Tryptophan (molecular formula is C 11 H 12 N 2 O 2) is one of the essential amino acids that the body cannot produce. Was discovered by Dr. Frederick Hopkins in 1901. L-tryptophan plays an critical role in the production of serotonin and melatonin. These chemical messengers carry nerve impulses from one cell to other. The first phase in synthesis of serotonin is the transformation of tryptophan to 5-HTP by the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase. The body uses tryptophan to create 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan), which is then changed to serotonin. Serotonin is necessary for sleep and mood regulation and transmits nerve impulses from the brain. Researches show that individuals who suffer with depression have low levels of the tryptophan. Body cannot produce tryptophan on its own. Therefore, can be obtained through supplements or through food. Also, body uses the tryptophan to create vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 promotes healthy nervous system function.

Food Sources

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is found naturally in foods like turkey, red meat, chicken, cheese, milk, eggs, bananas, chocolate, soy products, nuts, almonds, sesame seeds, peanut butter, brown rice, wheat germ, oatmeal, and shrimp.

Tryptophan Benefits

Tryptophan is used for low mood, sleeplessness, sleep apnea, anxiety, depression, facial pain, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder). Was also used as an complement in the therapy of alcohol, cocaine, amphetamine, and other medication misuse.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are a class of compounds typically used as antidepressants in the therapy of depression, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, work by boost the level of serotonin  by blocking its reuptake by adjoining neurons. Commonly used SSRIs are citalopram (Cipramil), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and paroxetine (Paxil).

The amino acid tryptophan, serves as a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body regulate sleep and mood. When amount of serotonin are high, in a better mood, sleep better, and have a higher pain tolerance. In order for tryptophan to carry out its bodily functions efficiently, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, magnesium and vitamin C is required.

Serotonin is the important brain chemical that generates feelings of relaxation and optimism. Also, critical a role in certain brain functions such as the ability to focus, motor coordination and reflexes. The symptoms associated with serotonin deficiency include depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, anger and chronic pain. Researches of cerebrospinal fluid, whole blood, and plasma have shown that serotonin levels are decreased in depression patients. Autopsies have demonstrated that a very low  brain level of serotonin is one biological marker to suicide.

Serotonin is involved in mood, sleep, depression, anxiety, appetite and impulse control. In a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study, 30 participant with major depressive disorder were treated for over 8 weeks with 20 mg of Fluoxetine per day and either tryptophan (daily dose 2 –  4 g ) or a placebo. The findings were  a pronounced greater reduce in depression scores in the tryptophan/fluoxetine group than in the placebo/fluoxetine group. A Dutch researcher showed that the combination of vitamin B6 (125 mg 3 times daily) and tryptophan (2 g used at night)  could restore participants with anxiety-type depression to normal in 4 weeks. The findings demonstrate that tryptophan in doses of 1 grams or more produces an improve in rated subjective sleepiness and a reduce in sleep latency. In an study, eight severe chronic insomniacs took 2 g for four nights. All participants developed significantly and no adverse effects were seen.

In a study, reported in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology in September 2007 edition, tryptophan caused a decrease in social anxiety disorder. Double-blind a study has demonstrated that tryptophan can improve tolerance to acute pain when taken in dosage of at least 2 grams per day. Article in the December 2011 edition of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, the scientists say further studies are needed to definitively determine whether l-tryptophan supplement is an useful treatment for mood disorders.

Tryptophan Dosage

A  review article reported in “Psychopharmacology” found that amino acid tryptophan is useful for the therapy of insomnia in doses ranging from 1 to 15 grams. Some researches have confirmed tryptophan to be effective in the therapy of chronic insomnia at doses of between 1 to 4 g at bedtime. Some uncontrolled studies report that 3 to 6 grams per day of tryptophan helps develop mood in patients with depression. For the treatment of depression, tryptophan should be given in at least 2 divided doses per day, in order to reduce fluctuations in plasma L-tryptophan concentrations. In a clinical trial at St. Mary’s Hospital, scientists gave 6,000 mg of tryptophan to PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) participants. After seventeen days of therapy, starting at ovulation till the third day of menstruation, it was found that tryptophan developed mood symptoms. 100 mg of 5 HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is equivalent to 500mg L-tryptophan.

Side Effects

Do not take l-tryptophan together with full doses of serotonin-enhancing drugs. This therapy should be undertaken only with a physician supervision. In addition; do not use tryptophan if taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Homeopathy Definition; Homoeopathy is a holistic system of medicine based on the theory of treating’like with like’. The symptoms are considered as the body’s natural reaction to the disease and help to find a solution against the disease. This means that a remedy that produces symptoms in a healthy individual will cure those same symptoms when manifested by a person in a diseased state. Homeopathy is a medical system improved 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann, a German doctor. The word ‘homeopathy” is derived from the Greek words; “homoios” (similar) and “pathos” (suffering).

Homeopathy Principles;

• Law of Similars

• Law of the Infinitesimal Dose

• Disease is specific to the individual

Homoeopathy is a method of therapy for curing the patient by medicines that possess the capacity of producing similar symptoms in a healthy human being simulating the natural disease, which it can cure in the diseased person.

While research with cures for malaria, Dr. Hahnemann discovered that some natural substances can produce symptoms that mimic illness. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann performed experiments on himself using Peruvian bark, which contains quinine, a malaria remedy. He concluded that in a healthy individual, quinine creates the same symptoms as malaria, including  chills and fevers which is the reason why it is effective as a remedy.

Homoeopathic medicaments are prepared from traces of plant, animal, mineral and other natural substances, by a standard method called potentisation or dynamisation, which comprises of successive dilutions and succussions to raise the inherent curative power of the drugs to maximum.  A homeopath uses pills or solutions containing only a little of an active ingredient for therapy of disease. Homeopaths believe that although homeopathic solutions are highly diluted, they contain a “memory” of the substance in water.

As yet, scientists has not been able to explain the mechanism of action of ultra high dilutions in the body, however lab experiments have showed that homeopathically prepared substances cause biological activity. For instance, the hormone thyroxine prepared as a homeopathic ’30C’ dilution can slow down the process of metamorphosis of tadpoles into frogs. The exact mechanism  by which homeopathy works is unknown, however 200 years of clinical experience along with research reported in such medical journals as The British Medical Journal and Lancet the have approved homeopathy’s effectiveness. Homeopathy method proved its power in 1831 when there was an outbreak of cholera. Using his homeopathic therapies Dr. Friedrich Samuel had 96 percent success rate, compared to the 41 percent of the conventional medicine of that time. In 1991, the “British Medical Journal” reported an analysis of 107 clinical trials published between 1966 and 1990. The reviewers found that in 81 of the studies, the homeopathic therapies were successful.

During past important epidemics such as cholera, diphtheria, scarlet fever, malaria, typhoid,  yellow fever, etc., homeopathy decreased mortality by 10 to 30 times versus orthodox medicine. During the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918-19, it has been estimated that 25 to 50 million people died. Homeopathic doctors documented then more than 62,000 patients treated with homeopathy resulting in a mortality of 0.7%. For people who were sick enough to be hospitalized, conventional medicine had a mortality of 30 percent while with 27,000 documented hospitalized cases, homeopathy was reporting a mortality of 1-3 percent. Research by the doctor Dr Andre Saine of more than 61,000 confirmed cases of  Spanish Flu between 1918 and 1919 has shown that patients treated with homeopathy experienced death rates of 0.7 % as opposed to more than 30 % for patients of conventional treatment. According the Dr. Frank Wieland,“8,000 workers we had only one death. Gelsemium was  the only remedy used. We used no vaccines and no aspirin.”

Homeopathy Clinical Studies

Findings from an observational study of over 3000 people with chronic conditions such as headache and allergic rhinitis in adults, and atopic dermatitis and recurrent infections in children, demonstrated improved quality of life associated with use of homeopathy with positive effects persisting for eight years.

The British Medical Journal in 1991 reported a large analysis of homeopathic cure that were given over the course of 25years. This study, involved over 100 studies of patients with problems ranging from infections, respiratory ailments, vascular diseases, psychological problems, allergies, diabetes, arthritis, trauma and others. The study found amelioration with homeopathic cure in most categories of problems, and concluded that the evidence was “sufficient for establishing homeopathy as a regular  therapy for certain indications.

In one trial reported in Lancet by Dr. David Taylor Reilly compared the effects of a homeopathic hay-fever remedy with a placebo. In this double-blind controlled experiment, those who received the homeopathic remedy had 6 times fewer symptoms. In a randomised double-blind study homoeopathic therapy was compared to therapy by Chloroquine. The group using homoeopathic remedy experienced an 83.% progress, while the group using Chloroquine experienced a 72% development within the same time period (British Homoeopathic Journal, 1996, April).

In a study reported in the “International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics” concluded that homeopathy should be the first line therapy for acute ear infections in children. The group of 103 children who received individualised homeopathic remedy had fewer ear infections over the following year, compared with the children who received conventional therapy. 114 children attending a paediatric practice where conventional and homeopathic remedies were used, and who were previously diagnosed with ADHD, were given individualised homoeopathic remedies. On a parent assessed basis, if a minimum 50 percent improvement was not noted within a certain period of time they were placed on Methylphenidate. 75% of the children responded to homoeopathy and 22% required Methylphenidate.(British Homoeopathic Journal 2001)

In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study, 63 asthma sufferers were treated for four months with either specific homoeopathic medicaments or placebo. Examined using peak flow rates, 97% of those taking homoeopathic remedies and 12% or those taking placebo experienced an development. In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study, 40 individual suffering from corticosteroid- dependant bronchial asthma were given or placebo or a combination homeopathic remedy, every 5 to 7 days by subcutaneous injection. Using standard spirometry and granulocyte function to measure the response,  scientists found that the homeopathic remedy provided better results to placebo. (Biomedical Therapy , 1997, June)

A study performed by researchers at “Charité University Medical Center” of people with chronic headache revealed significant developments using homeopathic therapy. In a randomised, placebo controlled double blind study, 60 person suffering from migraine were treated using homoeopathy over a period of four months. Those patients in the control group experienced a decrease in migraine frequency from 9.9 attacks per month to 7.9 per month, while those in the treatment group reduced their monthly attack rate from 10 to between 1.8 and 3 per month. (Journal on Research in Homoeopathy, March, 1991)

Clinical experiments show the strength of homeopathic remedies in treating infectious diseases. In a French study reported in 1987, silica, prepared homeopathically to the 10c potency, stimulated macrophage activity by approximately 70%. In a randomised, double blind placebo controlled study, 50 person with asymptomatic HIV infection and 50 person  with symptomatic HIV infection and were given either placebo or an individualised homoeopathic remedy. Using numbers of pre and post therapy CD4 + ve T-lymphocytes, it was found that homoeopathic formula was useful for symptomatic HIV sufferers, but not for asymptomatic sufferers(British Homoeopathic Journal, 1999).

68 person suffering from mild to moderate hypertension were enrolled in a double-blind randomised clinical trial comparing individualised homoeopathic treatment with placebo. Accomplished results were obtained with 82 percent of those using homoeopathy compared with 57 percent of those using placebo (Boletin Mexicano, 1999). In a randomised, placebo-controlled study, 50 patient with persistent mild traumatic brain injury were treated either with  homeopathic remedy or placebo. The homeopathic therapy provided better results to those from the placebo control.(British Homeopathic Journal 2000)

In  double-blind trial 65 sufferers of OA (osteoarthritis) were split into two groups were given either a homoeopathic remedy or Acetaminophen, a commonly prescribed drug for pain relief in osteoarthritis. Scientists found that homoeopathy provided a level of pain relief that was better to acetaminophen, and produced no adverse reactions. In a study, carried out at the “Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital”, 41 patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were treated with aspirin and 54 patient suffering from the same condition were treated with individualised homeopathic remedy. The results of the two forms of treatment  were compared at the end of the trial and it was found that those on homeopathic therapy did considerably superior than those on aspirin (Clinical Pharmacology, 1978). In a study, 79 patient suffering from mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee were given a gel containing Arnica and asked to apply it twice daily. Were assessed at 3 and 6 weeks for pain, stiffness and functional capability of the knee. Assessments demonstrated a significant reduction in pain and stiffness, and a noteworthy amelioration in the functional capability of the knee. (Advanced Therapies, 2002-Sep)

Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medical science originated in Germany by Dr. Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann. Homeopathic remedies are water-based or alcohol-based solutions containing tiny amounts of herbs, minerals, animal products, or chemicals. This method of treatment, is based on the principle that if high doses of a substance cause a symptom, very small doses of that same substance will remedy it. Practitioners of homeopathy treat the person with specially prepared, highly dilute preparations designed to stimulate a healing response and reinforce the body’s talent to heal itself.

Thuja Homeopathic Remedy

The thuja tree, which forms the source for the thuja homeopathic remedy, is a genus of coniferous trees belonging to the cupressaceae. Just the freshly obtained leaves and twigs of a young one year old thuja plant are used for preparing the homeopathic remedy thuja. Therapists of homeopathy recommend use of pretty dilute thuja, in liquid or pill form, for treatingdepression,  irritability,  warts,  rashes, headache,  runny nose, enlarged prostate, gonorrhea, tiredness, insomnia, fevers, shaking chills, muscle pain, back pain and joint pain. In addition, thuja is  made into homeopathic ointments or creams to be applied to the skin.

Warts

A wart is usually a small, rough growth, typically on a human’s hands or feet however frequently other locations, that can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. While can occur anywhere on the body, they are most common on the hands or the soles of the feet. There are as many as ten varieties of warts, the most common considered to be generally harmless. Most warts go away after 1 year or 2, but some last for years or come back after going away.

Thuja occidentalis, the most widespread remedy for various kinds of warts. The type of warts that thuja homeopathic remedy is effective for are the kind that can be very large and called “cauliflower warts”. This homeopathic remedy works to help the body rid itself of the scaly patches that appear, as well as the itchy skin and brown “age spots” that individuals tend to complain of. Warts have been demonstrated to decrease in size and disappear when treated with thuja homeopathic remedy in 6c potency taken daily. This homeopathic remedy is not recommended for plantar warts, but is effective for bleeding or painful warts other than on the feet.