M.Tech.

M.Tech. / Hypertension or elevated blood pressure is an initiator and promoter of cardiovascular disease and end organ damage. Primary or essential hypertension is an elevated blood pressure due to an unknown or unidentifiable pathology. Secondary hypertension may be caused by underlying pathology or certain medication. Although a number of allopathic drugs are available, hypertension may remain uncontrolled despite lifestyle changes combined with adequate allopathic treatment. This is termed as refractory hypertension. Poor patient compliance, inadequate diuretic therapy, inappropriate drug combinations, and obesity are the leading causes of uncontrolled or refractory hypertension. Crataegus oxyacantha θ is a homoeopathically prepared mother tincture (θ) that has been clinically used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular complaints. However there is insufficient research to confirm its efficacy in the treatment of hypertension. The aim of this study is to ascertain the efficiency of Crataegus oxyacantha θ in the treatment of refractory hypertension in adult males aged between thirty-five and sixty-five years, currently taking allopathic treatment, namely Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors combined with a diuretic, and to evaluate the effect of Crataegus oxyacantha Ө on associated symptoms of hypertension. These include headaches; palpitations; vertigo; blurred vision and tinnitus. The study was a placebo controlled double-blinded trial that extended over a period of 12 weeks. Thirty male participants between the ages of thirty-five to sixty-five, that were pre-diagnosed with refractory hypertension for a minimum of two years with a fluctuating blood pressure reading above 150/95 mmHg and currently on allopathic medication i.e. ACE-inhibitor with a combined diuretic were recruited for the study by means of advertisements placed at the University of Johannesburg health clinic, pharmacies and community clinics. Participants were randomly placed in either the experimental or the control group. Participants meeting the inclusion criteria underwent a physical examination and consented to the study (Appendix A). The participants blood pressure was measured on both arms as advised by Milne in the South African hypertensive guidelines 2003 (Annexure A), at the first visit and for two consecutive mornings in order to obtain a baseline reading. He was randomly assigned in either the experimental or the control group. The control group received a 50ml bottle of the 20% alcohol placebo and the experimental group received a 50ml bottle of the homoeopathic remedy, Crataegus oxyacantha θ. He was instructed to take 10 drops in 125ml water twice daily after meals. During the trial period the participant’s blood pressure was assessed every 2 weeks against the measured baseline readings for a period of 12 weeks. The severity of the following symptoms was assessed every 2 weeks, headaches; palpitations; vertigo; blurred vision and tinnitus and other symptoms that he may have experienced. These results were graded and recorded on the progress form (Appendix C). The data obtained from the participants was analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages). The blood pressure of the experimental group was compared to the control group as obtained at the first consultation and each of the six follow-up visits. Groups were compared using the Chi-Square test and the Non Parametric Mann Whitney U test. Statistical analysis showed significant differences, P <0.05 for the systolic blood pressure between the experimental and control group. There was a significant decline in the diastolic blood pressure of the experimental and the control group. The diastolic pressure of the control showed a significant decline between day one and week six, however remained constant from week six to week twelve. This implies that the placebo may have provided some benefit towards the lowering of diastolic blood pressure in adult males. The associated symptoms were investigated and the results obtained indicate that headaches and blurred vision remained a constant mild symptom that was experienced throughout the twelve week trial period. Due to the statistical difference between the experimental and the control group in favour of the experimental group, the null hypothesis was rejected. Preliminary findings suggest that Crataegus oxyacantha Ө, is effective in reducing elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adult males with refractory hypertension, however more research over a longer period of time is needed to confirm theses findings.

M. Tech. / Insomnia is defined as inadequate sleep due to difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, and not being able to get back to sleep. In Western industrialised nations, between 30% and 40% of individuals suffer from at least occasional periods of sleep disturbance. The significance of sleep lies in its impact on the Central Nervous System as extended periods without sleep will result in disturbances in mental function. The remedy used in this study was Coffea cruda 200cH. This homoeopathic remedy is used clinically for its sedative and calming effect on the nervous system, in the homoeopathic treatment of insomnia. Although there is some research evidence that Coffea cruda has an effect on sleep in animals, there is no research on its effect on human subjects. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a homoeopathic remedy Coffea cruda 200cH in the treatment of insomnia that is characterised with a difficulty in falling asleep. The quality of sleep was assessed in terms of duration of sleep, changes in sleep pattern, and satisfaction with sleep. This was a double blind placebo controlled study. The duration of the clinical trial lasted for four weeks. A total of thirty participants, meeting the inclusion criteria (Appendix B) were recruited via advertisements (Appendix E) in local newspapers, pamphlets and emails, sent in and around the University of Johannesburg Health Clinic, the University of Witwatersrand Sleep Unit, campuses, shopping malls and residential areas. Participants were also recruited via advertisements on a local radio station. At the initial consultation the participants were requested to sign a consent form (Appendix A). The researcher then completed the questionnaire (Appendix B) to assess suitability for the study. Participants were given a 50ml bottle of medication in liquid form, and were requested to shake the bottle and then take ten iv drops under the tongue just before going to bed, for four weeks. A homoeopathic pharmaceutical company blinded the medication. By selecting a medication, the participant automatically allocated themselves to either the experimental or control group. Participants were also given a sleep diary to be completed every morning (Appendix C). There were follow up visits with participants on the second and fourth week where the sleep diary was checked to improve compliance and a case history was taken (Appendix D). All results were compared to the initial assessment and changes were recorded. Data were analysed according to the General Linear Model: Repeated Measures, Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric test), Cross-tabulation, Fisher’s exact test and Regression Analysis. Statistical data proved that both the experimental and control groups had statistically significant results. It is unclear why the control group behaved in the same way as the experimental group. A longer trial is required to distinguish if this was purely due to the placebo effect.

M. Tech. / Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) of the shoulder is a condition that results because of poor posture, stress and a lack of sufficient rest periods between working schedules. This study attempts to demonstrate the effect of the homoeopathically prepared complex remedy Spascupreel® S in the treatment of RSI. Thirty participants were selected for the study and completed the study. The study was conducted over a period of five weeks. Fifteen participants formed part of the control group, and fifteen participants formed part of the experimental group. The control group received placebo (saline solution) injections, and the experimental group received Spascupreel® S injections for the duration of the study. All the participants were assessed by means of questionnaires, algometer readings and physical examinations throughout the study. The results were statistically analysed using the independent-samples t-test, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Friedman test and McNemar test. The results showed that treatment with Spascupreel® S indicated a tendency towards statistical significance in improving the symptoms of RSI.

M.Tech. / Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of physical and psychological symptoms that occur cyclically in females. It is of unknown aetiology. These symptoms occur specifically during the luteal phase (from day 14 to day 1 of the next menstrual cycle) and are resolved over the course or at the onset of menstruation (Indusekhar et al., 2007). The syndrome is characterised by irritability, depression, anxiety, headache, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, breast swelling, changes in appetite, acne, and weight gain due to oedema. Mild physiological symptoms are experienced by approximately 95% of all women of reproductive age and about 5% of symptomatic women complain of extremely severe symptoms, called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), that disrupt their daily living (Wyatt, 1999). Deuster et al., (1999) note that PMS is prevalent in all demographic groups, however differences in races do exist and their research shows that black women are more likely to suffer from PMS than women of other races. The current conventional treatment options are limited, not always effective and sometimes have significant side effects (Ross et al., 2000). Complementary and alternative treatments are said to be beneficial, however sufficient quality trials are required to substantiate their claims to efficacy (Indusekhar et al., 2007). Research into the use of individualised homeopathy in PMS has been shown to have positive results (Yakir et al., 2001). The aim of this four month study was to determine the efficacy of the homeopathic simillimum in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome in white females. This study will eventually provide the material to compare the presentation of PMS, and the effect of the homeopathic simillimum in different race groups. The following symptoms were evaluated 14 days before menstruation: irritability, depression, anxiety, headache, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, breast swelling, and food cravings (Beers et al., 2003). Volunteers were asked to complete a selection questionnaire, in order for them to take part in the study. If they qualified to take part in this study a full case history was then taken for each participant using the standard homeopathic clinic case form. In this four month case study each of the ten participants completed a PMS chart for each month grading their symptoms on a daily basis and recording their dates of menstruation. A baseline of each participant’s premenstrual symptoms was established by an initial treatment-free month where a PMS chart had to be completed to score the participants’ daily symptoms. Thereafter the participants were treated using homeopathic simillimum treatment for the remaining three months. The chart required each participant to score the severity of the eight different premenstrual symptoms that they experience on a scale of 0 to 5 (0 indicated that the symptom was not present, and 5 indicated that the symptom was very severe). These charts were collected at the end of each cycle. At the end of the trial these PMS charts were submitted for statistical analysis. These results were analysed by using the non parametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test by comparing the severity of symptoms experienced in the premenstrual period (14 days before menstruation) for each of the three months of treatment to the initial treatment-free month. These results showed that the homeopathic simillimum was statistically significant in the treatment of the symptoms of PMS in these white females.

M.Tech. / Menopause is defined as the physiological cessation of menses due to decreased ovarian function and is established when the menses have not occurred for a year, usually occurring at a median age of 50.8 years. The period around the menopause is a time of transition that can contribute to both emotional and physical symptoms. The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of the homoeopathically prepared remedy Lachesis in the treatment of the symptoms of the menopause in women whose symptoms match the symptom picture of Lachesis. Thirty female volunteers between the ages of sixty and sixty years were recruited from the Johannesburg and Potchefstroom areas. This was a single-blind study and the participants did not know if they were in the control or experimental group. The participants were required to complete an Abbreviated Kupperman Index on a weekly basis throughout the four week trial period. The Experimental group experienced a 58.27% overall decrease in average Kupperman score, compared to 28.65% of the Control group. The P-value of the total response of the trial is 0.2110, therefore there is not a significant statistical difference between the two groups over the total trial period. Although there was not a statistically significant difference for the total response between the two groups there was statistically significant differences between the two groups for the following individual symptoms: profuse sweating, depressive moods and the inability to concentrate.

M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / Acne vulgaris is a dermatological condition, pathologically characterized by the inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follices and is most prominent among adolescents (Holmes, 2001). Symptoms include the formation of inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions, which can lead to the formation of scars (Boon et al., 2006). These eruptions occur on the chest, face, back and arms (Martini et al., 2001). The aetiology of acne vulgaris is multifactorial and hence there are a large variety of treatment options which range from topical applications to systemic drug treatment (Docrat, 2008). The homoeopathic complex remedy R53 (Comedonin) ® acne drops is a product which contains a combination of homoeopathic remedies that are used to treat the symptoms of acne vulgaris such as inflammatory and non inflammatory eruptions. The remedy R53 (Comedonin) ® is an over-the-counter remedy that is readily available and is indicated in the treatment of acne vulgaris (Dr.Reckeweg, 2010). No research has been conducted on its efficacy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of R53 (Comedonin) ® acne drops in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris that presents on the face, chest and / or back in males. The evaluation of symptoms was done by using scales and the Digermizer software to calculate the surface area of the affected areas. This research study was a double blind placebo-control study that was conducted on thirty male participants between the age of fifteen to twenty years old with mild to moderate acne vulgaris on the face, back or chest. Participants who agreed to the procedure of the study were randomly divided into the treatment and placebo groups respectively. These groups consisted of fifteen participants each. The treatment group received the R53 (Comedonin) ® acne drops whereas the placebo group received the placebo drops. This research was conducted over an eight week period at the University of Johannesburg Health Centre. All the participants were instructed to take ten drops of the medication three times a day. Evaluations were conducted at week zero, week four and week eight according to APPENDIX B. As part of the evaluation, photographs of the affected areas were taken at week zero and week eight, in order to attain the surface area affected before and after the treatment period (Appendix B).

Chronic asthma is characterised by widespread inflammation and reversible narrowing of the bronchial airways. Inflammation of the bronchial mucous membrane renders it hyper-responsive to a variety of stimuli, resulting in wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and breathing difficulty. Asthma was first recognised by the Chinese, four thousand years ago and Hippocrates described it in the fourth century BC. Despite the amount of literature and information available on asthma, this disease is still on the increase world-wide. This research study was undertaken to establish the efficacy of homoeopathic simillimum remedies in the reduction of the frequency and severity of asthmatic symptoms, in adult individuals who suffered from chronic asthma. The research was carried out at the TWR health clinic at Doornfontein, from 1 June 2003 to 31 December 2003. Ten participants, eight males and two females, of all ethnic groups and between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one, took part in this research. Each participant was interviewed during a homoeopathic consultation. Simillimum remedies were given and the participants were monitored over a period of fourteen weeks, at fortnightly follow-up consultations. Each participant received his/her own peak flow meter and a peak flow rate chart (Appendix E). Morning and evening PEFR were obtained by using the peak flow meter. These readings were recorded, along with any relevant symptoms experienced and/or bronchodilating medication used that day. Participants were required to record the above-mentioned data for two weeks before the homoeopathic treatment commenced and for the remaining twelve weeks of the study. The following results were obtained: • Most participants reported less frequent and less severe acute asthmatic attacks, as well as fewer nocturnal asthmatic symptoms. • Most participants reported an increased ability to participate in exercise without the need for bronchodilating medication during these activities. v • No statistically significant changes were found on the morning or evening peak expiratory flow rates recorded over fourteen weeks. • No statistically significant change was found on the frequency of bronchodilating medication used over fourteen weeks. The following conclusions may be drawn from the recorded results: • Homoeopathic simillimum remedies appear to have been effective in the treatment of chronic asthma in adults. • Homoeopathic simillimum remedies appear to have been effective in the reduction of acute asthmatic attacks and nocturnal asthmatic symptoms. • Homoeopathic simillimum remedies appear to have been effective in increasing the participants’ abilities to partake in physical exercise, as well as in decreasing their need for bronchodilating medicine during exercise. / Dr. S. C. van Es Dr. H. Niehaus

M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / This is a study which has involved the treatment of individuals, manifesting with depressed symptoms, using homoeopathic medication. Each patient was first seen by a clinical psychologist who made her own diagnosis of the patient's depressed condition. Each patient then attended a three hour initial case-taking session where the researcher gathered much information about that patient's life story. The researcher was interested in all physical, emotional and mental symptoms that patients were experiencing. Thus, the approach was a holistic one, i.e. where all aspects of the individual are seen as a totality. The case-taking was then followed by analysis of the patient's case using homoeopathic tools of a repertory and materia medica to find that remedy which matched that patient's totality, their similimum. This remedy was prescribed and a patient's progress noted through follow-up sessions. where prescriptions may have been altered. The treatment lasted six months. Thereafter, the same clinical psychologist, again saw the patients individually and made her diagnosis of every patient's condition. This study was an attempt to remain true to the principles of classical homoeopathy. Thus, the researcher did not categorise patients with suitable depressive terms and their treatment was totally specific for each patient. The aim was to show that treatment should be individualised, which is the basis of homoeopathy, irrespective of the illness being treated. It was also an attempt to provide an alternative treatment which was neither non toxic nor suppressive to the human body.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1999. / The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of miasmatic treatment as opposed to simillimum treatment in terms of the objective clinical findings in patients with acne vulgaris. / M