Medicines for the new coronavirus in the view of Classical Systemic Homeopathy

Abstract

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has 48.896.564 reported cases and 1.236.995 deaths worldwide on November 5, 2020. Despite great efforts, there is no treatment of COVID-19 up to nowadays. Therefore, it is essential to search for therapeutic alternatives to COVID-19, such as Integrative Medicine, especially Homeopathy, which was used with excellent results in the great epidemics.

Aim

This study aims to describe the coronavirus Pandemic from the perspective of Classical Systemic Homeopathy and to identify the homeopathic medicine (medicines genius) that has its sphere of action in most of the symptoms involved in this pandemic.

Methods

Articles published in indexed journals and websites of medical institutions, books of homeopathic materia medica, scientific journals, and government publications were reviewed.

Results

A total of 39 references were selected and enclosed 20 articles indexed on COVID-19, 08 references of systemic conditions, 11 articles indexed of homeopathy, 06 classic homeopathy books. After the study, the homeopathic medicine Cinchona officinalis (China officinalis) was proposed, according to pathogenesis (experimental pathophysiological study in humans) described in the materia medica books consulted, for the relief of symptoms. Its sphere of action in most of the symptoms involved in this pandemic. Moreover, acute homeopathic medicines were determined to act in the relief of symptoms of the various phases of the manifestations of the disease. Conclusion: Data contributes to use in homeopathic interventions during the COVID-19 epidemic as a health promotion and treatment strategy that can be used as an adjunct to all sanitary and therapeutic measures recommended by health authorities.

Glossary

TEMPERAMENTS

classification based on cell metabolism and defense capacity

BILIOUS

temperament classification is noticed between 25 and 60 years old

ATRABILE

temperament classification observed up to 60 years old

BIOTYPES

concepts based on embryological concepts. Endoblast, mesoblast, and ectoblast were related to Carbonic, Sulphuric, and Phosphoric constitutions respectively. These in turn are linked to particular morphologies and disease susceptibilities

DIATHESES

the tendency for chronic disease

HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE

a pharmaceutical form of dispensing administered by the similarity and/or identity principle, with curative and/or preventive purpose. It is obtained through the dynamization technique and it is for internal or external use

1. Introduction

In late 2019, the new Coronavirus was named SARS-CoV-2, which is the causative agent in a series of pneumonia cases. The World Health Organization has designated the disease COVID-19, which means coronavirus disease 2019 [1,2].

It is known that it is a virus with high transmissibility (virulence) and causes conditions ranging from asymptomatic or with the mild respiratory syndrome - about 80% - to very severe cases with respiratory failure - between 5 and 10%. Its lethality varies, mainly, according to the age group and comorbidities [3]. The average age of the affected patients according to a Chinese study [4] is 47 years old, with 0.9% of the patients under 15 years old [4], it is assumed that the incidence in this age group is underestimated due to asymptomatic cases.

The main symptoms, according to the same study, are fever, which appeared in 43.8%, but during hospitalization it rose to 88.7%, coughing in 67.8% of cases; nausea or vomiting (5.0%), and diarrhea (3,8%) [4]. In another study, the symptoms of fever (72%), cough (83%), sore throat (61%), uncommon rhinorrhea, myalgia, and fatigue are described [5].

Currently, some treatment proposals have been suggested through initial studies with Chloroquine, which has demonstrated effectiveness against cases of COVID-19 pneumonia [6,7]. However, this drug can present a series of adverse reactions in the systems: digestive, hematological, neurological, neuromuscular, cardiological, and dermatological [[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]] [[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]] [[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]]. Hydroxychloroquine showed a reduction in clinical recovery time and short-term radiological improvement [13] but has adverse effects. Other drugs such as Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Oseltamivir, encompass the current therapeutic perspectives, however, they have several contraindications [14]. Currently, no drug has been proven to be an effective therapy for COVID-19. Although several drugs are being considered and evaluated, there is still no high-quality evidence to support any of these proposed drug therapies [14,15].

In the current scenario, it is necessary to search for other forms of treatment such as Integrative Medicine, especially Homeopathy, which was used with excellent results in the great epidemics and pandemics of the 19th century to the present day. In 1921, about 26 thousand cases of Spanish Flu treated by Homeopathy had their mortality rate reduced from 28% to 1.05% [16].

In Brazil, the success of homeopathy in controlling a dengue epidemic is worth noting in the city of Macae in 2007 [17]. In 2008, the incidence of the disease fell by 71% compared to the previous year, while the state of Rio de Janeiro had an increase of 315%. Macae's experience demonstrated the easy implementation of homeopathy in the approach to epidemics, with low cost, wide population adherence, and good results in the control of dengue epidemics in the scope of public health [18]. The potential of homeopathic medicines in viral infections was demonstrated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 600 children from Petrópolis-RJ. It was observed that the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory infections was significantly higher in the group that received a placebo (p < 0.001) compared to groups treated with homeopathic medicines. The advantages of homeopathic medicines stand out: they are less expensive and free of adverse effects when compared to those traditionally used in the treatment of influenza and acute respiratory infections [19].

In the view of Homeopathy, health and disease are different states of the same process. In the first, the organism is in the balance of its functions, and the second, in an opposite state. Homeopathic medicine acts in an attempt to restore the body's equilibrium state from self-regulation [20]. Self-regulation is defined as the ability of every living being and fulfills the function of keeping its internal constants (blood pressure, for example) in constant variation, according to the circumstances (blood pressure must rise with heart rate). The logic of homeopathic treatment is to stimulate the self-regulation system with an artificial “drug-disease” similar to the natural one. So, it seeks an alternative (learning) path to the solution of the problem and a possible cure [20].

The present work aims to discuss the COVID-19 Pandemic from the perspective of Classical Systemic Homeopathy and to identify the homeopathic medicine that has its sphere of action in most of the symptoms involved in this pandemic. Besides, suggest some circumstantial) medications that cover the treatment of acute conditions. To this end, an integrative review of the scientific literature and homeopathic materia medica books was carried out.

2. Material and methods

The integrative review of the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out on the digital platforms of the main indexed journals and the websites of health organizations at the national and international levels. The purpose was to identify in the current scenario the total symptomatic symptoms related to the new coronavirus [1]. A theoretical review of the concept of disease was carried out in the view of classic systemic homeopathy and the concepts of epidemic and medicine genius. The epidemic genius is a set of frequent symptoms in the same population affected by an epidemic. A medicine genius is a drug that covers the entire symptomatic of the epidemic genius, that is, the symptoms. From the observed symptoms [2] repertorization was performed, using the Arqueiro software in version 2.4 of 2018. Repertorization is the technique of crossing several existing symptoms in the homeopathic repertoire to obtain the most suitable medicine for the patient. After repertory analysis, materia medica books (a set of signs and symptoms that healthy individuals manifest during drug experimentation) were studied on the main drugs that could be used as a Medicine Genius in the current coronavirus pandemic. The study of the main possible drugs was carried out in materia medica books and other works recognized by Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), mentioned in Normative Instruction number 3 - IN 3 of 2007 [21]. Data obtained from materia medica books were distributed in Table 1 . The discussion from the perspective of Classical Systemic Homeopathy contributed to the identification of homeopathic medicine (Medicine Genius) that has its sphere of action in most of the symptoms involved in this pandemic.

Table 1.

Materia medica books of Cinchona officinalis (China officinalis).

KENT	Breathing difficult, shaking and filling the chest with mucus; asthma. “Pressure in the chest, from a violent rush of blood; violent palpitations, bloody swords, sudden prostration”. Dry and stifling cough at night; profuse night sweats. Chest pain, increasing sensitivity to cold, heat and redness of the face with cold hands, and fever ranging from 37.5 °C to 38.5 °C.
BOERICKE	Respiratory: Flu, with weakness. Cannot breathe with the head down. Slow and labored breathing; constant choking. Suffocating phlegm; violent, dry cough after each meal. Bleeding from lungs. Dyspnea, acute pain in the left lung. Asthma; worsens with cold and humid weather.
CLARK	Hoarseness, indistinct speech and low voice when singing, as a result of the mucus difficult to detach from the larynx. Sensation of pain in the larynx and trachea. Short and dry cough, as if produced by sulfur vapor, in the morning, after rising. Suffocating night cough, with pain in the chest and shoulder blades. The cough gets worse at night. Cough with difficult sputum, light-colored viscous mucus, sometimes even prone to vomiting. Cough, caused by laughing, drinking, eating, talking and breathing deeply, as well as by movement. Sputum of whitish mucus mixed with blackish particles. When coughing, the sputum was stained with blood. Expectoration of purulent matter
HERING	Laringe
	Deep hoarse voice through adherent mucus. Sore feeling in the larynx and trachea. Flu with weakness, loss of appetite, feels hot without thirst.
	Breath
	Asthma, it looks like you're dying; worse in autumn, rainy weather or after exhaustion. Cannot breathe with the head down. Chest oppression; also at night, lying down. Stifling night attacks; spasmodic cough. Stifling phlegm and paralysis of lungs of elderly people. Slow and difficult inspiration; rapid, blowing, short exhalation. Glottis edema. Oppression of the chest, like fullness of the stomach.
	Cough
	Dry, spasmodic or suffocating night cough, from sulfur vapor, with bilious vomiting. First cough dry and painful, then bloody sputum.
	Lungs
	Loud and coarse noises, great weakness, anemia; swelling of the legs. Pneumonia after bleeding, bleeding or with bilious symptoms; or incipient gangrene.
	Pressure in the chest from a violent rush of blood, violent palpitations; bloody sputum; sudden prostration. Suppuration of lungs.
	Cold, fever and sweat
	Chills preceded by palpitations, anxiety and hunger. Violent internal cold, with cold hands and feet and blood congestion on the head. Cold and heat alternating in the afternoon. Runaway chills in the back, tendency to sweat when covering up. At night in bed, can't get warm. Wants to be near the stove, but the cold increases. General heat, with distended veins. Heat in the face, with cold body. During the heat: thirst only for cold drinks; desire to remove the sheet, aversion to food.
	Sensations
	Pain in all joints, bones, periosteum, as if stretched. Pain with lameness or weakness of the affected parts. Single parts seem to be reconciled, numb.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Aspects of the vision of classical systemic homeopathy

In the Classical theory of Homeopathy, Hahnemann [22] describes epidemic diseases as collective diseases that are usually contagious, feverish, ending with spontaneous resolution or death. These do not depend on chronic disease and do not benefit the organism, which can leave sequelae [23]. Epidemics are amenable to treatment by the law of similars, according to the concepts of Epidemic Genius (set of common symptoms in the same population affected by an epidemic) and Medicines Genius (medicine that covers the entire symptomatic of the epidemic genius) [20,22,23].

In the understanding of the Classical Systemic Homeopathy idealized by Carillo Junior, epidemic diseases are classified as Instability of Mixed Origin [24]²³, that is, when the intrinsic and extrinsic factors to the individual, they are equivalent to the triggering of the disease process [20,22,24]. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of the current pandemic, identifying the symptoms presented by the population (compact “mass” showing similar symptoms), allows the identification and indication of homeopathic medicine to be used as a medicine genius. Such medicine can act in self-regulation, favoring a better response of the organism to the vírus [20,23,24].

Homeopathic medicine has active component origin in different natural kingdoms, as well as in chemical-pharmaceutical products, compounds, and/or biological or pathological materials or not, in addition to other agents of different nature of the plant, animal, or mineral origin. It is every pharmaceutical form of dispensing administered following the similarity and/or identity principle, with curative and/or preventive purpose. It is obtained through the dynamization technique and it is for internal or external use, following the rules of the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia. Homeopathic medicine acts by conditioning the physiological processes that, in turn, in perfect function, keep the individual in balance and, therefore, healthy. The connection of the homeopathic medicine with the organism is made by self-regulation through receptors. Health instability (disease) occurs when self-regulation fails to maintain internal constants and this appears as clinical manifestations [20,23] [[20], [23], [24], [25]] [[20], [23], [24], [25]].

According to Carillo [20], diseases are instabilities of the system that result from combinations of factors related to the system itself with others not belonging to it. These factors can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Diseases are not just the consequences of our innate susceptibilities or errors, these can be biological, psychological, or spiritual, nor much less exclusively due to environmental, dietary, toxic, or infectious factors, but rather their combination [20].

In the Complex Systems Model, there are eight elements of the system, absolutely related in any circumstance and for any task, when one of them is affected, the whole system is changed. Although Self-Regulation is directly responsible for keeping the organism in harmony, it is always dependent on the other seven elements. The Organization Standard determines the essential characteristics of the System, as well as sets the relationships between its components (biotypes, temperaments, and diathesis) and determines its individuality (identity). It is very resistant to significant changes, which can occur through the sequential assimilation of adaptations [20,23].

The Temperamental Organization Standard merits discussion in this context of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand this process. The theory of temperaments was based on the Hippocratic conception of moods and only in 1922, Allendy, using Galen's classification, introduced the physiological theory based on cell metabolism and defense capacity [23].

In COVID-19 the most affected age group is adults, which, in this same conception, corresponds to bilious (25–60 years old) and atrabile (>60 years old) temperaments [23,24]. In these individuals, there is a tendency for chronic disease (diathesis) and these patients develop functional hypersuprarenalism (hypertensive, diabetic). Then, virus presence acts as a trigger of an extreme inflammatory state with intense hemophagocytosis in the mononuclear phagocytic system, notably hepatic. The vulnerability of this system results in nonspecific febrile conditions, cytopenia, and pulmonary involvement. In this situation, self-regulation fails to maintain internal constants in harmonious function along the lines of the unbalanced vital force [23,24].

Lymphatic temperament (0–9 years old) and sanguin temperament (10–15 years old) are age groups with greater plasticity and poor development of the immune system in terms of humoral defense and development of the function of lymphatic organs (cell defense) [23,24]. This appears to be a “protective” factor related to the installation of this virus. Individuals in this age group, as they are more frequently exposed to viral infections, the immune system would be better able to activate defense mechanisms to suppress the viral presence. In the pediatric population, so far, case descriptions show a mild disease profile, with few reports of complications and hospitalizations, and very few cases with fatal outcomes. So, a scenario quite different from that reported in adults, which concentrates almost all of the registered deaths.

3.2. Analysis of the materia medica books of the medicine genius

Covid19-like symptoms of the new virus and the view of Classical Systemic Homeopathy were taken into account and the repertorization was carried out. Then, it allowed the identification of some drugs as a Medicine Genius of Covid19-like symptoms, and these drugs were also studied in materia medica books. After an initial analysis of the drugs, the medicine Cinchona officinalis (China officinalis) was proposed, according to pathogenesis (experimental pathophysiological study in humans) described in Table 1 [[25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30]]. The recommended dosage of C.officinalis 6CH is six drops per day for a maximum of 6 months. If the person has shown symptoms related to COVID-19 during the period of use of C.officinalis, it is recommended to increase the frequency of administration to three times a day until the symptoms improve. In this study, acute homeopathic medicines (circunstantial) were also proposed for each stage of the disease already installed. Although, other methods of homeopathic prescription are known such as a unique medicine.

3.3. Acute medicines (circumstantial)

For the management of acute symptoms, these were shared into phases. In the first stage of the disease, the symptoms are characteristic of Ferrum phosphoricum 6CH, Gelsemium 6CH, and Justicia adhatoda 6CH. While in the phase with pulmonary symptoms it is recommended to use Senega 6CH and Carbo vegetabilis 6CH according to the symptoms described in Table 1 [[26], [27], [28], [29], [30]]. In the dosage of six drops, three times a day until the symptoms improve as indicate in Table 2 . Regarding the hygiene and disinfection routine of the oral cavity, could be used Calendula officinalis 2DH, with 10 drops, in half a glass of warm water for gargling, three times a day [[31], [32], [33], [34]].

Table 2.

Homeopathic medicines and main symptoms of COVID-19.

Symptoms/Medicines	Fever	Nose, throat and cough	Head and eyes	Mental	Geral	Posology
Ferrum phosphoricum	afternoon and median fever	al congestion, throat pain, hyperemic pharynx	–	–	exhausting night sweat	6CH is six drops 2 x day
Gelsemium	high fever	runny nose and watery eyes		anxiety and panic disorder, a common situation seen in pandemics	little thirst and fatigue	6CH is six drops 3 x day
Justicia adhatoda	fever	copious coryza with fluid and irritating secretion, anosmia, paroxysmal suffocating cough, many bronchial noises, without expectoration	anosmia			6CH is six drops 2 x day
Senega		frequent, violent cough; noisy breathing, accumulation of mucus in the bronchi			general weakness	6CH is six drops 2 x day
Carbo vegetabilis		dyspnea with drop in O2 saturation				6CH is six drops 3 x day

According to the World Health Organization, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has 221.072.722 reported cases and 4.574.010 deaths worldwide on September 4, 2021 [15]. This scenario has severe health, economic, and social impact, as in other countries [35]. Also, the role of asymptomatic carriers in spreading SARS-CoV-2, together with the inexistence of vaccines and specific treatment options, represents a challenge to researchers, healthcare managers, and governments [35]. Therefore, it is necessary to search for other forms of treatment such as Integrative Medicine, especially Homeopathy, which was used with excellent results in the great epidemics and pandemics of the 19th century to the present day [[16], [17], [18], [19]] [[16], [17], [18], [19]] [[16], [17], [18], [19]]. The present study contributes to the identification of China officinalis as a medicine genius for use in homeopathic interventions during the epidemic that, together with circumstantial medications, together encompass the total symptomatic of COVID-19. The expected results of this intervention are cure, improvement, or not the appearance of symptoms related to COVID-19, possibly through the stimulus caused by C.officinalis in the individual's self-regulation system. The results will allow the development of a therapeutic alternative to contribute to the promotion and symptomatic relief from COVID-19, and a treatment strategy that could be used as an adjunct to all sanitary and therapeutic measures recommended by health authorities.

One of the concerns of health authorities is that the symptoms of the new delta variant are very similar to those of a common cold. Because of this, many people don't even realize they have the delta variant Covid, and believe they are merely colds, without taking preventive measures to avoid spreading others.

“People may think they've caught some kind of seasonal cold and still go to parties. They could spread the virus to six other people.” We think that's feeding a lot of the problem."

The researchers on this proposal conducted a survey of the most common symptoms of the current delta variant, which are sore throat, runny nose, and fever, similar to a common cold, but spreading very quickly. All of the proposed drugs address the signs and symptoms of this variant as indicated in Table 1.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following is/are the supplementary data to this article: