A part of homeopathic medicine, organotherapy generally involves the use of animal tissues to treat human health problems. It is often believed to stimulate organ functions, depending on the tissues used, while other substances may help to prevent antibodies from being formed against the organs. Enzymes and nucleic acids can be used in such treatments as well. Healthy organ tissue or that from diseased parts of the body is sometimes implanted; the remedies created for organotherapy are often derived from animals maintained in a controlled environment for the purpose of creating treatments. The principle is that organs can recognize the right cells, which usually start reproducing once inside the liver or pancreas, for example.
Organotherapy was first practiced in the 1930s and the technique has been refined over many years. Tissue extracts can stimulate the function of organs, while some serve to only regulate it. Other varieties inhibit functions, so depending on a person’s condition, different grades of tissue can be used. These are typically processed after removal from an animal. Various protocols have been developed for medical conditions; one can use specific types of organotherapy for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, or allergies, for example.
Immune conditions can also be treated with organotherapy. A low-potency sample is often used to restore organ function and can often provide the ability for the tissue to restore itself after an auto-immune response. The body can sometimes direct cells, which are injected into a vein, for example, to a particular organ within a few hours. Liver cells have been injected this way and laboratory tests have indicated that once they enter the organ, they can begin to induce healing.
Scientific studies have shown that organotherapy works in many cases, although there are misconceptions. Associated therapies are sometimes believed to reverse the effects of aging. While organotherapy can slow down some aging processes, it does not reverse one’s age. Treatments can alleviate the effects of conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis, and blood circulation problems.
Some forms of organotherapy include the use of stem cells, which are believed to remain neutral, until activated, and can turn into the type of tissue the body requires. Treatments such as bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy are sometimes thought to overlap traditional medicine with these types of therapy. The general practice is common in Europe and, even into the 21st century, many celebrities seek out treatments at medical centers and spas, where they can receive treatments related to the use of organic tissues and other substances.
