"˜Paradoxical pharmacology": therapeutic strategy used by the "˜homeopathic pharmacology" for more than two centuries

Abstract

Using the empirical or phenomenological research method by observing the effects of drugs in the human physiology, Samuel Hahnemann proposed the homeopathic treatment. He synthesized modern pharmacodynamic in the ‘primary action’ of the drugs and in the consequent and opposite ‘secondary action’ or ‘vital reaction’ of the organism. Noting that drugs with ‘contrary’ primary action to the symptoms of the diseases caused worsening of the symptoms after its withdrawal, as a result of secondary action of the organism, Hahnemann proposed using this vital reaction in a curative way, administering to sick individuals the drugs that caused ‘similar’ symptoms in healthy individuals (therapeutic use of the similitude principle). According to the clinical and experimental pharmacology, this secondary action (vital reaction) of the organism is observed in the ‘rebound effect’ or ‘paradoxical reaction’ of several classes of drugs, which is the scientific basis of the ‘homeopathic pharmacology’. In the last decade, exponents of modern pharmacology have suggested the therapeutic use of the paradoxical reaction (‘paradoxical pharmacology’), proposing the use of drugs that cause an exacerbation of the disease in the short term to treat these same diseases in the long-term. In this review, we compare the various aspects between the ‘homeopathic pharmacology’ and the ‘paradoxical pharmacology’, reinforcing the validity of homeopathic assumptions and expanding the knowledge to optimize both proposals.

“Similia Similibus Curentur”: The scientific grounding of the homeopathic therapeutic principle through the systematic study of the rebound effect of modern drugs

“…Such new homeopathic medicines cover signs and symptoms absent in the classical homeopathic pathogenetic trials and will allow treating countless modern disorders, diseases, and syndromes with homeopathy. 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 …”

“…Since 2003, assuming Hahnemann's postulate that the principle of therapeutic similitude is a “natural law of cure”, the authors have been suggesting the homeopathic use of modern drugs employing the rebound effect in a therapeutic way, 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 proposing to prescribe drugs, in dynamized doses, which present a similar set of signs and symptoms in their primary action to the manifestations of sick individuals.…”

“New Homeopathic Medicines” proposal: a database made available in three free-access bilingual digital books

“…Since 2003, we advocate the use of the rebound effect of modern drugs with curative intent [8][9][10][11][12][13] . For this purpose, patients are given drugs in ultra-diluted doses, which caused a similar set of adverse events aiming at stimulating the homeostatic reaction of the body against its own disorders.…”

“…The proposal entitled "New Homeopathic Medicines: use of modern drugs according to the principle of similitude" [8][9][10][11][12][13] was described and systematized in a database composed of three distinct works:…”