24 Volume 1, Number 1 March 2012 www.gahmj.

com
GLOBAL ADVANCES IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE
Case Report
CASE REPORT
Successful Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis With
High-dilution Medicine
Barbara Sarter, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, DiHom; Prasanta Banerji, FMIH; Pratip Banerji, MD(Hom)
Author Affiliations
Barbara Sarter, PhD,
APRN, FNP-C, DiHom, is
an associate professor at
Hahn School of Nursing
and Health Sciences,
University of San Diego,
California. Prasanta
Banerji, FMIH, is managing
trustee and Pratip Banerji,
MD(Hom), is deputy
managing trustee at PBH
Research Foundation,
Kolkata, India.
Correspondence
Prasanta Banerji, FMIH
[email protected]
Citation
Global Adv Health Med.
2012;1(1):24-27.
Key Words
Viral hepatitis,
ultradilute medicines,
homeopathy, liver disease,
case reports, India
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Two cases of viral
hepatitis that had failed convention-
al therapy are presented. Both were
subsequently treated with protocols
using homeopathic medicines as
detailed below. Both patients sus-
tained remissions for 2 years afer
taking ultradilute natural medicines
afer their conventional treatment
had been discontinued.
Methods: The treatment protocol
included Chelidonium majus 6X and
Thuja 30C as the main medicines.
Other homeopathic medicines were
used as detailed below. Cases were
conrmed with standard hepatitis
antibody and viral measurements.
Patients were followed for more than
2 years with measurements of viral
counts, liver enzymes, and other rel-
evant biomarkers of liver disease.
Results: Both patients are alive and
functioning normally in their home
environments more than 2 years
afer treatment initiation.
Discussion: We review the litera-
ture related to the chief medicines
used in these cases and nd that they
have known and demonstrated ther-
apeutic efects suggesting plausible
mechanisms of action in these cases.
Conclusions: Clinical trials of this
homeopathic treatment protocol
should be conducted to explore the
therapeutic potential of these medi-
cines for treatment of viral hepatitis.
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RESUMEN
Introduccin: Se presentan dos casos
de hepatitis viral en los cuales la terapia
convencional no fue efectiva. Ambos
fueron tratados posteriormente segn
protocolos de uso de medicamentos
homeopticos, como se describe a con-
tinuacin. Ambos pacientes registraron
una remisin sostenida durante 2 aos,
luego de consumir medicamentos natu-
rales ultradiluidos y de que se descon-
tinuaran sus correspondientes trata-
mientos convencionales.
Mtodos: El protocolo de tratamiento
incluy como medicamentos princi-
pales Chelidonium majus (Celidonia
mayor) 6X y Thuja (Tuya) 30C. Se uti-
lizaron otros medicamentos homeopti-
cos, como se indica a continuacin. Se
conrmaron casos de desarrollo de anti-
cuerpos estndares contra la hepatitis y
mediciones de carga viral. Se realiz un
seguimiento de los pacientes durante
ms de 2 aos con mediciones de carga
viral, enzimas hepticas y otros marca-
dores biolgicos relevantes de enferme-
dades hepticas.
Resultados: Ambos pacientes viven y
se desenvuelven normalmente en sus
hogares, luego de transcurridos ms de
2 aos desde el inicio del tratamiento.
Discusin: Analizamos la informacin
relacionada con los medicamentos
principales empleados en estos casos y
descubrimos que tienen efectos tera-
puticos conocidos y demostrados que
sugeran mecanismos de accin convin-
centes aplicables a estos casos.
Conclusiones: Los ensayos clnicos
de este protocolo de tratamiento
homeoptico se deben llevar a cabo
para analizar los efectos teraputicos
potenciales de este tipo de medica-
mentos para el tratamiento de la hep-
atitis viral.
www.gahmj.com Volume 1, Number 1 March 2012 25
U
ltradilute, serially agitated solutions behave
quite differently than normal solutions; the
principles of their behavior are being actively
researched around the world.
1
Meanwhile, ultradilute
solutions in the form of homeopathic medicines are
widely sought and used clinically throughout the
world. In 1999, the US National Cancer Institutes
Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative
Medicines rigorous Best Case Series validated the
effectiveness of cancer treatment protocols in 14 cases
of different varieties of the disease using homeopathic
medicinal protocols developed at the Prasanta Banerji
Homeopathic Research Foundation (PBHRF) in
Kolkata, India, and identified studies in collaboration
with PBHRF as a funding priority.
2
Published research
reports also provide credible evidence of the mecha-
nisms of action and effectiveness of some of the proto-
cols used at PBHRF to treat cancer.
3-7

In addition to cancer, virtually all diseases are treated
at PBHRF with specific protocols using ultradilute medi-
cines. In this article, we report on 2 well-documented
cases of progressively worsening acute and chronic viral
hepatitis that responded to treatment with these medi-
cines per the Banerji Protocol.
CASE 1
On a routine health maintenance visit in 1994, a
37-year-old woman was found to have elevated liver
enzymes. Her first liver biopsy in January 1998 showed
grade 1 (of 4) inflammation and stage 1 to 2 (of 4) delicate
bridging fibrosis. Subsequent hepatitis C antibody test-
ing revealed chronic hepatitis C. Genotyping of the virus
in 1998 revealed type 1b with a viral count of 33000000
IU/mL. She enrolled in a clinical trial of pegylated inter-
feron (PEG-INF) subcutaneously 1.5 g/kg once a week
for 4 weeks followed by PEG-INF 0.5 g/kg once a week
for 44 weeks along with ribavirin 1000 mg orally daily,
which was reduced to 600 mg daily due to anemia at
treatment week 30. Serum levels of alanine aminotrans-
ferase reflected a response with relapse. Her virologic
response using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)based
assay for hepatitis C virus RNA showed a temporary
response. Posttreatment liver biopsy performed 6
months after completing treatment (in July 2000) was
scored as grade 3 of 4 inflammation and stage 1 of 4 fibro-
sis with piecemeal necrosis consistent with relapse. Her
viral count at that time was 16000000 IU/mL. A biopsy
conducted in December 2003 showed inflammation
grade 3 and fibrosis stage 3 of 4. She became increasingly
symptomatic with nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
In April 2004, she started a second course of PEG-INF
with ribavirin after undergoing whole-body hyperther-
mia. After 6 months, she was found to have no response
to the interferon, and the drugs were discontinued. A
biopsy in November 2005 showed stage 3 of 4 fibrosis
and moderate (3 of 4) portal inflammation. Viral count
in July 2006 was 14250000 IU/mL, and the patient was
found to have persistent stage 3 of 4 fibrosis and grade 3
of 4 inflammation with bridging necrosis.
In August 2006, the patient initiated treatment pre-
scribed by the PBHRF. The following protocol was used:
1. Chelidonium 6X twice a day,
2. Thuja 30C twice a day, and
3. Kalium muriaticum 3X and Ferrum phosphoricum
3X twice a day.
The 6X potency is the 6th decimal potency that is
achieved by serial dilution and agitation of the mother
tincture, or alcoholic extract, of the root of the plant
Chelidonium majus. Thuja 30C is likewise the 30th cen-
tesimal serial dilution and agitated product; here, the
alcoholic extract is from the fresh leaves and small twigs
of the young Thuja occidentalis plant. The Kali muriati-
cum 3X and Ferrum phosphoricum 3X are triturations
of the substances to the 3rd decimal potency. The medi-
cine was procured from reputable homeopathic drug
manufacturers and manufactured as per The
Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India.
Chelidonium 6X and Thuja 30C are our standard
protocol for cases of chronic viral hepatitis. Chelidonium
has a strong body of research supporting its use for liver
disease, and Thuja is effective in treating a wide variety
of viral infections (see Discussion section). The combina-
tion of Kali muriaticum and Ferrum phosphoricum is
our standard protocol for treatment of anemia, which
this patient experienced as a side effect of interferon/
ribavirin therapy.
The patient adhered to this protocol for 2 years
and was rebiopsied in the United States in December
2008. Her inflammation was reduced to stage 1 of 4,
and her fibrosis had regressed to stage 0-1a of 4. She
used no other treatments during this time period. She
no longer experiences daily nausea and has regained
her normal body weight. Her viral count in December
2009 was 7 IU/mL. As of June 2011, she remained in
remission and continued treatment with Chelidonium
6X twice a day. Table 1 provides a summary of the rel-
evant biomarkers.
CASE 2
In late November 2007, a 28-year-old male was
admitted to the premier Indian medical institution, the
All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Delhi,
for a case of hepatitis B virus (HBV)related chronic
ULTRADILUTE MEDICINES FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS
Case Report
TABLE 1 Case 1: Chronic Active Hepatitis C
a

Test Reference Range Date Patient Value
HCV RNA 0-7 IU/mL Jul 2006 14 250 000
Dec 2009 7
Liver biopsy Stage 0 inflammation;
stage 0 fibrosis;
Nov 2005 Stage 3 inflammation;
stage 3 fibrosis;
bridging necrosis
Dec 2008 Stage 1 inflammation;
stage 0-1a fibrosis;
no necrosis
a
Homeopathic treatment initiated August 2006; as of June 2011, patient remained in remission.
Abbreviations: HCV, hepatitis C virus; RNA, ribonucleic acid; PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
26 Volume 1, Number 1 March 2012 www.gahmj.com
GLOBAL ADVANCES IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE
Case Report
liver disease decompensated by acute hepatitis E virus
(HEV) infection. He also had developed spontaneous
bacterial peritonitis. His clinical history included a
rapidly progressing jaundice followed by pedal edema,
ascites, fever, and abdominal tenderness. Viral anti-
body testing revealed a positive Australia antigen (hep-
atitis B surface antigen), negative immunoglobulin M
for hepatitis B core antigen, HBV DNA 1300 copies/mL,
and positive immunoglobulin M antibody for HEV. At
AIIMS, he was treated with intravenous glycyrrhizin
(0.2%) 60 mL daily for 6 weeks, and then the dose was
reduced to 3 times a week. Additionally, he received
daily diuretic treatment with spironolactone/furose-
mide (Lasilactone, Sanofi-Aventis) 50 to 75 mg per day,
20% albumin 100 mL intravenously daily for the first 2
months of hospitalization, cefuroxime axetil (Ceftum,
GlaxoSmithKline) 500 mg twice a day for 4 weeks, and
lamivudine-HBV 100 mg daily.
After 6 weeks of hospitalization and treatment at
AIIMS, the patients serum bilirubin continued to be mark-
edly elevated and alanine transaminase was continuously
75 times normal, indicating failure of conservative treat-
ment. Endoscopy revealed esophageal varices. The cancer
antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen were negative.
The patient and his parents were advised of the need for a
liver transplant. They refused to have him placed on the
transplant list, and he was discharged in January 2008 and
returned to Kolkata. After repeated episodes of spontane-
ous bacterial peritonitis requiring multiple hospitaliza-
tions in Kolkata, he developed right hepatic hydrothorax.
At this point, the patient sought treatment at PBHRF.
On first presenting at PBHRF on August 22, 2008, he had
severe ascites, dyspnea without exertion, abdominal pain,
and 4+ pitting edema in the lower extremities. Treatment
was initiated with the following protocol:
1. Chelidonium 6X 3 drops alternating 3 times a day
with
2. Carduus marianus (milk thistle) mother tincture 10
drops,
3. Thuja 30C 2 pills once every evening,
4. Lycopodium clavatum 30C 3 drops 3 times a day, and
5. Belladonna 3C alternating with Carduus marianus
mother tincture every 10 minutes as needed for pain.
In addition to our first-line agent, Chelidonium, we
added Carduus marianus, as it has a long history of use in
traditional herbal medicine for support of liver problems.
Thuja again was prescribed as an antiviral agent.
Lycopodium is our first-line agent for treatment of edema
or fluid retention of any kind. Belladonna is one of our first-
line agents for pain, particularly pain of visceral origin.
When the patients condition did not improve, on
September 15, 2008, Myrica (bayberry) mother tincture
was added, alternating every 3 hours with Chelidonium
6X, and Carduus was discontinued. On September 27,
acetic acid 30C, another of our prime medicines for water
retention and effusions, 3 drops 3 times a day replaced the
Lycopodium for management of the ascites. By December
13, 2008, the patients pleural effusion was clearing, asci-
tes had decreased substantially, and urine output
improved significantly. Clinic notes from January 7, 2009,
reported worsening of the pleural effusion and ascites,
and treatment exclusively by PBHRF continued with the
expectation that improvement was likely to recur. By
March 2009, the patient was reporting a sustained
improvement in symptoms, and the pleural effusion and
ascites had almost completely subsided. On June 3, 2009,
the HBV DNA count was 5.82 copies, and the patient was
feeling well. Blood work done on May 9, 2009, revealed
liver function tests generally near the normal range, as
indicated in Table 2. Table 2 also shows the continued
improvement in liver function tests when retested in
December 2009. As of June 2011, the patient continued to
feel well, having been in remission for 2 years.
DISCUSSION
The protocols used in these cases were developed
based on the extensive experience of the physicians at
PBHRF, which spans several generations, as well as the
known actions of its specific component medicines. We
will briefly review the research literature that is avail-
able on these medicinal substances.
Chelidonium majus (greater celandine) is an herb
with documented hepatotoxic properties in its undilut-
ed tincture or herbal form,
8-10
but it has also been shown
to have hepatoprotective, antitumor, and immunostim-
ulatory actions.
11
Thuja occidentalis has been reported to
have similar hepatoprotective and antitumor
effects.
4,12-17
Thuja and its related species also have been
reported to have antiviral
13,18
and antimetastatic
4
prop-
erties. Myrica, or bayberry, is a common herb that is high
in tannins; there is virtually no research documenting its
effectiveness in treatment of liver disease, but standard
Table 2 Case 2: Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis E Virus
a
Test Reference Range Date Patient Value
INR 0.9-1.1 May 2009 1.9
Dec 2009 1.2
tBili <1.0 mg/dL Dec 2007 31.9
May 2009 1.37
Dec 2009 1.21
AST 10-60 IU/L Dec 2007 324
May 2009 65
Dec 2009 36
ALT 10-60 IU/L Dec 2007 241
May 2009 41
Dec2009 25
Alk phos 40-120 IU/L May 2009 275
Dec 2009
GGT 0-60 IU/L May 2009 56
Dec 2009 42
a
Homeopathic treatment initiated August 2008; as of June 2011, the patient remained in remission.
Abbreviations: Alk phos, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase;
GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; INR, international normalized ratio; tBili, total bilirubin.
www.gahmj.com Volume 1, Number 1 March 2012 27
ULTRADILUTE MEDICINES FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS
Case Report
homeopathic references all list jaundice as one of its
principle indications.
19
Carduus marianus (milk thistle)
was reviewed recently in the Cochrane database. The
conclusion of this rigorous review was that
milk thistle could potentially afect alcoholic and/
or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases. Therefore,
large-scale randomized clinical trials on milk
thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C liver
diseases versus placebo are needed.
20
The larger issue is how ultradilute, serially agitated
preparations of these biologically active substances are
able to exert therapeutic effects even when the dilutions
exceed Avogadros number, which is the case for the
dilutions of 30C used in the Banerji Protocol for hepati-
tis. The preparations of Chelidonium are diluted to a
factor of 1/1000000; this explains the lack of toxicity
observed in the normally hepatotoxic Chelidonium
when in its crude form but does not explain its effective-
ness as a hepatoprotectant. The emerging disciplines of
complexity, nanoscience, and materials science offer
some hypotheses on how these ultradilute medicines
may still maintain biological activity.
21
One research
team advocated the hypothesis based on available scien-
tific evidence and logic that one major pathway of ultra-
dilute homeopathic drugs could possibly be through
regulation of expression of relevant genes.
1
A recent
study by Frenkel et al provided solid support for this
hypothesis.
3
The medicines used by PBHRF for treat-
ment of breast cancer were tested in vitro at the
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Houston. The remedies exerted preferential cytotoxic
effects against 2 breast cancer cell lines, causing cell
cycle delay/arrest and apoptosis. The researchers demon-
strated a clear biological activity of the tested natural
products (Phytolacca, Carcinosin, Conium, and Thuja)
when present at ultradiluted doses.
Despite the lack of a proven explanation for how
these ultradilute medicines exert their effects, there is
significant laboratory evidence that highly dilute toxins
can paradoxically protect the very tissues they harm in
macrodoses. There are several reports of liver damage
reversal in mice with ultradilutions of arsenic trioxide
after exposure to toxic doses of the same substance.
5,22

One randomized double-blind placebo-controlled
human study documented favorable improvements in
multiple markers of arsenic toxicity after 2 months of
treatment with a serially agitated dilution (1:100 dilu-
tion 30 times) of arsenic,
23
or the 30th centesimal
potency. A recent review of the in vitro research on seri-
ally diluted and agitated solutions concluded that even
the studies with high methodological standards demon-
strated an effect of these solutions.
24

A number of articles has been published in medi-
cal journals denouncing categorically the use of
homeopathic medicine, claiming that there is no evi-
dence to support any further research into their thera-
peutic effects. Clearly, even in this very brief research
review and in these case reports, there is enough to
suggest that this is an area that should be further
explored. The era of nanomedicine is upon us and
requires a fresh look at medicines that are ultradiluted.
A major advantage of treating disease with ultradilute
solutions is that adverse effects are virtually eliminat-
ed. The case reports in this article will, hopefully,
inspire a fresh interest and further research in this
fascinating and controversial area of therapeutics.
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