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Objective: This study was carried out to elicit the pathogenetic response of the drug Magnolia grandiflora in homoeopathic potencies on apparently healthy human beings. Materials and Methods: Drug Magnolia grandiflora was proved by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) through a double-blind placebo-controlled method. The study was conducted at three centres. The drug was proved in two potencies (6C and 30C) on 48 apparently healthy volunteers who were selected after conducting pre-trial medical examinations by the medical specialists and routine laboratory investigations. In the first phase, volunteers were given 56 doses (4 doses per day for 14 days) of placebo. In the next two phases, 56 doses (4 doses per day for 14 days) of each potency or placebo were consumed. Out of 48 provers, 32 were given the actual drug and 16 were given placebo. The symptoms generated during the trial period were noted by the volunteers and elaborated by the proving masters. The data obtained from all the three centres were compiled at the Proving-Cum-Data Processing Cell at CCRH headquarters after decoding. Results: Out of the 32 provers who were on the actual drug trial, 21 manifested symptoms. The drug was able to produce symptoms in each potency in most of the parts of the body. Conclusion: New and proved pathogenetic responses elicited during the proving trial expand the scope of use of the drug Magnolia grandiflora and will benefit the research scholars and clinicians. These symptoms will carry more value when verified clinically.

Objective: The primary objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of homoeopathic treatment with standard allopathic regimen in acute ADL and secondary objective was to assess the reduction in frequency, duration and intensity of subsequent attacks, improvement of the quality of life of patients. Methods: The study was designed as a comparative randomized trial conducted from October 2012 to April 2014, on 112 patients at Regional Research Institute, Puri, Odisha. The ADL patients enrolled were randomized to receive either homoeopathic treatment or standard allopathic treatment for a period of six months. The outcome parameters used were ADL score and WHO QOL Bref. Results: 112 Patients were considered for primary outcome analysis as per the Intention to treat principle. (Homoeopathy= 55 and Allopathy= 57) and were analysed on 11th day of treatment. Both the treatments produced equal improvement in ADL scores. However, during the six months study period, the frequency, duration and intensity of attacks were better in Homoeopathy group compared to allopathy group. There was statistically significant improvement in Homoeopathy for Domain 4 of WHOQOL (P = 0.004) as compared to allopathy group. Medicines like Apismellifica (n = 23), Rhus toxicodendron (n = 20), Pulsatilla (n = 8), Arsenic album (n = 1), Bryonia alba (n = 1), Silicea (n = 1) and Hepar sulph (n = 1) were found most useful in the acute attacks. Conclusion: This study provides evidence to support the fact that individualized homoeopathy treatment is equally effective for ADL as the standard allopathy treatment in the management of ADL.

Background: Homoeopathic drug proving being the first step in finding the pathogenetic powers of a drug is an integral part of Homoeopathic system of medicine. Objective: To elicit the pathogenetic response of Withania somnifera in homoeopathic potencies on healthy human provers. Materials and Methods: A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at four centres under Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Proving was conducted on 63 relatively healthy provers. All the provers were given 12 doses of placebo divided into 4 doses/day for 3 days during the first phase of the trial. After randomisation, 43 provers in the intervention group were given W. somnifera in 6C and 30C potencies in two phases. In the placebo group, 20 provers were administered unmedicated globules. The symptoms and signs manifested during the trial were noted down by the provers, elaborated by the proving masters and the data compilation on W. somnifera was done at proving-cum-data processing cell. Results: Out of 43 provers who were on actual drug trial, only 15 provers manifested 39 symptoms. The symptoms have been manifested predominantly in 30C potency. Among the objective findings, the drug has shown its effect on kidney, ovaries and helminthic infestation. Conclusion: The pathogenetic response elicited during this trial expands the scope of the use of W. somnifera and needs to be further validated by clinical verification study.

Aims: This study was done to clinically verify the symptomatology of Formic acid by ascertaining the symptoms improved during verification and to incorporate new findings (if any) to the known symptomatology of Formic acid. Methods: A multicentric observational clinical verification study was conducted at nine research centers of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy to verify the proving symptoms of rarely used medicine, Formic acid. Two hundred and seventy participants having symptomatological similarity with Formic acid were included and prescribed in 6C, 30C, 200C, and 1M potencies, as per need of each case. The data were compiled in a specially designed Excel spreadsheet for further analysis. The collected data were presented in terms of descriptive statistics. Prevalence of the symptoms in the responding and nonresponding population was compared using Chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Results: Out of 266 followed up patients, 215 cases responded (80.8%) with 95% confidence interval of 0.75-0.85. The number of symptoms verified was as follows: proving symptoms (n = 11) and new observations (n = 22). The widely emerged new general symptoms, i.e., clean tongue, disturbed sleep, loose stool, tastelessness, and profuse sweat may be worth consideration during prescription of Formic acid. Conclusions: The proving symptoms of Formic acid could be verified clinically, but the correlation of patient-specific symptom needs cautious interpretation. Further replication on larger sample and estimation of likelihood ratio in real-time clinical practice are needed.

Objective: The study was conducted to elicit the pathogenetic response of Hygrophila spinosa in homoeopathic potencies on healthy human volunteers. Methodology: The drug Hygrophila spinosa was proved by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) through randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled method. The proving was conducted at three centres viz. Central Research Institute (H), [CRI (H)] Noida, Drug Proving Unit [DPU], Bhubaneswar and Regional Research Institute (H) [RRI (H)], Kolkata. The drug was proved in two potencies (6C and 30C) on 48 apparently healthy volunteers who were selected after conducting pre-trial medical examinations by the medical specialists and routine laboratory investigations. 32 of them where kept on interventional drug trial and remaining took placebo. At CRI (H), NOIDA, 56 dose schedule (i.e. 56 doses of drug/placebo were consumed in each batch) was followed while at DPU, Bhubaneswar and at RRI (H), Kolkata, 12 dose schedule (i.e. 12 doses of drug/placebo were to be consumed in each batch) was followed. The symptoms generated during the trial period were noted by the volunteers and elaborated by the Proving Masters which were compiled at Homoeopathic Drug Proving-cum-Data Processing cell of CCRH headquarters after decoding. Results: Out of 32 provers who were on interventional drug trial, only 14 manifested symptoms. The drug was able to produce symptoms in both the potencies. 92 symptoms appeared during the drug trial from various locations. Conclusion: The drug pathogenesis evolved indicates its therapeutic use for urticaria, frontal sinusitis, conjunctivitis, stomatitis, gastroenteritis, nausea (morning sickness), intermittent fever etc.

Background and Objective: Homoeopathy is one of the various alternative systems of medicine prevalent in India. A survey was conducted during the month of January–February 2017 in a congregation at Sangam, Allahabad, to know about the awareness of general population about Homoeopathy. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on patients and people visiting the health check-up camp and exhibition stall set-up during Magh Mela at Sangam, Allahabad. A self-administered questionnaire was used during the survey, devised by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Results: Of 1144 total respondents, 68.1% had knowledge about Homoeopathy. About 46.6% of respondents believed that it has no side effects and 15.1% believed that it is cost-effective. The diseases for which most of the participants have taken homoeopathic treatment were fever, common cold, constipation and diarrhoea. Conclusion: General population has knowledge about Homoeopathy, but various misconceptions are also prevalent. Awareness campaigns are needed to make people more aware about Homoeopathy and its effectiveness in various disorders.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and prognostic factor of Aranea diadema in a population responding well to Aranea diadema. Material and Methods: It was an open label, multicentric observational study wherein patients having minimum two known symptoms matching with the pathogenesis of Aranea diadema were prescribed the remedy in 6C, 30C, 200C, and 1M potencies. The collected data were presented in terms of descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 6806 cases were enrolled. Out of which a total of 172 cases were analysed, and demographic analysis shows male/female: 109/63; mean age 28.3 years. There were “clinical successes” in 115 cases (67.0%) and no response in 57 (33.1%) cases. The number of symptoms found prevalent in responders included proving (n = 13) and literature (n = 8). Symptoms coming from provings guide homoeopathic practitioners in prescribing their medicines, but should also be confirmed in patients responding well to these medicines. Significantly higher prevalence was observed among responders in respect of six tentatively confirmed symptoms (prevalence): Forgetfulness (0.11), white coated tongue (0.21), epistaxis (0.10), thirstlessness (0.13), seminal emissions (0. 23), and fever (0.12). Conclusion: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of symptoms in a population responding well to Aranea diadema and to compare this with the prevalence of these symptoms in other populations. If a symptom has a higher prevalence in a population responding well to Aranea it indicates the increase of likelihood of a curative action of Aranea when that symptom is present. Our “test”is not meant to diagnose an illness but to increase the accuracy of prescribing Aranea diadema.

Objective : To elicit the pathogenetic response of the drug Cyclosporin in homoeopathic potencies on apparently healthy human beings. Material and Methods : The drug Cyclosporin was proved by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy through double-blind placebo-controlled trial. The study was conducted in two centres. The drug was proved in two potencies (6C and 30C) on 50 apparently healthy volunteers who were selected after conducting pre-trial medical examinations by the medical specialists and routine laboratory investigations. In the first phase the volunteers were given 56 doses (4 doses per day for 14 days) of placebo. In the next two phases, 56 doses (4 doses per day for 14 days) of each potency or placebo were consumed. The symptoms generated during the trial period were noted by the volunteers and elaborated by the proving masters. The data obtained from the two centers were compiled at proving-cum-data processing cell at Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) headquarters after decoding. Results : Out of 50 provers, 33 were on actual drug trial and 17 were on placebo. Eleven provers manifested symptoms. The drug was able to produce symptoms in each potency in most parts of the body. Conclusion : The pathogenetic responses elicited during the proving trial expands the scope of use of the drug Cyclosporin and will benefit the research scholars and clinicians. These symptoms will carry more value when verified clinically.

Objective: To elicit the pathogenetic response of Gymnema sylvestre in homoeopathic potencies on apparently healthy human volunteers. Methodology: Gymnema sylvestre was proved by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy through double-blind placebo-controlled method. The study was carried out at four centers. The drug was proved in two potencies (6C and 30C) on 63 apparently healthy volunteers who were selected after conducting pre-trial medical examination by the medical specialists and routine laboratory investigations. In the first phase volunteers were given 56 doses (04 doses per day for 14 days) of placebo. In the next two phases 56 doses (04 doses per day for 14 days) of each potency or placebo were consumed. The symptoms generated during the trial period were noted by the volunteers and elaborated by the proving masters. The data obtained from all the four centers was compiled at proving-cum-data processing cell at CCRH headquarters after decoding. Results: Out of 37 provers who were on actual drug trial, 16 manifested symptoms. The drug was able to produce symptoms in each potency in most of the parts of the body. Conclusion: The pathogenetic responses elicited during the drug proving trial expand the scope of use of the drug Gymnema sylvestre and will benefit the research scholars and clinicians. The generated symptoms of the drug will carry more meaning when verified clinically.