Homoeopathy in the management of chronic kidney disease – A narrative review

Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the third fastest-growing cause of death around the world and is projected to become the fifth most common cause of years of life lost worldwide by 2040. Objective: This review was done to explore the strengths of homoeopathy in the management of CKD through pre-clinical, clinical and anecdotal evidence. Methods: A search was made for homoeopathic management of CKD in PubMed, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy e-library, AYUSH Research Portal, EMBASE and Google Scholar. The basic search terms included ‘Homoeopathy’ or ‘homoeopathic drugs’, ‘ESRD’, ‘CRF’, ‘CKD’ and ‘Bright’s disease’. No rigid inclusion criteria was kept due to the paucity of literature on this subject concerning homoeopathy; hence, all studies were included in this review. Further, literature review, through homoeopathic repertories, was also conducted for the anecdotal evidence of frequently used homoeopathic drugs used in the management of CKD. Results: Through an online search, 11 studies were found related to the subject which included two randomised controlled trials (RCTs), eight case series/case reports and one pre-clinical study. Two RCTs focussed on symptoms/signs due to CKD such as pruritus, asthenia, lethargy and headache with positive effects. The evidence generated through case series/reports, though useful for hypothesis-generating studies, was found to have poor reporting quality. Conclusion: At present, the available evidence towards the benefits of homoeopathy in CKD is weak. Further well-designed studies are warranted.