592 Complementary and Alternative Therapies
WESTERN SYSTEMS OF HEALING
Homeopathy
Homeopathy, founded by Samuel Hahnemann, M.D.
(1755...1843), is based on the Law of Similars, or •Let likes
be cured by likes.Ž It is a form of self-healing in which the
substance (e.g., minerals, plant extracts, chemicals, or
disease-producing germs) that creates illness symptoms in a
healthy individual is used to cure those very symptoms when
prescribed in microdoses. Symptoms are not thought to be
part of the illness but part of a curative process (Spencer &
Jacobs, 1999) because outward manifestations of illness rep-
resent an attempt of an organism to heal itself, with the cor-
responding remedy reinforcing that attempt in some way
(Micozzi, 1996).
The homeopathic practitioner views illness as a disturbance
of the vital force of an individual, manifesting itself as a total-
ity of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that is unique
to each patient (Micozzi, 1996). Homeopathic remedies exist
for psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety,
and the wide range of distressed mental states. For example,
minerals such as argentum nitricum and aurum metallicum
have been prescribed for anxiety and depression, respectively
(Lockie, 1989; Stanton, 1981). Plant derivatives such as
ignatia, arnica, and equisetum have been prescribed for grief,
shock, and for curing bedwetting in both children and adults,
respectively (Lockie, 1989; Stanton, 1981). Typical homeo-
pathic practice includes a thorough idiographic assessment of
a patient•s case history and presenting symptoms (e.g., physi-
cal, cognitive, and emotional) to “nd a homeopathic remedy
that matches the individual rather than a speci“c illness, with
the correct remedy or combination of remedies aimed at cur-
ing the patient•s whole spectrum of symptoms.
One of the main advantages of homeopathic remedies is
that they are relatively safe and have no side effects because
of the in“nitesimal amounts of the homeopathic substances.
However, because homeopathy is highly individualized, it is
a dif“cult and exacting art. A skilled homeopathic practi-
tioner might try several remedies before any bene“t is ob-
tained. Furthermore, there remains a lack of understanding of
dilute remedies• mechanism of action, as well as an inability
to predict how a patient will respond to a certain remedy or
which symptoms will be affected. These factors greatly hin-
der the study of treatment ef“cacy of homeopathic remedies.
Therapeutic Approaches
To minimize the potentially toxic effects of a medicinal sub-
stance, extremely minute doses are used. The preparation of
the homeopathic remedy starts with an amount of the medic-
inal substance (e.g., herbal tincture) and serially diluting it
either 10- or 100-fold with water a number of times, followed
by vigorous shaking between each dilution (potentizing;
Ernst, Rand, & Stevinson, 1998; Micozzi, 1999). The dosage
must be tailored to “t the patient very much like the choice of
the remedy itself. The general rule is to stop the administra-
tion of the remedy once the reaction is apparent, allowing the
remedy to complete its course of action, and repeating only
when the reaction has subsided.
The therapeutic goal of homeopathy is to “nd a substance
that matches as many of the individual•s symptoms as possi-
ble, including not only physical symptoms, but also the living
experience of the patient, such as the full range of thoughts
and feelings. Hence, both cognitive and emotional symptoms
sometimes weigh heavily in choosing the remedy. The
homeopathic diagnostic interview is composed of a physical
examination, laboratory work, and the opportunity for the
patient to tell his or her life story. This provides an opportu-
nity for assessment of symptoms and as a means of catharsis.
It makes the homeopathic interview a possible healing expe-
rience in its own right, leading critics to believe that effec-
tiveness of homeopathic remedies may be a function of the
placebo effect.Clinical ApplicationsTo date, there are signi“cantly more descriptive studies in the
literature than there are clinical trials. A meta-analysis of
homeopathic clinical trials uncovered 105 controlled trials,
of which 81 indicated positive results and 24 indicated a
lack of positive results compared to placebo (Kleijnen,
Knipschild, & ter Riet, 1991). Another meta-analysis ex-
tracted 89 of 185 homeopathic trials as having appropriate
data for such an analysis (Linde et al., 1997). The results
were also in support of homeopathy.
A number of studies in peer-reviewed journals report the
apparent effectiveness of homeopathy for certain asthmatic
and allergic conditions. In a randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 28 patients with
allergic asthma, homeopathy was found to produce signi“-
cantly more symptom improvement than placebo (Reilly
et al., 1994). Another study with a similar design involving
144 patients with symptoms of hay fever found a signi“cant
reduction in symptom intensity and use of histamines (50%
less) in the homeopathy treatment group compared to the
placebo group (Reilly, Taylor, McSharry, & Aitchison, 1986).
The results from these studies suggest potential bene“ts of
homeopathy as a complementary treatment for asthma, aller-
gies, and other stress-related conditions.