Homeopathic products containing alkaloids

Abstract

Introduction. Alkaloids are one of the largest groups of secondary metabolites in plants, which have basic nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, which in physiological doses have therapeuthical effects on the body and in high doses are toxic, this is why there are many products with alkaloids in homeopathic medicinal products. Some practitioners claim that homeopathy works by stimulating the body to heal itself. Aim of the study. Evaluation of medicinal plants and vegetal products containing alkaloids (pyrrolizidine, tropane, quinolizidine, isoquinoline, nicotine, indole, acyclic) and their homeopathic medicinal products. Materials and methods. The analysis of scientific literature regarding to the medicinal plants containing alkaloids using the databases: eLibrary, PubMed, ResearchGate (20 sources). It was evaluated vegetal products and their homeopathic medicinal products with alkaloids following the State Nomenclature of Medicines from Republic of Moldova.Results. We mention that homeopathy is a concept for the manufacture and use of various highly diluted products to treat diseases, which was created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann. His doctrine was based on ‘like cures like’, whereby a substance that causes a symptom is used to treat the same symptom in illness. A second central principle is the ‘law of infinitesimals’, which involves a process of serial dilution and shaking that is asserted to increase potency. According to State Nomenclature of Medicines, the homeopathic pharmaceutical forms are presented in the top for tropane alkaloids: Belladonnae folia (Dentokind, Guna Dermo, Bronhalis Hell, Tonsilotren); followed by indole alkaloids: Strichni semina (Eubioflor, Guna Addict, Guna Bowel, Guna Digest, Nux-Vomica, Mucosa compositum) and isoquinoline alkaloids: Berberidis folia (Discus Compositum, Reneel, Guna Diur) and Chelidonii herba (Hepeel, Hepar Compositum, Guna Addict). Pyrrolizidene, quinolizidine and acyclic alkaloids are presented with a smaller number of homeopathic products that those with indole alkaloids. Conclusions. Alkaloids have approximately 50 homeopathic pharmaceutical products after State Nomenclature of Medicines from Republic of Moldova, mostly in tablets, oral and injectable solutions.