Fabíola Fernandes Schwartz
Key words: homeopathy, neoplasia, dairy cattle
Role of Livestock in Sustainable Agriculture IAHA Pre-Conference on Organic Animal Husbandry November 7-8, 2017 linked to the 19th Organic World Congress, New Delhi, India, November 9-11, 2017 Organized by IAHA, FiBL, OFAI, NCOF, ICAR-IVRI , ANTHRA, IFOAM
Acknowledgments
I thank the workers at Antiga Fazenda da Conceição (Old Conceição Farm) in Lorena/SP/Brazil for administering the reccommended treatment dutifully and with care. The positive results described in this article could not have been achieved without their dedication.
Introduction
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are malign tumours in the epithelial spinous layer. There are many factors associated with their development, such as prolonged exposition to ultraviolet radiation, lack of epidermal pigmentation or sparse fur coverage in the affected region.
The tumour may present dermal hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, keratinocyte and dysplasia.
In the female reproductive system SCC occurs mainly in the vulva of sheep, goats and bovines living in areas exposed to high levels of solar radiation, common in tropical countries like Brazil.
This neoplasia may cause important productive and reproductive consequences, incurring economic losses due to reduced production and carcass condemnation in the slaughter process. The most common threatment is complete excision or cryosurgery. In accordance with organic production norms, the condition was treated non-surgically, with the use of homeopathy. Case report - Material and methods
At an organic dairy farm in Brazil, a 10 years old female crossbred cow (¾ Holstein (H) and ¼ Gyr (G) breeds) exhibited vulvar neoplasia 4cm by 6cm.
The studied cow’s vulvar lesion diagnosis was based on the lesion’s macroscopic characteristics, which exhibited a papillary growth pattern, with keratosis and displaying a vegetative aspect, presumptive of SCC
Considering the varying results obtained from surgical and cryosurgical treatments and adhering to organic milk production handling norms (IN46 from 2011 by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, which commands in Article 60 that priority is given to the use of natural therapies in animal treatment, such as homeopathy, phytotherapy, acupuncture and others), the condition was treated non-surgically with the use of homeopathy.
The rubrics considered for repertorization in order to define the appropriate homeopathic protocol were “genitals”, “female”, “cancer” and “vagina”. Kreosotum (12 cH) was chosen due to the lesion’s macroscopic characteristics and location: epithelioma, mucous membrane puffed and follicles often hypertrophied, cauliflower excrescences around uterus (Hering C 1974; Vijnovsky 1978).
Viscum album was also administered after taking into consideration the animal’s history of ocular neoplasia (an eyelid tumor surgically removed 3 years before). Viscum album is an antroposophical medication used to treat cancer, pre-cancer conditions and chronic multisystemic diseases. Mimicking the progressive dosing mode of use advocated by antroposophical theory, it was administered in ascending scale potencies (3 cH, 6 cH, 9 cH), with each potency administered vaginally for 10 consecutive days, once a day with 10 drops. After an interval of 7 days, the cycle of Viscum album was repeated in ascending scale potencies (3 cH, 6 cH, 9 cH), for 7 consecutive days each.
Kreosotum 12 cH, was administered vaginally for ten consecutive days, once a day with 10 drops. While both medicines were administered during the same period, Kreosotum was used in the morning and Viscum in the afternoon.
Results
This clinic case is illustrated with the photographs below, highlighting the positive evolution of the lesion in the period. The picures contained in figures 1-5 illustrate the evolution and resolution of the condition.
Within 40 days of treatment (figure 5), there was almost complete regression of the tumor and restoration of the animal’s normal reproductive life (figure 6).
Figure 3:
Lesion measurement (4cm by 6cm), on 24.02.2016
Figure 5:
Lesi aspect 40 days after treatment, on 08.04.2016
Figure 1 and Figure 2: Initial lesion aspect
Figure 4: Lesion measurement (4cm by 6cm), on 24.02.2016 Figure 6: Normal parturition: on 15.06.2016
Discussion
Ramos (2008) noticed that SCC are among the tumours with highest occurrence in bovines. Despite being easily diagnosed, treatment in productive animals often becomes unviable considering condition stage, local infiltration level, animal value and post-surgical caring needs. Therefore, the alternative of using homeopathic therapy represents a possibility of cure within organic production norms using low-cost medication that allows a rapid return to normal
productive and reproductive life, and avoids the need for surgical procedures or post-surgical lesion treatment and brief.
Regarding the choice for the use of an ascending scale of the homeopathic medicine, this is supported by Coelho et al. (2006) based on their assessment of the relevance of mimicking clinical conditions. In doctrinal terms, ascending potencies are always the way to go in chronic ailments. That way, a higher level of healing energy is made available for reaction by the vital force.
References
Coelho C P, Almeida V D et al. (2006) Therapeutic and pathogenetic animal models for Dolichos pruriens. Homeopathy 95, 136–143. doi:10.1016/j.homp.2006.03.004, available online at http://www. sciencedirect.com
Hering C. The Guiding symptoms of our Materia Medica (1879), (Re-printed 1974), New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers.
Ramos A T, Souza A B, Norte D M, Ferreira L M, Fernandes C G (2008) Tumores em animais de produção: aspectos comparativos. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, v.38, n.1, p.148-154, jan-fev. Vijnovsky B. (1978) Tratado de Matéria Médica Homeopática.
Abstract
Coconut water (CW), is a natural sterile nutritious medium. CW possesses beneficial effects that can reduce oxidative stress. Garlic, is also known for its antioxidant effects. Treatment with coconut water and garlic is more natural, less expensive and may have less side effects, than chemicals. This study examined the combined effects of both CW and Garlic extracts on rooster sperm cells when used as an extender. Efficacy was assessed using routine semen characteristics and fertility protocols. Fresh and dried garlic extracts were assessed for their antioxidant activities. Coconut water extender was prepared and 6% of wet and dried garlic extracts each were added to the extender. The trials constituted four different treatments, viz: Neat semen(control), Coconut-water extender(CWE), Coconut-water fresh garlic(CWFGE) and Coconut-water dried garlic(CWDGE). Pooled ejaculate of cock semen was divided into four equal parts and randomly allotted to these treatments in ratio of 1:3 (semen:extender). The results were subjected to ANOVA. The results of the study revealed that DG had higher antioxidant activities than WG with the values of 545.30 and 331.20/100g of samples respectively. CWDG had the lowest motility of 80.00% and was significantly different from all the other treatments in which motility ranged from 88.33% to 94.33% respectively. A Viability and Hypo osmotic swelling test (HOST) showed no significant difference within the treatments with values ranging from 95.00% to 91.33% and 93.00% to 86.7% respectively. The fertility percentage, a yardstick for reproductive ability was highest in NS followed by CWDGE, CWE and CWFGE with the values of 84.60%, 80.00%, 75.00% and 15.38% respectively. This experiment suggests that CWDGE is the best extender of the three for poultry insemination, with a fertility record comparable to NS.