Effect of a Homeopathic Complex on the In Vitro Production of Bovine Embryos: A Study with Nellore Cows

The use of homeopathy has increased in livestock production in recent years, mainly to mitigate losses in the disposal of milk and meat, in addition to having no side effects and being environmentally friendly. In vitro embryo production in Brazilian cattle occupies a prominent position, as it represents approximately 50% of the embryos produced worldwide, and is still undergoing commercial expansion. In this study, the effects of the homeopathic complex Homeo-Vita Fertilidade® (Homeo-Vita, Umuarama, Paraná, Brazil) on the percentage of viable oocytes, cleavage rates, and blastocysts on day 7 post-fertilization in Nellore cows were investigated. Nineteen adult cows were divided into two groups: control (G-C, n = 9) and treated (G-H, n = 10). G-H received 20 g/day of the homeopathic complex consisting of Aristolochia clematitis CH6, Folliculinum CH6, Ovarinum CH6, Pulsatilla nigricans CH6, and Sulphur CH9 in a calcium carbonate preparation, administered over 119 days (35 days with mineral salt and 84 days with silage). G-C received the vehicle only. G-H showed a 7% ( p = 0.049) increase in blastocyst rate (30.5% vs. 23.7%), with no significant effect on the percentage of viable oocytes (58.9% vs. 63.5%; p = 0.168) or cleavage rate (66.4% vs. 69.8%; p = 0.34). These results suggest that homeopathic treatment can increase blastocyst production and, therefore, represents a promising tool in bovine reproduction biotechnology. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and understand the mechanisms involved.