Causticum hahnemanni, Conium maculatum and Lycopodium clavatum highly diluted medications decreases parasitemia in mice infected by Trypanosoma cruzi

Introduction: Benznidazole is the only medicine available in Brazil for Chagas ￠a a ￠ disease treatment, however it presents low efficacy in the chronic phase and several adverse effects [1-3]. Aim: Evaluate the effect of Causticum hahnemanni, Conium maculatum and Lycopodium clavatum [4-6] administered to mice infected with T. cruzi. Method: In blind randomized controlled trial 42 male Swiss mice, 8 weeks of age, have been grouped: GCaus ￠a a€ treated with C. hahnemanni 13cH (n=10), GCon ￠a a€ treated with C. maculatum 13 cH (n=11), GLy ￠a a€ treated with L. clavatum13cH (n=10) and CG ￠a a€ control group (n=11) treated with 7% hydro alcoholic solution 13cH. The animals were infected intraperitoneally with 1.400 blood trypomastigotes of T. cruzi - Y strain. Medications were been prepared according to Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia [7]. Medication was diluted in water (1mL/100mL) offered ad libitum, from amber recipient during 16 hours administered 48 hours before infection and 48, 96 and 144 hours after inoculation. Parasitological parameters assessed: total parasitemia (TP), maximum peak of parasites (MPP), pre-patent period (PPP) and area under curve (AUC). Parasitemia was evaluated daily counting from the first day of infection. Clinical parameters assessed: weight, temperature, water and food intake and excreta were measured counting from the 5 o day before infection until animals ￠a a ￠ death or checking negative parasitemia for 3 consecutive days. Mortality was registered for 75 days after infection. Ethics Committee for Experiments in Animals gave approval UEM 054/11. Statistical comparison of data was performed with Kruskal-Wallis test, with 5% significance. Results and Discussion: The diluted medications have been significantly reduced the parasitological parameters: MPP (p<0,0000), TP (p<0,0000) and AUC (9,7 ±3,5)x109; (6,2 ±1,7)x109; (5,5 ±1,7)x109; (5,7 ±1,5)x109 (p<0,0001) measured in trypomastigotes/mL, considering CG, GCaus, GCon and GLy respectively. Besides, they increased the PPP for GCaus, GCon and GLy (5,07 ±0,54; 5,40 ±1,29; 5,91 ±1,1) in relation to CG (4,75 ±1,00) (p<0,0001). Survival was significantly different between groups (p=0,0001), with Ly showing survival estimate of 0,29 (IC: 0,182 ￠a a€ 1) versus 0,125 from CG (IC: 0,02 ￠a a€ 0,782) until the 21st day of infection. GCaus and GCon showed survival estimate 0 for 18 and 17 days, respectively. GLy presented significant increase in water intake (p=0,0000) and higher temperature control, lowering hypothermia before death (p<0,0000). Concl