Effects of Ultra-Low-Dose Aspirin in Thrombosis and Haemorrhage.

Background: Aspirin is the oldest and possibly the most widely used pharmacologically active substance still used in allopathic medicine. Its effect on fever and inflammation has paved the way to its anti-thrombotic effect. Dilutions of aspirin have been tested for many years in the University of Bordeaux, in humans as well as in animal models.

Chelidonium majus 30C and 200C in induced hepato-toxicity in rats.

Introduction: Homeopathy is a popular form of complementary and alternative medicine and is used to treat for certain liver ailments.

Aim: To analyze the efficacy of homeopathic Chelidonium majus (Chel) 30C and 200C in amelioration of experimentally induced hepato-toxicity in rats.

Methods: Rats were randomized into six sub-groups: negative control; negative control+EtOH; positive control; positive control+EtOH group; Chel 30; Chel 200.

No effect of a homoeopathic combination of Arnica montana and Bryonia alba on bleeding, inflammation, and ischaemia after aortic valve surgery.

Aims: " Arnica montana is a popular homoeopathic treatment with potential haemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. A homoeopathic combination of A. montana and Bryonia alba was used in aortic valve surgery to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing bleeding, inflammation, pain and myocardial ischaemia.

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.

Modulation of Signal Proteins: A Plausible Mechanism to Explain How a Potentized Drug Secale Cor 30C Diluted beyond Avogadro's Limit Combats Skin Papilloma in Mice.

In homeopathy, ability of ultra-high diluted drugs at or above potency 12C (diluted beyond Avogadro's limit) in ameliorating/curing various diseases is often questioned, particularly because the mechanism of action is not precisely known. We tested the hypothesis if suitable modulations of signal proteins could be one of the possible pathways of action of a highly diluted homeopathic drug, Secale cornutum 30C (diluted 10(60) times; Sec cor 30). It could successfully combat DMBA + croton oil-induced skin papilloma in mice as evidenced by histological, cytogenetical, immunofluorescence, ELISA and immunoblot findings.

Evidences of protective potentials of microdoses of ultra-high diluted arsenic trioxide in mice receiving repeated injections of arsenic trioxide.

The present study was undertaken to examine if microdoses of ultra-high diluted arsenic trioxide (a potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album 200C, diluted 10(-400) times) have hepatoprotective potentials in mice subjected to repeated injections of arsenic trioxide. Arsenic intoxicated mice were divided into: (i) those receiving Arsenicum Album-200C daily, (ii) those receiving the same dose of diluted succussed alcohol (Alc 200C) and (iii) another group receiving neither drug nor succussed alcohol. Two other control groups were also maintained: one fed normal diet only and the other receiving normal diet and Alc-200C.

In vitro studies demonstrate anticancer activity of an alkaloid of the plant Gelsemium sempervirens.

The chemical structure of the main fluorescenting compound in the ethanolic extract (mother tincture) of the American yellow jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, was determined by employing (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), (13)C NMR, mass spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), correlation spectroscopy (COSY), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses. Spectrofluorometric analysis has been made of the mother tincture and its agitated serial dilutions (up to 12th potency) prepared according to a homeopathic procedure in which serial, agitated dilutions were made separately in glass and polypropylene containers. The succussions were made by employing three different modes: hand jerk, sonication, and vortexing.

Can homeopathy bring additional benefits to thalassemic patients on hydroxyurea therapy? Encouraging results of a preliminary study.

Several homeopathic remedies, namely, Pulsatilla Nigricans (30th potency), Ceanothus Americanus (both mother tincture and 6th potency) and Ferrum Metallicum (30th potency) selected as per similia principles were administered to 38 thalassemic patients receiving Hydroxyurea (HU) therapy for a varying period of time. Levels of serum ferritin (SF), fetal hemoglobin (HbF), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count (PC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), white blood cell (WBC) count, bilirubin content, alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and serum total protein content of patients were determined before and 3 months after administration of the homeopathic remedies in combination with HU to evaluate additional benefits, if any, derived by the homeopathic remedies, by comparing the data with those of 38 subjects receiving only HU therapy. Preliminary results indicated that there was a significant decrease in the SF and increase in HbF levels in the combined, treated subjects.

Ascorbic acid combats arsenic-induced oxidative stress in mice liver.

Repeated injections of arsenic trioxide induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in mice as revealed from elevated levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases, glutamate pyruvate transaminases, acid and alkaline phosphatases, lipid peroxidation along with reduction of superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione content, glutathione reductase and succinate dehydrogenase activities. The present investigation was undertaken to test whether simultaneous feeding of vitamin C can combat hepatotoxicity in arsenic intoxicated mice. Hepatoprotective potential of vitamin C was indicated by its ability to restore GSH, SOD, CAT, AcP, AlkP and GRD levels towards near normal.

Prothrombotic and hemorrhagic effects of aspirin.

Aspirin remains the most widely used drug for prevention of vascular events. Recent observational epidemiological evidence has raised the concern that aspirin withdrawal for treatment noncompliance, surgery, or side effects can carry an increased thrombotic risk. The delay to the thrombotic event was between 7 to 30 days in most reports and most frequently 7 to 10 days.

Comparative efficacy of two microdoses of a potentized homeopathic drug, arsenicum album, to ameliorate toxicity induced by repeated sublethal injections of arsenic trioxide in mice.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of 2 potentized homeopathic remedies of Arsenicum Album (Ars Alb)--6C and 30C--in combating chronic arsenic toxicity induced by repeated sublethal injections in mice (Mus musculus).

Methods: Mice were randomized and divided into sets: (1) normal (control 1); (2) normal + succussed alcohol (control 2); (3) As(2)O(3) (0.016%) injected at 1 ml/100 g body weight every 7 days (treated); (4) As(2)O(3) injected + succussed alcohol (positive control); (5) As(2)O(3) injected + Ars Alb 6C (drug-fed); (6) As(2)O(3) injected + Ars Alb 30C (drug-fed).

Modifications produced by selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and ultra low dose aspirin on platelet activity in portal hypertension.

Aim: To study the mechanism involved in the potentially beneficial effect of ultra low dose aspirin (ULDA) in prehepatic portal hypertension, rats were pretreated with selective COX 1 or 2 inhibitors (SC-560 or NS-398 respectively), and subsequently injected with ULDA or placebo.

Methods: Portal hypertension was induced by portal vein ligation. Platelet activity was investigated with an in-vivo model of laser induced thrombus production in mesenteric circulation and induced hemorrhagic time (IHT).

Homeopathic remedy for arsenic toxicity?: Evidence-based findings from a randomized placebo-controlled double blind human trial.

Millions of people are at risk of groundwater arsenic contamination, but supply of arsenic-free drinking water is grossly inadequate. The present study was intended to examine if a potentized homeopathic remedy reportedly showing ameliorating potentials in people inhabiting high-risk arsenic-contaminated areas but drinking arsenic-free water, can also ameliorate arsenic toxicity in subjects living in high-risk arsenic-contaminated areas, and drinking arsenic-contaminated water. This pilot study was conducted on 20 males and 19 females of village Dasdiya (arsenic contaminated) who initially agreed to act as volunteers; but as many as 14, mostly placebo-fed subjects, later dropped out.

Modifications produced by indomethacin and L-NAME in the effect of ultralow-dose aspirin on platelet activity in portal hypertension.

In our previous study, we demonstrated the effect of ultralow-dose aspirin (ULDA) on platelet activity and bleeding in rats with portal hypertension (PHT) produced by portal vein ligation (PVL). This paper reports modifications in this effect caused by blocking NO production by nitro arginine methyl ester (NAME) and cyclooxygenase (COX) activity with indomethacin. PVL rats and sham-operated controls were treated with placebo, indomethacin or NAME and 30 min thereafter with placebo or ULDA treatment.

Can administration of potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum album, alter antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer in people living in high-risk arsenic contaminated areas? I. A correlation with certain hematological parameters.

To examine whether elevated antinuclear antibody (ANA) titers reported in random human population of arsenic contaminated villages can be reverted to the normal range by administration of a potentized homeopathic drug, Arsenicum album, randomly selected volunteers in two arsenic contaminated villages and one arsenic-free village in West Bengal (India) were periodically tested for their ANA titer as well as various blood parameters in two types of experiments: 'placebo-controlled double blind' experiment for shorter duration and 'uncontrolled verum fed experiment' for longer duration. Positive modulation of ANA titer was observed along with changes in certain relevant hematological parameters, namely total count of red blood cells and white blood cells, packed cell volume, hemoglobin content, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and blood sugar level, mostly within 2 months of drug administration. Thus, Arsenicum album appears to have great potential for ameliorating arsenic induced elevated ANA titer and other hematological toxicities.

Platelet aggregation in portal hypertension and its modification by ultra-low doses of aspirin.

Aspirin (ASA) is widely accepted as antithrombotic drug, but several reports point out that its use in ultra-low doses (ULD) has prothrombotic properties. In this study, we evaluate the effect of portal hypertension in rats on platelet aggregation in an in vivo arterial thrombosis model induced by a laser beam. Portal hypertension was produced by calibrated stenosis of the portal vein.