Alcoholism and role of homoeopathy

Abstract

Alcohol consumption in higher amount is important risk factor for many health problems. Heavy alcohol drinking is an underlying cause for more than 30 conditions. Homoeopathic mode can help augment one’s will power & help in ease, beat one’s craving for alcohol, also strengthens the person’s overall mindset and constitution. Homoeopathy is based on individualized and homoeopathic remedy is selected on the basis of person’s personality, temperament, sensitivities, and idiosyncrasies. It has the potential to reinforce individuals physically and psychologically, while help them to over the problem of alcohol use and also in giving up the habit of drinking.

Keywords Alcohol, Alcohol Use Disorder, Homoeopathy, Alcoholism, Heavy drinking.

Abbreviations Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), World Health Organization (WHO).

Introduction

 Alcohol is widely use for drinking purpose in parties and occasion but people are addicted to it and leading the risk factor for personal disability and death, and the effects are seen more in adults.¹ The term alcoholism is referring to alcohol addiction, but clinical term use for alcohol addiction is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) which includes alcohol dependence and harmful use or alcohol abuse.²It significantly affects lifespan and Quality of life.¹Alcohol abuse is excessive drinking and it can be concernedas taking 8 or more than 8 drinks (1drink=14grams pure alcohol) for women per week and taking 15 or more than 15 drinks for men per week. The another form of alcohol abuse is binge drinking it defines that more than 4to5 and 5to6 drinks in one sitting for female and male.³ But among these no level of consumption is safe for our health. Because no study reveals that any moderate amount of alcohol is beneficial for health.⁴

Epidemiology

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that percent of alcohol death (7.7%) in men as compare to the all global death among women is (2.6%). In 2016, consumption of alcohol per capita in male19.4 liters and of pure alcohol and 7.0 liters in female. Individually factor includes gender, age family circumstances, economic and social welfare.⁵ 

Behavioral effects of alcohol are according to rising alcohol in blood:

• About (20-99mg/dl) cause impaired coordination and euphoria.
• About (100-199mg/dl) cause ataxia, poor judgment, labile mood.
• About (200-299mg/dl) cause marked ataxia and slurred speech, poor judgment, labile mood, nausea and vomiting.
• About (300mg/dl) cause stage one anesthesia, memory lapse, labile mood.
• About (400+ mg/dl) causes respiratory coma and death.⁶

Alcohol consumption ratio in India:

The consumption rate of alcohol is higher (1.6%) in urban area, (0.6%) in rural area. Consumption is common in scheduled tribes in women (6%) and male (33%) among any other caste. On the base of religion, more in other religion (48%), then in Christian (28%), Sikh(26%), Buddhist (24%), Hindu (20%), Muslim (5%).⁷

Complications of chronic misuse of alcohol

1. Social problem- It may include abusive nature, child abuse, marital tension, difficulties in financial Problem in work, unemployment etc.
2. Psychiatric and Cerebral consequences:-
3. Alcoholic Hallucination
4. Depression
5. Wernicke’s Encephalopathy is an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome resulting from thiamine deficiency, which is associated with mortality and morbidity. ⁸
6. Ataxia
7. Nystagmus
8. Opthalmoplagia
9. Korsakoff’s syndrome, Short term memory loss
10. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms- Emotional and behavioral changes.
11. Delirium Tremors– The delirium state which appear in severe alcohol withdrawal.⁹

Effects on Organs

• Pancreas and Liver: Acute Pancreatitis is more common, than general population. In liver it impairs the process of gluconeogenesis, it fall the amount of glucose produced from glycogen, there is decreasing the process of oxidation and accumulation of fatty cells in liver. With the normal drinking pattern the condition of fatty degeneration of liver cell is reversible, but in heavy drinking pattern it cause alcoholic fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, later cancer of liver cell may developed.
• Cardiovascular system: Ethanol decreases the contraction of myocardial, which result in peripheral vasodilatation and increase blood pressure and increase in cardiac output.
• Hematopoietic system: In acute, ethanol increase the size of RBC, which effect reflects on stem cell. In chronic, it can impair the production of WBC, decrease the mobility of granulocyte. Mild thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly with hepatic cirrhosis.
• Cancer: In women drinking more than normal limit can increase the risk of breast cancer, oral cancer, esophagus cancer, rectal cancer both in male and female.
• Other effect of ethanol: On repeated heavy drinking, it affects skeletal system which includes decrease calcium metabolism, decrease bone density, skeletal density, muscular weakness and hormonal imbalance.¹⁰

Repertorial approach¹¹

• Rubrics from Complete Repertory
• [COMPLETE MIND]

ALCOHOLISM, DIPSOMANIA

• [COMPLETE] [GENRALITIES]

FOOD and drinks alcohol, alcoholic drinks desires

FOOD and drinks alcohol, alcoholic drinks agg.  Alcoholism, in acute

• Rubrics from Phatak Repertory
• FOOD & DRINK, ALCOHOL
• CRAVINGS, ALCOHOL BEER
• ALCOHOLISM, LATER RECURRENT
• Rubrics from Clark Repertory
• Unassigned – Clinical

           ALCOHOL HABIT

• Rubrics from Kent Repertory
• Mind DIPSOMANIA
• Vertigo alcoholic liquors
• Stomach desire: alcoholic drinks
• Stomach Aversion: Alcoholic Stimulents

Homoeopathic Approach^{12 13 14}

Homoeopathic system is very effective method which can be use without any side effects, to treat persistent desire of alcohol or in alcohol withdrawal and de-addiction. Homoeopathic medicine work on withdrawal symptoms of alcohol and help to maintain the balance between mind and body.

Miasmatic Background

In homoeopathy we find that according to miasm the syphilis is responsible for many disease of nervous system, psychological disorders,depression, alcoholism, suicidal tendency, heart problem, behavioral changes. On basis of mind person become more violent and their behavior pattern totally changes, restlessness, fear, rage, jealously, more indulge towards the unnatural things.¹⁵

Homoeopathic Management

1.) Nux vomica – Useful in nervousness and weakness produced by taking alcohol and wine. patient live sedentary life with habit of drinking. Person can trouble with fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and gastric disturbance.

2.) Veratrum album –Its used to remove the bad effects of chewing tobacco and excessive use of alcohol with Fainting, trembling, cold limbs, small and irregular pulse weakness and cold perspiration on forehead and coldness of extremities.

3.) Opium: Ailments from drinking. There is a constant expression of fright, have visions of animal, ghost and uneasy sleep. It prevents the mental hallucination, illusion and terror.

4.) Sulphuric acid: Coldness stomach caused by water drunk, unless mixed with alcoholic liquor. Great debility in stomach with craving for stimulant. Sulphuric acid mixed with three parts of alcohol, ten to fifteen drops three times daily for several weeks, has been successfully used to

Subdue the craving for liquor.

5.) Arsenic album: Ailments from alcoholism and chewing tobacco. Great weakness, vision of ghost, with marked restlessness anxious and chilly. Drunkards present with trembling in limbs.

6.) Cannabis indicia: Alcohol produces violence and talkativeness delusion and hallucination related to exaggerated time and distance. Face flushed with dilated pupils.

7.) Kola: It promotes the appetite and digestion, and can diminish the craving for liquor. Gives power to endure prolonged physical exertion without taking food and without feeling fatigue.

8.) Apomorphinum: The chief power of this drug lies in the speedy and effective vomiting. The vomiting preceded by nausea, lassitude and increased secretion of sweat, saliva, mucus and tears.  Alcoholism, with constant insomnia, nausea and constipation. Violent inclination to vomit. Hot feeling all over body especially head.

9.) Ichthyolum: It can be use after bad effect of alcoholism, when nothing will stay in stomach. Irritable and depressed. Forgetful, lack of concentration. Disagreeable taste, burning sensation, very thirsty, Nausea, Increased appetite.

10.) Quercus glandium spiritus: Used this medicine to antidote the effects of. Takes away the craving for alcohol. Dropsy and liver affections.

11.) Strophanthus hispidus: Nausea with special disgust for alcohol and so aids in treatment of dipsomania. Urticaria, especially more chronic forms in alcohol drinkers. Swollen, dropsical. Anasarca in chronic alcoholic drinkers.

Discussion and Conclusion

Homoeopathic literature has abundance of medicine that are helpful in managing chronic disorders like alcoholism, but there is a lack of awareness among people and clinicians  regarding its effectiveness  due to limited information available. This article aims to bridge the gap between the homoeopathic literature available and use of remedies in cases of alcoholism in clinical practice with a miasmatic approach in alcoholism, rubrics from different repertories and symptoms from different materia medica’s has been mentioned. This is a subjective review of information, which emphasizes that if homoeopathic medicines are given on the basis of  totality of symptoms, these will help in treating symptoms of alcoholism as well as withdrawl symptoms of alcohol dependent cases and can reduce the problem of chemical dependence caused due to  conventional drugs.

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Author & co-author:-

1. Dr. Pooja Patidar, Department of Materia Medica, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic medical college, hospital and research centre.

2. Dr. Tanya Vaish, Department of Materia Medica, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic medical college, hospital and research centre.

3. Dr. Navroop Bhatia, Department of Materia Medica, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic medical college, hospital and research centre.

4. Dr. Prastuti Jaiswal, Assistent Prof. of Materia Medica, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic medical college, hospital and research centre.