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[The administration of homeopathic drugs for the treatment of acute mastitis in cattle]
Abstract
The general principles of homeopathic therapy are described together with a number of homeopathic drugs used for the treatment of acute bovine mastitis. Fifty cows with acute mastitis were used in the study. The initial treatment comprised aconitum D 4, phytolacca D 1 and bryonia D 4. In subsequent treatments phytolacca D 1, bryonia D 4 and lachesis D 8 either singly or in combination were used; mercurius solubilis D 4 was also used. Encouraging results, especially in the treatment of cases of E.coli mastitis, were achieved.
... Some veterinarians have for a long time already treated mastitis successfully with the following homeopathic preparations together or separately: Aconitum D4, Phytolacca D1, Bryonia D4, Lachesis D8, Mercurius solubilis D4 [14]. ...
We have been discussing homeopathy and researching the literature with a well-known and respected Finnish homeopath, Jouni Jämsä (http://www.jounijamsa.fi/). We have talked about homeopathy in general, looked at studies of diluted homeopathic preparations and talked about how plants as well as individual cells respond to homeopathy. In addition, we have investigated in quite a detail homeopathy for cancer patients [1, 2, 3, 4]. In this fifth part of the review, we investigate the effects of homeopathic preparations on animals. Homeopathy has been examined in animals Do animals respond to homeopathy? Yes, they do and there are many such investigations. In general, it seems that homeopathy is having a pretty good effect on eg. animals in food production. The use of homeopathic preparations can reduce the amount of drugs used in animal production. The drugs stay in the food chain and also affect people or increase the environmental impact of animal production. Let us look at some animal studies where homeopathy plays a key role? Trichinella spiralis, a nematode that causes trichinosis in humans, domestic and production animals as well as wild animals lies and lurks in the digestive tract. Controlling the muscle phase of this parasite is complicated. However, the number of larvae in Trichinella decreased in an experiment with infected mice receiving homeopathic preparations. The studies were conducted at the Department of Zoology in Visva-Bharati University, India. The purpose of this study was to determine if potent homeopathic drugs such as Cina 30, Santoninum 30 and Podophyllum's stock solution can affect the muscle phase of the Trichinella parasite. Another goal was to see if trichinosis could be treated with these three homeopathic medicines. Each mouse was infected with Trichinella larvae. Treatment was started on day 7 after infection and continued for 120 days. At the end of the treatment mice were sacrificed and the larvae extracted from the muscles. The water content of the muscles was measured. Podophyllum Theta, Cina 30 and Santoninum 30 reduced the larval population of Trichinella in mice by 68.14%, 84.10% and 81.20% respectively compared to the untreated control group. Potential ethanol alone (one control group) did not achieve a significant decrease in the larval population. The potentiated drugs were more effective than the stock solution alone. The potentiated homeopathic drugs significantly reduced the water content of the muscle tissue, possibly affecting the larvae in this way. Some of the homeopathic preparations used in the experiment were diluted over the Avogadro's number [5].
... In a recently published study (SCHUKKEN et al., 2014), the efficacy of the novel commercially available groups. While some studies found no effects of homeopathic therapy for mastitis (HEKTOEN, 2004;WERNER et al., 2010), other studies showed negative results in the homeopathic group (GARBE et al., 2000;VARSHNEY;NARESH, 2005), and still others showed positive results (DAY, 1986;MERCK et al., 1989). In a meta-analysis of Mathie and Clausen (2015), no significant differences were found between homeopathic and conventional therapies in veterinary medicine. ...
Mastitis affects a high proportion of dairy cows throughout the world and is one of the greater problems faced by the dairy industry today. The disease is still a major cause of economic loss on a dairy farm. Mastitis poses not only negative consequences for the dairy farmer but also for the dairy industry as a number of issues threaten the reputation of milk as a healthy product from healthy animals. The use of antimicrobials is one of those concerns and threats. Antimicrobial usage on dairy farms is most often related to udder health as most medicines are used in prevention and control of mastitis. Antimicrobials remain vital for treatment of bacterial infections in dairy cattle, but in light of the upcoming debate instigated by the potential link between the use of antimicrobial products in animal husbandry and the development of antimicrobial resistance in both animal and human pathogens, there is an urgent need for innovation and alternatives to antibiotic therapy for mastitis treatment and control. Alternative approaches include vaccination, probiotics or beneficial microorganisms and inhibitory substances, immunomodulation, bacteriophages, homeopathy, and plant-derived inhibitory substances, yet only when scientifically-proven evidence is available indicating these alternatives are effective.
... We have those too (Frei & Thurneysen, 2001, Jacobs et al 2000 Trials involving the treatment of animals, demonstrating positive results? Yes we also have these (Merck von et al 1989, Searcy et al 1995 How about trials that demonstrate the effects of ultra-high dilutions in the test tube? We even have these (Belon et al 2004) But none of the above constitute proof. ...
Anyone who has been working with homeopathy in the UK, particularly
in the last five years, must have noticed a steady increase in both the extent and depth
of adverse publicity that homeopathy is receiving. Repeatedly the critics demand the
same question, “Where is your evidence?” Consideration of this question first led me
to become involved with homeopathy research, but increasingly I find that my
background in philosophy compels me to challenge the very concepts of evidence,
proof and science which drive the research agenda. What follows is an account of
evidence-based medicine (EBM), some of the implications for homeopathy, and
philosophical challenges for the foundations of our assumptions
... Apparently, the use of nosodes and other SAD and homeopathic preparations are popular among European animal farmers for the control of epidemic outbreaks. Several reports of SAD use for control of bovine mastitis have been reported (Day, 1986; Merck, Sonnenwald, and Rollwage, 1989). Langer reported on a series of field tests and controlled experiments on bovine mastitis using various mixtures of nosodes, SADs, and homeopathic remedies that were both protective and therapeutic (Langer, 1990). ...
Reports of immunomodulation with serial agitated dilutions (SADs) of cytokines, hormones, minerals, and whole tissue led to this inquiry as to whether exposure to a complex SAD preparation produced from Fran-cisella tularensis-infected mice could alter the immune response and the ef-fects of subsequent challenge with this pathogen in vivo. Six SAD prepara-tions of reticuloendothelial tissue from F. tularensis-infected C3H/HeN mice were produced through a process of serial log 10 and log 100 dilutions in 70% ethanol interspersed with 30-second agitation. SAD preparations were ana-lyzed for protein content and for contamination with 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. Three preparations contained detectable protein by Lowry and NMR analy-sis, and three were diluted beyond detection of protein. These preparations were administered orally for 1 month to 147 animals randomly assigned to SAD or dilutent control groups. All animals were then challenged with a lethal dose (LD 50 or LD 75) of F. tularensis and evaluated for time to death and total mortality. In a series of 15 trials, the SAD preparations consistently produced increased mean times to death (MTD; MTD SAD = 18.6 days [range, 12.9–25.6]; MTD controls = 13.7 days [range, 11.6–15.6]), and de-creased mortality (SAD: 53%; control: 75%) when compared with matched control groups given the dilutent only. Protection was not related to the level of dilution, the number of times vortexed, or the presence or absence of orig-inal substance from the tissue. Active and inactive solutions could be distin-guished from one another using 1 H NMR-spectroscopy. Two preparations in-duced specific anti-tularemia IgG antibody production before challenge. This anomalous finding needs independent repetition and further investigation.
Mastitis is one of the most common diseases in dairy production, and homeopathic remedies have been used increasingly in recent years to treat it. Clinical trials evaluating homeopathy have often been criticized for their inadequate scientific approach. The objective of this triple-blind, randomized controlled trial was to assess the efficacy of homeopathic treatment in bovine clinical mastitis. The study was conducted on a conventionally managed dairy farm between June 2013 and May 2014. Dairy cows with acute mastitis were randomly allocated to homeopathy (n = 70) or placebo (n = 92), for a total of 162 animals. The homeopathic treatment was selected based on clinical symptoms but most commonly consisted of a combination of nosodes with Streptococcinum, Staphylococcinum, Pyrogenium, and Escherichia coli at a potency of 200c. Treatment was administered to cows in the homeopathy group at least once per day for an average of 5 d. The cows in the placebo group were treated similarly, using a placebo preparation instead (lactose globules without active ingredients). If necessary, we also used allopathic drugs (e.g., antibiotics, udder creams, and anti-inflammatory drugs) in both groups. We recorded data relating to the clinical signs of mastitis, treatment, time to recovery, milk yield, somatic cell count at first milk recording after mastitis, and culling. We observed cows for up to 200 d after clinical recovery. Base-level data did not differ between the homeopathy and placebo groups. Mastitis lasted for an average of 6 d in both groups. We observed no significant differences in time to recovery, somatic cell count, risk of clinical cure within 14 d after disease occurrence, mastitis recurrence risk, or culling risk. The results indicated no additional effect of homeopathic treatment compared with placebo. The advantages or disadvantages of homeopathy should be carefully assessed for individual farms.
Homeopathy is widely used in livestock, especially in order to reduce the use of antibiotics, although it is often seen as controversial. A comprehensive literature review has been conducted to assess the efficacy of homeopathy in cattle, pigs and poultry. Only peer-reviewed publications dealing with homeopathic remedies, which could possibly replace or prevent the use of antibiotics in the case of infective diseases or growth promotion in livestock were included. Search results revealed a total number of 52 trials performed within 48 publications fulfilling the predefined criteria. Twenty-eight trials were in favour of homeopathy, with 26 trials showing a significantly higher efficacy in comparison to a control group, whereas 22 showed no medicinal effect. Cure rates for the treatments with antibiotics, homeopathy or placebo varied to a high degree, while the remedy used did not seem to make a big difference. Looking at all the studies, no study was repeated under comparable conditions. Consequently, the use of homeopathy currently cannot claim to have sufficient prognostic validity where efficacy is concerned. When striving for high therapeutic success in treatment, the potential of homeopathy in replacing or reducing antibiotics can only be validated if evidence of efficacy is confirmed by randomised controlled trials under modified conditions.
This 2nd edition gives every health professional and pharmacist the broad information they need to dispense and counter-prescribe homeopathic methods with confidence. Designed as both a complete source of initial information and an everyday reference, Homeopathic Pharmacy provides detailed information on the procedures, principals, and applications that are essential in the practice of homoeopathic medicine. It describes the application of homeopathy for both general situations, such as first aid, dentistry, sportscare, and petcare, and for specific situations, such as allergies, infections, and teenagers problems.
Non-antibiotic therapy of bovine mastitis is gaining importance in both area's field and science. This is chiefly due to unsatisfactory results of antibiotic therapy and the goal to avoid antibiotic residues in food. Considering effectiveness and disposability, frequent milking of mastitis cows and the application of oxytocin and secretolytics can be recommended. Vaccines of E. coli and S. aureus as well as the antimicrobial proteins nisin and lysostaphin which have proven their effectiveness are legally no yet admitted in Germany, though this will surely change within the coming years. Further vaccines of mastitis-inducing pathogens and cytokines are still in development, thus a definite evaluation is not yet possible. Both, the contradictory information on homeopathy and the obtained results of physical therapy lack the proof of effectiveness and can therefore not be recommended as mastitis therapeutic agents.
In the presented study, the influence of treatment with homeopathic products on the non-specific resistance mechanisms of udders on healthy cows in the periparturient period was examined. 39 dairy cows from two herds with healthy udders were used and a double-blinded study was performed. Udder health was assessed by clinical examination of the mammary gland, bacteriological status and somatic cell count (SCC) of the milk samples. Treatments were carried out on six days: drying-off (A), 270 days p.c. (B), within 12 hours after parturition (C) and on days 7 ± 1, 14 ± 1 and 21 ± 1 p.p. (D, E and F) respectively. Treatments of the experimental group (EC) consisted of different combinations of homeopathic products. Cows of the control group (CG) received equal volumes of 0.9% NaCl. On day 28 ± 1 p.p. (G) blood and milk samples were taken without any further treatment. Concentrations of bilirubin, aspartate-aminotransferase, glutamate-dehydrogenase, total protein and beta-hydroxy-butyric acid (BHB), the selenium supply and differential cell count inblood samples were determined. SCC and the bacteriological status in milk samples were determined as well as concentration of lysozyme and phagocytosis-activity of milk cells. The results of both groups were compared. The following significant differences were noted: The value of total protein concentration in blood at day B was higher in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.05), SCC at day D was lower in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.01), the phagocytosis activity of milk cells at day D was lower in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.01) and the value of BHB at day F was lower in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.05). The values of BHB, SCC and phagocytosis activity of milk cells were at days D, E, F and G in the EG lower than in the CG. On days with a low value of phagocytosis activity of milk cells the number of samples with a positive bacteriological status decreased.
IntroductionMastitisAntibiotic Therapy for MastitisAlternative Therapies for Mastitis TreatmentHomeopathic Therapy for MastitisStudy Objective
Study OverviewStudy MethodologyStatistical AnalysisStudy ResultsConclusions
AcknowledgmentsReferences
For centuries, homeopathic practitioners have claimed that serially agitated dilutions of infectious agents (called "nosodes") are effective in the prevention of infectious disease. However, no rigorous tests of this claim have been performed.
To test whether a nosode of Francisella tularensis-infected tissue could protect from subsequent challenge with this pathogen in vivo.
Experimental laboratory test.
A P3 containment laboratory at an infectious disease research facility.
142 male C3H/HeN specific, pathogen-free mice.
Six levels of a nosode prepared from tularemia-infected tissue were produced. All exposures were below the lowest level at which a classical vaccination response was expected. The nosode and dilutent control solutions were administered orally (.03 mL, 3 times per week) for 1 month before and after challenge. Animals were challenged with a potentially lethal dose (LD50 or LD75) of F tularensis, then evaluated for time of death and total mortality.
Mortality and time to death.
In a series of 15 trials (n = 142), the tularemia nosode consistently produced increased mean times to death. All but 2 of 15 trials showed reduced time to death in the nosode group and decreased mortality compared with controls. Protection rates averaged 22% over controls compared to 100% protection by standard vaccination.
This study found partial protection from a nosode of tularemia in dilutions below those expected to have protective effects, but not as great as those produced by standard vaccination. If homeopathic nosodes can induce protection from infectious agents for which vaccination is currently unavailable, they may provide an interim method of reducing morbidity or mortality from such agents.
Based on the widespread use of homeopathy in treatment of animal disease and the poor documentation of its possible effects and consequences, a clinical trial was carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of homeopathy in treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows and a design for clinical studies on homeopathic treatment, taking into account the guidelines for randomized-clinical trials (RCT) as well as the basic principles of homeopathy. A three-armed, stratified, semi-crossover design comparing homeopathy, placebo and a standardized antibiotic treatment was used. Fifty-seven dairy cows were included. Evaluation was made by two score scales, with score I measuring acute symptoms and score II measuring chronic symptoms, and by recording the frequencies of responders to treatment based on four different responder definitions. Significant reductions in mastitis signs were observed in all treatment groups. Homeopathic treatment was not statistically different from either placebo or antibiotic treatment at day 7 (P = 0.56, P = 0.09) or at day 28 (P = 0.07, P = 0.35). The antibiotic treatment was significantly better than placebo measured by the reduction in score I (P < 0.01). Two-thirds of the cases both in the homeopathy and placebo groups responded clinically within 7 days. The outcome measured by frequencies of responders at day 28 was poor in all treatment groups. Evidence of efficacy of homeopathic treatment beyond placebo was not found in this study, but the design can be useful in subsequent larger trials on individualized homeopathic treatment.
Cows in a 250-cow Holstein-Friesian herd were allocated at random to be treated with either a homoeopathic nosode or a negative control, both treatments being applied by means of an aerosol spray to the vulval mucous membranes. A total of six treatments were given over a period of three days and milk samples were taken for the determination of somatic cell counts (SCC) on days -3, 3, 7, 9, 14, 21 and 28. Individuals applying the treatments or carrying out the SCC determination were unaware of which animals were receiving which treatment. Owing to the wide natural variations in SCC, the trial had only a 71 per cent possibility of detecting a 30 per cent difference in SCC between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the SCC of the two groups on any sample day, but there were significant variations between the SCC on different days (P=0.003) in both groups.
Mastitis is the major problem of dairy animals despite a number of preventive and therapeutic approaches. Treatment is costly and out of reach of farmers of developing countries like India. The treatment cost of bovine mastitis with conventional treatment has been calculated. Good results have been claimed with homeopathic treatment however, treatment costs are not available. This article reports the treatment economics of homeopathic drugs conventional drugs for the management of bovine mastitis. Ninety-six mastitic quarters (non-fibrosed 67 and fibrosed 29) were treated with a homeopathic combination medicine. Another 96 quarters with acute mastitis (non-fibrosed) treated with different antibiotics were included in the study. The animals were selected from dairy farm of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute and from private dairy farms. The overall effectiveness of homeopathic combination medicine in the treatment of acute non-fibrosed mastitis was 86.6% with a mean recovery period of 7.7 days (range 3-28), and total cost of therapy as Indian Rupees 21.4 (0.39 Euros, US 3.28). We conclude that the combination of Phytolacca, Calcarea fluorica., Silica, Belladonna, Bryonia, Arnica, Conium and Ipecacuanha (Healwell VT-6) was effective and economical in the management of mastitis in lactating dairy cows.
A search of the literature and the experiments carried out by the authors of this review show that there are a number of animal models where the effect of homeopathic dilutions or the principles of homeopathic medicine have been tested. The results relate to the immunostimulation by ultralow doses of antigens, the immunological models of the 'simile', the regulation of acute or chronic inflammatory processes and the use of homeopathic medicines in farming. The models utilized by different research groups are extremely etherogeneous and differ as the test medicines, the dilutions and the outcomes are concerned. Some experimental lines, particularly those utilizing mice models of immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of homeopathic complex formulations, give support to a real effect of homeopathic high dilutions in animals, but often these data are of preliminary nature and have not been independently replicated. The evidence emerging from animal models is supporting the traditional 'simile' rule, according to which ultralow doses of compounds, that in high doses are pathogenic, may have paradoxically a protective or curative effect. Despite a few encouraging observational studies, the effectiveness of the homeopathic prevention or therapy of infections in veterinary medicine is not sufficiently supported by randomized and controlled trials.
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