Subacute intoxication with lead in rats: influence of the homoeopathic remedy Plumbum metallicum versus penicillinamine

Author(s): Guillemain, J., Narcisse, G. , Ernouf, D. C. , Sepchat, P.

Journal/Book: Proc GIRI. 1989; 3: 124-125.

Abstract: Thirty years ago, L. Wurmser demonstrated that homeopathic potencies of Arsenicum album could be used to increase excretion of arsenic. Since, then, independant groups have reported the sarne effect or a decrease of death with arsenic, bismuth, mercury. Vischniac and then Fischer reported the effect of horneopathic dilutions of lead on uri- nary lead excretion as compared to distilled water and/or chelating agents. However this latter study was not confirmed by Fisher et al. We report herein a repetition with some modifications of the first experirnent by Fisher. Forty animals ( adult male Wistar rats weighing 180-200g) divided into 4 batches of 10 were treated orally with lead acetate equivalent to metallic lead at 1mg/kg daily for 7 days. At the end of this period, the animals were individualy housed in metabolism cages and treated as follows: Batch 1: water ( preparation for injection); Batch 2: Plumbum metallicumm 7 C; Batch 3: Plumbum metallicum 30C; Batch 4: penicillamine 10 mg/kg. The animals received 2 ml daily between 0900 and 1000 by intubation for 7 days. Plumbum metallicurn was prepared in distilled water afier the third potency. Urinary volume, creatine, lead and delta-aminolevulinic acid excretion were monitored for 14 days, during treatment and for 7 days as follows: Day 1: 24 h after the last high dose of lead; Day 2: 24 h after the first treatment; Day 5: 24 h after the fourth treatment; Day 8: 24 h after the last treat- ment; Day 14: 7 days after the last treatment. We havc partially reproduced the stimulation of lead excretion previously reported by Vischniac and Fisher. Only urinary lead excretion after the first treatment by Plumbum metallicum 7 C was significantly different from the control group. Moreover, in animals treated with Plumbum 7 C and penicilla- mine, the excretion kinetics of lead were faster than for the other groups.

Keyword(s): hom. br. exp. anim. intox. plumbum. penicillin.

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