What is bioregulatory medicine? By definition, bioregulation is the regulation of biological processes in the body (Smit, 2009). Bioregulatory medicine involves the use of therapeutics to regulate these biological processes in times of illness.
Many therapeutics used by integrative veterinarians help the body regulate the natural processes of healing. They include vitamins, minerals, homeopathy, homotoxicology, acupuncture and herbal medicine. Conventional pharmaceutical medicines mainly reduce symptoms rather than helping the body heal itself. Natural substances are the best way to help the body regulate its healing processes and re-establish normal feedback systems.
Immune system is key biological process
The most important biological process is the defense system or immune system. Very few pharmaceutical medicines improve the immune system. When stressed, injured or affected by toxins, the immune system responds with inflammation. Most symptoms arise from the immune system trying to correct the pathology. Drugs, such as “anti-inflammatory medicines”, attempt to minimize these symptoms. By reducing or suppressing the inflammation process, these medicines reduce the immune system’s response to the insult on the body.
A good example is how the immune system responds to an upper respiratory viral infection. The symptoms are fever (anti-viral response), increased nasal discharges (attempt to expel the virus and increase immune cells in the area of invasion), sneezing and coughing (to expel the virus and prevent its deeper invasion). All these symptoms are good immune responses.
Now, let’s look at what happens when pharmaceutical medicine is applied to this case. The conventional practitioner will prescribe antipyretic medicines (to reduce fever, which is the immune system’s natural anti-viral response), antihistamine medicines (to reduce nasal discharges and sneezing – which allows the virus to penetrate deeper) and anti-tussive medicines (to reduce coughing – which also allows the virus to penetrate deeper). Drugs are effective at symptom reduction and the patient feels better during the illness. However, the drugs may actually push the disease deeper, causing the patient to need more drugs for possible viral or bacterial bronchitis or pneumonia. Because the immune system may be weakened, the URI can recur and even deeper illnesses can occur.
Many practitioners of integrative veterinary medicine would treat this patient with bioregulatory medicine. This promotes a stronger immune response to shorten the disease process and to support, rather than reduce, the immune response to the illness. When we can maximize the potential for disarming invaders (immune system) and regulating physiologic feedback systems, we vastly improve the chances that our patients can live a long life of full health, with quick recovery from acute incidents.
A look at homotoxicology
Homotoxicology is one of the primary therapies used homeopathic medicines1 in formulas to address symptoms, promote detoxification/drainage, and support organ/cellular function.
Dr. Hans Heinrich Reckeweg spent his life in the pursuit of uniting the art of homeopathy with the science of allopathy, to address the increasing number of multidimensional diseases and deep-seated chronic illnesses we are now seeing. In doing so, he engaged the known principles of both disciplines to trace and heal the ebb and flow of biological systems.
Homotoxicology therapy addresses the whole pathology of an ill patient. It promotes self-healing, reduces and eliminates toxins, promotes organ and cellular function and supports a strong immune system. Homotoxicology is truly a holistic medicine to treat the whole patient, not just the symptoms.
One of the advantages of this modality is that the formulas have such broad and deep activity. Even a superficial knowledge of the combinations will produce startlingly good results. Homotoxicology is based on familiar symptom pictures, and is therefore a “take home” kind of therapy.
The six phases of pathology
1. Excretion Phase – elimination of toxins: vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, etc. a) Nux vomica-Homaccord (Heel) is useful for vomiting b) Veratrum Combination (PCH) is useful for diarrhea
2. Inflammation Phase – if the excretion phase is circumvented. All the “-itis” illnesses: arthritis, pleuritis, pancreatitis, etc. a) Traumeel (Heel) is the primary formula for inflammation b) Belladonna Combination (PCH) is useful for local inflammation, fever, erythema
3. Deposition Phase – defines the early matrix diseases. The “gel between the cells” starts being affected by toxins. In this largely “silent phase”, the body attempts to detoxify by storing metabolic “junk” in the connective tissues, vasculature, and adipose tissues. This phase is the Biological Divide. The first three phases are much easier in which to promote regression of the disease process. But once the disease progresses beyond the Biological Divide, true chronic disease becomes present, with damage to tissues, cells and organs. a) Lymphomyosot (Heel) is useful to promote drainage of toxins in bioregulatory medicine. It uses combinations of b) Whole Body Detox Liquescence (PCH) is useful to promote drainage
4. Impregnation Phase – the early stages of cellular disease. The toxins build up in the matrix and connective tissues, causing structural changes in tissues, cells and organs. This phase is associated with early chronic disease. a) Lymphomyosot (Heel) is the primary drainer b) Psorinum Combination (PCH) is useful for stimulating the defense system for skin and general chronic illness
5. Degeneration Phase – damage to cellular defense, enzymatic functions, and energy production. This is a severe state of advanced degenerative chronic disease, with destruction of tissues, large groups of cells and organs. a) Cell Energy Performance (PCH) is useful to regulate the Kreb’s Cycle for cells b) Degex Liquescence (PCH) aids in the support of stimulating mesenchymal regeneration and activation
6. Dedifferentiation Phase – the neoplastic state, in which biological genetic control mechanisms have been damaged and continue unchecked, until death. a) Immune System Stimulator (PCH) supports the stimulation of the immune system b) Carcinosin Miasm Formula (PCH) stabilizes miasmatic terrain disturbances of neoplasm phase
Different forms of homotoxicology medicines
Homotoxicology medicines currently used by practitioners include injections, oral tablets, oral liquids and sprays, topical ointments and creams.2
Benefits and use of injection products
• Are more potent, up to ten times stronger than oral products.
• Can be injected into acupuncture points that are selected following TCVM guidelines for each patient. Powerful results occur when injecting energetic medicine (homeopathics) at acupoints for local problems, organ disease, pain and immune support. This is the “wow” of homotoxicology.
• Autos-Sanguis therapy (auto-hemo therapy) is another method of injection therapy, using the blood of the patient mixed with homotoxicology medicines. The mixture is then succussed (shaken well). By potentizing the individual’s own blood with the medicine, it becomes an auto-homeopathic medicine that promotes an immune response to that individual’s disease. It also promotes the desensitization/hyposensitization of both auto-antibodies (autoimmune disease) and antigen-antibody (allergy) reactions; down regulates the inflammatory process; promotes immuno-modulation and regeneration. This is the second “wow” of homotoxicology.
• Imagine using homotoxicology injection therapy and adding nutritional therapy that supports and regenerates a specific organ or gland. Then inject acupoints that support and regenerate by increasing Qi and blood flow and add Chinese Herbal Therapy to nourish and support that organ or gland.
• Side effects using these injections are rare (while human hospitals using conventional drugs report 2% to 7% ADEs). From 1995 to 1999, adverse reactions reported for injectable remedies totalled 22, for a whopping .000036% side effect incidence, primarily with intra-articular injections. These were comprised of as many as 800 different formulations; nearly 650 million doses administered via sub-cutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intra-cutaneous, or intraarticular, and via the acupuncture points.
Benefits and use of oral products
• Oral products are the most often used of all homotoxicology medicines. They are gentle and have no chemical side effects.
• They can be added to the patient’s water source or placed on food. I like to add these products to water to lower the alcohol taste and improve caregiver compliance.
• A large number of products and companies make oral products.
Benefits and use of topical products
• Topical products can aid in the healing of dermatological cases and localized trauma, injury, and eye cases.
• Many companies make excellent topical products that can be an adjunct therapy to homotoxicology injection and oral treatments.
I hope you can understand the efficacy of bioregulatory medicine involving the use of homotoxicology (injection and oral therapies) with nutritional therapy, acupuncture and herbal medicine. This is a powerful holistic integrative medicine that is easy to learn and to apply in veterinary medicine.
1. Homeopathic remedies have been discussed in prior issues. They are made from plants, minerals, body tissues and other substances. They are diluted with alcohol and water, and succussed (shaken vigorously) so there is no toxicity.
2. Some companies I have been using in practice, mostly for oral products, are Apex Energtics, Bioactive Nutritional, Heel, Inc., Homeopet, Hylands, NEAT Remedies, Professional Complementary Health Formulas, Viatrexx Bio, Inc., and Washington Homeopathic Products, Inc. There are only a few companies making injection homotoxicology medicines. The two I use in practice are Heel, Inc. and Viatrexx Bio, Inc.
