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Biomedical subjects

Menachem Oberbaum

Publications and source records attributed to Menachem Oberbaum.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Inhibition of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion from resting and activated human immunocytes by the homeopathic medication Traumeel S.

Traumeel S (Traumeel), a mixture of highly diluted (10(-1)-10(-9)) extracts from medicinal plants and minerals is widely used in humans to relieve trauma, inflammation and degenerative processes. However, little is known about its possible effects on the behavior of immune cells. The effects of Traumeel were examined in vitro on the ability of resting and PHA-, PMA- or TNF-alpha-activated human T cells, monocytes, and gut epithelial cells to secrete the prototypic pro-inflammatory mediators IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IL-8 over a period of 24-72 h. Traumeel inhibited the secretion of all three agents in resting, as well as activated immune cells. IL-beta secretion was reduced by up to 70% in both resting and activated cells; TNF-alpha secretion was reduced by up to 65 and 54%, respectively, and IL-8 secretion was reduced by 50% in both resting and activated cells (P < 0.01 for all cells). Interestingly, the effect appeared to be inversely dose-related; maximal inhibition (usually 30-60% inhibition; P < 0.01) was seen with dilutions of 10(-3)-10(-6) of the Traumeel stock material. This finding suggests that Traumeel does not inhibit immune cells functions by exerting a toxic effect. Indeed, Traumeel did not affect T cell and monocyte proliferation. Although additional studies are needed to clarify the mode of action of Traumeel and to demonstrate causative relationship between the inhibition of cytokine/chemokine secretion in cell culture and the reported clinical effects of the preparation, our in vitro results offer a mechanism for the anti-inflammatory effects of Traumeel observed in clinical use.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2003

Clinical trials of classical homeopathy: reflections on appropriate research designs.

The growing popularity of complementary medicine has been accompanied by a call for controlled clinical studies to examine the efficacy and validity of its various methods. The difficulties encountered in applying the evaluation methods of conventional medicine to complementary medicine are the result of the different paradigms underlying these two methods of medicine, and the differences in the healing process. This paper attempts to bridge the gap between these two approaches and to suggest a possibility to use conventional research methodology in clinical studies of classical homeopathy. Two methods are described. One is the randomization into a placebo or a treatment group after an individual remedy is chosen for each patient. This method requires an experienced homeopath and is reproducible only by the same homeopath in the same population. On the other hand, the expected success rate will be high. Another method is prescribing and treating according to so-called keynotes, a set of symptoms known to respond to a particular remedy that must be present in a patient in order to elicit a reaction from the remedy. This method is more suitable to a conventional design of a clinical study and is reproducible by anyone. Yet the expected success rate is much lower. Some general design issues that may have a particular impact on clinical trials of classical homeopathy are discussed, including the need for sufficiently powered trials to detect relatively small effects, strategies to deal with patient preference and embracing the use of "active-control" pragmatic trial designs.

Homeopathy↗
PubMed2003

Attitude of medical students to the introduction of complementary medicine into the medical curriculum in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Complementary medicine is gaining in public popularity, yet medical school curricula usually ignore it. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether senior medical students are interested in learning principles of complementary or alternative medicine, to check their degree of familiarity with it, and to suggest a format for such studies in the medical curriculum. METHODS: Senior medical students (n = 117) were surveyed by an anonymous questionnaire. RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent of the senior medical students were interested in studying complementary or alternative medicine in medical school, and 65% were interested in applying these techniques to treat patients. Eighty-seven percent of students were familiar with some techniques of complementary medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Senior medical students are interested in studying complementary and alternative medicine in medical school and in applying these techniques in practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗