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DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1745754
Comparative Effectiveness of Pre-Identified Homeopathic Medicines in Asymptomatic COVID-19 Individuals Receiving Standard Care—An Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Exploratory Trial
Funding The study was funded by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy under the Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi, India.
Abstract
Background Asymptomatic COVID-19 subjects can transmit the infection for as many as 14 days and are regarded as a significant factor in the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory study aimed to determine any additional benefits of selected homeopathic medicines compared with placebo in asymptomatic COVID-19 individuals receiving standard care.
Methods This open-label, randomized, placebo-controlled, exploratory trial was undertaken at a COVID Care Centre (CCC) in Madhya Pradesh, India. Patients (n = 200, 18–65 years, both sexes) having a positive RT-PCR and asymptomatic during admission were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups (each n = 50): Arsenicum album 30C (Ars. alb.), Camphora 1M (Camph.), Bryonia alba 30C (Bry. alb.) and placebo (Pl.). All the patients were given standard care. The primary outcome was the number of patients becoming RT-PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2 at days 5, 10 and 15.
Results In total, 200 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients were enrolled. One hundred and seventy-seven patients became RT-PCR negative by day 15; 88%, 80%, 98% and 88% from Ars. alb., Camph., Bry. alb. and Pl. respectively. A Chi-square test of association for the total patients who became RT-PCR negative for SARS-Cov-2 in each group showed a marginal statistical significance (Chi-square: 8.1, p = 0.04). A two-proportion Z-test comparing each pre-identified homeopathic medicine with placebo showed marginal statistical significance (p = 0.05) for Bry alb. only. Median time in days to RT-PCR negative (Kaplan Meier analysis) was 10 days in each of the groups.
Conclusion There was some evidence that, compared with Ars alb., Camph. or Pl., Bry. alb. was associated with an increased number of patients who became RT-PCR negative for COVID-19 by day 15. The possible effect exerted needs to be investigated in additional research.
Keywords
asymptomatic COVID-19 - Arsenicum album - Bryonia alba - Camphora - homeopathy - India - pandemicPublication History
Received: 21 June 2021
Accepted: 09 December 2021
Article published online:
02 August 2022
© 2022. Faculty of Homeopathy. This article is published by Thieme.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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