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AJHM Summer 2013 67
Volume 106 Number 2
Abstract
: Tuberculosis is caused by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
which can persist in tissues in a dormant state for
many years. While exogenous factors are important for contracting infection, the individual’s innate immunologic and
non-immunologic defenses (
constitution
) are important for the development of active disease. Homeopathic remedies
modulate immunity, and can be complementary to antibiotics. Successful treatment of two cases, with laboratory
verification, is presented: one infertile patient with endometrial tuberculosis, and one with pulmonary tuberculosis and
cervical lymphadenopathy.
Keywords:
Combination treatment, nosode, genitourinary tuberculosis, organ therapy,
Silicea
.
Dr. Kusum S. Chand
Homeopathy in the Treatment of Tuberculosis
Disease Management
Background
M
ycobacterium tuberculosis
(TB) is a bacterial dis-
ease caused by
Mycobacterium (M) tuberculosis, M
bovis
and
M africanum
, also known as tubercle bacilli or
acid-fast bacilli (AFB). When stained with certain dyes,
the bacilli look red under the microscope. The bacilli are
intracellular and can remain dormant in tissues and persist
for many years.
1
Besides exposure to infection,
exogenous factors such
as overcrowding, poor ventilation, degree of contact with
patient, size of bolus and virulence of bacilli are important.
Infection. (Latent TB):
most (90%) of the infected
populationneitherdevelopsdiseasenorbecomescontagious,
despite persistence of the pathogen
M. tuberculosis
residing within macrophages as an intracellular organism.
However, one
can
develop disease at any point in one’s life
time. To develop active disease, endogenous factors are
important, including the individual’s innate immunologic
and non-immunologic defenses (
constitution
) and quality
of cell mediated immunity
Frominfection toactivedisease:
inan immunosuppressed
individual, tubercle bacilli start to multiply and beat down
the body’s defenses. A similar disease break-out when
the body’s immunity is severely strained is also seen in
HIV infection, silicosis, chronic renal failure, diabetes,
immunosuppressive treatment, malnutrition, prolonged
emotional and physical stresses. In a majority of people,
even in an endemic area, disease is reactivation and NOT
re-infection.
Commentary from the Organon
2
:
•
Aphorism 40: “… the
new disease,…
joins the
old one that is dissimilar to it,
and they form a
complicated
disease.”
•
Footnote 40a : “… I am now firmly persuaded that no
real fusion of the two diseases takes place. The two
diseases exist
beside
one another in the organism,
each in the parts that are suitable for it. The cure
of the diseases will be completely produced by the
timely alteration of the best… ”
•
Aphorism 41 - “Incomparably more frequent
than natural dissimilar diseases associating and
complicating themselves in the same body are those
disease complications that the inexpedient medical
procedure (the allopathic mode of treatment) tends
to bring to pass through the protracted use of
unsuitable medicines, … These new disease states
gradually pair up and complicate themselves with
the dissimilar chronic malady…”
Homeopathic remedies can modulate immunity and
treat endogenous factors:
During our experience in the
treatment of tubercular lymphadenitis, a multi-remedy
regime was developed with successful and reproducible
results. This included one patient-specific constitutional
medicine targeting individual response; one disease-specific
(
Tuberculinum
) biotherapy (nosode), and one non-specific
wound/abscess healing medicine (
Silicea
6X). It appears
that the different elements of the regime target different
endogenous factors of disease.
3
The inspiration for the
use of
Silicea
4
came from various biological experiments
4
which have shown that Silicic acid stimulates leucocytic
and fibroblastic activity leading to increase in phagocytosis
and healing by scar formation.
Silicea
is a supportive
remedy for promoting healing in suppurations provoked by
bacteria including TB bacillus.
The “qualitative” aspect of
a medicine is as important as the quantitative.
It has been
reported that ultra-diluted antigens can transfer signals to
the immune system and modulate its response when the
organism is in challenge with the related antigen.
5
Homeopathy as complementary to antibiotics:
It