title: Bone computed tomography mineral content evaluation in chickens: effects of substances in homeopathic concentration.
abstract: METHODS
  Ninety-six cobb race chickens were equally divided in 4 groups and randomly assigned to receive a standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Symphytum (S.) officinalis (9CH), or standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Tricalcarea (4CH), or standard treatment feed + homeopathic concentrations of Calcarea (C.) carbonica (30CH) or a placebo (the same feed but without any homeopathic compound) in order to assess the ability of the homeopathic compounds to increase the concentration of calcium hydroxyapatite in the sternal spongy bone tissue. We measured the concentration of calcium hydroxyapatite in the sternal spongy bone tissue of all chickens by means of a computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  30%, 36% and 63% increase of sternum spongy-bone mineralization was observed after a 2 years period in the treatment groups with S. officinalis (9CH), Tricalcarea (4CH) (*P < 0.05) and C. carbonica (30CH) (***P < 0.001) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone mineralization is usually low in battery chickens reared in commercial poultry-sheds, creating a weakness of the whole animal supporting apparatus. Homeopathic preparations with bone-tissue tropism may improve their health quality.
authors.affiliation: Homeopathic Medical School, Verona, Italy. Electronic address: Sergio.canello.5@facebook.com.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canello
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Unit, Ospedale dell'Angelo, Mestre, Italy. Electronic address: neurorad@ulss12.ve.it.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: Homeopathic Medical School, Verona, Italy. Electronic address: patrizio.luisetto@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luisetto
authors.affiliation: School of Specialization in Clinical Biochemistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. Electronic address: Alessandro811@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cerbo
authors.affiliation: Radiology Oncology Unit, Istituto Oncologico IOV, IRCCS, Padua, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.pomerri@ioveneto.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pomerri
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002645:Chickens; D020844:Comfrey; D017886:Durapatite / Q000032:analysis; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000379:methods*; D008903:Minerals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D017886:Durapatite
keywords: Calcarea carbonica; Spongy-bone mineralization; Symphytum officinalis; Tricalcarea