INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN HOMOEOPATHY Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Dr. Alok Kumar MD (Hom.)

Dr. Bindu Sharma MD (Hom.)

Editorial Members Dr. Anil Khurana MD (Hom.)

Dr. P.S. Chakraborty MD (Hom.)



Dr. Shaji Kumar R.T. MD (Hom.)

Editorial Staff Dr. Pritha Mehra MD (Hom.)

Dr. V. Roja MD (Hom.)

Editorial Advisory Board Homoeopathy

Other Disciplines

Dr. Michel Van Wassenhoven, Coordinator, Europian Committee for Homoeopathy, Belgium

Prof. Y.K. Gupta, Head, Deptt. of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

Dr. Flavio Dantas, Professor of Homoeopathy, University of Uberlandia, Brazil Dr. Robert T. Mathie, Research Development Advisor, British Homoeopathic Association & Faculty of Homoeopathy, UK Dr. Menachem Oberbaum, Deptt. of Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Israel Dr. John Ives, Director of External Affaires & Senior Scientist, Samueli Institute, USA

Dr. Rajeev K. Sharma, Director Incharge, Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory, Ghaziabad (U.P.) Prof. A.K. Bhatnagar, Head, Deptt. of Botany, University of Delhi Dr. A.S. Paranjpe, Former Scientist, Bhabhaa Atomic Research Centre, Trombay Prof. Sneh Anand, Bio Medical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Qayoom, Homoeopathic Consultant & Medical Educationist, Pakistan

Dr. Ajit Mukherjee, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi

Dr. Diwan Harish Chand, Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee, CCRH New Delhi

Dr. Devendra Swaroop, Head, Deptt. of Medicine, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly (U.P.)

Dr. K.P. Muzumdar, Former Director, National Institute of Homoeopathy & Homoeopathic Consultant, Mumbai

Dr. (Mrs.) Charoo Hans, Head, Deptt. of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi

Dr. P.N. Varma, Former Director, Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory, Ghaziabad

Dr. R. Handa, Professor, Deptt. of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi

Dr. M.P. Arya, Former Assistant Director, CCRH & Homoeopathic Consultant, Pune

Dr. M.C. Misra, Prof. & Head of the Deptt. of Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi

Dr. V.K. Gupta, Former Principal, Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, New Delhi

Dr. Asha Jain, Gynaecologist, Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, New Delhi

Dr. S. K. Ghoshmandal, Director, National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata

Dr. H.K. Kar, Head, Deptt. of Dermatology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi

Dr. Kumar M. Dhawale, Director, Dr. M.L.D Memorial Institution, Mumbai Dr. Girish Gupta, Head, Gaurang Clinic & Centre for Homoeo. Research, Lucknow Dr. P. K. Behra, Principal-cum-Superintendent, Dr. A.C. Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhubaneswar Dr. Gnanasambandam, Editor, Homoeo Times, Chennai

Dr. M. Prasad, Head, Deptt. of Paediatrics, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi Dr. Rajesh Sagar, Associate Professor, Deptt. of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN HOMEOPATHY

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy is a medical journal with international circulation aimed at improving the understanding and research in homoeopathy by publishing quality articles. It publishes articles on homoeopathic research that advances or illuminates homoeopathic medical science, educates the journal readers and promotes debate. It is issued quarterly. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS The Journal is a priced publication from the issue Vol.2 No.3 (July-September 2008) onwards. The total number of issues of the Journal will be four per year. Subscription Rate: India `- 125/- per copy `- 400 /- per Annum The price includes postal charges also. Overseas 120 $ or equivalent currency per annum (via Airmail) For subscription form turn to last page.

Published by : Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, (An autonomous body of the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India) Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhartiya Chikitsa avam Homoeopathic Anusandhan Bhavan, 61-65, Institutional Area, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110 058 (India)

© The Editorial Board or the Publisher assumes no responsibility for the statements and opin-

ion of countributors. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the respective authors and Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy.

INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN HOMOEOPATHY Volume 5, No. 3, 2011 Contents

Title

Page No.

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Editorial Alok Kumar

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Fundamental Research Germination and vigor of lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) pelleted with homoeopathic preparations Alumina and Calcarea carbonica subjected to toxic levels of aluminum** Filipe Pereira Giardini Bonfim, Rosana Gonçalves Rodrigues das Dores, Ernane Ronie Martins, Vicente Wagner Dias Casali

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Drug Proving Asclepias currasavica- A multicentric, randomized, double-blind Homoeopathic Pathogenetic Trial Rajpal, Vinay Kr. Singh, V.A. Siddiqui, C. Nayak, A.K. Majunder, D.B. Sardar, P.S. Sivadas, K. Banoth

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Drug Standardisation Standardisation of Homoeopathic drug - Syzygium Jambos (L.) Alston. P. Padma Rao, P. Subramanian, P.R. Reddy and H.C. Gupta

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Clinical Research A Prospective Multicentre Observational Study to Evolve the usefulness of Group of Homoeopathic Medicines in the Management of Acute Tracheobronchitis C Nayak, V Singh, H Singh, V A Siddiqui, J Gupta, A Mishra, M Padmanabhan, S R Sharma, V G Prasad, M S Ghosh, J L Rai, G Mathew, S S Ramteke, K Bhanot and R Mittal

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EXTRA MURAL RESEARCH Neuroprotective effect of Bellis perennis and Hypericum perforatum on PC12 cells Andleeb Khana, Kumar Vaibhava, Hayate Javeda, Mohd Moshahid Khanc, Rizwana Tabassuma, Md. Ejaz Ahmeda, Syed Shadab Razaa, Mohd Ashafaqa, Gulrana Khuwajaa, Vivek Guptab, Anand Kanwar Deoraa, A B Pantb, Saeed Siddiquia, Fakhrul Islame

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Clinical verification Alfalfa - A multicentric clinical verification study P.S. Chakraborty, Subhash Kaushik, S.S. Nain, Pramodji Singh, V.G. Prasad, Darshan Singh, K.C. Das, Ojit Singh, P.K. Pradhan, R. Bavaskar, L. Debata, M.K. Rai

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BOOK REVIEW Study of Homoeopathic Medicines Through Clinical Verification - A New Perspective (Volume-I & II) Dr. V. K. Gupta

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EDITORIAL “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” - Zora Neale Hurston Scientific research relies on the application of the scientific method, a harnessing of curiosity. This research provides scientific information and theories for the explanation of the nature and the properties of the world. It is Council’s constant endeavor to promote scientific research & work exhaustively towards establishing the scientific aspect of Homoeopathy. This issue of IJRH will showcase articles/ papers which will be curious enough to poke and pry one’s mind and to make them understand different aspects of homoeopathic science in a better way. Homoeopathy is a vitalist philosophy that interprets diseases and sickness as caused by disturbances in life force (vital principle). It sees these disturbances as manifesting themselves as unique symptoms. It is thus, a unique science which has a lot to offer to mankind and thus help in reducing the suffering of people. Council’s constant efforts in establishing the efficacy of homoeopathic drugs is represented in the current issue as well. The paper of drug proving on ‘Asclepias currasavica- A multicentric, randomized, double-blind Homoeopathic Pathogenetic Trial’ elicits pathogenetic responses during the proving trial and expands the scope of use of the drug Asclepias currasavica and will benefit the research scholars and clinicians. Clinical verification will further enhance it’s therapeutic application. Focusing on individual homoeopathic medicines, yet another important & potential drug, Syzygium jambolanum is placed in the current issue under the section drug standardization. The observed chromatographic behaviour during the study may be taken as characteristic standard for identification of the drug. Apart from its known action on diminution & disappearance of sugar in urine, it is also useful in common skin conditions like acne, pimples, comedones etc. Acute respiratory infections are the most common causes of both illness and mortality in children. There are evidences in literature that homoeopathy has the potential to manage acute respiratory illnesses. Keeping the same in mind, another article in the form of ‘A prospective multicentre observational study to evolve the usefulness of group of homoeopathic medicines in the management of acute tracheobronchitis’ adds value to the literature. The present issue also highlights an interesting and informative study on ‘Neuroprotective effect of Bellis perennis and Hypericum perforatum on PC12 cells’. Council is grateful to Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi for agreeing to work in collaboration with the Council. The study establishes the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines in the reduction of formation of free radicals. Clinical verification programme is an ongoing research programme of the Council since its inception, under which many Indian and rarely used drugs in Homoeopathy have been verified. It is through clinical verification only that we are able to determine grades to a rubric before finally incorporating it in repertory. The article on ‘Alfalfa - A multicentric clinical verification study’, is the representation of an observational study where data of the drug proving conducted by Council, was subjected to verification on sick persons. We have introduced another section “Book Review” in which we present the review on two volumes of clinical verification, which are priced publications of the Council. I express my sincere gratitude to the Chief Editor of International Journal of High Dilution Research along with the authors of the paper on ‘Germination and vigor of lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) pelleted with homeopathic preparations Alumina and Calcarea carbonica subjected to toxic levels of aluminum’, for giving their consent to reprint the article in our journal. This study can contribute to the development of a technology to facilitate the germination of plants in not so favorable environment, as well as to the introduction of an innovative method to employ homeopathic preparations, such as seeds pelleting.

My sincere thanks to all the readers from the fraternity for giving their valuable time and suggestions in making this journal a successful publication. Council hopes to receive impartial and valuable feedback from the readers.

(Dr. Alok Kumar)