Kalium phosphoricum 6c homeopathic tablets

Abstract Objective This Phase IV placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the product Neurodoron (Kalium phosporicum comp., KPC) in patients with neurasthenia. Methods This monocenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial (registration number: DRKS00003261) was conducted in an outpatient German trial site. Women and men aged 18 and above were randomized to receive either KPC or placebo if they reported typical symptoms of neurasthenia and a severe psychiatric disorder could be excluded. The primary objectives were a reduction in characteristic symptoms of nervous exhaustion and perceived stress as well as improvement in general health status after 6 weeks of treatment. Results In total, 204 patients underwent screening, 78 were randomized in each treatment group, and 77 patients each received treatment (intention-to-treat (ITT) population = 154 patients). For none of the primary efficacy variables, an advantage in favor of KPC could be demonstrated in the pre-specified analysis (p-values between 0.505–0.773, Student’s t-test). In a post-hoc analysis of intra-individual differences after 6 weeks treatment, a significant advantage of KPC vs. placebo was shown for characteristic symptoms of nervous exhaustion (irritability (p = 0.020); nervousness (p = 0.045), Student’s t-test). Adverse event (AE) rates were similar between treatment groups, in both groups six AEs were assessed as causally related to treatment (severity mild or moderate). No AE resulted in discontinuation of treatment. Conclusions Trial treatment was well tolerated with only a few and minor AEs reported, confirming the markedly good safety of KPC. A significant improvement of neurasthenia was seen for the total study population at the end of the treatment period. Superiority of KPC vs. placebo could not be demonstrated with the pre-specified analysis with regards to a sum score of 12 typical symptoms, perceived stress, or general health status. However, the explorative post-hoc analysis revealed that KPC is superior to placebo in the characteristic symptoms irritability and nervousness. KPC could therefore be a beneficial treatment option for symptomatic relief of neurasthenia.

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Background: Acute infections in children are prevalent and often lead to antibiotic overuse due to the lack of evidence-based alternative approaches. Phytotherapeutic, homeopathic treatments and bee products are frequently sought as alternative or adjunctive therapies. This scoping review aims to map the existing evidence on the efficacy and safety of these interventions in managing acute pediatric infections. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases to identify studies assessing the use of phytotherapeutic, homeopathic remedies and bee products in children with acute infections. Gastrointestinal infections were not considered since the use of non-antibiotic treatments (probiotics) in these conditions has been widely addressed. Effectiveness: Phytotherapeutic agents and bee products demonstrated promising results in reducing symptom severity and duration in respiratory infections, whereas homeopathic data were limited and inconsistent. Regarding safety, both interventions were generally well-tolerated, with few adverse events reported. No studies or very limited evidence were available for other acute infections such as urinary, dermatological, osteoarticular and nervous system infections. Conclusions: Phytotherapeutic interventions and bee products, particularly in acute upper respiratory tract and acute bronchitis, show encouraging signals of efficacy and safety in pediatric populations. However, evidence for their use in other frequent childhood infections, such as otitis media, or gastrointestinal infections, is almost entirely lacking. In addition, the available literature on homeopathic remedies is scarce and methodologically inconsistent, preventing any firm conclusions. Well-designed, large-scale clinical trials focusing on these underexplored conditions are needed to clarify the potential role of phytotherapeutics and homeopathy in pediatric infectious diseases.

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BackgroundDifficulty in controlling attention can lead to mental fatigue in the healthy population. We identified one trial reporting a benefit in patients' attention using a homeopathic formula preparation. One component of the preparation was potassium phosphate, widely available off the shelf as Kali phos 6x for cognitive problems. The aim of this exploratory trial was to assess the effectiveness of Kali phos 6x for attention problems associated with mental fatigue.MethodsWe recruited student and staff volunteers (University of York) with self-reported mental fatigue, excluding any using homeopathy or prescribed stimulants, or with a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. In a triple blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 86 volunteers were randomized to receive Kali phos 6x or identical placebo 10 minutes before taking a psychological test of attention (Stroop Colour-Word Test). One week later they were crossed over and took the other preparation before repeating the test.ResultsWe found no evidence of a treatment effect in a comparison of Kali phos 6x with placebo (Kali phos minus placebo = -1.1 (95% CI -3.0 to 0.9, P = 0.3) Stroop score units, Cohen effect size = -0.17) even when allowing for a weak period effect with accuracy scores in the second period being higher than those in the first (P = 0.05). We observed a ceiling effect in the Stroop test which undermined our ability to interpret this result.ConclusionsKali phos 6x was not found to be effective in reducing mental fatigue. A ceiling effect in our primary outcome measure meant that we could not rule out a type II error. Thorough piloting of an adequate outcome measure could have led to an unequivocal result. CURRENT CONTROLLED TRIALS: ISRCTN16521161.

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Background and Objectives Over the past decade, research using various methods has claimed the material nature of high homeopathic potencies. The current study aims to verify these findings using pH measurements. Methods Six independent serial dilutions of commonly used homeopathic medicines, either soluble (Arnica, Belladona, Gelsemium, Pyrogenium, Pyrogenium crudum, Kalium muriaticum) or insoluble (Cuprum, Argentum, Silicea), and prepared according to European Pharmacopoeia standards were pooled and used for pH measurement. We compared the homeopathic dynamisations (DYNs) in pure water with their potentized controls and with simple dilutions (DILs) up to 30cH/10−60. We also tested the influence of the container (Glass or Polyethylene terephthalate ‘PET’) on the solvent controls. Results The different manufacturing processes of the stocks (trituration required or not) influence the pH results. Stock heating process changes the pH of the entire production line. pH measurements can distinguish a dynamised production line from its dynamised solvent but not always from their simple dilution. The presence of a stock at the beginning of a homeopathic manufacturing process modifies the electrical behaviour of the solvent during all successive dilutions, even at the highest dilutions/dynamisations. The container has a significant effect on the electric field indicating the involvement of the atmosphere and leaching processes. Conclusion In homeopathic potentisations of all stocks, an electric field can be measured with specific intensities, even when diluted beyond Avogadro’s number. Homeopathic potentisation is not a simple solvent dilution. The starting material, the solvent used, the type of container and the manufacturing method influence the characteristics of these electric fields. The process of heating the stock should be avoided. The reasons for the presence of these pH values and their stability are not known, but they are most likely related to the presence of nanometric superstructures in these preparations. The role of pH in the manufacturing process and in the effects of homeopathic medicines should be further investigated.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA