Abstract:
This observational study aimed to see the usefulness of homeopathic therapy in the management
of gastroenteritis. A prospective, non-comparative, multi-centre observational study was conducted
by Central Council for Research in Homeopathy at its various institutes and units in India during
October, 2005- September, 2008. A total of 498 patients of all age groups suffering from
gastroenteritis were enrolled in the study. A total of 22 predefined trial medicines were short
listed after repertorizing nosological symptoms of gastroenteritis. Selected medicine was prescribed
in 6C potency and was repeated from few minutes to few hours, as per the need of the case.
A gastroenteritis symptom score (GSS) was designed to assess the severity of illness and the
result was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Three hundred and seventy followed up patients
were analyzed. The total mean gastroenteritis symptom score (GSS) evaluated at baseline and
at end were 8.56 ±4.26 and 0.45 ±0.85, respectively. The difference in the mean score was
found to be statistically significant (p= 0.0001). The results were found to be significant with 18
predetermined trial medicines (p=<0.05). Eighty seven percent (n=323) of the patients needed
the following nine trial medicines: Nux vomica (n=81), Pulsatilla (n=51), Arsenicum album (n=44),
Cinchona officinalis (n=44), Sulphur (n=30), Antimonium crudum(n=25), Argentum nitricum(n=23),
Bryonia alba (n=15) and Carbo vegetabilis (n=10). This multicentre observational study hints the
usefulness of homeopathic medicines in case of gastroenteritis. Controlled studies should
investigate the efficacy and effectiveness.
