A Follow-Up Study on the Efficacy of the Homeopathic Remedy Arsenicum album in Volunteers Living in High Risk Arsenic Contaminated Areas.
In continuation of our short-term pilot studies reported earlier, results on certain toxicity biomarkers in volunteers who continued to take the potentized Arsenicum album 200C till 2 years are presented. Out of some 130 "verum"-fed volunteers of pilot study, 96 continued to take the remedy till 6 months, 65 till 1 year and 15 among them continued till 2 years. They provided samples of their urine and blood at 6 months, 1 year and finally at 2 years. None out of 17 who received "placebo" turned up for providing blood or urine at these longer intervals. Standard methodologies were used for determination of arsenic content in blood and urine, and for measurement of toxicity biomarkers like acid and alkaline phosphatases, alanine and aspartate amino transferases, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione and anti-nuclear antibody titers. Most of the volunteers reported status quo maintained after the improvement they achieved within the first 3 months of homeopathic treatment, in respect of their general health and spirit, and appetite and sleep. A few with skin symptoms and burning sensation, however, improved further. This was supported by the data of toxicity biomarkers, levels of all of which remained fairly within normal range. Therefore, administration of Arsenicum album 200C considerably ameliorates symptoms of arsenic toxicity on a long-term basis, and can be recommended for interim use, particularly in high risk remote villages lacking modern medical and arsenic free drinking water facilities. Similar studies by others are encouraged.
Khuda-Bukhsh
Anisur Rahman
AR
Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, India.
Roy-Karmakar
Susanta
S
Banerjee
Antara
A
Banerjee
Pathikrit
P
Pathak
Surajit
S
Biswas
Surjyo Jyoti
SJ
Haque
Saiful
S
Das
Debarsi
D
Boujedaini
Naoual
N
Belon
Philippe
P
Methods Enzymol. 1978;52:302-10
672633
Arch Biochem Biophys. 1959 May;82(1):70-7
13650640
Sci Total Environ. 2007 Oct 1;384(1-3):141-50
17628642
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Mar;3(1):99-107
16550230
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2005 Dec;2(4):537-48
16322812
J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265-75
14907713