STEROIDS IN HOMOEOPATHY

Facts and Misconceptions!

 

What are Steroids? 

Steroids are a large group of compounds found in all animals. Different groups of steroids include corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, androgenic steroids, oestrogenic steroids, progestogenic and anti-inflammatory steroids.

What are the various types of Steroids found in Human Body? 

Steroids of the Adrenal Cortex:

Glucocorticoids, Mineralocorticoids, Gonadocorticoids.

Steroids produced by Testes and Ovaries:

Male sex hormone, Female sex hormones.

 

What are the functions of various steroids?

STEROIDS PRODUCED BY ADRENAL CORTEX

Glucocorticoids regulate carbohydrate metabolism.

Mineralocorticoids regulate the body levels of sodium and potassium.

Gonadocorticoids include male hormones namely androgens and female hormones namely oestrogens produced in small amounts in both sexes but their effects are masked by hormones from Testes and Ovaries. 

STEROIDS PRODUCED BY TESTES AND OVARIES

Female sex hormones: Progesterone and Oestrogen bring about normal menstrual cycles and pregnancy in case fertilization occurs.

Male sex hormone: Testosterone, an androgen produced from progesterone is a male sex hormone synthesized in the testes and is responsible for secondary male sex characteristics.

Are corticosteroids used as medicines?

Corticosteroids are medicines that are similar to the natural hormone cortisone. They affect many body processes, including the breakdown of protein, fat, and carbohydrate; the activity of the nervous system; the balance of salt and water; and the regulation of blood pressure. Because of their widespread effects, these drugs are useful in treating many medical conditions, but they can also have undesirable side effects.

Why are Steroids prescribed in Allopathy?

Corticosteroids are used in several forms, to treat many different conditions. As they reduce itching, swelling, redness and allergic reactions, they are often used in treating skin problems, severe allergies, Asthma and Arthritis. These drugs also suppress the body's immune response hence they are used in patients who have received organ transplants to reduce the chance of rejection. In people whose bodies do not produce enough natural corticosteroids the drugs can raise the levels of these hormones. Corticosteroids also are used to treat certain cancers (along with other drugs) and to reduce inflammation in certain medical conditions.

Are there any side effects of using corticosteroids?

Side effects generally are rare when corticosteroids are used for a short time. However, when they are used for a longer duration they may over time lower the body's ability to fight off infections or may make infections harder to treat. Other common side effects include changes in appetite (increase or decrease), nervousness, restlessness, sleep problems, weight gain and indigestion. These problems usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug and do not require medical treatment. Less common side effects may occur with some forms of corticosteroids. Inhalants may cause dry throat,headache, nausea, skin bruising or thinning, and an unpleasant taste. Nasal spray forms may irritate the nose or throat and ointments, gels, or creams may irritate the skin.

 

What are anabolic steroids?

Anabolic steroids or more precisely anabolic androgenic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone, testosterone.

 

What are the therapeutic uses of anabolic steroids?

These drugs are available legally only by prescription to treat conditions that occur when the body produces abnormally low amounts of testosterone, such as delayed puberty and some types of impotence. They are also prescribed to treat body wasting in patients with AIDS and other diseases that result in loss of lean muscle mass. Abuse of anabolic steroids, however, can lead to serious health problems, some irreversible.

 

What are the health hazards of misusing anabolic steroids?

Athletes and others abuse anabolic steroids to enhance performance and also to improve physical appearance. The major side effects from abuse of anabolic steroids include liver tumors and cancer, jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of skin, tissues and body fluids), fluid retention, high blood pressure, increase in LDL (bad cholesterol), and decrease in HDL (good cholesterol). Other side effects are kidney tumors, severe acne and trembling.

 

Are Steroids used in Homoeopathy too?

 Homoeopathy as a science also uses an array of drug sources to produce various medicines which includes not only plant sources, but even healthy secretions of body and unhealthy tissues besides various allopathic medicines. Even steroids like “Cortisone” are potentised according to procedures of homoeopathic pharmaceutics to treat patients from the ill effects of crude dosage of these medicines as prescribed in allopathic system of medicines and also as constitutional drugs. 

Which steroids are commonly used as homoeopathic medicines?

  •   Cortisone aceticum,

  •   Adrenalinum

  •   Adrenocorticotrophin

  •   Prednisolone

  •   Cholestrinum

  •   Oophorinum

  •   Orchitinum

What are the standard texts for use of steroids in Homoeopathy?

Common steroids like Cortisone, Prednisolone and many other similar compounds are included in standard texts of Homoeopathy. They are enlisted in the Homoeopathic Materia Medica as well as Repertory in form of proven drugs and are used by Homoeopaths as medicines in regular practice for treating patients.

A few of the prominent references are mentioned hereunder:

Are homoeopathic preparations of Steroids available in market?

These Homoeopathic medicines are available in market as products produced by licensed manufacturers. To name a few “Prednisolonum” and “Prednisone” are some of the common medicines sold in a range of potencies. It is manufactured by Dr. Willmar Schwabe India Pvt. Ltd., Licence No.: 01/HPM/97 as  “Prednisolonum” & as “Prednisone”  by SBL Pvt. Ltd., Licence No. RAJ-1703-H.

 

 

 What are the common tests employed for testing the presence of steroids as an adulterant in homoeopathic medicines?

The calorimetric method and other tests based on colour development (UV Spectrophotometery) used for testing steroids are commonly applied but they are non specific.

 

Are there any false positive reactions in relation to testing of steroids?

It is a well known fact that chemical test of Tetrazolium Blue is used for testing reducing compounds as well as steroids. It produces false positive reaction for presence of steroids in homoeopathic medicines since they are dispensed with the help of lactose, cane sugar (for preparing globules) which are reducing sugars or in alcohol, which may not be entirely free from aldehyde and give the same reaction as that for steroids. Moreover Homoeopathic drugs prepared by any Pharmaceutical company will show similar results with non reliable chemical test like that of Tetrazolium Blue.

Some related website references are:

Book Refrence: The Homoeopathic Prestige.

 

Are there any confirmatory tests for testing steroids?

Indian Pharmacopoeia 1996 mentions some specific tests in Appendix 3.6 (identification of steroids) and Appendix 3.7 (identification of related foreign steroids), for testing steroids including “Thin Layer Chromatography” which when applied to homoeopathic medicines, give negative results for steroids.  

There are various methods for testing Steroids and a lot of anomalies exist regarding the same so no definite conclusion should be arrived at about Homoeopathic medicines being adulterated with Steroids unless it is confirmed through “Thin Layer Chromatography”, “HPTLC” or “HPLC”.

 

Are there any website references on steroids?

WEBSITE REFERENCES

www.drugstrategy.central.sa.edu.au/20_druginfo/c_glossary/
Definition of Steroids on the Web:

Steroids are a large group of compounds found in all animals. Different groups of steroids include: corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, androgenic steroids, oestrogenic steroids, progestogenic and anti-inflammatory steroids. The types of steroids used by people who wish to build muscle and increase their body size are mostly anabolic androgenic steroids. These are a group of drugs that include the male sex hormone testosterone and its synthetic alternatives.

http://www.essaysample.com/essay/000535.html
Everyone has heard of steroids, but many people do not know exactly what they are. Natural steroids play a key role in the body processes of living things. They are naturally produced by plants and animals, and are used for various reasons. Steroids include sterols, such as cholesterol, bile acids from the liver, adrenal hormones, sex hormones, and poisons in certain toads. Sex steroids in humans give men and women the characteristics that make up the sex, such as the type of voice, and the physical build. Adrenal steroids, produced in the cortex of the adrenal gland in humans, regulate protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Aldosterone, another steroid produced in the adrenal cortex, plays a role in the mineral and water balance of the body.

http://www-cme.erep.uab.edu/onlineCourses/giop/giop.htm

CLASSIFICATION OF STEROIDS

1. Sex Hormones

a. Androgens (testosterone)

b. Estrogens (estradiol)

2. Corticosteroids

a. Glucocorticoids Exogenous glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone, cortisone, prednisone, triamcinolone, dexamethasone, betamethasone, beclomethasone, flunisolide)

Endogenous glucocorticoids (cortisol [hydrocortisone], cortisone, corticosterone)

b. Mineralocorticoids (aldosterone)

http://www.sankaransclinic.com/article2.htm
In defence of homoeopathy  The test used was the "Calorimetric method using tetrasoltum blue salts". In this test, the reaction depends upon the reduction of tetrazoltum blue salt to give a highly coloured compound known as Farmazan. Under controlled conditions, the amount of Farmazan developed is proportional to the quantity of steroid or any reducing sugar present in the material being tested.

In fact for some years, tetrazoltum salts have been used for determination of reducing sugars. So if the drug contains any lactose, it will impart a strong colour with tetrazoltum blue salt which will give a false impression of the presence of a steroid. Secondly, if the alcohol used in this method is not completely free from aldehyde. It will interfere with the reaction and impart some characteristic colour, which may again give a false positive reaction for a steroid. So this method is not advisable to determine the presence of steroids in the drug.

Most homoeopaths use lactose as a base for holding the pills, containing the homoeopathic remedy, together in the powders. The pills themselves are made of cane sugar, a reducing sugar. Moreover, almost all homoeopathic remedies have alcohol as a diluting agent. One can see how homoeopathic remedies, either as pills, powders or in alcohol, are likely to give a false positive test for steroids if this method is used. Other methods used to test steroids are Liberman Buchard test, Thin layer chromatography method and the UV absorption method.

http://www.chennaionline.com/health/Homoeopathy/2004/12homoeopathy20.asp

Some may ask Homoeopathic medicines, when tested; sometimes give positive reactions for steroids. Yes, it may be, but it is a false positive test. It is due to lactose powder which is often used by Homeopathic doctors as a vehicle for the medicines. In that case, the efficacy of the same drug can be proved with water dilution doses. All milk powder or cane sugar juices or plant-derived material will give false positive for steroids.

http://www.orglist.net/archive/2005/0127.html

Tetrazolium blue

For detection of corticosteroids and other reducing compounds.

Spray with a freshly prepared 1:1 mix of a) 0.5% methanolic tetrazolium blue solution and 6M NaOH in water or methanol/water (1:1).

Results: violet spots are observed at room temperature or with slight warming.

http://www.siu.edu/~ebl/leaflets/steroid.htm

Distribution of Steroid like Compounds in Plant Flora

Authors: Amrit Pal Singh and A.S.Sandhu.

Dr Amrit Pal Singh, MD (Alternative Medicine), Medical Executive. Dept of Natural Products India Swift Ltd.

Dr A.S Sandhu, M.Sc (Botany), Dept of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Mohali. India.

Recently some light has been thrown on steroid like compounds present in number of medicinal herbs. Chemically the compounds are known as sterols and are considered to be derivatives of the steroids. They resemble in structure with steroids and modern clinical studies have supported their role as anti inflammatory and analgesic agents.

7 Disogenin is another compound present in number of herbs like Hedichyum spicatum, Trigonella foenum - graecum, Pueraria tuberosa & Dioscorea villosa.

In Homeopathic system of medicine, Convallaria majalis is a reputed remedy in various heart diseases. It also contains cardioactive steroid glycosides.

A special group of compounds called cardioactive steroids [better known as cardiac glycosides] deserves special mention. Digitalis purpurea.

http://www.merck.co.nz/main/RQFlex/package/116130%20Alcohol.pdf

Alcohol Test

1. Method

Under the catalytic effect of alcohol dehydrogenase,

alcohol is oxidized by NAD to acetaldehyde. In the

presence of diaphorase, the NADH formed in the

process reduces a tetrazolium salt to a blue formazan,

the concentration of which is determined reflectometrically.