Hypercholesterolemia : the role of homoeopathy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Taraxacum 5CH in the treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients, in terms of measuring the extent of change in serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LOL) and high density lipoprotein levels (HOL). The expected result was a resultant lowering of bath the TC and LOL levels, as well as an increase of the HOL levels. Convenience sampling was employed to draw patients from Technikon Natal, a Durban company and the general public from the greater Durban area. Only persons with raised TC and LOL levels were accepted into the trial. Of these one half constituted the control group and received only placebo, the remaining half made up the trial group and were treated with Taraxacum 5CH. The remedies were prepared and dispensed by a qualified pharmacist. Venous blood was obtained from all subjects before the trial and monthly, for three consecutive months, during the trial. A reputable pathology laboratory was employed to obtain lipogram studies of all blood samples. The participants were asked not to change their then present diets or lifestyles. Performing paired T-tests on the initial versus the final values of the control group revealed no statistically significant changes in the TC, LOL and HOL levels, whereas in the trial group a significant reduction was computed for the TC and LOL levels, as well as an insignificant increase of the HOL levels. Unpaired T-tests showed that the trial and control groups were not significantly different at the beginning ot the trial, but were found to have changed to become significantly different by the end of the trial with respects to TC and LOL levels. The HOL levels were dissimilar initially, but were shown to be significantly similar at the end of the trial.