(Integrative Medicine) - The homeopathic remedy Traumeel S® may significantly reduce the severity and duration of stomatitis in people undergoing bone marrow transplantation, according to a new study conducted by American Cancer Society researchers. Stomatitis is a progressive and painful infection of the mouth and throat and is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Traumeel S® is a homeopathic remedy sold in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and contains extracts from several plants and minerals including arnica, St. John's wort, and echinacea. Thirty patients between the ages of 3 and 25 years who had undergone bone marrow transplantation (with chemotherapy) were randomly assigned to a Traumeel S® group or a placebo group. Patients in the homeopathy group experienced a significant reduction in symptoms of stomatitis compared to those in the placebo group. Five patients (33%) in the Traumeel S® group did not develop stomatitis compared to one patient (7%) in the placebo group. Stomatitis worsened in only 7 patients (47%) in the Traumeel S® group compared with 14 patients (93%) in the placebo group.

References

Oberbaum M, Yaniv I, Ben-Gal Y, et al. A randomized, controlled clinical trial of the homeopathic medication Traumeel S® in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis in children undergoing stem cell transplantation. Cancer. 2001;92(3):684-690.