Background: In complementary and alternative medicinal systems, the Arsenicum album in ultra-high dilution was used in various therapeutic conditions, considering its effects on the body's immune system, including the COVID-19 pandemic. However, scientific evidence regarding its immunomodulatory effects is insufficient.
Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of Arsenicum album in an experimental mouse model.
Materials and methods: Immunomodulatory activity of potentized dilutions of Arsenicum album i.e., 6C, 30C, 200C in BALB/c mice was evaluated by humoral antibody titer and delayedtype hypersensitivity assays wherein a fixed concentration (0.5 ml of 1× 109 cells/ml) of freshly prepared sheep RBC was administered as a foreign antigen to generate primary and secondary antibodies.
Results: Arsenicum album showed significant immunomodulatory activity by increasing primary antibody titer evaluated on day 21 of the treatment in all the dilutions as compared to SRBC and vehicle control group in humoral immune response assay without showing any effect on delayed-type hypersensitivity.
Conclusion: The results of this preliminary study indicate that oral administration of Arsenicum album has the potential to augment primary humoral response at all dilutions. Hence, the possibility of using the Arsenicum album could be explored to treat immunological conditions, infections, etc., as an alternative therapy alongwith modern medicines.
Keywords: Arsenicum album; homoeopathy; humoral immunity; immunization.; immunomodulation; sheep red blood cells.
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