A homoeopathic drug proving of Hoodia gordonii 30CH, with a subsequent comparison of proving symptomatology to its toxicology as a raw substance and to homoeopathic remedies of repertorial similarity

Abstract

Introduction The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Hoodia gordonii 30CH on healthy provers, and to record the clearly observable signs and symptoms produced and the subsequent comparison to its toxicology as a raw substance and to homoeopathic remedies of reportorial similarity.

Methodology The investigation was a randomised, double-blind placebo controlled trial, using the substance in the 30th potency. This was prepared according to the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia. A sample of 20 provers, in good health, was recruited. Sixteen received verum as the experimental group and four in the control group received a placebo. Each of the 20 provers received a journal in which they recorded symptoms on a daily basis for a period of six weeks, including a one week observation prior to taking the powders, and a period of five weeks after administration of the powders. The information from the journals and case histories was edited, collated and translated into materia medica and repertory language and used to compile a proving profile of the remedy by qualitative methods. The remedy was only revealed to the participants after completion of the proving study period.

The researcher compared the similarities and new symptoms of the remedy with the existing knowledge of its toxicology to prove the first hypothesis. A detailed and extensive literature review of Hoodia gordonii’s unique characteristics was conducted. A further comparison with other similar remedies according to the highest numerical number of rubrics on repertorisation was conducted.

Results The proving remedy produced a wide variety of symptoms on the mental, emotional and physical levels of which many had polarities. In broad terms the following were identified from the proving symptoms of Hoodia gordonii: • Increased confidence and feeling refreshed, renewed energy, cheerfulness, concentration, alertness, calm, forgetfulness, unhappy, sadness and depression with desire to be left alone. • Anxiety for unknown reason and for the future, about finances; restlessness and busyness. • Tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion. • Positive feeling regarding home and family. • Mental exhaustion and aversion to study. • Common sensations were throbbing, pulsating, sharp, aching, heat, pressing, heavy, pulling, splitting, cramps. • Perceived attack or danger in dreams. • Painless diarrhea and constipation, nausea, headaches, vertigo, sore red eyes, nasal congestion and sinuses, toothache, tonsillitis and dryness of throat; bronchitis, heart palpitations. • Menses with breast tenderness and increased sexual stimulation, joint pain. • Unquenchable thirst, polyuria, appetite increase and decrease, sleeplessness and sleepiness with deep sleep, cold, increase perspiration, influenza and depressed immune function.

Conclusion The data obtained from this proving study of Hoodia gordonii when comparing the new symptoms of the remedy with similarities to the existing knowledge of its toxicology proved the first hypothesis to be true. Three hundred and twenty four rubrics were produced and 17 were new rubrics; of these a total of 20 rubrics that represented the essence of the remedy were selected and used in the repertorisation process. A comparison of the highest numerical value of rubrics with other similar remedies on repertorisation found Hoodia gordonii 30CH to be most similar to: Atropa belladonna, Phosphorus, Lachesis mutus, Sulphur and Veratrum album.