Table 1 Demographic details of 20 OTP-controlled RCTs in veterinary homeopathy
i: Individualised/Treatment | |||||||||||
Condition | Species | Ref. | First author | Year | Design | Control | Homeopathic medicine | Dilution* | Study setting | Funding | Free from vested interest |
Mastitis, metritis and agalactia | Pigs | A12 | Schütte | 1988 | Active | Antibiotic | Individualised | D3-D12 | University veterinary ambulance; 21 swine herds in Germany (Berlin area) | Remedies were gift of the manufacturer | No |
ii: Non-individualised/Treatment | |||||||||||
Condition | Species | Ref. | First author | Year | Design | Control | Homeopathic medicine | Dilution | Study setting | Funding | Free from vested interest |
Diarrhoea (neonatal) | Cattle | A42 | Lohr | 2012 | Active | Oral electrolytes | 3 complex preparations: Nux vomica; Veratrum; Engystol | Not stated | Six farms in Germany | Directly funded study (Heel Pharmacy) | No |
Diarrhoea (neonatal) | Pigs | A14 | Coelho | 2009 | Active | Antibiotic | Phosphorus/E. coli | 30C | Swine farm, Brazil | The company, Farmácia Sensitiva, 'supplied' the medicines | No |
Ectoparasite infestation | Cattle | A41 | Catto | 2013 | Active | Anthelmintic | 2 complex preparations of various components (mainly nosodes) | All but one components potentised to 12C and higher (30C, 200C) | Cattle farm, Brazil | None stated | Unclear |
Ectoparasite infestation | Cattle | A19 | Silva | 2008 | Active | Chemical dip | 'Biotherapic' of Boophilus microplus and 14 other organisms | 12C | Government research institution, Brazil | None declared. The homeopathic laboratories, Flora & Fauna Ltd., supplied the medicine | No |
Foot-and-mouth disease | Cattle | A40 | Lotfollahzadeh | 2012 | Active | Anti-inflamatory and antibiotic | Tarentula cubensis | D5 | Cattle farms, Iran | Richter Pharma donated the homeopathic medicine | No |
Gastrointestinal nematodes | Sheep | A21 | Zacharias | 2008 | Active | Anthelmintic | 3 remedies: Ferrum phosphoricum, Arsenicum album, Calcarea carbonica | Not stated | Government research institution, Brazil | None stated | Unclear |
Lameness | Horses | A15 | Faulstich | 2006 | Active | Hyaluronic acid | Complex of 14 homeopathically prepared ingredients | D3 - D8 | Two horse clinics in Germany (Berlin area, Munich area) | Study performed by a contract research organisation | No |
Mastitis | Cattle | A16 | Klocke | 2010 | Active | Teat-sealer | 8 remedies: Mercurius solubilis, Lachesis mutus, Sulfur, Calcium carbonicum, Calcium phosphoricum, Pulsatilla pratensis, Sepia, Silica | D6 | Thirteen organic dairy herds, Switzerland | EC grant; Weleda 'provided the remedies' | No |
Mastitis | Cattle | A20 | Varshney | 2005 | Active | Antibiotic | Complex of 8 remedies: Healwell VT-6 (Sintex International Limited, Kalol, India), consisting of Phytolacca, Calcarea fluorica, Silica, Belladona, Bryonia, Arnica, Conium, Ipecacuanha "in equal amount" | 200C: Phytolacca, Calcarea fluorica. 30c: Silica, Belladona, Bryonia, Arnica, Conium, Ipecacuanha | Dairy farm, India | Sintex International Ltd 'supplied the homeopathic formulation for clinical trial' | No |
Mastitis, metritis and agalactia | Pigs | A39 | Braun | 2011 | Active | Antibiotic | 2 complex preparations. Lachesis compositum + Traumeel | Not stated | Three piglet-rearing farms in Germany | Directly funded study (Heel Pharmacy) | No |
Pseudopregnancy | Dogs | A13 | Beceriklisoy | 2008 | Active | Naloxone | Thuja occidentalis/Urtica urens | D30 | University animal clinic, Turkey | None stated | Unclear |
Salmonellosis | Birds | A18 | Sandoval | 1998 | Active | Antibiotic | Baptisia tinctoria | 30C | Poultry farm, Mexico | None stated | Unclear |
Gastrointestinal nematodes | Sheep | A17 | Rocha | 2006 | (A + B) vs. B | Anthelmintic only | Fator Vermes | Not stated | University establishment, Brazil | None stated | Unclear |
iii: Non-individualised/Prophylaxis | |||||||||||
Condition | Species | Ref. | First author | Year | Design | Control | Homeopathic medicine | Dilution | Study setting | Funding | Free from vested interest |
Ectoparasite infestation | Cattle | A34 | Signoretti | 2008 | (A + B) vs. B | Protein supplement only | Factor C & MC ® : 16 remedies | All 12C | Government research institution, Brazil | None stated | Unclear |
Diarrhoea (neonatal) | Pigs | A36 | Soto | 2008 | (A + B) vs. B | Sucrose saline only | Complex of 4 remedies: Echinacea angustifolia, Avena sativa, Ignatia amara, and Calcarea carbonica | 6C | Commercial swine herd, Brazil | None stated | Unclear |
Handling stress | Cattle | A31 | Reis | 2006 | (A + B) vs. B | Mineral salt only | Matricaria chamomilla® | 12C (plus non potentised sugar and Bixa orellana [grams]) | Cattle farm, Brazil | "This research was supported by the Homeopathic Laboratory Arenales Flora & Fauna Ltd." | No |
Immune response to rabies vaccination | Cattle | A32 | Reis | 2008 | (A + B) vs. B | Mineral salt only | Matricaria chamomilla® | 12C | Cattle farm, Brazil | The homeopathic laboratories, Flora & Fauna Ltd., are thanked by the author non-specifically | Unclear |
Infertility | Cattle | A35 | Sommer | 1972 | Untreated | Untreated | Complex of 5 remedies | D3-D5 | Two cattle farms, University of Hohenheim (Germany) | None stated | Unclear |
Infertility | Cattle | A38 | Williamson | 1991 | Untreated | Untreated | Sepia | 200C | Dairy herd, Scotland | British Cattle Veterinary Association. The pharmacy, Ainsworth's, are thanked by the authors non-specifically | Unclear |