Homeopathy for Hemorrhoids: Protocol for a Systematic Review

Background: Hemorrhoids are a common anorectal condition among adults worldwide. A large number of patients in India consult homeopathic practitioners for this condition. Our objective is to present the study protocol of a systematic review to evaluate the existing evidence concerning the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of homeopathic treatment for hemorrhoids in an Indian population. Methods/Design: Literature databases to search will include MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, AMED, CAM-Quest, CORE-Hom, Chiro ACCESS, and LILACS for the period January 2000 to October 2025. The review will include trials with individualized homeopathic medicines, specific medicines, and anti-miasmatic, constitutional or organopathic approaches. The primary outcomes of the review are changes in individual or overall symptom score of hemorrhoids recorded on any validated general or disease-specific scale or quality-of-life score. The secondary outcomes are a change in any symptom recorded by a physician, adverse events, and the prescription of conventional medication. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized controlled trials and the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal checklists for other study types, such as case-control and cohort studies, case series and case reports, will be used to assess methodological quality. Overall conclusions will reflect the quality and type of evidence included. Discussion: This systematic review will represent the first comprehensive attempt to assess the value of homeopathic treatment in the management of hemorrhoids in an Indian population.