Homeopathy and the menopause

Abstract

Significant numbers of patients in developed countries use complementary, alternative, or unconventional medicine. Homoeopathy is one of the most widespread and controversial of these therapies and has been used for over 150 years. There are two main theoretical tenets: the principle of "similars" and the use of dilutions called "potencies". The principle of "similars" states that patients with particular signs and symptoms can be cured if given a drug that produces the same signs and symptoms in a healthy individual. The second principle is that remedies retain biological activity if they are repeatedly diluted and agitated or shaken between each dilution. Data from case histories, observational studies and uncontrolled trials suggest that the homeopathic approach can offer a clinically relevant choice for women with menopausal symptoms and those with breast cancer whether they are taking tamoxifen or not. Randomised controlled trials are being conducted to investigate this potential benefit.