title: Effects of the homeopathic remedy arnica on attenuating symptoms of exercise-induced muscle soreness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Arnica at a high potency (200c), on moderating delayed onset muscle soreness and accompanying symptoms of muscle dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty subjects completed a maximal eccentric exercise protocol with the non-dominate elbow flexors to induce delayed onset muscle soreness. Either Arnica or placebo tablets were administered in a random, double- blinded fashion immediately after exercise and at 24 hours and 72 hours after exercise. Before exercise, immediately post-exercise, and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post-exercise, assessments of delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle function included: 1) muscle soreness and functional impairment; 2) maximum voluntary contraction torque; 3) muscle swelling; and 4) range of motion tests to document spontaneous muscle shortening and muscle shortening ability. Blood samples drawn before exercise and at 24, 48, and 96 hours after exercise were used to measure muscle enzymes as indirect indices of muscle damage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regardless of the intervention, the extent of delayed onset muscle soreness and elevations in muscle enzymes were similar on the days following the eccentric exercise protocol. The post-exercise time profiles of decreases in maximum voluntary contraction torque and muscle shortening ability and increases in muscle swelling and spontaneous muscle shortening were similar for each treatment intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study did not substantiate the clinical efficacy of Arnica at a high potency on moderating delayed onset muscle soreness and accompanying symptoms of muscle dysfunction. Despite the findings of this study, future investigations on the clinical efficacy of homeopathic interventions should consider incorporating research strategies that emphasize differential therapeutics for each patient rather than treating a specific disease or symptom complex, such as DOMS, with a single homeopathic remedy.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, New York Chiropractic College.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Plezbert
authors.forename: Jeanmarie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Burke
references.citation: J Altern Complement Med. 1998 Spring;4(1):49-76
references.pmid: 9553836
references.citation: Homeopathy. 2003 Oct;92(4):187-9
references.pmid: 14587684
references.citation: J Athl Train. 1996 Apr;31(2):145-52
references.pmid: 16558388
references.citation: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992 May;24(5):512-20
references.pmid: 1569847
references.citation: Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery. 2003 Aug;9(3):133-9
references.pmid: 12852929
references.citation: Int J Sports Med. 1996 Feb;17(2):120-7
references.pmid: 8833714
references.citation: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Aug;28(8):953-61
references.pmid: 8871903
references.citation: J Physiol. 2001 Dec 1;537(Pt 2):333-45
references.pmid: 11731568
references.citation: Sports Med. 2003;33(2):145-64
references.pmid: 12617692
references.citation: Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Nov;81(11 Suppl):S52-69
references.pmid: 12409811
references.citation: Can J Appl Physiol. 1999 Jun;24(3):234-48
references.pmid: 10364418
references.citation: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Dec;31(12):1697-702
references.pmid: 10613417
references.citation: Med Clin North Am. 2002 Jan;86(1):47-62
references.pmid: 11795090
references.citation: Arch Surg. 1998 Nov;133(11):1187-90
references.pmid: 9820349
references.citation: Sports Med. 2004;34(1):49-69
references.pmid: 14715039
references.citation: J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Jun;8(3):275-81
references.pmid: 12165185
references.citation: Clin J Pain. 1998 Sep;14(3):227-31
references.pmid: 9758072
references.citation: Homeopathy. 2003 Oct;92(4):217-9
references.pmid: 14587689
references.citation: Br J Sports Med. 1997 Dec;31(4):304-7
references.pmid: 9429007
references.citation: Acad Med. 2001 Dec;76(12):1213-20
references.pmid: 11739043
references.citation: Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1991 Dec 10;111(30):3630-1
references.pmid: 1780819