Treatment of acute bronchitis in adults with extract of Pelargonium Sidoides: a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial

Abstract

Acute bronchitis is a wide-spread disease. Although it is generally caused by viruses, antibiotics are used for its treatment too much often. So it is very important to evaluate alternative therapy of acute bronchitis. The aim of the trial was to assess efficacy and safety of Pelargonium Sidoides (EPs 7630 is a registered trademark of Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co, Karlsruhe, Germany) compared to placebo in patients with acute bronchitis. Study design: randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial with planned interim analysis. The trial centres: 6 outpatient medical centres. Patients: 124 adult patients with acute bronchitis, onset of the disease ≤ 48 h, and severity of symptoms ≥ 5 according to BSS scale gave written informed concert. EPs 7630 or placebo were administered in the dose of 30 drops t.i.d. during 7 days. The primary outcome measure was BSS scoring at the 7th day of the treatment. BSS scoring decreased by 7.2 ± 3.1 in the EPs 7630 group (n = 64) vs 4.9 ± 2.7 in the placebo group (n = 60). 95 % confidence interval (CI, 1.21, 3.56) for difference of the effects between two groups demonstrated significant improvement in the EPs 7630 in 7 days of the treatment compared to the placebo group (p < 0.0001). The EPs 7630 patients had parameters of complete recovery for every of 5 individual symptoms reliably higher compared to placebo patients. During the first 4 days of the treatment therapeutic effect was noted in 68.8 % of the EPs 7630 group vs 33.3 % of the placebo group (p < 0.0001). Health-related quality of life improved better in the EPs 7630 patients compared to the placebo group. Adverse events were found in 25 of 124 patients: 15 / 64 in the EPs 7630 group and 10 / 60 in the placebo group. All the adverse events were considered as non-serious. The efficacy of EPs 7630 in treatment of adults with acute bronchitis was higher compared to placebo. It could be an efficient alternative drug in therapy of acute bronchitis at the absence of indications for antibiotics administration.