Cochrane Review Evaluates Herbal Medicine From Schwabe Pharmaceuticals For Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 31 Jul 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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A recent report by the internationally renowned, independent Cochrane Collaboration adds further weight to the growing international popularity of standardized Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630 (Umckaloabo®) in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections such as acute bronchitis and the common cold. Analyzing 8 randomized, double-blind, clinical studies, the researchers found that EPs® 7630 "may be effective in relieving symptoms in acute bronchitis in adults and children" and that it "may (also) be effective in alleviating symptoms of acute rhinosinusitis and the common cold in adults".

Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common acute illnesses encountered in daily medical practice and are the most common reason for absence from school or work. Every year, children will have about six to ten acute respiratory tract infections while adults will have two to four. More than 90% of cases are caused by viruses, with bacteria playing a role in less than 10%. But the prescription of antibiotics remains wide-spread despite the fact that they do not act against viruses. "In the light of inappropriate antibiotic use and increasing drug resistance rates worldwide, the need for an alternative, effective remedy for these medical conditions is crucial." the Cochrane researchers state.

The standardized extract of Pelargonium sidoides EPs® 7630 may be the alternative that is so eagerly being sought. Namely, according to Prof. Franz Daschner, former Head of the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology at the University Hospital of Freiburg, Germany: "For uncomplicated respiratory tract infections the Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630 is an effective alternative to antibiotics, whose mostly uncritical and widespread use promotes bacterial resistance."

To evaluate the efficacy of EPs® 7630, the Cochrane researchers analyzed data from 8 placebo-controlled studies with EPs® 7630 in acute bronchitis, acute sinusitis, and the common cold. These studies involved more than 1,750 patients, almost half (46%) of whom were children from age one year upwards.

Both the adults and the children suffering from acute bronchitis experienced a beneficial reduction in symptoms after taking EPs® 7630. In acute rhinosinusitis, EPs® 7630 "showed significant treatment effects for resolution of all symptoms including resolution of headaches and nasal discharge." In the common cold, well known as the most prevalent upper respiratory infection, EPs® 7630 showed "a significant reduction in days off work" the researchers found.

The very good tolerability of the EPs® 7630 herbal extract was similarly confirmed by the Cochrane researchers, stating: „The available data from clinical trials with short-term therapies and results from uncontrolled post-marketing studies do not show an elevated risk of serious adverse events."

These new Cochrane Collaboration findings add weight to another meta-analysis published earlier this year. That review by a research group at the University of Exeter (UK) led by Prof. Ernst looked in great detail into the clinical evidence for the treatment of acute bronchitis with EPs® 7630. They found that "there is encouraging evidence from currently available data that EPs® 7630 is an effective treatment of acute bronchitis."

As Ernst pointed out: "The use of EPs® 7630 could also prove useful by minimising the use of antibiotics for this condition. This is particularly important when the over-prescription of antibiotics for acute bronchitis, and increased bacterial resistance is considered."

All of the trials analyzed by the Cochrane Collaboration as well as by the UK group were conducted using Schwabe's proprietary extract of Pelargonium sidoides, EPs® 7630. This unique extract is contained in Umckaloabo®, the No.1 selling cough and cold medicine in Germany. It is currently available under different brandnames in 37 countries world-wide.

[1] Pelargonium sidoides extract for acute respiratory tract infections.
Timmer A, Günther J, Rücker G, Motschall E, Antes G, Kern WV.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD006323. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006323.pub2.

[2] Agbabiaka TB, Guo R, Ernst E. Pelargonium sidoides for acute bronchitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine, 2008 May; 15(5): 378-85.

http://www.schwabe.de