Individualized Homeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Tinea Corporis: Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

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Introduction Tinea corporis (TC; ringworm or dermatophytosis) is a superficial skin infection caused by Microsporum, Epidermophyton and Trichophyton genera of dermatophytes. We compared the effects of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) in fifty-millesimal (LM) potencies against placebo in TC.

Methods A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, two parallel arms trial was conducted on 62 individuals suffering from TC at the National Institute of Homoeopathy, India. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either IHMs in LM potencies or identical-looking placebos for a period of 3 months. The primary outcome measure was the number of participants showing complete disappearance of skin lesions after 3 months. Secondary outcomes were a numeric rating scale (NRS) measuring intensity of itching and the Skindex-29 questionnaire (overall, and three sub-scales—degree of symptoms, psychological functioning, emotional status). All were assessed at baseline and every month, up to 3 months. The intention-to-treat sample was analyzed to detect inter-group differences using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance after adjusting for baseline differences.

Results The primary outcome revealed no improvement in either of the groups (χ 2 = 0.012, p = 0.999). Inter-group differences in some of the secondary outcomes favored IHMs against placebo—itching NRS (mean group difference after 3 months: −0.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], −1.1 to −0.4; p = 0.001); Skindex-29 overall (mean group difference after 3 months: 3.2 [95% CI, −0.6 to 7.0; p = 0.009]), Skindex-29 degree of symptoms (mean group difference after 3 months: 0.9 [95% CI, −0.2 to 1.9; p = 0.007]); and Skindex-29 psychological functioning (mean group difference after 3 months: 1.7 [95% CI, 0–3.4; p = 0.002]).

Conclusion Results were negative on the primary outcome; however, secondary outcomes included some statistically significant results favoring IHMs against placebo after 3 months.

Trial registration CTRI/2019/11/021999; UTN: U1111–1242–0070.

Keywords homeopathy - itching - placebo - randomized controlled trial - Skindex-29 - Tinea corporis Authors' Contributions

B.L., S.P., A.C. and N.K.S. contributed toward concept, literature search, and preparation of the article; B.L., S.P., A.C., A.K., D.B., P.B., S.D., and S.P. contributed toward the clinical study and data acquisition; M.K. and S.S. developed the concept and did the study design, data interpretation, statistical analysis, and preparation of the article. All the authors reviewed and approved the final article.


Author Disclosure Statement

None declared.


Publication History

Received: 04 November 2021

Accepted: 16 March 2022

Article published online:
19 September 2022

© 2022. Faculty of Homeopathy. This article is published by Thieme.

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