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RECENT POSTS
Radiotherapy and Homeopathic Consult: What to

Expect
Chemotherapy Side-Effects Does Homeopathy Make People

Fat?
Cancer – it’s a word we dread. Nobody wants to receive a
cancer diagnosis but a significant number of us, or our loved Give Rover more than a bone …

ones, will be affected by cancer at some time in our lives. try a little homeopathy
The common conventional approaches of surgery,
Homeopathy and conventional
chemotherapy and radiation can be lengthy and difficult. When
medicines? Together?
managing the side-effects of these treatments, people
sometimes turn to homoeopathy. This article looks at the ways Killed by Homeopathy?

in which homeopathy can help and what the research shows.

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Radiotherapy kills cancer cells by targeting beams from a homeopathy dr oz weight loss

radiation machine at the cancer, or by inserting small amounts sheet

of radioactive material in or near the tumour.
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Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells with chemicals that may Homeopathy – Tv9
be rubbed onto the skin, injected into the body, or swallowed
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Both approaches damage the chromosomes of cells, restricting
their abilitiy to grow or reproduce. Because most cancers grow
Older posts
and divide rapidly, it is hoped that they will be affected much
more quickly by the treatments than normal cells that generally
grow and divide at a much slower rate.

What Are Their Side Effects?

In spite of all efforts to prevent or minimise the risk,
chemotherapy and radiotherapy do produce adverse reactions.
Common short term effects include nausea and vomiting,
fatigue, loss of appetite, and skin burning or pigmentation.

Long-term risks include:

Cancer – the very thing the treatments are trying to

eradicate,
Fibrosis – stiffening or hardening of exposed tissues,
Scarring of exposed skin,
Permanent dryness of eyes, mouth, vaginal mucosa and
sweat glands,
Heart disease – especially if radiation has involved chest,
Cognitive decline – especially if radiation has involved the
brain.

Because all rapidly dividing cells in the body are by affected

treatment, not just the cancerous cells, some areas are
particularly prone to unwanted damage.

These include:

Bowel cells, causing diarrhoea,

Blood cells, increasing the risk of infection,
Hair follicles, leading to hair loss,
Cells that line the mouth, causing inflammation and
ulceration (stomatitis).

Homeopathic Help for Cancer

Treatment Side-Effects
Homeopathy is frequently called upon for help by those
seeking an alternative therapy to relieve the side-effects of
radiation or chemotherapy. The following is a list of supporting
research and studies about how it helps.

Skin Inflammation and Itching

1. Symptoms of radiodermatits (a skin reaction caused by
 radiation) were relieved by homeopathic Belladonna and X-
ray. Both remedies were more effective than placebo and
the recommended conventional medicine.[1]
2. Apis mellifica, a homeopathic remedy prepared from the
sting of a bee, protected guinea pigs from radiation
induced erythema (skin redness). [2]
3. Calendula officinalis ointment reduced the incidence of
pain and dermatitis in women receiving radiation for
breast cancer. It was more effective than placebo and the
recommended conventional medicine.[3] (Note: The
ointment contained Calendula in herbal form but its effect
was homoeopathic due to symptom similarity.
Potentisation is not a requirement for homeopathy, just a
way of introducing other benefits).
4. Nine different homeopathic remedies prescribed for 25
patients according to their individual symptoms reduced
post radiation induced itching. (Note: As per normal
homeopathic prescribing procedures, if the first remedy
wasn’t helpful the patient’s symptoms were reassessed and
a new and better matching remedy prescribed. Altogether,
14 of 25 patients (56%) responded to the first remedy while
7 out of 9 patients responded to the second. In total 21 of
25 (84%) patients were successfully treated. The remedies
included: Fluoricum acidum; [9/13]; Rhus-toxicodendron
[3/5]; Causticum [2/3]; Ignatia [2/2]; Psorinum [2/2],
Gamma-ray [2/2]; and Kali-bichromicum [1/1].)[4]

Chromosomal Damage
1. White mice given homoeopathic Ginseng and Ruta
graveolens before and after radiation suffered less
chromosomal damage than mice given only placebo.[5]
2. Indian research suggests that homeopathic remedies
produce protective effects in the cells of experimental mice
by regulating the genetic material within those cells.[6]

Nausea and Vomiting

Cocculine, a complex of remedies used for nausea and vomiting
and marketed as a travel sickness remedy, was trialled for the
nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy treatment
of breast cancer. It relieved sufferer’s symptoms better than
placebo.[7] The complex contains: Cocculus indicus, Nux
vomica, Tabacum, and Petroleum rectificatum.

Stomatitis (Mouth Inflammation and Ulceration)

Traumeel, another complex of remedies, significantly reduced
the severity and duration of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis
(mouth inflammation and ulceration) in those undergoing bone
marrow transplantation. Many of these patients were children.
Remedies within the complex include: Aconitum napellus,
Arnica montana, Belladonna, Bellis perennis, Calendula
officinalis, Chamomilla, Echinacea, Echinacea purpurea,
Hamamelis virginiana, Hepar sulphuris calcareum, Hypericum
perforatum, Mercurius solubilis, Millefolium, and Symphytum
officinale.[8]

Tautopathic Approach
Tautopathy is a branch of homeopathy in which the patient’s
symptoms are treated with potentised doses of the specific
chemical or medicine that caused those symptoms. The
tautopathic approach is demonstrated in the following three
studies:

1. Potentised doses of carcinogens had a protective effect

against liver cancer in rats exposed to those same
carcinogens.[9]
2. Potentised doses of conventional immunotherapy drugs,
such as tumor necrosis factor, were shown to reduce their
own crude dose side effects.[10]
3. Homeopathic x-ray was used to relieve radiodermatits in
those receiving radiation as part of their breast cancer
treatment.[11]

Getting the Best from Homeopathy

The effects of homoeopathic remedies are far-reaching when
prescribed according to the unique symptoms of the person
rather than by the name of the condition or disease.

Most of the above research focused on the treatment of single

symptoms or used complexes (combination remedies) in a ‘shot
gun’ approach but homoeopathy is at its best when the
individual’s cluster of symptoms is treated by a matching
remedy rather than different remedies prescribed to treat
those symptoms one by one.

For example, Cadmium sulphuricum is one of the better known

remedies for chemotherapy and radiation side-effects because
its ‘symptom picture’ covers extreme exhaustion, icy coldness,
nausea and vomiting, anorexia, loss of hair, and weight loss –
all common side-effects of patients receiving chemo or
radiotherapy. All these symptoms can be treated by the one
remedy rather than resorting to different remedies for different
symptoms.

Homoeopathy also has more than just one remedy for treating
a particular problem. For example, the nausea and vomiting
associated with chemotherapy can be helped by remedies such
as Arsenic album, Ipecacuanha, Nux vomica, Phosphorus,
Tabacum, and many other others depending on whether or not
the patient’s nausea is with or without thirst, accompanies a
clean or dirty tongue, is worsened by warmth or cold, or is with
emotions of irritability, cheerfulness, or quietness, and so on.
The remedy that best matches the individualising symptoms of
that person’s nausea is the one that will be the most helpful.

While homoeopathy can be safely used for simple ‘at home’

needs, self treatment for radiotherapy and chemotherapy side-
effects will not give the best results. A qualified homoeopath
with experience in this area should be consulted as he or she
will differentiate between the sufferer’s symptoms, choose the
most appropriate remedy, and prescribe a dosing regime that
suits that person. The information in the Finding a Good
Homeopath tutorial will help identify the characteristics of a
well trained homeopath.

Important: A Word of Caution about

Prevention
A recent Cochrane review found there were no serious side
effects or interactions when homeopathy was used as a
treatment for the adverse effects of radiotherapy and
chemotherapy.[12] While this is to be expected (absence of
side-effects and interactions being a hallmark of homeopathic
treatment) a word of caution should be made about using
homeopathy to prevent, rather than treat these side-effects.

Not only can homeopathy treat many problems, it can also

prevent them – as some of the research listed above indicates.
For this reason homoeopathic remedies for chemotherapy and
radiotherapy side-effects should not be used AHEAD of
treatment as they may also block the cell destroying effects of
these approaches. Until more research is available in this area,
it would be wise to use homeopathy only as side-effects occur
AFTER treatment. It may be one of the few times when
homeopathic prevention is not better than cure.

Getting On With It
As said at the beginning, nobody wants to receive a cancer
diagnosis – but if it happens, the best way to face it is with
accurate information and the caring support of family, friends,
and trusted healthcare professionals. After considering all
options and making the choice for treatment by radiotherapy
or chemotherapy, remember that homoeopathy can help with
any side-effects, should they arise.

Next in this Series: The remedies discussed in this article (an

others not discussed) can reduce the side-effects of
conventional cancer treatments but homeopathy is also being
used to treat cancer. This topic will be discussed in the next
article in this series.

References
[1] Balzarini, A.,Felisi, E,. Martini, A et al., Efficacy of
Homeopathic Treatment of Skin reactions During Radiotherapy
for Breast Cancer: A Randomised, Double-Blind Clinical Trial,”
British Homeopathic Journal, (2000)Jan:89(1):8-12.

[2] Bildet, J., Guyot, M., Bonini, F., et al., Demonstrating the
Effects of Apis mellifica and Apium virus Dilutions on Erythema
Induced by U.V. Radiation on Guinea Pigs, Berlin Journal of
Research in Homeopathy,1990,1:28.

[3] Pommier, P, et al., Phase II Randomized Trial of Calendula

officinalis Compared with Trolamine for the Prevention of Acute
Dermatitis During Irradiation for Breast Cancer, Journal of
Clinical Oncology, 2004, 22:1147-1453.

[4] Schlappack O., Homeopathic treatment of radiation-induced

itching in breast cancer patients. A prospective observational
study. Homeopathy. 2004 Oct;93(4):210-5.

[5] Khuda-Bukhsh, A.R., Banik, S.,Assessment of Cytogenetic

Damage in X-irradiated Mice and its Alteration by Oral
Administration of Potentized Homeopathic Drug, Ginseng D200,
Berlin Journal of Research in Homeopathy, 1991, 1,4/5:254. Also
Khuda-Bukhsh, A.R. Maity, S., Alteration of Cytogenetic Effects
by Oral Administration of Potentized Homeopathic Drug, Ruta
graveolens in Mice Exposed to Sub-lethal X-radiation, Berlin
Journal of Research in Homeopathy, 1991, 1, 4/5:264.

[6] Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh. Mice as a model for

homeopathy research. Homeopathy, Volume 98, Issue 4,
October 2009, Pages 267-27.
[7] Placebo-controlled Evaluation of Cocculine® Efficacy in the
Management of Nausea After Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer.
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00409071

[8] Oberbaum, Yaniv, Ben-Gal, 2001. Homeopathic Medication

TRAUMEEL S Reduces Chemotherapy-Induced Stomatitis in
Children. Cancer, 2001:Vol 92, No 3, pp 684-690.

[9] De Gerlach, J., and Lans, M.,Modulation of Experimental Rat

Liver Carcinogenesis by Ultra Low Doses of the Carcinogens, in
M. Doutremepuich, Ultra Low Doses, Washington, D.C./London:
Taylor and Francis, 1991.

[10] Safrit, S, and Bonavida, B., Sensitivity of Resistant Human

Tumor Cell Lines to TNF and Adriamycin Used in Combination,
Cancer Research, 1992, 52: 6630-37.

[11] Balzarini A, Felisi E, Martini A, De Conno F.Efficacy of

homeopathic treatment of skin reactions during radiotherapy
for breast cancer: a randomised, double-blind clinical trial.
British Homeopathic Journal. 2000 Jan;89(1):8-12.

[12] Kassab S, Cummings M, Berkovitz S, van Haselen R, Fisher

P. Homeopathic medicines for adverse effects of cancer
treatments. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009,
Issue 2. Art. No.: CD004845. DOI:
10.1002/14651858.CD004845.pub2.

[13] Grimmer A. Homoeopathic War Remedies: Homoeopathic

Recorder LXVI: March 1951 p.263

[14] Grimmer A. Differentiating Symptoms of the Cadmium

Salts: Homoeopathic Recorder: Sept 193o p.675
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