Effectiveness of Homeopathy in Immunology and Inflammation Disorders. A Literature Overview of Clinical Studies

Here we summarize the clinical research carried out in the past three decades to evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathy in conditions characterized by respiratory allergy, common upper respiratory tract infections, otorhinolaryngologic complaints, and rheumatic diseases. Most of initial evidence-based research, especially in allergy, was addressed to the question of whether homeopathic medicines used in high dilutions are placebos or possess specific effects, but this question has been often equivocated and is still a matter of debate. Collectively the evidence demonstrates that in some conditions homeopathy shows significant promise, e.g. Galphimia glauca (low dilutions/potencies) in allergic oculorhinitis, classical individualized homeopathy in otitis, in fibromyalgia and possibly in upper respiratory tract infecions and allergic complaints. A general weakness of the evidence derives from the scarcity of independent confirmation of reported trials and from the presence of conflicting results, as in case of homeopathic immunotherapy of allergy and for asthma. In our opinion, since the homeopathic medicines are safe and under the light of few clinical and pre-clinical findings, their use could be regarded as a possible option in infections of upper airways, otitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma, provided that the homeopathic methodology of prescription is correct and not progressive. The suitable methods to evaluate homeopathy effectiveness, without altering the setting of the cure, are also discussed.