Homeopathy. 2008 Oct; 97(4): 214-9Rutten ALHow can Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) change our beliefs? The fact that they do update prior beliefs to different posterior beliefs is explained by Bayesian philosophy. Crucial points in Bayesian analysis include setting the first prior expectation right and sequential updating of the prior in the light of new evidence. Bayesian analysis depends highly on the evidence included. RCT evidence can only falsify the placebo hypothesis, it cannot indicate which mechanism of action could be responsible for an intrinsic effect and therefore cannot overturn existing beliefs. Bayesian reasoning could structure further discussion, but subjectivity is an inherent element of this process. In the case of homeopathy the first prior is not a common prior shared by all parties to the debate, but a paradigm, this prevents common updating of beliefs. Only by keeping an open mind towards other paradigms and all possible hypotheses can a low Bayesian prior be elevated to the point of accepting a new paradigm, this is more relevant than Bayesian calculations.
Homeopathic medicine is a type of therapy that appeared in Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. At the present time, it is widely accepted in developed countries as a form of alternative medicine.
In Chile, health regulation includes homeopathy as pharmaceutical producÃs and homeopathy is also considered a form of complementary medicine, that is well accepted by the public. The scientific rationale of homeopathy is based on an empine type of thought that goes from the general to the particular.
The symptoms that are valued are those that are particular to each sick individual. It uses diluted solutions of plants, minerals, animáis and even venoms.
There are basically two hypotheses to explain its mechanisms ofaction: The "immunological memory" and the "memory of water" or the transmission of electromagnetic information of the water.
There still is needed to perform new studies to scientifically assess homeopathy and its usefulness, as an accepted alternative therapy .
"General Aspects Of Homeopathy"
Rev Med Chil. 2009 Jan; 137(1): 115-20Avello L M, Avendaño O C, Mennickent C S
Phytomedicine. 2009 Apr 27; Wang Y, Shi JG, Wang MZ, Che CT, Yeung JHIn this study, six major xanthones, isolated and identified from Halenia elliptica were investigated for their vasodilatory actions in isolated rat coronary artery. The xanthones, including 1-hydroxy-2,3,5-trimethoxy-xanthone (HM-1), 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,7-tetramethoxy-xanthone (HM-2), 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxy-xanthone (HM-3), 1,7-dihydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxy-xanthone (HM-4), 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-xanthone (HM-5) and 1,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-xanthone (HM-7) caused vasodilation in the coronary artery pre-contracted with 1muM 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), with EC(50) values ranging from 1.4+/-0.1muM (HM-1) to 6.6+/-1.4muM (HM-2). The EC(50) values of the other xanthones were between those of HM-1 and HM-2. Removal of endothelium of the coronary artery led to decreases in the vasorelaxant effects of HM-1, HM-7 but not HM-2, HM-3, HM-4 and HM-5. Our results showed that xanthones isolated from Halenia elliptica are vasoactive substances which exhibit either endothelium-dependent or endothelium-independent mechanisms in rat coronary artery. The potency and mechanism(s) of the vasorelaxant effects of these xanthones may be relevant to the structure-activity differences in the level and the position of the substituent groups with the primary xanthone structure.
Biomed Chromatogr. 2009 Apr 29; Tan W, Wang BL, Hu JP, Sheng L, Li YA simple, rapid and sensitive method was developed for determination of bicyclol, a new synthetic anti-hepatitis drug, in rat plasma from the mesenteric vein using a high-performance liquid chromatography system coupled to a positive ion electrospray-mass spectrometric analysis. Bicyclol and internal standard (biphenyldicarboxylate, DDB) were isolated from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction, then separated on a Zorbax SB-C(18) column (3.5 microm, 2.1 x 100 mm) with mobile phase of methanol-water (60:40, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. Detection was performed on a Trap XCT mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source operated in selected ion monitoring mode. Positive ion ESI was used to form sodium adduct molecular ions at m/z 413 for bicyclol and m/z 441 for DDB, respectively. A linear detection response was obtained for bicyclol ranging from 3.3 to 333.3 ng/mL and the lower limit of quantitation was 3.3 ng/mL. The coefficients of variation for intra- and inter-day precisions were 1.1-7.7 and 2.0-6.6%, respectively. The percentage of absolute recovery of bicyclol was 85.3-94.6%. All analytes proved to be stable during all sample storage, preparation and analytic procedures. The method was successfully applied to determine the plasma concentration of bicyclol in mesenteric vein after intestinal perfusion. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
