Homeopathy is a field of science derived from the Hippocratic Medicine of ancient Greece, and its principles are similar since both consider the processes of health and disease to arise from the balance and imbalance of the organism, respectively. Its foundations date back to 1796, when the German doctor Samuel Hahnemann studied China officinallis, a remedy then used to treat malaria. He observed that this drug caused the same symptoms in healthy individuals as the disease for which it was intended. From then on, he continued his research in this area and returned to clinical practice, adopting Homeopathy as the only treatment (SANTOS; SÁ, 2014).
Etymologically, the word "homeopathy" is derived from Greek, with "homios" meaning "similar" and "pathos" meaning "illness or suffering". Homeopathy is therefore the therapeutic science based on the law of similars, representing a method that adapts to the patient's symptomatic totality (KOSSAK, 2003).
Despite some limitations in conducting scientific studies in homeopathy, there is growing evidence of the efficacy of human and veterinary homeopathy in general, both in chronic disease treatment as well as in the treatment of infections and acute cases, and it is now possible to find methodologically high-quality studies in homeopathy. This is extremely important, especially when we consider the impacts of growing resistance to antimicrobials and the pollution of the environment by synthetic drug residues on human and animal health.
According to data obtained from the Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI), the use of homeopathy is expanding on a global scale. Worldwide, more than 200 million people use homeopathy regularly and it has been included in the national health systems of several countries, such as Brazil, Chile, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Switzerland.
In the field of veterinary medicine, the use of homeopathy has also expanded in recent years. A survey carried out in Norway in 2004 showed that the choice to treat animals with homeopathy includes, in addition to the positive personal experience of owners and farmers, other factors such as the desire to reduce the use of antimicrobials, lower operating costs and the search for more environmentally sustainable alternatives (HEKTOEN, 2004).
A research report by Mathieu, published in 2010, collected data on the homeopathic treatment of dogs and cats in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of this medical specialty in veterinary medicine. The study was based on data recorded by 21 homeopathic veterinarians on the treatment of dogs and cats over a 12-month period. In total, data from 400 cats and 1504 dogs was compiled. With regard to cats, 117 different chronic medical conditions were treated with homeopathy. Among the most frequent conditions were dermatitis (69.6% success rate), kidney failure (57.1% success rate), overgrooming (57.1% success rate), arthritis (80.0% success rate) and hyperthyroidism (66.7% success rate). In dogs, 301 different chronic medical conditions were treated with homeopathy, the most frequent being dermatitis (66.2% success rate), arthritis (80.2% success rate); pyoderma (75.8% success rate); colitis (85.2% success rate); fear (31.6% success rate); epilepsy (63.6% success rate); otitis externa (72.7% success rate); diarrhea (68.2% success rate); urinary incontinence (73.7% success rate); aggression (57.1% success rate); spondylosis (81.0% success rate) and lymphoma (40.0% success rate).
As observed in the study mentioned above, since the homeopathic approach is characterized by treating the patient and not the disease itself, it can be used to treat any imbalance presented by the individual at any stage of their life, and has some advantages over conventional treatment. Among the advantages of homeopathic medicine is the improvement of symptoms and injuries without major side effects. Furthermore, because it has a relatively low cost, homeopathic treatment becomes an accessible alternative for most patients.
References:
HEKTOEN, L. Investigations of the motivation underlying norwegian dairy farmers' use of homoeopathy. Veterinary Records, London, v. 186, n. 1, p. 701-707, Nov. 2004.
KOSSAK-ROMANACH, A. Homeopatia em 1000 conceitos, 3 ed., Elcid, São Paulo, 2003.
MATHIE, R.T. et al. Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in feline and canine veterinary practice. Homeopathy, Stuttgart, v. 99, n. 4, p. 243-248, Oct. 2010.
SANTOS, R.; SÁ, F.M.P. Homeopatia: histórico e fundamentos. Revista Científica da Faculdade de Educação e Meio Ambiente, v. 5, n. 1, p. 60-78, Jan-Jun, 2014.
WEIERMAYER, P. et al. Evidence-Based Human Homeopathy and Veterinary Homeopathy. Comment on Bergh et al. A Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: “Miscellaneous Therapies”. Animals 2022, 12, 2097. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12162097
https://www.hri-research.org/resources/essentialevidence/use-of-homeopathy-across-the-world/ (acesso em 10/08/2023)
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