Impact of long term homeopathic treatment on disease progression in ART naive HIV patients – a case series

Introduction:

In 1991, no antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment was available. The Central Council for Research in Homeopathy had established a clinical research unit at Mumbai for undertaking investigations in HIV/AIDS. So far 2502 cases have been enrolled for homeopathic treatment and three studies have been published since then. In this paper we will highlight the impact of long term homeopathic management of cases, which have been followed up for more than 15 years.

Method:

The HIV positive cases enrolled in different studies are continuously being managed in this unit and even after study conclusion. All the cases are being treated solely with individualised homeopathy. The cases are assessed clinically (body weight, opportunistic infections, etc.) as well as in respect to CD4 counts and CD4/CD8 ratio.

Results:

The CD4 count was maintained in all patients, except in one case. Three patients had the CD4 level in the range of 500 – 1200, four in the range of 300 – 500, one had a 272 CD4 count. There has been a decline of CD4/CD8 ratio since baseline, but the patients have maintained their body weights and remained free from major HIV related illnesses and opportunistic infections. The frequently indicated remedies were pulsatilla pratensis, lycopodium clavatum, nux vomica,tuberculinum bovinum, natrum muriaticum, rhus toxicodendron, medorrhinum, arsenicum album, mercurius solubilis, thuja occidentalis, nitic acid, sulphur, bryonia alba and hepar sulph.

Conclusion:

In the emergent scenario of drug resistance and adverse reactions of ART in HIV infections, there may be a possibility of employing homeopathy as an adjuvant therapy to existing standard ART treatment. Further studies are desirable.