Individualized homoeopathy versus placebo in essential hypertension: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Hypertension is the most common cardiovasculardisorder posing a major public health challenge to the population. Homoeopathy,although widely used in hypertension, is assumed to have nothing but placeboeffects and its specific clinical effects are frequently ascribed asimplausible. Aims were to evaluate whether individualized homoeopathy canproduce any significant effect different from placebo in essential hypertensionby comparing the lowering of blood pressure between groups. A prospective,double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel arm clinical trial wasconducted at the Outpatient Clinic of the Mahesh Bhattacharyya HomoeopathyMedical College and Hospital, West Bengal. Out of 233 hypertensives assessedfor eligibility, 150 were enrolled and randomized (verum/homoeopathy 70,control/placebo 80). A total of 18 dropped out and 132 were regular (verum 64,control 68). The outcome measures were assessed after three months and sixmonths. The intention-to-treat population was subjected to statistical analysis. Group differences were tested using the χ2 test andindependent t test. Repeated measure (ANOVA) was performed to compare the dataof two groups obtained longitudinally at baseline, three months and six months.The baseline data were not significantly different between the groups. Aftersix months, mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) reduction was 26.6 mm Hg (95% CI21.5, 31.7) in the homoeopathy group and SBP increased by 3.6 mm Hg (95% CI8.7, 1.5) in the placebo group. Similarly, the mean Diastolic Blood Pressure(SBP) in the homoeopathy group reduced by 11.8 mm Hg (95% CI 9.2, 14.4) andincreased by 1.6 mm Hg (95% CI 3.6, 0.4) in the placebo group. Repeatedmeasures ANOVA also showed significant difference (P=0.0001) between thegroups. Natrum muriaticum, Calcarea carbonica, Sulphur, Thuja occidentalis,Nitric acid and Medorrhinum were frequently prescribed. Thus individualizedhomoeopathy produced a significantly different hypotensive effect than placebo.