Polarity analysis, a new approach to increase the precision of homeopathic prescriptions

Frei, Heiner

doi:10.1016/j.homp.2008.10.002

Cited by 23 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…In addition, it attempts to understand the patients background, environment and daily routine. In some recent approaches the patient might complete a questionnaire prior to the medical consultation to improve the efficiency of obtaining the case history [11]. Homeopathic medicines are produced through sequential agitated dilutions in Decimal (D), Centesimal (C) or Quinquagintamillesimal (Q or LM) potencies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homeopathy for Depression: A Randomized, Partially Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Four-Armed Study (DEP-HOM)

et al. 2013

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BackgroundThe specific clinical benefit of the homeopathic consultation and of homeopathic remedies in patients with depression has not yet been investigated.AimsTo investigate the 1) specific effect of individualized homeopathic Q-potencies compared to placebo and 2) the effect of an extensive homeopathic case taking (case history I) compared to a shorter, rather conventional one (case history II) in the treatment of acute major depression (moderate episode) after six weeks.MethodsA randomized, partially double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-armed trial using a 2×2 factorial design with a six-week study duration per patient was performed.ResultsA total of 44 from 228 planned patients were randomized (2∶1∶2∶1 randomization: 16 homeopathic Q-potencies/case history I, 7 placebo/case history I, 14 homeopathic Q-potencies/case history II, 7 placebo/case history II). Because of recruitment problems, the study was terminated prior to full recruitment, and was underpowered for the preplanned confirmatory hypothesis testing. Exploratory data analyses showed heterogeneous and inconclusive results with large variance in the sample. The mean difference for the Hamilton-D after 6 weeks was 2.0 (95%CI −1.2;5.2) for Q-potencies vs. placebo and −3.1 (−5.9;−0.2) for case history I vs. case history II. Overall, no consistent or clinically relevant results across all outcomes between homeopathic Q-potencies versus placebo and homeopathic versus conventional case taking were observed. The frequency of adverse events was comparable for all groups.ConclusionsAlthough our results are inconclusive, given that recruitment into this trial was very difficult and we had to terminate early, we cannot recommend undertaking a further trial addressing this question in a similar setting.Prof. Dr. Claudia Witt had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01178255. Protocol publication: http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/12/1/43

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homeopathy for Depression: A Randomized, Partially Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Four-Armed Study (DEP-HOM)

et al. 2013

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“…The simillimum for an individual patient who is made worse by the approach of a storm or hot temperatures (e.g., particular physical generalities or modalities in the homeopathic clinical literature -[196]), must be a novel stressor with the ability, at higher doses, to evoke a similar, specific set of physiological adaptations to dropping barometric pressures or hot environmental temperatures [182,194,195]. A remedy whose source material bulk form has no effect either way on the specific adaptations [195] needed to restore homeostasis during the approach of a storm or in hot temperatures would be less likely salient – i.e., therefore less clinically active -- for such an individual.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A model for homeopathic remedy effects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system

Bell

Koithan

2012

BMC Complement Altern Med

103

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BackgroundThis paper proposes a novel model for homeopathic remedy action on living systems. Research indicates that homeopathic remedies (a) contain measurable source and silica nanoparticles heterogeneously dispersed in colloidal solution; (b) act by modulating biological function of the allostatic stress response network (c) evoke biphasic actions on living systems via organism-dependent adaptive and endogenously amplified effects; (d) improve systemic resilience.DiscussionThe proposed active components of homeopathic remedies are nanoparticles of source substance in water-based colloidal solution, not bulk-form drugs. Nanoparticles have unique biological and physico-chemical properties, including increased catalytic reactivity, protein and DNA adsorption, bioavailability, dose-sparing, electromagnetic, and quantum effects different from bulk-form materials. Trituration and/or liquid succussions during classical remedy preparation create “top-down” nanostructures. Plants can biosynthesize remedy-templated silica nanostructures. Nanoparticles stimulate hormesis, a beneficial low-dose adaptive response. Homeopathic remedies prescribed in low doses spaced intermittently over time act as biological signals that stimulate the organism’s allostatic biological stress response network, evoking nonlinear modulatory, self-organizing change. Potential mechanisms include time-dependent sensitization (TDS), a type of adaptive plasticity/metaplasticity involving progressive amplification of host responses, which reverse direction and oscillate at physiological limits. To mobilize hormesis and TDS, the remedy must be appraised as a salient, but low level, novel threat, stressor, or homeostatic disruption for the whole organism. Silica nanoparticles adsorb remedy source and amplify effects. Properly-timed remedy dosing elicits disease-primed compensatory reversal in direction of maladaptive dynamics of the allostatic network, thus promoting resilience and recovery from disease.SummaryHomeopathic remedies are proposed as source nanoparticles that mobilize hormesis and time-dependent sensitization via non-pharmacological effects on specific biological adaptive and amplification mechanisms. The nanoparticle nature of remedies would distinguish them from conventional bulk drugs in structure, morphology, and functional properties. Outcomes would depend upon the ability of the organism to respond to the remedy as a novel stressor or heterotypic biological threat, initiating reversals of cumulative, cross-adapted biological maladaptations underlying disease in the allostatic stress response network. Systemic resilience would improve. This model provides a foundation for theory-driven research on the role of nanomaterials in living systems, mechanisms of homeopathic remedy actions and translational uses in nanomedicine.

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“…1 On the basis of such observations, it would seem logical to teach students of homeopathy a consistent approach to case analysis throughout their early years: an approach which has demonstrably been shown to improve outcomes and which, because it uses a narrower source of data, is more accessible to parallel study with reference to the materia medica.…”

Section: Polarityanalysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In his paper on Polarity Analysis in this issue of Homeopathy, Heiner Frei demonstrates that improved outcomes are possible through refinements in the analysis methodology for homeopathic remedy selection. 1 Homeopathic clinicians invest a lot of time in the process of collecting clinical data from their patients. This is primarily because the clinical process is quasi-individualised and also because the contexts in which the illness and its symptoms have emerged may have a direct bearing on the choice of treatment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving homeopathic prescribing

Malcolm¹

2009

Homeopathy

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Every medical practitioner has to consider his, or her, treatment choices and the rationale behind every therapeutic decision. In homeopathic practice, the question of remedy choice is particularly acute. In his paper on Polarity Analysis in this issue of Homeopathy, Heiner Frei demonstrates that improved outcomes are possible through refinements in the analysis methodology for homeopathic remedy selection. 1 Homeopathic clinicians invest a lot of time in the process of collecting clinical data from their patients. This is primarily because the clinical process is quasi-individualised and also because the contexts in which the illness and its symptoms have emerged may have a direct bearing on the choice of treatment. Successful outcomes are achieved when we successfully mirror complexity with complexity and identified treatment inputs that are context-sensitive.To achieve these results with consistency, however, we need to be able to access a portfolio of meaningful data and, within this, we need to be able to identify reliable subsets that have direct applicability to each new clinical presentation. This process of profile-matching also requires tools which help us to construct an argument for each specific treatment. Ideally these resources should engender a method of analysis which is rational and which advances the reliability of the data itself, over time. Improving confidenceTwo other papers in this issue propose statistical methods for the advancement of confidence in our homeopathic data and its application.Rutten et al. present a statistical method for establishing likelihood ratios for individual remedy entries in symptom rubrics. In their collaborative, prospective study, they demonstrate that by establishing likelihood ratios for each remedy, we can provide a rational basis for assessing the strength of the symptom-remedy relationship. 2 Kharal applies intuitionistic fuzzy set theory to the repertory data and demonstrates that symptom weighting, and indices of association, can be combined into analysis methodologies that utilise likelihood ratios. 3 In homeopathic practice the repertory is the main repository for our clinical remedy data. In his paper 'In Search of the Reliable Repertory' Ben Gadd identifies many of the shortcomings inherent, both in the data and the data set relationships within our homeopathic repertories at the present time. 4 There is general consensus among researchers with an interest in the homeopathic knowledge base, that we require a systematised and more consistent approach to data, in order that the further development of the repertory can truly be regarded as a scientific process.Currently in clinical practice, rather than attempt to mechanically cross-match data fields of uncertain reliability, experienced homeopathic clinicians use diverse techniques to enhance the discriminatory power of their analysis. Some of these methods have been incorporated into expert systems. However, the need for such complex, and sometimes opaque, analysis tools, can lead to confusion and dis...

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Polarity analysis, a new approach to increase the precision of homeopathic prescriptions

Cited by 23 publications

References 4 publications

Homeopathy for Depression: A Randomized, Partially Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Four-Armed Study (DEP-HOM)

Homeopathy for Depression: A Randomized, Partially Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Four-Armed Study (DEP-HOM)

A model for homeopathic remedy effects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system

Improving homeopathic prescribing

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