Nazmul Hasan¹, Nazmul Ahsan¹, Latiful Bari², Anwarul Azim Akhand¹*  

¹Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000.

²Center for Advanced Research in Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000,

 *Corresponding Author’s E-mail: akhand@du.ac.bd

Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) is a common infectious disease of middle ear; characterized by a persistent discharge through a perforated tympanic membrane. CSOM is one of the prime causes of hearing impairment in developing countries. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics for treating CSOM promotes antibiotic resistance leading to accelerated health risks. Homeopathic medicines are mostly free from side effects and therefore its uses have substantially increased worldwide as an alternative medicine. This study was conducted to evaluate the remedial effects of various homeopathic medicines on CSOM symptoms. A total of 70 (CSOM patients-40 + healthy-30) subjects were included in this study. The CSOM patients were randomly consigned for daily administration of homeopathic medicines such as tellurium metallicum (n=17), mercurius solubilis (n=13) and calcarea sulphurica (n=10) for 8 weeks. The homeopathic medicines did not show significant antibacterial activity when patients’ aural swab was assessed by agar disc diffusion; however, they reduced average microbial load significantly. Ear suppuration was prevented in all of the patients treated with the medicines. Around 50% of perforated tympanic membrane in patients was healed by tellurium metallicum and calcarea sulphurica. CSOM-mediated hearing impairment was greatly improved at 1, 4, 8 and 12 kHz frequencies by the use of all three medicines. This study, therefore, provides conclusive evidence that homeopathic medicines prevent ear suppuration in CSOM patients as well as reduce microbial load, heal perforated membrane and improve hearing.