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.

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Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of vitamin C and E supplementation in remission of the symptoms of chronic degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the knee. Design: A pilot controlled trial conducted from December 2009 until April 2011 among 46 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) in one or both knees. Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups and were either supplemented with ascorbic acid 1 gr × 2 daily per os together with vitamin E 100 mg × 3 daily per os or they were treated with meloxicam tabs 15 mg × 1 daily per os. Main outcome measures: A. Clinical markers: functionality of the knee (WOMAC index), pain (using a pain visual analogue scale) and the deficit in knee flexion and extension B. Laboratory markers: total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and concentration of malonyldialdehyde (MDA) in the synovial fluid. Results: Twenty patients were randomly allocated into each of the two intervention groups. The treatment lasted for 20 days and the patients' status was evaluated every 10 days. The condition of the patients' knees in both treatment groups presented a significant improvement as recorded by the clinical markers; accompanied by an enhancement of TAC but with no effect on MDA levels. Conclusions: Administration of vitamins C and E has a similar effect in the remission of the symptoms of the OA in the knee, comparable to that of the treatment with meloxicam, but without the possible side effects and thus can be proposed as adjuvant therapy.

The aim of the study was to examine the incidence of oxidative stress on the severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Data were obtained from a previous pilot controlled trial among patients, diagnosed with OA in one or both knees, that were randomly assigned into two different treatment groups and were either supplemented with ascorbic acid and Vitamin E daily per os or treated with meloxicam. The following markers were estimated: A. Clinical markers: functionality of the knee (WOMAC index), pain (using a pain visual analogue scale) and severity of OA (Kellgren–Lawrence grading scale) B. Laboratory markers: total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels in the synovial fluid. The TAC of the knees was moderately correlated with the severity of OA and the level of pain whilst MDA concentration was weekly correlated. An average change of 5[Formula: see text]mM of a-tocopherol in TAC (4.6–5.5[Formula: see text]mM of a-tocopherol) defines the shift among stages of OA and the level of pain experienced by the patients. Neither TAC nor MDA were correlated with the Kellgren–Lawrence grading scale. Alleviation of oxidative stress should be a key objective for the therapeutic interventions (pharmacological and nonpharmacological) in knee OA. Even small improvements in antioxidant capacity of the synovial fluid may contribute to the patient’s quality of life and to the deceleration of the disease progression.

PurposeKefir is a probiotic grown with milk, with a slightly sour flavor and has been consumed for thousands of years. Kefir grains contain bacteria and yeast. In the past, kefir was administrated as a drug against tuberculosis, cancer and gastrointestinal disorders. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential anticancer properties of kefir and its ability to affect natural killer cells' (NKCs') activity.Design/methodology/approachThe assay of cytotoxic activity of NKCs by cytometric analysis was used, which included four stages: isolation of natural killers; quantification of target cells; incubation of natural killers with target cells at ratios of 12.5:1, 25:1 and 50:1 in CO2 incubator; and measurement of cells with flow cytometer. The same procedures were repeated, but the third stage was modified with the addition and incubation of 50, 75, and 100 μL kefir (of 24 hour culture with 3.5 per cent fresh milk) with K562 and leiomyosarcoma cells lines, and kefir and NK cells with K562 or LMS cell lines.FindingsThe results showed that kefir's cytotoxic activity without the presence of NKCs reached an average of 85 per cent in both cell lines. With the addition of NK cells in kefir, the cytotoxic activity further increased by 10 per cent. Kefir alone did not cause any statistically significant death in NK cells. Kefir seems to have significant cytotoxic action by itself without stimulating NK cells in a significant manner. However, further studies are needed to establish the role of kefir in the prevention and treatment of neoplasmatic diseases.Originality/valueThe paper provides information and new data, for nutritionists and clinical dietitians, about the effects of kefir in the prevention of cancer.