Influenzinum – a homeopathic medicine

10 Responses to “Influenzinum – a homeopathic medicine”

1. Dr. Shivang Swaminarayan , on August 24th, 2009 at 8:43 am , said:

   Dear Homoeopaths,

   I am sure very few have current/latest research updates and knowledge on scientific work on Influenzinum. The abstract hereunder would be a useful reference for furthering the research on H1N1 and Homoeopathy’s role.

   Antiviral activity of influenzium infectious nosode: an in vitro study
   =========================================================

   1Siqueira, C.M., 1Costa, B., 1Amorim, A.M., 1Gonçalvez, M., 1Veiga, V.F.; 2Lyrio, C., 1Couceiro, J.N.,

   1Holandino, C. 1

   Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, + 55 21 2562 6403. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

   cholandino@yahoo.com. Instituto Roberto Costa,2Instituto Roberto Costa, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro,

   Brazil. carloslyrio@robertocosta.org.br

   Influenza viruses have been responsible for highly contagious acute respiratory illnesses, afflicting

   humans since ancient times and causing high mortality in the elderly. The influenzinum remedy, which is

   used in homeopathic medicines nowadays, is made from the influenza vaccine (Pasteur Institute). The

   purpose of the present study was to develop, for the first time, a new nosode from the infectious influenza

   A virus (H3N2) and to verify its in vitro effectiveness. This preparation is based on the technique

   recommended by the Brazilian homeopathic physician, Dr. Roberto Costa. The compounding of this

   medicine is made with the infectious virus, which is kept alive during the first steps of the dynamization

   procedure, making Roberto Costa’s nosode more capable of stimulating the immune system. This nosode

   was prepared in water and phosphate buffer saline and its virus particles were analyzed by electron

   microscopy, where differences could not be seen in the 1dH potency. Following this analysis, the nosode

   was compounded in water and its antiviral activity was analyzed on Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK)

   epithelial cells that are used as standard cell culture for studies measuring the influenza virus infectivity.

   Based on these characteristics, the cytotoxic and the antiviral effects of the 30dH potency, were analyzed

   by the neutral red and immunofluorescence assays, respectively, after submitting the MDCK cells to pre

   and post infection treatments, with 1%, 5% and 10% of the nosode. Control experiments were developed,

   just treating the cells with dynamized water (30dH). The neutral red assay indicated that the nosode was

   not cytotoxic to MDCK cells; however, the microscopic analysis of fluorescent images showed that the

   nosode induced a reduction in cell fluorescence when compared to the virus control, indicating that the

   treatment caused a reduction in the rates of MDCK infectivity. Moreover, the nosode induced interesting

   alterations on cellular morphology probably due to the increase of cellular mitosis rate. Finally, the use of

   hemagglutination assay and the 4 MUNANA fluorogenic substrate indicate that the nosode was not able to

   modify the virus cell adsoportion and the virus sialidase activities, respectively. New experiments are

   being developed to understand how this influenzinum infectious nosode interferes with the morphology

   and the biochemical features of MDCK cells.

   Dr. Shivang Swaminarayan
   homoeo@sintex.co.in

2. Dr Ananda Kumar Pingali, MD , on August 24th, 2009 at 1:10 pm , said:

   Dear Dr Singhal,

   I am very happy to see your work in this area with in a sense of moral responsibility

   I concur with you that Arsenic May be the choice of remedy rather than influenzinum

   I am giving a single dose of Arsenic Alb 200 as a preventive.

   The reasons I feel are

   Panic regarding a disease
   Fear that they will get the disease – / anxiety / restlessness etc

   And also it covers the disease part
   Like cold, sneezing, fever, throat pain, body pains etc

   Both at the level of mind and body this may be one of the best suited medicine

   And even Hahnemann has never recommended to use the same nosode as a preventive because it given on such basis it will disturb the constitution – ie the habit of giving tuberculinum for tuberculosis , syphillinum for syphilis and so forth.

   Regards

   Dr Ananda Kumar Pingali, MD

   http://www.dranand.co.in

3. Rafy , on August 26th, 2009 at 5:47 am , said:

   Thank you!

   please note that there are many kinds of influenzinums.

4. dr.Rekha srinivasan B.H.M.S., , on August 26th, 2009 at 6:39 am , said:

   Sir,
   Iam happy I saw your well reasearched article.I never gave Influenzinum as preventive but for Chennais very Hot weather Bryonia was suitable along with Ars alb ,Ipecac(esp in children) etc as and when required.But people came with medicine name and demanded me for Influenzinum so i succcumbed to the public’s ‘knowledge’Now iam clear on this matter.
   thank you
   Dr.Rekha srinivasan

5. dr sacheen khirid , on August 26th, 2009 at 11:52 pm , said:

   dear dr singal
   excellent write up, being in PUNE i can vouch very well that the remedy coming closest to being the genus epidemicus is Gelsemium, though Rhus tox, Bryonia & Merc Sol, Pulsatilla merit mention too. Influenzium as rightly pointed out has no definate proving conducted & my very basic doubt is the very source of the remedy itself& the pharmacy making them. i wish the apex homeopathic bodies take a stand soon else the allopathic fraternity is going to take pot shots at homeopaths very soon & ridicule us.also to let you know Maharahstra Govt refused formalities to find the genus via Homeopathic Research Centres. for this fear of contagion i personally feel Aconite or Arsenic should be the remedies.we homeopaths need to be aware of the odd presentations too so that we are not too late in diagnosing or ensuing adequate treatment or even a prompt referral in case there is poor response to supposedly correct remedy

6. Dr.Amit Habbu M.D.,D.N.B., M.F.Hom , on August 27th, 2009 at 3:33 am , said:

   Dear Dr.Singhal,

   Would like to be updated if you have any data/evidence for the following statements of yours in your H1N1 write up

   1) it is spreading like wildfire and at a rate faster than any other virus epidemic.

   2) At present, it is a very low mortality viral infection and the risk of death (in kids who have low immunity, and adults at old age especially when weakened by diabetes or other debilitating disorders) — If you look up the CDC data on this, this Novel H1N1 influenza as it is termed is different from the common place influenzas in that for some reason there dont seem to be as many deaths in people above 65 years as otherwise expected

   3) The main worry is that the next mutated form of this virus, expected within a year — is there any prediction for this time frame ?

   As regards the possible remedy for this — i think using the common rubrics that have been used for repertorisation will only through up polychrest remedies as seen — ideally individual experience with actual cases of H1N1 will help us better in suggesting remedy.

   Would like to know your thoughts on the above

7. dr.narendra patil , on September 3rd, 2009 at 1:20 am , said:

   peoples are using penically influenzium.this not homoeopathy,as we know homoeopathy treats the symptom not disease.peoples are suffering from fear to be diseased,so we have to treat their fear.aconite, ars.alb, rhustox,gelsimium,argenticum nit. Are the medicin for this.
   After getting infection carefully collect the symptomes n select medicin.mainly on the basis of general condition,mental state,thrist,stool,tongue etc.

8. Dr Prabhat Tandon , on September 15th, 2009 at 8:09 am , said:

   Interestingly there are number of influenzinum preparations . As with traditional medicine, the preparations are from prior flu seasons. Some of the Influenzinums marketed by Nelson’s of London are as follows:

   1. *Influenzinum (the 1918 epidemic) *
   1. 2. Influenza virus A Asia /57
   1. 3. Influenza virus A England 42/72
   1. 4. Influenza virus B Hong Kong 5/72
   1. 5. Influenza virus A/Port Chalmers 1/73
   1. 6. Influenza virus A (Asian) 1954
   1. 7. Influenza virus B (Asian) 1954
   1. 8. Bacillus influenza 1918
   1. 9. Influenza virus Az Hong Kong 1968
   1. 10. Influenza virus Ar 1967
   1. 11. Influenza virus B
   1. 12. Influenza Co. (Combination of Az to 1918)
   1. 13. Influenza virus a1.
   Hahnemann never recommended such type of specific uses of the drug. Instead of such uses he recommended Genus Epidemics .

   As per the guidelines laid down by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in the Organon a Genus epidemics has to be found out in the specific area and it could be the best to be found out in the specific area and it could be the best prophylactic remedy.

   Source: ORGANON OF MEDICINE Aphorism 100-102

   § 100

   In investigating the totality of the symptoms of epidemic and sporadic diseases it is quite immaterial whether or not something similar has ever appeared in the world before under the same or any other name. The novelty or peculiarity of a disease of that kind makes no difference either in the mode of examining or of treating it, as the physician must any way regard to pure picture of every prevailing disease as if it were something new and unknown, and investigate it thoroughly for itself, if he desire to practice medicine in a real and radical manner, never substituting conjecture for actual observation, never taking for granted that the case of disease before him is already wholly or partially known, but always carefully examining it in all its phases; and this mode of procedure is all the more requisite in such cases, as a careful examination will show that every prevailing disease is in many respects a phenomenon of a unique character, differing vastly from all previous epidemics, to which certain names have been falsely applied – with the exception of those epidemics resulting from a contagious principle that always remains the same, such as smallpox, measles, etc.

   § 101

   It may easily happen that in the first case of an epidemic disease that presents itself to the physician’s notice he does not at once obtain a knowledge of its complete picture, as it is only by a close observation of several cases of every such collective disease that he can become conversant with the totality of its signs and symptoms. The carefully observing physician can, however, from the examination of even the first and second patients, often arrive so nearly at a knowledge of the true state as to have in his mind a characteristic portrait of it, and even to succeed in finding a suitable, homœopathically adapted remedy for it.

   § 102

   In the course of writing down the symptoms of several cases of this kind the sketch of the disease picture becomes ever more and more complete, not more spun out and verbose, but more significant (more characteristic), and including more of the peculiarities of this collective disease; on the one hand, the general symptoms (e.g., loss of appetite, sleeplessness, etc.) become precisely defined as to their peculiarities; and on the other, the more marked and special symptoms which are peculiar to but few diseases and of rarer occurrence, at least in the same combination, become prominent and constitute what is characteristic of this malady.1 All those affected with the disease prevailing at a given time have certainly contracted it from one and the same source and hence are suffering from the same disease; but the whole extent of such an epidemic disease and the totality of its symptoms (the knowledge whereof, which is essential for enabling us to choose the most suitable homœopathic remedy for this array of symptoms, is obtained by a complete survey of the morbid picture) cannot be learned from one single patient, but is only to be perfectly deduced (abstracted) and ascertained from the sufferings of several patients of different constitutions.

   1 The physician who has already, in the first cases, been able to choose a remedy approximating to the homœopathic specific, will, from the subsequence cases, be enabled either to verify the suitableness of the medicine chosen, or to discover a more appropriate, the most appropriate homœopathic remedy.

   http://drprabhattandon.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/swine-flu-influenzinum-and-other-homeopathic-remedies/

9. Jacqui Meszaros , on November 2nd, 2009 at 9:09 am , said:

   I am interested in knowing what is the most appropriate homepathic medication for prevention of swine flu. From above comments it sounds like arsenicum album 200 could be used based on presenting symptoms. Would that be administered just once, and how many pellets? I looked up the remedy online and boiron sells it at the dosage of 200. Is that the preparation that you would use. thank you.

10. Dr.S Tahir , on November 12th, 2009 at 12:14 pm , said:

    Excellant work Dr. Singhal.
    In my practise, Influenzium 30 as first remedy has worked wonders for sesonal flu. I tried it in ppl with h/o flu who were in close contact with suspected H1N1, and their flu subsided the very next day.
    I would not suggest it as strong or only remedy for flu.

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