While looking for something totally unrelated, I ran across this. Since homeopathic medicines often `translate over' and are usually effective for most species (humans, dogs, birds), there are definitely implications here for human treatment.
quote:Clinical management of babesiosis in dogs with homeopathic Crotalus horridus 200C.
Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 07:41 AM - Homeopathy News - Homeopathy - Clinical Trials Update
Homeopathy. 2007 Apr;96(2):90-4
Authors: Chaudhuri S, Varshney JP
Homeopathic Crotalus horridus 200C was evaluated in 13 clinical cases of babesiosis in dogs, compared with another 20 clinical cases treated with diminazine.
Babesiosis is an important tropical tick-borne haemoprotozoan disease in dogs clinically manifested by anorexia, dehydration, temperature, dullness/depression, diarrhoea/constipation, pale mucosa, hepatomegaly, vomiting/nausea, splenomegaly, distended abdomen/ascites, yellow coloured urine, emaciation/weight loss, and occular discharge.
The diagnosis of babesiosis was based on cytological evidence of Babesia gibsoni in freshly prepared blood smears.
The dogs were treated with oral C. horridus 200C, 4 pills four times daily for 14 days (n=13) or diminazine aceturate 5 mg/kg single intramuscularly dose (n=20). All the dogs were administered 5% Dextrose normal saline at 60 ml/kg intravenously for 4 days.
Initial clinical scores were similar in both groups and showed similar progressive improvement with the two treatments over 14 days. Parasitaemia also improved in both groups, but haematological values showed no change. No untoward reactions were observed.
It appears that C. horridus is as effective in causing clinical recovery in moderate cases of canine babesiosis caused by Babesia gibsoni as the standard drug diminazine. Large scale randomized trials are indicated for more conclusive results.
Near as I can tell, diminazine aceturate is a veterinary chemotherapeutic-like drug used in the treatment of some parasitic infections in dogs and cats, including protozoan infections like Babesia canis and Babesia gibsoni. I don't know if this drug is used in the U.S. or not - I wasn't able to tell. Maybe someone like Merrygirl can answer this.
Also note that this study was not done in the U.S. - it was done in India. Homeopathic medicine is well-established in India.
Interestingly, I ordered some Crotalus horridus 200C this summer - just as an emergency treatment for rattlesnake bites since those were on the rise. Homeopathic C. horridus is made from rattlesnake venom.
BTW, I sure wish IDEXX would develop a quick Babs test for dogs like they did for Lyme, RMSF, and Ehrlichia!
Posted by oxygenbabe (Member # 5831) on :
Cool. What a funny name. Did you see that study on minutus Dana Ullman posted on the thyroxin, tadpoles, and homeopathy? I'd seen the original study which was from the mid 90's but it looks like they replicated it. Where do you get your remedies--online? If so where? And what form (pellet, liquid, lactose, dextrose)
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
No, Oxy, I didn't see that. You may have to remind me to head over to minutus once in awhile. Sounds like I am missing some good stuff.
I have several sources for remedies - it depends on what I need. Sometimes my local health food store guy can get common remedies for me with no additional shipping cost. I've also ordered from Ainsworths in London for things you can't buy here in the U.S. Helios in London is very reputable, too.
I've purchased most of my remedies from Natural Health Supply in NM - I get their tiny 1/2 dram bottles of #10 granules - the size of cupcake sprinkles. (Then, I use the granules or pellets to make my own liquid remedies.)
They make their own remedies there, and they also carry little dropper bottles and books and other things I often need. It is not a great site for everyone, though, as they don't even list their prices for remedies.... but I've ordered enough to know what remedies cost, etc. I got my remedy kits from there, also.
Other reputable sources I've used: Washington Homeopathics in WV Hahnemann Labs in CA (expensive but you can get odd potencies and odd remedies)
These websites seem to have a good selection of remedies and potencies, as I recall, but I've never ordered from them (but know people who have): smallflower.com presentmoment.com
I never paid much attention to what the granules/ pellets were made from - sucrose, lactose, etc.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Interesting. And dogs wouldn't have that placebo thing going on, I'd suppose.
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Posted by hardynaka (Member # 8099) on :
Nice info, thanks for posting this Tracy!
Selma
Posted by oxygenbabe (Member # 5831) on :
I was thinking about the study and ideal study would have been a triple blind: the drug the remedy controls with placebo
Because theoretically there could be a natural rate of remission that is high who knows.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Exactly right, Keebler.
Selma, looks like you may have another remedy for you or your ART practitioner to test for Babs over there in your part of the world.... somewhere in my readings, I'm sure I've run across C. horridus used in at least one case of Lyme.
True, Oxy. I guess that's why they said ``Large scale randomized trials are indicated for more conclusive results.''
I wasn't able to determine anything about `natural remission' from my brief research.
What I did find was that Babesia gibsoni is considered to be a "small Babesia", similar to B. microti, one of the etiological agents of human and rodent babesiosis.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
.... ran across this today so thought I'd bump it up.....
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