Utilization of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H): A cross-sectional study among school students of Kanpur City

Studies exploring information on the utilization of Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy (ISM&H) in India are limited. Hence, the authors of present study had decided to conduct this study with the objectives of (i) to obtain an estimate of utilization of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) and (ii) to provide an estimate of the various reasons for preferences.

It was a cross sectional study conducted in a two randomly selected public high schools located in Kanpur City. The results were statistical analysed with Chi square test and also the percentages were calculated.

As per the results, the prevalence of utilization of ISM&H among adults was estimated to be just 29.4% while 70.6% preferred to use Allopathic system of medicine. From the 29.4% of ISM&H users, homoeopathy was preferred  by 18.1%, Ayurveda was preferred by 8.4% and 2.9% of people preferred some other treatment modality. The preference for ISM&H was observed to be more among females (48.6%) than males (15.4%) and this difference was statistically significant. Homeopathy was used by 33.3% females, whereas 11.4% and 3.9% were the users of Ayurveda and other modalities. These figures are more than males, which is resulted as 7.4%,6.0%, 2.0% respectively. Most common reasons for utilization of ISM&H were found to be safety (82.9%), compliance (67.5%) and affordability (53.1%).

Reference : Pooja Goyal, Tanu Midha, RP Sharma, DS Martolia, Amarnath Gupta, Utilization of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM & H): A Cross-Sectional Study Among School Students of Kanpur City, Indian J. Prev. Soc. Med. Vol. 42 No.3, 2011

Homoeopathic for semen quality of bulls: a case series

Studies on the effect of homoeopathy in veterinary are limited. This study is on the quality of semen in bulls. Poor semen quality of pedigree bulls has major economic implications in cattle breeding. Hence this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of homoeopathy on the semen of bulls with reproductive disorders. The behavioral, clinical and spermatic characteristics of four Nelore bulls were evaluated. The bulls received individualized homoeopathic treatment mixed into the feed and administered once per day. Semen was collected using an artificial vagina. Successful collection, freezing, effective doses, and the number of doses of semen per collection were compared before and after homoeopathic treatment.

The bulls were treated with Sulphur, Phosphorus, Lycopodium and Argentum nitricum all in 30CH dilution. The rates of successful collection were 97.14%, 100%, 96.67% and 30.77% pretreatment and 95.45%, 100%, 94.67% and 96.77% at post-treatment for bulls A, B, C and D, respectively. The average number of doses per ejaculate pre and post-treatment were 102.67 (SD 74.41) vs. 300.08 (SD 180.58), 0 vs. 234.78 (SD 96.12), 0 vs. 105.12 (SD 54.98), 0 ± vs. 107.37 (SD 52.12) respectively. Many of these differences were statistically significant. From the results, authors have concluded that the use of homoeopathy apparently improved the production of viable doses of semen from bulls with previous freezing problems and poor semen quality. Controlled studies should be conducted.

It is to be remembered that a mother tincture Tribulus terrestris is indicated for debilitated states of the sexual organs, as expressed in seminal weakness, ready emission and impoverished semen. Research studies conclude that its extracts appear to possess aphrodisiac activity probably due to androgen increasing property of TT. In animal models, it has showed to increase intracavernous pressure, thus confirming its role in erectile dysfunction, possibly as a result of an increase in androgen and subsequent release of nitric oxide from the nerve endings innervating the corpus cavernosum (sponge-like regions of erectile tissue of penis).

Reference:  de Souza MF, Costa-e-Silva EV, Macedo GG, Soares BD, Zúccari CE, The effect of individualized homeopathic treatment on the semen quality of bulls with reproductive disorders: a case series, Homeopathy. 2012 Oct;101(4):243-5

Source : schwabe India.