Treatment of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Using Homeopathic Preparation of Common Allergens in the Southwest Region of the US: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Allergic rhinitis, classified as seasonal and perennial, isthe most common form of rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis in-volves immunoglobulin E (IgE)–mediated reactions in the nasal mucosa to one or more allergens. Inflammatory com-ponents common to allergic rhinitis include mast cells, eosinophils, T-helper 2 lymphocytes, histamine, leukotriene, and proinflammatory cytokines.1 The goal of pharma-cotherapy is to alleviate and prevent the allergic rhinitis symptoms. Allergic rhinitis is considered one of the most common chronic conditions in the US and is a significant cause of widespread morbidity, medical treatment costs, reduced work productivity, and lost school days.2 Overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis in the US population is high in both children and adults. In 2000, over $6 billion was spent on prescriptions to treat the disorder.3 Poorly con-trolled allergic rhinitis can increase medical costs by trig-gering shared pathophysiologic conditions of asthma, si-nusitis, and otitis media