Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing
Volume 3, Issue 6 , Pages 573-584 , November 2007

Efficacy of a Pelargonium Sidoides Preparation in Patients With the Common Cold: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

  • Viktor G. Lizogub, MD

      Affiliations

    • Faculty Therapy No. 2, National Medical University, Kiev, Ukraine
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding Author. Address: National Medical University, 4 A, Podvisotskogo Str., Kiev, 01103, Ukraine
    • ,
  • David S. Riley, MD

      Affiliations

    • University of New Mexico Medical School, Santa Fe, New Mexico
    • ,
  • Marianne Heger, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Research, Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, Karlsruhe, Germany

References 

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Common Cold. Available at: http://www3.niaid.nih.Gov/healthscience/healthtopics/colds. Accessed July 16, 2007.
  2. Bush A. Update in pediatrics 2005. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006;173:585–592
  3. Johnston SL. Overview of virus-induced airway disease. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2005;2:150–156
  4. Van Kempen M, Bachert C, Van Cauwenberge P. An update on the pathophysiology of rhinovirus upper respiratory tract infections. Rhinology. 1999;37(3):97–103
  5. Herendeen NE, Szilagy PG. Infections of the upper respiratory tract. In:  Behrman RE,  Kliegman RM,  Jenson HB editor. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 16th ed.. Philadelphia, Pa: W. B. Saunders Company; 2000;p. 1261–1266
  6. Van Cauwenberge PB, van Kempen MJP, Bachert C. The common cold at the turn of the millennium. Am J Rhinol. 2000;14:339–343
  7. Dreschers S, Dumitru CA, Adams C, Gulbins E. The cold case: are rhinoviruses perfectly adapted pathogens?. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007;64:181–191
  8. Guillemot D, Carbon C, Vauzelle-Kervroëdan F, et al. Inappropriateness and variability of antibiotic prescription among French office-based physicians. J Clin Epidemiol. 1998;51:61–68
  9. Carrie AG, Zhanel GG. Antibacterial use in community practice: assessing quantity, indications and appropriateness, and relationship to the development of antibacterial resistance. Drugs. 1999;57:871–881
  10. Thorpe JM, Smith SR, Trygstad TK. Trends in emergency department antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections. Ann Pharmacother. 2004;38:928–935
  11. Rutschmann OT, Domino ME. Antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections in ambulatory practice in the United States, 1997 - 1999: does physician specialty matter?. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2004;17:196–200
  12. Emmer C, Besser R. Combating antimicrobial resistance: intervention programs to promote appropriate antibiotic use. Infect Med. 2002;19:160–173
  13. Seppala H, Nissinen A, Jarvinen H, et al. Resistance to erythromycin in group A streptococci. N Engl J Med. 1992;326:292–297
  14. Felmingham D, Gruneberg RN the Alexander Project Group. The Alexander Project 1996-1997: latest susceptibility data from this international study of bacterial pathogens from community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2000;45:191–203
  15. Bax R, Bywater R, Cornaglia G, et al. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance–what, how and whither?. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2001;7:316–325
  16. Masterton RG. Surveillance studies: how can they help the management of infection?. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2000;46:53–58
  17. Fahey T, Stocks N, Thomas T. Quantitative systematic review of randomised controlled trials comparing antibiotic with placebo for acute cough in adults. BMJ. 1998;316:906–910
  18. Mossad SB. Treatment of the common cold. BMJ. 1998;317:33–36
  19. Turner RB. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of the common cold. Ann Allergy Immunol. 1997;78:531–539
  20. Smith MB, Feldman W. Over-the-counter medications: a critical review of the clinical trials between 1950 and 1991. JAMA. 1993;269:2258–2263
  21. Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, et al. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA. 1998;280:1569–1575
  22. Roxas M, Jurenka J. Colds and influenza: a review of diagnosis and conventional, botanical, and nutritional considerations. Altern Med Rev. 2007;12:25–48
  23. Melchart D, Linde K, Fischer P, et al. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. In: The Cochrane Library. 2001;Issue 1
  24. Kayser O, Kolodziej H, Kiderlen AF. Immunmodulatory principles of Pelargonium sidoides. Phytother Res. 2001;15:122–126
  25. Kolodziej H, Kayser O, Radtke OA, et al. Pharmacological profile of extracts of Pelargonium sidoides and their constituents. Phytomedicine. 2003;10(suppl IV):18–24
  26. Kolodziej H. Fascinating metabolic pools of Pelargonium sidoides and Pelargonium reniforme, traditional and phytomedicinal sources of the herbal medicine Umckaloabo. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):9–17
  27. Kolodziej H, Kiderlen AF. In vitro evaluation of antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities of Pelargonium reniforme, Pelargonium sidoides and the related herbal drug preparation EPs 7630. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):18–26
  28. Conrad A, Hansmann C, Engels I, Daschner FD, Frank U. Extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) improves phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and intracellular killing of human peripheral blood phagocytes in vitro. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):46–51
  29. Conrad A, Jung I, Tioua D, et al. Extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) inhibits the interactions of group A-streptococci and host epithelia in vitro. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):52–59
  30. Bachert C, Schapowal A, Kieser M, Malek F. Treatment of acute bacterial maxillary sinusitis with EPs 7630-solution: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Focus Alternat Complement Ther. 2006;11:4
  31. Matthys H, Heger M. Treatment of acute bronchitis with a liquid herbal drug preparation from Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study. Curr Med Res Opinion. 2007;23:323–331
  32. Chuchalin AG, Berman B, Lehmacher W. Treatment of acute bronchitis in adults with a Pelargonium sidoides preparation (EPs 7630): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2005;1:437–445
  33. Haidvogl M, Heger M. Treatment effect and safety of EPs 7630-solution in acute bronchitis in childhood: report of a mulitcentre observational study. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):60–64
  34. Matthys H, Heger M. EPs 7630-solution–an effective therapeutic option in acute and exacerbating bronchitis. Phytomedicine. 2007;14(suppl VI):65–68
  35. European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. Guideline for Good Clinical Practice (Note for Guidance on Good Clinical Practice). 1997;CPMP/ICH/135/95. Available at: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/ich/013595en.pdf. Accessed October 4, 2007
  36. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Recommendations guiding physicians in biomedical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 1997;227:925–926
  37. Jackson GG, Dowling HF, Spiesman IG, et al. Transmission of the common cold to volunteers under controlled conditions. Arch Intern Med. 1958;101:267–278
  38. Prasad AS, Fitzgerald JT, Bao B, et al. Duration of symptoms and plasma cytokine levels in patients with the common cold treated with zinc acetate: a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2000;133:245–252
  39. Mossad SB, Macknin ML, Medendorp SV, et al. Zinc gluconate lozenges for treating the common cold: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Ann Intern Med. 1996;125:81–88
  40. DuPuy HJ. The Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index. In:  Wenger NK,  Mattson ME,  Furberg CD,  Elinson J editor. Assessment of Quality of Life in Clinical Trials of Cardiovascular Therapies. New York, NY: LeJacq Publishers; 1984;p. 170–183
  41. Brooks R. EuroQol: the current state of play. Health Policy. 1996;37:53–72
  42. Kind P. Measuring quality of life in evaluation clinical interventions: an overview. Ann Med. 2001;33:323–327
  43. EMEA. Points to Consider on Adjustment for Baseline Covariates. 2003;CPMP/EWP/2863/99. Available at: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/ich/013595en.pdf. Accessed October 4, 2007
  44. O’Brien PC, Fleming TR. A multiple testing procedure for clinical trials. Biometrics. 1979;35:549–556
  45. Takkouche B, Regueira C, Gestal-Otero JJ. A cohort study of stress and the common cold. Epidemiology. 2001;11:345–349
  46. Fraenkel DJ, Bardin PG, Sanderson G, Lampe F, Johnston SL, Holgate ST. Lower airways inflammation during rhinovirus colds in normal and in asthmatic subjects. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995;151:879–886
  47. Arroll B, Kenealy T. Are antibiotics effective for acute purulent rhinitis? (Systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo controlled randomised tirals). BMJ. 2006;333:279–281

PII: S1550-8307(07)00333-3

doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2007.09.004

Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing
Volume 3, Issue 6 , Pages 573-584 , November 2007

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution