Treatment with at Homeopathic Complex Medication Modulates Mononuclear Bone Marrow Cell Differentiation

Abstract

A homeopathic complex medication (HCM), with immunomodulatory properties, is recommended for patients with depressed immune systems. Previous studies demonstrated that the medication induces an increase in leukocyte number. The bone marrow microenvironment is composed of growth factors, stromal cells, an extracellular matrix and progenitor cells that differentiate into mature blood cells. Mice were our biological model used in this research. We now reportin vivoimmunophenotyping of total bone marrow cells andex vivoeffects of the medication on mononuclear cell differentiation at different times. Cells were examined by light microscopy and cytokine levels were measuredin vitro. Afterin vivotreatment with HCM, a pool of cells from the new marrow microenvironment was analyzed by flow cytometry to detect any trend in cell alteration. The results showed decreases, mainly, in CD11b and TER-119 markers compared with controls. Mononuclear cells were used to analyze the effects ofex vivoHCM treatment and the number of cells showing ring nuclei, niche cells and activated macrophages increased in culture, even in the absence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Cytokines favoring stromal cell survival and differentiation in culture were inducedin vitro. Thus, we observe that HCM is immunomodulatory, either alone or in association with other products.