Mrs. Shital M. Patil
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
An alternative system of medicine is a system that aims to achieve the curing effects of medicines. In the ancient years, various therapies like Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, and Acupressure were successfully used for treatment of various diseases. Amongst all these, the most popular one is homeopathy, which is used as a complementary therapy nowadays. I have been personally using this therapy for the last 10 years and have experienced its wonders without side effects for the treatment of disease. This tempted me to find more about homoeopathy and to share it with you all.
Homeopathic medicines or formulations are known as ‘remedies’. These remedies are plants, herbs, minerals, or animal derived products. These are highly individualised or personalised medicines which may differ from person to person. It takes into consideration the physical as well as mental or psychosocial health of the individuals. A detailed history of the patient is taken by the practitioner to choose the correct medicine, which no other therapy undertakes. Homeopathic medicines try to stimulate the body’s natural defence mechanism. Homeopathy is based on two principles, Similia similibus curantar, i.e., ‘like cures like’ and increasing dilutions increase the potency of the remedy. The main focus of this therapy is to reconstruct the deviated vital force. The dilution may range from 1:10 to 1 per billion, so these medicines are likely to be safe and have no adverse effects. This system of medicine is also known as ‘pseudoscience’.
It is believed and proven that these medicines attack the root cause of the illness. Homeopathic medicines can cure a diverse range of diseases, including asthma, ear infections, allergies, arthritis, dermatitis, high blood pressure, mental diseases, etc. Literature has shown much evidence of the magical effects of this therapy for the treatment of skin disorders. These medicines are generally consumed through the oral route and come into contact with the tongue, through which they enter into blood circulation. As a result, these medications work best if taken 20 minutes before meals.These are available in sugar pellets or tincture form. These remedies usually contain some amount of ethanol along with water as a solvent.
I have seen many kids or elderly patients hesitate to take antibiotics or bitter allopathic medicines. Homeopathy can be an alternative to this. Better patient compliance is one of the advantages of these remedies. This makes them more popular with children and adults.
Restricted use of homoeopathic medicines in surgeries and in life threatening situations (viz., heart attack, paralytic strokes, and diabetic coma), well-defined dose, success rate, and a well experienced homoeopath are the various challenges seen with this therapy.
Samuel Hahnemann (1796–in Germany), the founder of homeopathy, described it succinctly as–
The highest ideal of CURE is
The QUICK, GENTLE, and ENDURING
Restoration of health
By the most TRUSTWORTHY
& LEAST HARMFUL way.
In the modern era of this world where we are facing a problem of adverse effects with current allopathic therapy, I am sure homoeopathy will have wider scope in coming years.