The present study was designed in order to evaluate the effects of five homoeopathic complex preparations on functional activity natural killer cells (NKCs) in advanced cancer patients. We examined the effects of Coenzyme Compositum®, Ubichinon Compositum®, Glyoxal Compositum®, Katalysatoren® and Traumeel® on the functional activity of NKCs. Experimental procedures included in vitro and in vivo trials. The in vitro trials were performed in NKCs isolated from 12 healthy volunteers (aged 44 ± 4 years) and incubated with the five homoeopathic complex preparations. The in vivo trials were performed in 15 advanced cancer patients (aged 55 ± 12 years) supplemented for 3 months with the homoeopathic preparations. All five homoeopathic preparations significantly increased the cytotoxic activity of the NKCs at the lowest NKCs/target cell ratio 12:1 (p < 0·05). The order of activity was: Ubichinon Compositum® > Glyoxal Compositum® > Katalysatoren® > Traumeel® > Coenzyme Compositum®. In the advanced cancer patients, the homoeopathic preparation significantly increased NKCs cytotoxic activity (p < 0·05). The homoeopathic complex preparations tested in this study can be used as an adjuvant immunotherapy in advanced cancer patients.
Keywords: K562 cell line; advanced cancer; diluted complex biological supplements; flow cytometry; natural killer cells.
Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.