Homeopathy—is it science?
Before discussing the issue of homeopathy, one needs to understand the ‘placebo effect’. If a patient takes an inert pill or coloured water, believing that it will cure him, it does actually have a beneficial effect. This is known as the ‘placebo effect’ and it needs to be carefully considered when randomised clinical trials are being carried out to determine the efficacy of medicines. The reason that the placebo appears to work in some persons is that if you really believe that a particular medicine will work for you, then your body chemistry reacts accordingly and in some cases it actually does!
Homeopathy is widely practised in many parts of the world, including Europe. But does it really work beyond the placebo effect? Extensive randomised clinical trials under strictly controlled conditions have proved over and over again that it has no more benefit than that which can be attributed to the placebo effect. Some clinical trials that initially indicated some positive effects were later shown to be faulty.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health, USA, has reported: “Its key concepts are not consistent with established laws of science (particularly chemistry and physics).” Health organisations in many advanced countries such as the UK's National Health Service, the American Medical Association (AMA Council on Scientific Affairs (1997). "Alternative Medicine: Report 12 of the Council on Scientific Affairs (A–97)", American Medical Association), and the Federation of American Societies on Experimental Biology (FASEB) (FASEB J 20 (11): 1755–8, doi:10.1096/fj.06-0901ufm, PMID 16940145) have also issued definitive statements that there is no convincing scientific evidence to support the use of homeopathic treatments in medicine.
It is clear that any benefits of homeopathy are due to two main reasons: (a) the placebo effect, and (b) the natural tendency of the body to heal itself over time. Beware also of a third dangerous factor: addition of corticosteroids to such medicines by charlatans. These may give you immediate relief but are injurious to health.
However, in spite of lack of scientific proof of its efficacy, homeopathy continues to be widely practised in many countries.
Does the brain control obesity?
The World Health Organisation has estimated that there are about two billion obese people worldwide. This would constitute about a third of all persons above the age of 15 on our planet. About 20 million children below the age of six also suffer from obesity.
Obesity has been known to be a condition that is inherited and there has been a constant search for genes that are responsible for this condition. Now there is growing evidence that genes control appetite and the brain plays a key role in obesity. Dr Andrew Hattersley of Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, UK and co-workers discovered a gene variant in 2007 that may help to regulate the amount of fat in the body.
The gene known as FTO was discovered in a study involving 2,000 diabetics. Since then an array of genes have been identified that play a role in obesity, and 64 gene variants have been discovered in various studies. It is not clear how these genes work, but it is thought that they may be involved in encoding certain brain proteins associated with the feeling of hunger. In time we will be able to develop drugs that target the genetic pathways involved, but for the present we must resign ourselves to burning more than we eat by exercise and diet control.
Down Syndrome—hope for patients
Down syndrome is a genetic defect caused by the presence of an extra copy of the genetic information on the 21st chromosome. It leads to impairment of physical features and learning abilities. Such disabilities are considered to be permanent, although special training can help children suffering from this condition. About half the children suffering from this condition also have congenital heart disease and many suffer from leukaemia.
In order to look for cures for this disease scientists have been experimenting on genetically modified mice in which a condition is produced that is similar to that is encountered in the Down syndrome. Catherine Spong and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, USA have found that if the mothers of such mice were injected with two proteins (called NAP and SAP), then such development problems could be prevented. Moreover when mice with this condition were orally fed with these proteins, then the learning abilities of the mice could be significantly improved. The discovery offers new hope for children suffering from this debilitating condition.