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DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2013.10.043
Homoeopathy in tuberculosis
Subject Editor:
Publication History
Publication Date:
24 January 2018 (online)
Background: Globally India accounts for one fifth of new Tuberculosis(TB) cases. TB kills more adults in India than any other infectious disease. India has gone through two phases of TB control after availability of effective chemotherapy for TB namely :(1) National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) and (2)Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP)
TB treatment has seen different eras from only supportive treatment through sanatoria, monotherapy, combination therapy, domicillary treatment, long term (conventional treatment), short course treatment, intermittent and now finally to a now-a-days popular Directly Observed Treatment –Short Course(DOTS).
Methods: Tuberculosis (TB) has been known since antiquity. In spite of effective antibiotic treatment,
it is still a major worldwide public health problem. Endogenous factors are important in the development of active disease. Homeopathic medicines have the potential for immune-modulation and hence to influence endogenous factors in disease.
In India, patients with tubercular lymphadenitis (TBLN) often consult homoeopaths but such cases are seldom documented. The objective of the present study is to document such experience.
A retrospective exploratory study of 25 positively diagnosed cases of TBLN has lead to the development of a homoeopathic regime consisting of:
• a patient specific constitutional medicine,
• one disease specific biotherapy (Tuberculinum) and
• Silicea6x as supportive medicine.
Homeopathy can be used as a complement to conventional anti tubercular treatment (ATT) with beneficial results. Further validation in controlled trials with immunological markers is required.
Conclusion: Homeopathy can be integrated as an add-on/ complementary medicine to conventional anti-tubercular treatment of Tuberculosis for better compliance and outcome ratio. Hence, a combined approach (Allopathic and Homeopathic) could be an answer in the prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis.