Evidence supporting the use of: Bovine liver
For the health condition: Pernicious Anemia

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 5

Bovine liver is scientifically validated as a treatment for pernicious anemia and played a pivotal role in the history of its management. Pernicious anemia is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, most often due to an inability to absorb B12 from the gastrointestinal tract, typically because of a lack of intrinsic factor. In the 1920s, George Whipple, George Minot, and William Murphy discovered that feeding large amounts of raw liver to patients with pernicious anemia led to significant clinical improvement. This breakthrough was so significant that the three researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934.

The efficacy of liver in treating pernicious anemia is due to its exceptionally high vitamin B12 content. Before the advent of purified vitamin B12 supplements and injectable forms, dietary therapy with liver was the only effective treatment. The absorption of B12 from liver helped correct megaloblastic anemia, reverse neurological symptoms, and prevent fatal outcomes associated with the disease. Modern therapy uses purified B12 rather than whole liver, but the historical use of bovine liver is a classic example of scientific discovery transforming medical treatment. Thus, the use of bovine liver for pernicious anemia is both traditional (historically) and scientifically validated, with the evidence base being extremely strong.

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