International Journal of Homoeopathic Sciences

Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are generally considered safe and a natural component of the gut flora. However, certain strains can occasionally cause intestinal and extra intestinal diseases in humans. For nearly two decades, homoeopaths have worked to establish the remarkable potential of minute doses. Conversely, antimicrobial resistance to various infections presents a significant challenge to biomedicine, with some strains exhibiting resistance to multiple medications. Studies indicate that bacterial isolates are typically resistant to most antibiotics (51.1-91.2%), except for nitrofurantoin, which has a lower resistance rate of 7.3%.
The aim of the current study is to evaluate the effects of Thuja occidentalis in different potencies on E. coli. The broader implication of this research is to demonstrate the action of Thuja occidentalis on E. coli with evidence of the changes occurring in vitro. The antibacterial assay is conducted using the Kirby-Bauer method, with Mueller-Hinton (MH) agar as the medium, since it is regarded as the most suitable for routine bacterial susceptibility testing. Homoeopathic medicines, including Thuja occidentalis in 30CH and 200CH potencies, were tested against positive and negative controls. When directly assessed using the Kirby-Bauer method, antibiotics and Thuja occidentalis 30CH and 200CH solutions exhibited mild to moderate antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones of 5mm and 8mm, respectively. These findings suggest that homoeopathic medicines of varying potencies may have an effect against this highly virulent bacterium.