Evaluation of Analgesic, Antipyretic Activity and Toxicity Study ofBryonia laciniosain Mice and Rats

Apparent life-threatening events in infants and homeopathy: an alternative explanation

BACKGROUND

A recent report showed increased frequency of apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) in infants treated with the homeopathic medication GaliCol-Baby (GCB). The premise was that the ALTEs resulted from toxic effects of the drug's components. We examine an alternative explanation.

METHOD

The toxicological literature was searched for known reactions to the various GCB components, noting doses and reported symptoms. Dosage quantities and severity of reaction to the GCB were ranked independently by two groups of physicians, and a dose-response curve was generated. Reported toxic doses and symptoms were compared with those of the GCB series. The homeopathic literature was searched as well to determine the propensity of the GCB components to cause ALTE symptoms, when given in homeopathic doses to healthy volunteers (proving).

RESULTS

Doses ingested in the GCB series were 10-13 orders of magnitude smaller than those reported to cause toxic reactions in humans. There was poor correlation between symptoms with GCB and toxic profiles of the components. A nonsignificant, inverse relationship between dose and severity of reaction was observed. Conversely, four GCB components (in homeopathic doses) had a high propensity to produce at least one of five symptoms which define ALTE, two of which had intermediate to high propensity to produce three symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

It is unlikely that the ALTE following ingestion of GCB was a toxic reaction to any of the drug's component. Homeopathic theory may explain this linkage, though further research is needed to understand the pathogenic effects of highly diluted homeopathic compounds.

Effects of Bryonia laciniosa seeds on sexual behaviour of male rats

Ethanolic extract of seeds of Bryonia laciniosa Linn was administered orally to groups of male albino rats at the dose levels of 50, 100, and 150 mg kg(-1) body weight per day for 28 days. The changes in sexual behaviour, reproductive organ weights, histology of testis and epididymis, epididymal sperm density, and androgenic hormone levels were evaluated. The sexual behaviour parameters studied such as mount frequency, intromission frequency, mount latency, intromission latency were significantly affected. Increase in body weight as well as weight of testis, prostate, seminal vesicle, and epididymis was noticed. Transverse sections of testis exhibited increased spermatogenesis and a significant increase in sperm count in epididymis. The fructose content of seminal vesicle was also increased. The extract treatment also brought a significant increase in serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels. The studies clearly reflect androgenic activity of the extract and its effects on hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis.