Individualized homeopathic medicines and Urtica urens mother tincture in treatment of hyperuricemia: an open, randomized, pragmatic, pilot trial
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Chintamani Nayak
, Nivedita Pattanaik
, Abhijit Chattopadhyay , Pankhuri Misra , Koushik Bhar , James Michael , Munmun Koley und Subhranil Saha
Abstract
Objectives
The quality of management of hyperuricemia has remained sub-optimal owing to unavoidable toxicities, limitations, and dearth of novel advances. Homeopathy has remained under-researched in hyperuricemia. We investigated the clinical effectiveness of three treatment regimens – individualized homeopathy (IH), Urtica urens mother tincture (UUMT), and both (IH + UUMT) along with lifestyle modifications in a sample of 90 patients with hyperuricemia.
Methods
An open, randomized (1:1:1), 3 parallel arms (IH, UUMT, and IH + UUMT), pragmatic trial was conducted at National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata. Outcome measures were serum uric acid (primary), Gout Assessment Questionnaire version 2 (GAQ2, secondary), and Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile version 2 (MYMOP2, secondary); all measured at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months. Intention- to-treat sample was analyzed to detect group differences by unpaired t tests.
Results
Attrition rate was 8.9% (IH: 3, UUMT: 3, IH + UUMT: 2). Groups were comparable at baseline. Reductions in serum uric acid over 3 months were comparatively higher (p=0.057) in the UUMT group than others, however, the differences were narrowed over 6 months (p=0.119). Per protocol analysis of serum uric acid level revealed similar trend of significantly higher reduction in the UUMT group than the other two (3 months: p=0.001; 6 months: p=0.007). No significant differences existed in reductions of GAQ2 scores among the three groups. Few significant differences were detected in MYMOP scores over 3 months favoring IH against others (symptom 2, p=0.001 and wellbeing score, p=0.002), and also over 6 months favoring IH + UUMT against others (symptom 1, p<0.001).
Conclusion
Although all three therapies showed similar improvements, the IH + UUMT group had more positive direction of effects than IH or UUMT alone; however, no definite conclusion could be arrived at. Further trials are warranted with larger sample size. Trial registration: CTRI/2018/05/014026.
Acknowledgment
The authors are grateful to institutional heads, both academic and hospital section for allowing us to conduct the trial. We sincerely thank the patients for their sincere participation.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Author contribution: CN, NP, AC, PM, KB, JM, MK, SS: Concept, design, literature search, data interpretation, and preparation of the article; CN, PM, KB and JM: Clinical study and data acquisition. CN: Data management and master chart preparation; MK and SS: Data interpretation, statistical analysis; PM: Preparation of the article. All the authors reviewed and approved the final article.
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Competing interests: The funding organization(s) has no role to play in conduct of the trial or publication of the paper.
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Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
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Ethical approval: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (Ref. F. No. 5-23/NIH/PG/Ethical Comm. 2009/Vol. 5/2671 (A/S), dated April 10, 2018; Supplementary file 1) and was registered subsequently in the Clinical Trials Registry – India vide CTRI/2018/05/014026 with a secondary identifier – Universal Trial number of U1111-1214-230 (Supplementary file 2).
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Supplementary Material
The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2020-0129).
© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Reviews
- ‘Ilāj bi’l-Tadbīr (regimenal therapy): a core mode of Unani treatment
- Understanding hormones in terms of humours (Akhlat) in Unani system of medicine
- Review Articles
- Understanding Humma-e-Wabai (epidemic fever) and Amraz-e-Wabai (epidemic disease) in the light of Unani medicine
- Emergence of antimicrobial resistance and magnitude of Unani medicine – scope and challenges
- Medicinal importance of Papra (Podophyllum hexandrum Royle) in Unani System of Medicine
- Research Articles
- Comparative effects of berberine and piperine on the neuroprotective potential of neostigmine
- Neera, a non-fermented traditional drink from coconut spadix restores the redox status in sodium fluoride intoxicated mice
- Evaluation of wound healing potential of Bhallatakadi Ghrita – cow ghee based polyherbal formulation: in-vivo excision and incision wound model
- Effects of co-administration of Unani pharmacopoeia formulations Qurs Tabasheer Sartani and Arq Hara Bhara with CAT-I antitubercular drugs in rats
- Neurotoxicity of organic solvents with emphasis on the role of iron
- Regular consumption of “Nkui”, a Cameroonian traditional dish, may protect against cardiovascular and bone disorders in an estrogen deficiency condition
- A spatial-temporal study of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by type: exploring localization economies implications in urban areas in Ontario
- Complementary and alternative interventions for stroke recovery – a narrative overview of the published evidence
- The feasibility and acceptability of hypnotherapy among overweight and obese individuals in a Malaysia’s public university
- Effectiveness of wet cupping therapy on relieving pain in patients with chronic migraine: an observational study
- Effect of aromatherapy massage by orange essential oil on post-cesarean anxiety: a randomized clinical trial
- Effect of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) on daytime and situational sleep propensity in novice practitioners: a prospective cohort study
- Comparison of instability resistance training, traditional resistance training and plyometric training on athletic performance parameters
- Individualized homeopathic medicines and Urtica urens mother tincture in treatment of hyperuricemia: an open, randomized, pragmatic, pilot trial
- Association of microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (fast genotype) with lung functions impairment in wood workers
- Dietary glycine improves urine storage symptoms in urology outpatients
- Hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in high altitude population: impact of coenzyme Q10 supplementation
- Short Communications
- Terminalia arjuna induced testicular assault through Leydig cell derangement: an in vitro approach
- Effect of acupuncture on cognitive task performance of college students: a pilot study
- Yoga for children in the new normal – experience sharing
- Effect of Arogya Raksha Panchatantra (five lifestyle principles) on hematological parameters and anthropometric measures among healthy volunteers: a pilot study
- Case Reports
- Yellow phosphorous ingestion cause liver dysfunction and internal bleeding: a case study
- Effect of yoga on plasma glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure and insulin requirement in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Management of Vipadika with Mahisha Gritha Padanimajjana – a case report