Homeopathy 2015; 104(03): 211-219
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2014.11.004
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2014

Homeopathic remedies with antineoplastic properties have immunomodulatory effects in experimental animals

Valsalakumari Remya
a   Tel.: +91 9496831582.
,
Girija Kuttan
› Institutsangaben
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Received09. Mai 2014
revised14. September 2014

accepted30. November 2014

Publikationsdatum:
20. Dezember 2017 (online)

Background: Our previous work suggests that Thuja occidentalis, Carcinosinum and Ruta graveolens have antineoplastic properties. The mechanism of this action has not previously been studied. We studied the hypothesis that the mechanism of action is through the immune modulation.

Methods: We evaluated the effects of Thuja occidentalis, Carcinosinum and Ruta graveolens 1M, 200c and 30c on the immune system of Balb/c mice. The homeopathic preparations were administered orally for ten consecutive days. Haematological parameters (Total White Blood Cell (WBC) Count, Differential Count and Haemoglobin content), haematopoietic parameters (bone marrow cellularity and α-esterase positive cells) and immune parameters for antibody response and lymphoid cell proliferation were assessed using standard methods. Results were analysed by statistical comparison with the control.

Results: We observed significant enhancement of haematological parameters including total WBC count, haematopoietic parameters such as bone marrow cellularity and the number of α-esterase positive cells, other parameters of immune response such as circulating antibody titre and the number of plaque forming cells (PFC), particularly with higher dilutions of Thuja and Ruta. Enhanced proliferation of B and T lymphoid cells was also observed. No toxic effects were observed.

Conclusions: The results suggest immunomodulatory activity of homeopathic preparations in high dilution. This may be a mechanism through which homeopathic preparations act.

 
  • References

  • 1 Cesar B., Abud A.P.R., de Oliveira C.C. et al. Activation of mononuclear bone marrow cells treated in vitro with a complex homeopathic medication. Micron 2008; 39: 461-470.
  • 2 Bastide M., Daurat V., Doucet-Jaboeuf M., Pelegrin A., Dorfman P. Immunomodulatory activity of very low doses of thymulin in mice. Int J Immunother 1987; 3: 191-200.
  • 3 Bentwich Z., Weisman Z., Topper R., Oberbaum M. Bornoroni C. Specific Immune Response to High Dilutions of KLH; Transfer of Immunological Information. 1993. Bologna: Editrice Compositori, Omeomed92; 9-14.
  • 4 Conforti S., Bertani S., Metelmann H., Chirumbolo S., Lussignoli S., Bellavite P. Experimental studies on the anti-inflammatory activity of a homeopathic preparation. Biomed Ther 1997; 15: 28-31.
  • 5 Macedo S.B., Ferreira L.R., Perrazzo L.L., Tavarea-Carvalho J.C. Anti inflammatory activity of Arnica montana 6cH. Preclinical study in animals. Homeopathy 2004; 93: 84-87.
  • 6 Lussignoli S., Bertani S., Metelmann H., Bellavite P., Conforti A. Effect of Traumeel S, a homeopathic formulation, on blood-induced inflammation in rats. Complement Ther Med 1999; 7: 225-230.
  • 7 Davenas E., Poitevin B., Benveniste J. Effect on mouse peritoneal macrophages of orally administered very high dilutions of silica. Eur J Pharmacol 1987; 135 (03) 313-319.
  • 8 Pearson D.C., May G.R., Fick G.H., Sutherland L.R. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine in Crohn disease: a meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med 1995; 123 (02) 132-142.
  • 9 Duke J.A. CRC handbook of medicinal herbs. 1985. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press International, Inc.;
  • 10 Kuttan G., Kuttan R. Immunomodulatory activity of a peptide isolated from Viscum album extract (NSC 635 089). Immunol Invest 1992; 21: 285-296.
  • 11 Mathew S., Kuttan G. Immunomodulatory and anti tumor activities of Tinospora cordifolia . Fitoterapia 1999; 70: 35-43.
  • 12 Sunila E.S., Kuttan G. Immunomodulatory and antitumor activity of Piper longum Linn. and piperine. J Ethnopharmacol 2004; 90: 339-346.
  • 13 Attarwala H., Bathija D., Akhil A. Homeopathy – the science of holistic healing: an overview. Pharmacogn Mag 2006; 5: 7-13.
  • 14 Bodinet K. Immunopharmacological studies on a herbal immunomodulator. Inaugural Dissertation, Greifswald 1999.
  • 15 Bodinet C., Freudenstein J. Effects of an orally applied aqueous-ethanolic extract of a mixture of Thujae occidentalis herba, Baptisia tinctoriae radix, Echinaceae purpureae radix and Echinaceae pallidae radix on antibody response against sheep red blood cells in mice. Planta Med 1999; 65: 695-699.
  • 16 Gohla S.H., Haubeck H.D., Schrum S., Soltau H., Neth R.D. Activation of CD4-positive T cells by polysaccharide fractions isolated from the Cupressaceae Thuja occidentalis L. (Arborvitae). J Allergy Clin Immunol 1986; 77: 268-272.
  • 17 Gohla S.H., Zeman R.A., Gartner S. et al. Inhibition of the replication of HIV-1 by TPSg, a polysaccharide-fraction isolated from the Cupressaceae ‘Thuja occidentalis L’. AIDS Res Hum Retrov 1990; 6: 131.
  • 18 Wüstenberg P., Henneicke-von Zepelin H.H., Köhler G., Stammwitz U. Efficacy and mode of action of an immunomodulator herbal preparation containing Echinacea, wild indigo and white cedar. Adv Ther 1999; 16: 51-70.
  • 19 Köhler G., Bodinet C., Freudenstein J. Pharmakodynamische Wirkungen und klinische Wirksamkeit durch eine Kombination pflanzlicher Wirkstoffe aus Sonnenhut, Färberhülse und Lebensbaum. Wien Med Wochenschr 2002; 152: 393-397.
  • 20 Pinto-Scognamiglio W. Connaissances actuelles sur l’activité pharmacodynamique de la thuyone, aromatisant naturel d’un emploi étendu. Boll Chim Farm 1967; 106: 292-300.
  • 21 Preethi K.C., Kuttan G., Kuttan R. Antitumor activity of Ruta graveolens extract. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2006; 7: 439-443.
  • 22 Sunila E.S., Kuttan G., Preethi K.C., Kuttan R. Effect of homeopathic medicines on transplanted tumors in mice. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2007; Jul–Sep 8 (03) 390-394.
  • 23 Sunila E.S., Kuttan R., Preethi K.C., Kuttan G. Dynamized preparations in cell culture. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2009; Jun 6 (02) 257-263.
  • 24 Preethi K.C., Ellanghiyil S., Kuttan G., Kuttan R. Induction of apoptosis of tumor cells by some potentiated homeopathic drugs: implications on mechanism of action. Integr Cancer Ther 2011; Jun 11 (02) 172-182.
  • 25 Preethi K.C., Nair C.K., Kuttan R. Clastogenic potential of Ruta graveolens extract and a homeopathic preparation in mouse bone marrow cells. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2008; Oct–Dec 9 (04) 763-769.
  • 26 Arora S., Tandon C., Tandon S. Evaluation of the cytotoxic effects of CAM therapies: an In vitro study in normal kidney cell lines. Sci World J 2014; 2014: 11 pages. Article ID 452892.
  • 27 Nandini B., Pathikrit B., Khuda-Bukhsh A.R. Homeopathic drugs Natrum sulphuricum and Carcinosin prevent azo dye-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. Indian J Biochem Biophys 2009; Aug 46 (04) 307-318.
  • 28 Frenkel M., Mishra B., Sen S. et al. Cytotoxic effects of ultra diluted remedies on breast cancer. Int J Oncol 2010; 36: 395-403.
  • 29 Vickers A.J. Independent replication of pre-clinical research in homeopathy: a systematic review. Forsch Komplementarmed 1999; 6 (03) 11-20.
  • 30 Drabkin D.L., Austin J.M. Spectrophotometric studies, spectrophotometric constants for common haemoglobin derivatives in human, dog and rabbit blood. J Biol Chem 1932; 98: 719-733.
  • 31 Sredni B., Albeck M., Kazimirsky G., Shalit F. The immunomodulatory AS101 administered orally as a chemoprotective and radioprotective agent. Int J Immunopharmacol 1992; 14: 613-619.
  • 32 Bancroft J.D., Cook H.F. Manual of histologic technique. 1984. London: Churchill Livingstone.;
  • 33 Singh V.K., Agarwal S.S., Gupta B.M. Immunomodulatory activity of Panax ginseng extract. Planta Med 1984; 50: 462-465.
  • 34 Jerne N.K., Nordin A.A. Plaque formation in agar by single antibody-producing cells. Science 1963; 140: 405.
  • 35 Blitstein-Willinger E., Schulz G., Diamantstein T. Changes in thymocyte reactivity to lectins induced by B-cell mitogens of the type of sulphated polyanions. Immunology 1976; April 30 (04) 529-535.
  • 36 de Oliveira C.C., de Oliveira S.M., Goes V.M., Probst C.M., Krieger M.A., de Freitas Buchi D. Gene expression profiling of macrophages following mice treatment with an immunomodulator medication. J Cell Biochem 2008; 104: 1364-1377.
  • 37 Benveniste J. Memory of water revisited (letter). Nature 1993; 366: 525-527.
  • 38 Jonas W.B., Kaptchuk T.J., Linde K. A critical overview of homeopathy. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138: 393-399.
  • 39 Chikramane P.S., Suresh A.K., Bellare J.R., Kane S.G. Extreme homeopathic dilutions retain starting materials: a nanoparticulate perspective. Homeopathy 2010; 99: 231-242.