Abstract
Coronavirus disease COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes pneumonia-like symptoms such as fever, dry cough, and breathlessness.
Due to lack of definitive treatment, physicians worldwide have started exploring repurposed drugs, but, without any major breakthrough. Homeopathy has a history of offering preventive as well as curative medication in earlier epidemics and pandemics.
Four cases of COVID-19 were treated with homeopathy alongside the standard care provided by the Hospital to which they were admitted. Two out of the four cases were high-risk patients with co-morbidity. Three classic cases of prevention of COVID-19 in very close contact has also been mentioned. All four cases including the high-risk cases of COVID-19 recovered fully without any complications and prevention was achieved in close contact cases with the use of Homeopathy.
These cases will suggest the approach to deal with real cases, deciding and offering treatments during pandemics. This will also shape the present & future homeopaths to present nothing but the truth, so that, the Homeopathic science grows to its highest potential.
CASES WITH TIMELINE
CASE 1
A 48-year-old female, Mrs. P, with a history of Hypertension, Deviated Nasal Septum and Obesity (considered to be high-risk for COVID-19) sought consultation for weakness. She had a contact history with COVID-19 positive patient
Approached on: 03/04/2020
Medicine Prescribed: Arsenic album 200, 3 hourly
Tested Positive on: 04/04/2020
She was prescribed Camphor !m TDS for 5 days when her feet felt cold and she wanted to press them to feel better.
18/04/2020: Tested Negative for SARS-COV-2.
Timeline of Case 1
CASE 2
A 50-year-old Male, Mr. KB, had no Co-morbidity.
Approached on: 02/04/2020 for mild hoarseness.
Medicine Prescribed: Arsenic album 200, 3 hourly
Tested Positive on: 05/04/2020
She was prescribed Camphor !M TDS for 5 days when her feet felt cold and she wanted to press them to feel better.
18/04/2020: Tested Negative for SARS-COV-2.
Timeline of Case 2
CASE 3, 4, 5
Three close contacts of Case 2 (detailed as above) 45-year-old wifeand her two sons aged 09 years and 07 years. They had no Co-morbidity.
Approached on: 02/04/2020 being at high risk.
Medicine Prescribed: Arsenic album 30, TDS for 5 days
All were continued with Arsenic album 30, TDS due to the fear of pandemic.
7/04/2020: All three were Tested Negative for SARS-COV-2.
Timeline of Case 3,4,5
CASE 6
A 62-year-old Male, Mr. KS, reported no Co-morbidity, but, was found to have hypertension on examination. He was obese. (High-risk for COVID-19)
Approached on: 22/03/2020 for fear of disease due to close contact with COVID-19 patient
Medicine Prescribed: Arsenic album 30, TDS for three days
Tested Positive on: 25/03/2020
He was hospitalized and prescribed Enalapril 5 mg BD as a measure to control his blood pressure by the hospital's attending physician. In the hospital, he received Hydroxychloroquine 400 mg BD, Azithromycin 500 mg for 7 days.
27/03/2020: He was mentally upset due to high fever 1000 F. Prescribed Aconite 30 with Belladonna 30 alternatingly every hour. By evening his fever subsided and he becomes asymptomatic.
03/04/2020: Tested Negative for SARS-COV-2.
Timeline of Case 6
CASE 7
A 26-year-old Female, Ms. G, had no Co-morbidity but she had a history of international travelling (from London) making her a high risk case. Daughter of Case 6.
Approached on: 20/03/2020 for fever, cough and sore throat.
Medicine Prescribed: Arsenic album 30, TDS for three days
Tested Positive on: 22/03/2020
She developed Anosmia (Loss of sense of smell), Ageusia (Loss of sense of taste) and slight breathlessness. She was hospitalized where she received Hydroxychloroquine 400 mg BD, Azithromycin 500 on for 7 days.
25/03/2020: Her father (Case 6) was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19). She panicked and was very fearful for her father's health. She was prescribed Aconite 30 with Belladonna 30 alternatingly every hour.
26/03/2020:Her fever went off, other symptoms subsided and she improved every day.
03/04/2020: Tested Negative for SARS-COV-2.
Timeline of Case 7
Discussion
All four cases including the high-risk cases of COVID-19 recovered fully without any complications and prevention was achieved in close contact cases with the use of Homeopathy.
Arsenic 30 has been reported in the literature as a useful medicine for the prevention of COVID-19 and has also been advised by CCRH and the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. There are no reported adverse effects or complications in the patients.
On comparing the duration of illness with improvement outcome, it is observed that similimum whether Arsenic album, Camphor, Aconite or Belladonna all were effective in preventing the severe symptoms of COVID-19 and found to be effective in full recovery of COVID-19. It is therefore suggested that more studies should be undertaken, to further ascertain the usefulness of homeopathy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, as adjuvant or standard therapy.
The debate of Genus Epidemicus continues, Homeopathic physicians from all over the world have come up with different GE and all claiming their choice of GE to be the best. Here we see that the keynote prescription based on the clinical presentation is the best answer. It would be nice to ascertain the action of homeopathic medicine, as to whether, they act via immunomodulatory effect, or via competitive receptor blocking or some other unknown mechanism. Such discovery shall give hope in working towards shaping medication in such a fashion that a targeted yet holistic approach can be adopted. Thus, eliminating the ambiguity.
QUICK PRESCRIBING TIPS
Symptom | Medicine* |
---|---|
Fear of pandemic, fear of death, with or without fever. | Arsenic 30 thrice a day. |
Sudden onset of any symptom with fear of death. | Aconite 30 thrice a day. |
Sudden onset of symptoms with congestion. | Belladonna 30 thrice a day. |
Fever with muscular pain, with or without cough. | Bryonia 30 thrice a day. |
Deeper/Bone pain with or without fever and flu-like symptoms. | Eupatorium 30 thrice a day. |
Dry cough, itching burning throat with dryness. | Wyethia 30 thrice a day. |
Flu-like symptoms with extreme weakness | Gelsemium 30 thrice a day. |
* To be repeated more frequently based on the severity of symptoms, the dose was reduced as the patient improved.
Conclusion
The present cases bring to light the usefulness of homeopathic medicines as adjuvant therapy in treating COVID-19 patients. It has also proved beneficial as preventive and in preventing the complications in high-risk COVID-19 patients. It demands further research on larger sample size to further ascertain the usefulness of homeopathy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, as adjuvant or standard therapy.
Reference:
Pandemic COVID-19: Homeopathic prevention and treatment experiences, International Journal of Homoeopathic Sciences 2020; 4(2): 265-270.