Homeopathic Medicines Used as Prophylaxis in Kolkata during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Community-Based, Cluster-Randomized Trial

Abstract

Introduction There is some evidence that homeopathic treatment has been used successfully in previous epidemics, and currently some countries are testing homeoprophylaxis for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is a strong tradition of homeopathic treatment in India: therefore, we decided to compare three different homeopathic medicines against placebo in prevention of COVID-19 infections. Methods In this double-blind, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled, four parallel arms, community-based, clinical trial, a 20,000-person sample of the population residing in Ward Number 57 of the Tangra area, Kolkata, was randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio of clusters to receive one of three homeopathic medicines (Bryonia alba 30cH, Gelsemium sempervirens 30cH, Phosphorus 30cH) or identical-looking placebo, for 3 (children) or 6 (adults) days. All the participants, who were aged 5 to 75 years, received ascorbic acid (vitamin C) tablets of 500 mg, once per day for 6 days. In addition, instructions on healthy diet and general hygienic measures, including hand washing, social distancing and proper use of mask and gloves, were given to all the participants. Results No new confirmed COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in the target population during the follow-up timeframe of 1 month—December 20, 2020 to January 19, 2021—thus making the trial inconclusive. The Phosphorus group had the least exposure to COVID-19 compared with the other groups. In comparison with placebo, the occurrence of unconfirmed COVID-19 cases was significantly less in the Phosphorus group (week 1: odds ratio [OR], 0.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.16; week 2: OR, 0.004; 95% CI, 0.0002 to 0.06; week 3: OR, 0.007; 95% CI, 0.0004 to 0.11; week 4: OR, 0.009; 95% CI, 0.0006 to 0.14), but not in the Bryonia or Gelsemium groups. Conclusion Overall, the trial was inconclusive. The possible effect exerted by Phosphorus necessitates further investigation. Trial registration: CTRI/2020/11/029265.

New Perspective and Applications of Homeopathy in Treating COVID-19 Symptoms

“…Painful, stabbing sensation in the chest; rapid, stifled breathing it feel like there is a fire going in the chest; suffocating pneumonitis; laying on one's left side is far worse; body-wide trembling and coughing; in the evenings, the Sputa is rusty and cold. Aching knees after a long day; unmoving due to lack of thirst but with an abnormal appetite [50,51].…”

“…Those with a scrofulous or lymphatic constitution, who are more prone to breakouts and swelling of the glands, will benefit the most from this; experiencing a gust of wind in an area; even a minor provocation can set him off; corner-of-the-mouth ulcers; you feel like there's a splinter or a blockage in your throat whenever you try to swallow; quinsy, with suppuration in the horizon; suffering from swallowinginducing stitches that go all the way to the ear; trapping mucus; coughing fits brought on by exposure to cold, especially while eating anything cold; loose, rattling cough from croup; symptoms are greater in the morning; coughing so hard that you cannot breathe; cold when exposed to air or even a gentle breeze; excessive nighttime dry heat; heavy perspiration; a putrid, disagreeable stench [50,54].…”

Refining Research in Homeopathy

“…Two of the other papers in this issue report the results of RCTs: a 20,000-participant sample of the population of Kolkata, investigating the effect of homeopathic prophylactic medicines during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; 4 and a veterinary trial in dogs to evaluate homeopathic Arnica as post-operative analgesia following ovariohysterectomy. 5 The former work was inconclusive, whilst the latter found a longer period of analgesia in the Arnica group compared with controls.…”

Varying Genus Epidemicus Remedies in Different Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in West Bengal, India

“…A number of source books of Materia Medica were consulted to cross-check the salient features of the probable homeopathic remedies. [4][5][6][7] We also took into account the remedies prescribed for outpatients of the hospital who had favorable outcomes, and the published papers suggesting a probable genus epidemicus for COVID-19 in different parts of India and elsewhere in the world, [8][9][10][11][12][13] as well as the most frequently indicated remedies with favorable outcomes in prognostic factor research. 14,15 Some medicines emerged as the most likely prophylactic remedies: Bryonia alba, Mercurius solubilis, Arsenicum album, Phosphorus and Pulsatilla nigricans.…”

“…Assuming that the second wave of COVID-19 in West Bengal mirrored that of the national picture in India, that second wave is now well past its peak. Though Phosphorus revealed some weakly promising (yet inconclusive) prophylactic effects during the first wave of COVID-19 in West Bengal, 11 the choice of medicine differed during the second wave (as outlined above), predominantly because of certain changes in symptomatology. 16 Our near-unanimous conclusion about using Bryonia alba 200cH as the genus epidemicus in the second wave is also supported by some published 12 and unpublished Indian studies.…”