Homoeopathic management of pituitary macroadenoma: A case report

Abstract

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are usually slow growing and non-malignant, but place a heavy burden on patients and health-care systems. The estimated worldwide prevalence of PAs is 17%. Trans-sphenoidal surgical adenoma resection is the initial treatment chosen for all tumours except prolactinomas. Radiation is reserved for patients in whom tumour size, hormone levels or both cannot be adequately reduced after surgery, drug therapy or both. There are published case reports showing promising results in PAs treated with homoeopathy. This paper describes a case on pituitary macroadenoma successfully treated with a single homoeopathic medicine, following the basic principles of homoeopathy. The case was repertorised using O. E. Boericke’s repertory to select the homoeopathic remedy. Menyanthes trifoliata 30c was prescribed as an individualised homoeopathic medicine on the basis of symptoms followed by M. trifoliata 200c when the intensity of headache increased. The patient improved symptomatically as evidenced by relief in headache and visual blurring; the adenoma shrank from 1.0 × 1.3 × 1 cm to 3.3 × 4.1 × 2.9 mm. Homoeopathic remedies are helpful in PAs to reduce tumour size and relieve symptoms.