Comparative efficacy of two microdoses of a potentized homoeopathic drug, Cadmium Sulphoricum, in reducing genotoxic effects produced by cadmium chloride in mice: a time course study

BACKGROUND: Cadmium poisoning in the environment has assumed an alarming problem in recent years. Effective antimutagenic agents which can reverse or combat cadmium induced genotoxicity in mice have not yet been reported. Therefore, in the present study, following the homeopathic principle of "like cures like", we tested the efficacy of two potencies of a homeopathic drug, Cadmium Sulphoricum (Cad Sulph), in reducing the genotoxic effects of Cadmium chloride in mice. Another objective was to determine the relative efficacy of three administrative modes, i.e. pre-, post- and combined pre and post-feeding of the homeopathic drugs. For this, healthy mice, Mus musculus, were intraperitoneally injected with 0.008% solution of CdCl(2) @ 1 ml/100 gm of body wt (i.e. 0.8 mcg/gm of bw), and assessed for the genotoxic effects through such studies as chromosome aberrations (CA), micronucleated erythrocytes (MNE), mitotic index (MI) and sperm head anomaly (SHA), keeping suitable succussed alcohol fed (positive) and CdCl(2) untreated normal (negative) controls. The CdCl(2) treated mice were divided into 3 subgroups, which were orally administered with the drug prior to, after and both prior to and after injection of CdCl(2) at specific fixation intervals and their genotoxic effects were analyzed. RESULTS: While the CA, MNE and SHA were reduced in the drug fed series as compared to their respective controls, the MI showed an apparent increase. The combined pre- and post-feeding of Cad Sulph showed maximum reduction of the genotoxic effects. CONCLUSIONS: Both Cad Sulph-30 and 200 were able to combat cadmium induced genotoxic effects in mice and that combined pre- and post-feeding mode of administration was found to be most effective in reducing the genotoxic effect of CdCl(2) followed by the post-feeding mode

Patient satisfaction and side effects in primary care: An observational study comparing homeopathy and conventional medicine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study is part of a nationwide evaluation of complementary medicine in Switzerland (Programme Evaluation of Complementary Medicine PEK) and was funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. The main objective of this study is to investigate patient satisfaction and perception of side effects in homeopathy compared with conventional care in a primary care setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined data from two cross-sectional studies conducted in 2002–2003. The first study was a physician questionnaire assessing structural characteristics of practices. The second study was conducted on four given days during a 12-month period in 2002/2003 using a physician and patient questionnaire at consultation and a patient questionnaire mailed to the patient one month later (including Europep questionnaire).</p> <p>The participating physicians were all trained and licensed in conventional medicine. An additional qualification was required for medical doctors providing homeopathy (membership in the Swiss association of homeopathic physicians SVHA).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 6778 adult patients received the questionnaire and 3126 responded (46.1%). Statistically significant differences were found with respect to health status (higher percentage of chronic and severe conditions in the homeopathic group), perception of side effects (higher percentage of reported side effects in the conventional group) and patient satisfaction (higher percentage of satisfied patients in the homeopathic group).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Overall patient satisfaction was significantly higher in homeopathic than in conventional care. Homeopathic treatments were perceived as a low-risk therapy with two to three times fewer side effects than conventional care</p

Cytogenetical studies in five Atlantic Anguilliformes fishes

The order Anguilliformes comprises 15 families, 141 genera and 791 fish species. Eight families had at least one karyotyped species, with a prevalence of 2n = 38 chromosomes and high fundamental numbers (FN). The only exception to this pattern is the family Muraenidae, in which the eight species analyzed presented 2n = 42 chromosomes. Despite of the large number of Anguilliformes species, karyotypic reports are available for only a few representatives. In the present work, a species of Ophichthidae, Myrichthys ocellatus (2n = 38; 8m+14sm+10st+6a; FN = 70) and four species of Muraenidae, Enchelycore nigricans (2n = 42; 6m+8sm+12st+16a; FN = 68), Gymnothorax miliaris (2n = 42; 14m+18sm+10st; FN = 84), G. vicinus (2n = 42; 8m+6sm+28a; FN = 56) and Muraena pavonina (2n = 42; 6m+4sm+32a; FN = 52), collected along the Northeastern coast of Brazil and around the St Peter and St Paul Archipelago were analyzed. Typical large metacentric chromosomes were observed in all species. Conspicuous polymorphic heterochromatic regions were observed at the centromeres of most chromosomes and at single ribosomal sites. The data obtained for Ophichthidae corroborate the hypothesis of a karyotypic diversification mainly due to pericentric inversions and Robertsonian rearrangements, while the identification of constant chromosome numbers in Muraenidae (2n = 42) suggests a karyotype diversification through pericentric inversions and heterochromatin processes

A model for homeopathic remedy effects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system

BACKGROUND: This paper proposes a novel model for homeopathic remedy action on living systems. Research indicates that homeopathic remedies (a) contain measurable source and silica nanoparticles heterogeneously dispersed in colloidal solution; (b) act by modulating biological function of the allostatic stress response network (c) evoke biphasic actions on living systems via organism-dependent adaptive and endogenously amplified effects; (d) improve systemic resilience. DISCUSSION: The proposed active components of homeopathic remedies are nanoparticles of source substance in water-based colloidal solution, not bulk-form drugs. Nanoparticles have unique biological and physico-chemical properties, including increased catalytic reactivity, protein and DNA adsorption, bioavailability, dose-sparing, electromagnetic, and quantum effects different from bulk-form materials. Trituration and/or liquid succussions during classical remedy preparation create “top-down” nanostructures. Plants can biosynthesize remedy-templated silica nanostructures. Nanoparticles stimulate hormesis, a beneficial low-dose adaptive response. Homeopathic remedies prescribed in low doses spaced intermittently over time act as biological signals that stimulate the organism’s allostatic biological stress response network, evoking nonlinear modulatory, self-organizing change. Potential mechanisms include time-dependent sensitization (TDS), a type of adaptive plasticity/metaplasticity involving progressive amplification of host responses, which reverse direction and oscillate at physiological limits. To mobilize hormesis and TDS, the remedy must be appraised as a salient, but low level, novel threat, stressor, or homeostatic disruption for the whole organism. Silica nanoparticles adsorb remedy source and amplify effects. Properly-timed remedy dosing elicits disease-primed compensatory reversal in direction of maladaptive dynamics of the allostatic network, thus promoting resilience and recovery from disease. SUMMARY: Homeopathic remedies are proposed as source nanoparticles that mobilize hormesis and time-dependent sensitization via non-pharmacological effects on specific biological adaptive and amplification mechanisms. The nanoparticle nature of remedies would distinguish them from conventional bulk drugs in structure, morphology, and functional properties. Outcomes would depend upon the ability of the organism to respond to the remedy as a novel stressor or heterotypic biological threat, initiating reversals of cumulative, cross-adapted biological maladaptations underlying disease in the allostatic stress response network. Systemic resilience would improve. This model provides a foundation for theory-driven research on the role of nanomaterials in living systems, mechanisms of homeopathic remedy actions and translational uses in nanomedicine

Chromosome banding studies in an Indian mullet: Evidence of structural rearrangements from NOR locations

467-470C-, G- and NOR bands have been studied in the female sex of Rhinomugil corsula. (Mugilidae, Pisces) by deploying the conventional methodologies with suitable modifications of minor nature. The diploid metaphase complements contained 48 acrocentric chromosomes. The localization of C-band heterochromatin was found to be mostly at or near the centromeric regions of the acrocentric chromosomes. The G-type bands were not so well defined, but some of the G-banded chromosomes also contained C-bands. Interestingly, silver-positive NORs were found at the telomeric ends of five acrocentric chromosomes, including one homologous pair having NORs in both chromatids, while one chromosome showed NORs in both of its chromatids and the other two had only one NOR localized at one of its chromatids. This would suggest that one homologue of the second pair of NOR-bearing chromosomes possibly underwent a chromatid exchange with a non-NOR bearing chromosome. This is quite a unique situation not reported earlier in any species of fish. , though some other form of NOR-polymorphism/heteromorphism has rarely been reported. Therefore, further exploration in natural populations of this species to examine the other sex and to verify if there also exists other chromosomally polymorphic races (in respect of NOR-polymorphism) of this species, would be rewarding

Indication of the sex chromosome pair bearing Ag-NORs in a brackish water fish, <i>Scatophagus argus </i>showing male heterogamety

793-797Morphologically distinguishable sex elements were detected in a brackish water teleqstean fish, S. argus. While the female specimens had 24 homomorphic pairs of rod like chromosomes (2n = 48; NF = 48), in male specimens the karyotype differed having a heteromorphic pair, comprising one metacentric ("Y") and an acrocentric ("X") chromosome (2n = 48; NF = 49). The suspected XX and XY elements showed Ag-NOR locations at and around their centromeric regions, thus indicating some form of association existing between nucleolar organising regions and sex determining genes in this species

<span style="font-size: 19.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Assessment of EMS-induced genotoxicity in the Indian climbing perch, <i><span style="font-size:19.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Anabas testudineus </span></i><span style="font-size:19.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">: <span style="font-size:19.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Cytogenetical vis-a-vis protein endpoints </span></span></span>

1285-1294<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">Genotoxic effects of EMS have been assessed in fish, A. <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">testudineus, <span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif""="">using widely accepted cytogenetic protocols like chromosome aberrations, nuclear anomalies in red blood cells and abnormal sperm head morphology. In addition, gel &nbsp;&nbsp;electrophoretic protein profile s and total protein contents in nine selected tissues were analysed for evaluating their utility as potential indicators of genotoxicity. EMS not only caused chromosomal aberrations in somatic cells, nuclear anomalies in red blood cells, and increased incidence of sperm with abnormal head morphology, but also altered significantly both protein profiles and total protein contents in all tissues tested vis-a-vis suitable controls, indicating relevance of protein data in genotoxicity assessment. </span

Differential C-heterochromatin distribution in two species of freshwater fish, <i>Anabas testudineus </i>(Bloch.) and <i>Puntius sarana </i>(Hamilton.)

265-268Anabas testudineus (2n=46) had the more conserved pattern of its C-heterochromatin distributed mainly in the centromeric region, whereas Puntius sarana (2n=50) exhibited a rather unorthodox pattern, many chromosomes showing interstitial, some telomeric and a few chromosomes showing centromeric C-band localization. Further, lateral asymmetry in distribution of heterochromatin was also noted in two pairs of chromosomes in P. sarana. The possible implications of the differential distribution noted in these two species has been discussed