Arnica 30 Overdose?

[ajmal khan]

I was searching the net for most recent information about optic nerve atrophy and came across this. Seems very improbable. Had it happened in my country Pakistan and a large bottle of liquid Arnica 30 was consumed, it would have been easy to explain everything. I do not know about Indian liquor regulations so can't say much.

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910

Ajmal Khan.
Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
Chennai
, India
Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006
, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
Chennai
, India

Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006
, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

We report a case of acute, bilateral and severe vision loss after inadvertent consumption of a large quantity of the homoeopathic medication Arnica-30. Severe vomiting which required hospitalization preceded visual symptoms. In the acute stage, pupillary responses to light were absent and fundus examination was normal. Vision loss followed a fluctuating course, with profound loss noted after 6 weeks along with bilateral optic disc pallor. Neuro-ophthalmic examination and detailed investigations were performed, including magnetic resonance imaging, electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) showed gross thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer. While a differential diagnosis of posterior ischemic optic neuropathy was kept in mind, these findings supported a diagnosis of bilateral toxic optic neuropathy. Arnica-30 is popularly used to accelerate wound healing, including after oculoplastic surgery. While homeopathic medicines are generally considered safe due to the very low concentrations involved, Arnica-30 may be neurotoxic if consumed internally in large quantities.
Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910

[Tanya Marquette]

I think their analysis is part and parcel of the assault on homeopathy.
Since it is safe, they have no collection of adverse effects, much less death.
This reminds me of the marathon runner who dropped dead after a race. He
had been using ephedra but there was no analysis of his health and what other
things he was taking, or his health. I think he was in his 40’s. Nonetheless Big
Pharma and the FDA jumped on it and banned ephedra in the USA.
I know they are beginning to attack homepathy in other countries and this seems
more likely the root of this accusation.
t
From: ajmal khan
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2012 2:03 PM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Minutus] Arnica 30 Overdose?

I was searching the net for most recent information about optic nerve atrophy and came across this. Seems very improbable. Had it happened in my country Pakistan and a large bottle of liquid Arnica 30 was consumed, it would have been easy to explain everything. I do not know about Indian liquor regulations so can't say much.
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910
Ajmal Khan.
Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
Chennai
, India
Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006
, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
Chennai
, India

Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,
18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006
, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

We report a case of acute, bilateral and severe vision loss after inadvertent consumption of a large quantity of the homoeopathic medication Arnica-30. Severe vomiting which required hospitalization preceded visual symptoms. In the acute stage, pupillary responses to light were absent and fundus examination was normal. Vision loss followed a fluctuating course, with profound loss noted after 6 weeks along with bilateral optic disc pallor. Neuro-ophthalmic examination and detailed investigations were performed, including magnetic resonance imaging, electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) showed gross thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer. While a differential diagnosis of posterior ischemic optic neuropathy was kept in mind, these findings supported a diagnosis of bilateral toxic optic neuropathy. Arnica-30 is popularly used to accelerate wound healing, including after oculoplastic surgery. While homeopathic medicines are generally considered safe due to the very low concentrations involved, Arnica-30 may be neurotoxic if consumed internally in large quantities.
Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910

[Soroush Ebrahimi]

If it was a liquid dose, it sounds like some one has drank Methanol and thought it was Arnica!
Every year there are many cases of people going blind in India through drinking stuff contaminated with methanol.
If it was tablets, I would say impossible, unless the person took it for a long time and went beyond proving!!

Soroush
From: minutus@yahoogroups.com [mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tamarque
Sent: 13 August 2012 19:19
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] Arnica 30 Overdose?
I think their analysis is part and parcel of the assault on homeopathy.

Since it is safe, they have no collection of adverse effects, much less death.
This reminds me of the marathon runner who dropped dead after a race. He

had been using ephedra but there was no analysis of his health and what other

things he was taking, or his health. I think he was in his 40’s. Nonetheless Big

Pharma and the FDA jumped on it and banned ephedra in the USA.
I know they are beginning to attack homepathy in other countries and this seems

more likely the root of this accusation.
t
From: ajmal khan

Sent: Monday, August 13, 2012 2:03 PM

To: minutus@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [Minutus] Arnica 30 Overdose?
I was searching the net for most recent information about optic nerve atrophy and came across this. Seems very improbable. Had it happened in my country Pakistan and a large bottle of liquid Arnica 30 was consumed, it would have been easy to explain everything. I do not know about Indian liquor regulations so can't say much.
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910
Ajmal Khan.
Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,

Chennai

, India

Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,

18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006

, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,

Chennai

, India

Address for Correspondence: Devendra V. Venkatramani, Department of Neuro Ophthalmology, Sankara Nethralaya, A Unit of Medical Research Foundation,

18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006

, India. E-mail: dev.venkatramani@gmail.com

We report a case of acute, bilateral and severe vision loss after inadvertent consumption of a large quantity of the homoeopathic medication Arnica-30. Severe vomiting which required hospitalization preceded visual symptoms. In the acute stage, pupillary responses to light were absent and fundus examination was normal. Vision loss followed a fluctuating course, with profound loss noted after 6 weeks along with bilateral optic disc pallor. Neuro-ophthalmic examination and detailed investigations were performed, including magnetic resonance imaging, electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) showed gross thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer. While a differential diagnosis of posterior ischemic optic neuropathy was kept in mind, these findings supported a diagnosis of bilateral toxic optic neuropathy. Arnica-30 is popularly used to accelerate wound healing, including after oculoplastic surgery. While homeopathic medicines are generally considered safe due to the very low concentrations involved, Arnica-30 may be neurotoxic if consumed internally in large quantities.
Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 012.708910

[jtikari]

Yes I agree with you, Soroush. It couldn't have been Arnica in 30 potency as at that potency there are
no molecules of actual Arnica in it. There are only 3d nano cavities (imprints) of the medication which
can do no harm at all.
Jeff

[ajmal khan]

I had sent an email on the address mentioned in the original report asking whether Arnica was in liquid or granules form but have not received any reply. At least in Pakistan due to strict liquor regulations and in order to avoid any trouble, the pharmacies label 500ML bottles of ethyl alcohol as homeopathic medicine like Arnica30 or Bryonia30 or any other medicine in our MM .This ethyl alcohol can be bought by BONAFIDE homeopaths for use in their clinics. Unscrupulous stores mix it with methanol as it is much cheaper, because there is no heavy excise duty on it, and make it secretly available to people who are in search of such stuff. Consumption of methanol results in blindness and even death. Many such cases are reported regularly in the newspapers but homeopathy has never been blamed.

It is sad that instead of making proper enquiry about the stuff consumed, blame was put on Homeopathy - simple, easy and it serves the purpose.
Ajmal Khan.

What is ethanol causes at least in Pakistan,