggestion for a remedy and the most successful filters towards its verification are applied by examining the totality of the symptoms and by confirming and adding in clinical practice. Eliminating the majority of symptoms or characteristic single symptoms due to over scientific vigour or a concern about statistical significance or background noise, risks throwing out the baby with the bathwater. It is important to remember the proof of provings is first and foremost their clinical usability and efficiency. Though there is much we can learn from modern research methodology, we believe that it should not be a foregone conclusion that HPT methodology should equal RCT methodology, as the authors assume. Not only are RCTs often problematic in themselves, but the very different philosophy and practice of homoeopathy require a distinctive approach. It is our experience that while modern HPTs have gained much quality by upgrading their methodology, restricting them to conventional scientific methodology can rob provings of their unique individuality. References

AbstractObjective: This study was aimed to evaluate the immuno-modulator role of homeopathic remedies in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.Methodology: A randomised double blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the effect of homeopathic remedies with placebo, on CD4+ve T-lymphocytes in HIV infected individuals, conforming to Centres for Disease Control (CDC) stage II & III. 100 HIV+ve individuals between 18–50 y (71% males) were included in the study. 50 cases conformed to CDC stage II—Asymptomatic HIV infection, and 50 cases to CDC stage III—Persistent Generalised Lymphadenopathy (PGL). Cases were stratified according to their clinical status and CD4+ve lymphocyte counts. The randomisation charts were prepared much before the start of the trial by randomly assigning placebo and verum codes to registration numbers from 1 to 50. A single individualised homeopathic remedy was prescribed in each case and was followed up at intervals of 15 d to one month. A six months study was performed for each registered case. Assessment of progress was made by evaluation of CD4+ve lymphocyte counts, which was the prospectively-defined main outcome measure of the study; the results were compared with the base line immune status.Results: In PGL, a statistically significant difference was observed in CD4+ve T-lymphocyte counts between pre and post trial levels in verum group (P<0.01). In the placebo group a similar comparison yielded non-significant results. (P=0.91). Analysis of change in the pre and post trial counts of CD4+ve cells between groups was also statistically significant (P=0.04).In asymptomatic HIV infection, differences in absolute CD4+ve lymphocyte counts between pre and post trial levels were not significant. Analysis of changes in pre and post trial CD4 levels of placebo and verum groups for combined strata of asymptomatic and PGL groups was also not significant.Conclusion: The study suggests a possible role of homeopathic treatment in HIV infection in symptomatic phase, as evidenced by a statistically significant elevation of base line immune status in persistent generalised lymphadenopathy.

A 6 month study comprising of a Double-blind Placebo-controlled trial of homoeopathic medicines in HIV/AIDS under 2 separate schemes (I) Asymptomatic HIV infection and (II) Persistent generalised lymphadenopathy (50 subjects each) was undertaken from June 1995 to February 1997. As soon as a subject had undergone 6 months of study, they were put on an indicated medicine. Unblinding of the schemes was done only when the last subject had undergone 6 months of study. Changes in the CD4+ T cell numbers in each case before, during and after completion of the study, was taken as the main criterion to assess the outcome of the treatment. Preliminary studies in Scheme I after unblinding, show practically no significant difference in changes in number of CD4+ T cells in subjects of both the placebo and the medicine group. Studies in Scheme II after unblinding, show a significant improvement in CD4+ cell numbers (Upward trend) in the subjects of the medicine group compared to the placebo group. Significantly, after 6 months of study, 5 subjects of the placebo group under Scheme II and 4 from Scheme I with an initial downward trend of CD4+ T cell, have shown an increase in CD4+ T cell count after administration of the indicated homoeopathic medicine in a period of 15–30 days. The study confirms a positive role of homoeopathic medicines in improving immune status of HIV/AIDS patients.

To assess the role of homœopathic medicines in the treatment of the asymptomaticphase of HIV infection, a pilot research study was undertaken by the Central Council for Research in Homœopathy (India) starting in May 1989. 129 symptomatic HIV carriers (120 male and 9 female) were treated with homœopathic medicines on the basis of the individuals' constitutional (both mental/emotional and physical) characteristics. The medicines were prescribed in potencies varying from 30 CH to 10M and in varying dosage, depending on the age and constitution of the individual patients. 12 of the patients studied have reverted back to negative serology for HIV antibodies after treatment varying from 3 to 16 months (mean duration of treatment between entry and reversal of seroconversion for HIV antibodies 7.25 months). All patients who continue to remain symptom free are receiving follow-up treatment. Efforts are being made to evaluate their haematological and immunological status in detail.

SummaryThis paper presents the results of correcting the abbreviations used in the Boger Boenninghausen's Repertory, to bring them in line with the abbreviations which are used in Kent's works. In the process of checking, several (about 100) errors in the name of the drugs were noted. The correct names of drugs were identified after a thorough search in authoritative works.This paper presents the errors and suggested corrections with references. It is hoped that with the incorporation of these corrections the value of this monumental work would be further increased.

Introduction There are about 29,000 known species of spiders, but scientists believe there may be as many as 50,000 species. Many people think spiders are insects. But in fact spiders are arachnids and differ from insects in many ways. Spiders have eight legs, ants, bees, beetles and other insects have six. Most insects have wings and antennae, but spiders do not. Scientists classify spiders as either true spiders or tarantulas according to certain differences in their bodies. Spiders can also be divided according to their way of life. Web-spinning spiders spin webs to trap insects. Hunting spiders run after insects or lie in wait for them.1 They exist in vast numbers in all lands, habitats and consume insects as their principal food. They occur as permanent residents from polar ice to the depth of the hottest jungles and have been observed at heights about 20,000 ft. The spiders rarely bite man and their venoms have small effect, for the most part, on warm blooded animals. The bites of very large spiders like Tarantula can be painful but most spider bites do not even break human skin. 2 Tarantulas get their name from a large wolf spider found around Taranto in Southern Italy. It was once believed this spider's bite caused a disease, tarantism. The victims supposedly leaped in the air and ran about making strange noises. According to superstition, the best cure was lively Italian folk dance that became known as tarantel la) Tarantula Hispanica belongs to the suborder orthognatha. It is a hunting spider which creeps up on its prey or lies in wait and pounces on it. 1

Cephalendra, indica(41% v/v alcoholic extract of the wild variety of Cephalendra indica Naud.), on regular administration in doses ranging from 25 μml to 75 μml/100 g of body weight (gbw) by the oral or intraperitoneal (ip) route produced a significant fall in blood sugar level in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Biochemical studies showed stabilization of blood sugar level in 70% of cases of fourteen to twenty days after withdrawal of the drug. Histopathological studies revealed regeneration of pancreatic β cells. The hypothesis is that the drug acts through the hypothalamo-hypophysial-pancreatic axis, producing selective regeneration of β cells. The drug may indirectly release inhibitory factors from hypothalamic neurons, inhibiting the secretion of growth hormone and triggering insulin secretion from β cells. The therapeutic action of the drug on pancreatic β cells and lack of acute and subacute toxicity may open up new prospects in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.