Cell therapy history

"Cell therapy", in its most common modality of reference, implies the use of cells for therapeutic purposes. In this context, cell therapy belongs to the oldest medical procedures, since these procedures also comprise: blood transfusions, thrombocyte transfusions, erythrocyte concentrates, leukocyte suspensions, thymus implantations, bone marrow implantations, transplantions of liver tissue. In the linguistic use of the last decades the words “cell therapy” started to be more commonly applied to the use of fetal, xenogenic tissue. According to this limited definition, cell therapy, in its current practical application, is an implantation, by injection, of fetal or juvenile xenogen cells and tissue suspensions.

My first encounter with cell therapy, was during my youth. A distant uncle of mine (Dr. med. Joachim Stein) had a clinic in Heidelberg, in which he treated patients afflicted by many different symptoms and illnesses with so called fresh cells. This uncle had been a long-term companion of the Swiss physician Paul Niehans. At that time, those physicians who, in my opinion, are to be considered as the pioneers of today's xenotransplantation, (that is the transplant of cells or tissue of animal origin into humans), were either feebly mocked, or considered as "Quacks”. Both assumptions are naturally erroneous, since the procedures involved are on the one hand very useful, and on the other side scientifically explainable and provable.

Unfortunately cell therapy, or, as Niehans used to say "cellular therapy" is today still associated with the so called "fresh cells" of those times, and rejected as being ineffective, if not even dangerous, but this notwithstanding, fresh cells in their original meaning still have a purpose . The different kinds of cell therapy will be discussed later on. Furthermore they did not yet receive the recognition by school medicine, that they would actually have deserved, although their scientific background is more substantial than that of quite a few other therapy forms that are nowadays widely used.

Achievement and legend (from the book "Cell therapy a step into the future of medicine" by Prof. Dr. med. Franz Schmid):

"The epoch of mystic exaltation and of exclusiveness was shaped by press reports about successful treatments, particularly by Paul NIEHANS, of famous personalities. There was a flood of newspaper reports where the fact that quite a few famous old people were still in full activity, was considered as due to the treatment with "fresh cells“. Dozens of famous names can be mentioned.

Since Paul NIEHANS had the utmost respect for the physician/ patient relationship as a strict bond of trust which he guarded without any compromise, the historical truth of many of these representations can be established only in those cases where treatments of many years’ duration took place or where personal reports and discussions vouch for their content.

This applies to many crowned heads, among them emperor Hirohito from Japan, emperor Heile Selassie from Ethiopia and King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. Quite a few famous people, such as Bernhard Baruch who was bound to the wheelchair, were able to continue their activity for many years thanks to the treatment by NIEHANS. The successful treatment by Niehans of a son of Rockefeller who was suffering from a paralysis, apparently brought him the enmity of some famous university professors who had beforehand unsuccessfully treated this same patient.

A true friendship with writers such as Somerset Maugham or musicians such as William Furtwaengler, grew following the medical support.

Probably the most prominent patient of Paul NIEHANS was Pope Pius XII, who was treated twice by P. NIEHANS. On the first treatment NIEHANS wrote, as desired by the Pope, a detailed patient report in two volumes. After this first treatment NIEHANS’ opponents quipped that a diaphragmatic hernia could hardly be healed by cell therapy. And actually, the therapeutic success was primarily due to a tactful treatment that, by unorthodox means, succeeded in letting the Pope put on some weight, and secondarily to the cell therapy, so that the necessary clinic was made possible. The close trust that developed after this episode resulted in the admission of the former evangelic theologian Paul NIEHANS into the papal Academy of Sciences as a successor of FLEMING, the discoverer of penicillin.

Some other reports belong to the realm of legend. Whether Konrad Adenauer or Charles De Gaulle was ever treated by P. NIEHANS has never been established. What is certain is that the quoted treatment of W. Churchill never took place. His request for treatment, forwarded by diplomatic channels, was answered as follows by Paul NIEHANS: "if W. Churchill on his way crossing my property in Geneva ever had an accident, I would be ready to give him first aid assistance, but I would not be willing to give him any other treatment!" This answer can only be comprehended if NIEHANS’ Prussian aristocratic basic attitude is taken into account. This attitude brought him many difficulties in the country where he lived. Paul NIEHANS considered Churchill as the chief responsible for many unreasonable and unnecessary cruelties during the last phases of the Second World War and during the post-war period and for the division of Europe. His prior battle against the inhuman treatment of German prisoners of war and German refugees brought him, together with recognitions – such as the award of the Order of Merit by Theodor Heuss and honorary doctor title of the University of Tübingen - also quite a few enemies.

Between glorification and condemnation

Every genuine progress has to overcome four hurdles

First it is ignored,

Then made ridiculous,

Then tolerated,

Then objectively examined,

And then the goal is reached: it is considered obvious!

Unfortunately, during the following years, German researchers and scientists were no longer at the forefront of progress. In Russia e.g. research continued to progress more substantially than here, in the field of xenotransplantation. Also, foreign researchers successfully transplanted cells, without using the term “cell therapy”, let alone mentioning the German research.

After the highlight on cell therapy during the 60's and 50's, which was actually brought forward “ad absurdum” and partially in an adventurous manner, silence fell among the public on this treatment form. Names such as Niehans, Bircher, Block, Dittmar, Wiedemann, Schmid, Theurer and Dykerhoff were soon forgotten. Also, the legal situation in Germany did not offer a solid basis for the legal safety of the therapists. Only a recent judgement by the Federal Constitutional Court during the year 2000 (1 BvR 420/97) reoffered a legal basis to the still existing therapists in this area, by waiving the prohibition of treatment with fresh cells existing since 1997.

Here it is necessary to stress that treatment with cell therapy is not that simple and requires an accurate, intensive training and a just as absolutely safe and precise diagnosis. Furthermore it must also be stressed that cell therapy is not a universal remedy and certainly no "miracle cure". This means: it must be skilfully understood; then however it is successful. "A correct action is worth the effort it implies and gives a deep moral satisfaction" (Hoepke)

Let us now examine the different forms of cell therapy that did not enter medical literature until cell therapy treatment according to Niehans. The history of treating disease with body cells and tissues is as old as the history of the art of healing. Its traces can already be found in the famous old-Egyptian papyrus Ebers, in the writings of Greek philosopher Aristoteles (384-322 v. Chr.) and later on of the Swiss philosopher and physician Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, 1494-1541).

Nowadays the following preparations are used:

living fresh cells

cell cultures from primary culture (precursor or progenitor main cells) whereby NO embryonic cells find application here

dry cells (so-called Lyophilizes)

Ultrafiltrations of different organs and tissues (peptides)

Homoeopathic cell preparations

ready made medications

from different donors (cattle, pigs, sheep, rabbits) and of different ages (embryonic, foetal, adult).

All these forms are applied in my current practice, whereby I give an absolute priority to treatment with cells from a primary culture.

Niehans in his time, started the use of injections of lyophilised dry cells, that is, cells dried by freezing in an air vacuum, (a procedure which is known from the preparation in similar way of soluble coffee ).

The modern preparation of all cell therapy products is nowadays safe, standardized and accomplished in ultramodern laboratories . All cell preparations, when they are not listed as medical products, are prepared by myself without the necessity for an official permission according to § 13 / 1 / 3 of the German law on medicinal products, in authorised and certified laboratories. Both the raw material and the final product are subject to strict controls, e.g. on zoonoses, sterile conditions and pyrogen potential. Here it is stressed that all preparations are made individually for every SINGLE patient and his individual disease. A passing on to other patients is impossible and legally forbidden.

Cell therapy is frequently qualified as a non specific stimulation therapy, usually by people who do not know, and do not wish to know, this form of therapy, and certainly did not try it themselves. This designation is absolutely wrong. Actually, we are dealing with a specific information and regeneration therapy, that can be applied for almost all degenerative illnesses, when cells are being destroyed. I will speak later on about the individual indications.

Absolute contraindications are:

acute and chronic bacterial infections

acute viral infections (except when the treatment is specifically aimed against those)

vaccination (for a period of 4 weeks before or after)

acute allergic hyperergic situations

acute stress situations (e.g. recent cardiac infarct, apoplectic stroke)

terminal stage of any disease (so called "last attempt")

It is again stressed, that a treatment with cell therapy, of whatever kind, without a detailed medical history, a conscientious investigation with clear findings and safe exclusion of all risks, can not be accomplished. This however is a characteristic procedure always and principally applied by all responsible therapists in relationship with ALL kinds of planned therapies .

In my practice a cell therapy is only accomplished after an intensive pre-treatment of at least one week duration. During this pre-treatment patients are brought into the best possible physical and psychological condition, as regards their immune system, liquid substitution and detoxification functions of their organs . After treatment, patients remain under close observation for a further period of three to five days and may start their journey home only after a renewed detailed investigation.

Before dealing with the single illnesses, which I successfully treated with cell therapy and which originate from the rich wealth of observations of experienced colleagues, let me deal in depth with the impact of this method.

Effective principles of cell therapy are:

1. The high content of
2. 1. biochemical substrates
   2. Enzymes
3. in fetal cells
4. Their composition of elements and trace elements, in accordance with biological concentrations and relationships
5. The energy of foetal and juvenile tissues, which is high in relation to their mass.
6. The corroborating and antimicrobial effect

Investigations carried out with tracing techniques were able to follow the route along which injected tissues are moving. According to our current knowledge, implanted cells are taken up very rapidly by the microphages, are attached to the membranes of the microphages and already within the first two hours they are phagocyted, together with the microphages, by the body-own macrophages (monocytes). Then, within these macrophages the digesting procedure begins, extending approximately over two days . After this time it is no longer possible, even by electron-optics, to detect any particle of the implanted cells .

"As far as our present information reach, the incorporation of this metabolized implanted tissue particles can reach an order of magnitude corresponding to that of the oligopeptides ; it is however proved by the passive transmission of Immunoglobulin M in case of Tuberculin allergy, that even macromolecules with a molecular weight of approximately 960 000 (!) can be transferred by means of cells to the receiver organism and can carry on their specific function therein, even if they originate from organisms of other living species "(Schmid)

Effects and side-effects

The implantation causes pain because of the volume pressure connected to the raising and stretching of the skin ( when lyophilised material is used). The pain can usually last 2-4 minutes, but can continue up to 5-10 minutes when larger quantities are forcefully injected.

When cultivated cells are injected into the range of the aponeurosis of the m. obliquus rect. ext. besides the volume pressure pain there may be, for a few hours, a large-scale muscle pain, similar to the strain after intensive belly muscle training.

I will deal in depth later on with the specific treatment with the cell cultures I mentioned, since it takes an important place in my current practice.

Here general viewpoints are presented, that apply to all forms of cell application and preparations.

The actual acute phase proceeds concomitantly with the metabolic and transport processes in the organism.

This acute phase may be accompanied, in a small number of cases, by light rises in body temperature from 0,5 to 1 degree Celsius (thus about 37,8 to 38,5 degrees Celsius) for a few hours or 1 - 2 days. In the blood a leukocyte increase with a rise of the polymorph nuclear cells (Polynukleaeren?) can be found at this time, as a sign of the leukocyte combat phase; this phase runs together with to the absorption of the implanted cell particles by the membranes of the leukocytes. Adults frequently describe an agreeable need for rest, similar to the feeling after a rich meal, others speak of feeling tired for a few days. Also an increased appetite and dislike against alcohol are occasionally reported.

Children may show two opposing symptoms during the acute phase: a need for sleep lasting several hours to 2 days, on the one hand and hypermotility and excitation on the other hand. In the majority of children an acute phase is not evident.

The effectiveness phase diminishes usually during the 3. and 4. week after the injection. This appears very convincingly from the hundredfold observations of parents of handicapped children, who speak of a huge leap, or sometimes "explosion" in the child’s motor, linguistic, mental or behavioural functions. This phase lasts for approximately 3 months, and then diminishes, and after 5-6 months falls below the threshold of detectable effects.

When using hormonally active organs such as the placenta, testes, adrenal glands, a direct effect after the implantation is quite often observed, resulting in a better blood circulation in the body periphery, a feeling of wellness and deep sleep.

In exceptional cases however immediately after the implantation "jerky nights" are also reported.

Latency phase

Between the acute phase and the effectiveness phase there is a latency phase of varying lengths. It is during this period that , after the assimilation and elimination of the implanted material, its distribution in the body and its blending in with the homologous structures takes place. In adults this latency can last from weeks to months. Usually the latency period extends over 10 - 25 days.

Besides this general time schedule, there are, in addition, impressive examples of earlier or later onset of effects, especially in cases of intraperitoneal injection and in relationship with the longer time intervals with older people.

Dr. Georg v. Falkenhayn: Cell therapy history

© 2006 - Cell therapy