Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of individualised homoeopathic medicines in
treatment of Attention Defi cit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Design: Randomised placebo-controlled single-blind pilot trial.
Setting: Central Research Institute (Homoeopathy), Kottayam, Kerala, India from
June 2009 to November 2011.
Participants: Children aged 6-15 years meeting the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of
mental disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for ADHD.
Interventions: A total of 61 patients (Homoeopathy = 30, placebo = 31) were randomised
to receive either individualised homoeopathic medicine in fi fty millesimal (LM) potency
or placebo for a period of one year.
Outcome measures: Conner’s Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Short (CPRS-R (S)),
Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (CGI-SS), Clinical Global Impression-
Improvement Scale (CGI-IS) and Academic performance.
Results: A total of 54 patients (homoeopathy = 27, placebo = 27) were analysed
under modifi ed intention to treat (ITT). All patients in homoeopathy group showed
better outcome in baseline adjusted General Linear Model (GLM) repeated measures
ANCOVA for oppositional, cognition problems, hyperactivity and ADHD Index (domains
of CPRS-R (S)) and CGI-IS at T3, T6, T9 and T12 (P = 0.0001). The mean
baseline-adjusted treatment difference between groups at month 12 from baseline for
all individual outcome measures favoured homoeopathy group; Oppositional (−16.4,
95% CI – 20.5 to − 12.2, P = 0.0001), Cognition problems (−15.5, 95% CI − 19.2
to − 11.8, P = 0.0001), Hyperactivity (−20.6, 95% CI − 25.6 to − 15.4, P = 0.0001),
ADHD I (−15.6, 95% CI − 19.5 to − 11.6, P = 0.0001), Academic performance 14.4%, 95% CI 8.3 to 20.5, P = 0.0001), CGISS (−1.6, 95% CI − 1.9 to − 1.2, P = 0.0001),
CGIIS (−1.6, 95% CI − 2.3 to -0.9, P = 0.0001).
Conclusion: This pilot study provides evidence to support the therapeutic effects of
individualised homoeopathic medicines in ADHD children. However, the results need
to be validated in multi-center randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical
trial.
