Coughing is one of the symptoms of a viral respiratory infection. It can last for several weeks and affect the quality of life. Researchers found that an extract of South African Cape geranium helps against coughs.
Coughing is one of the symptoms of a viral respiratory infection. It can last for several weeks and affect the quality of life. In a meta-study, a team led by Peter Kardos from the Frankfurt Red Cross Clinics investigated whether an extract of the South African Cape geranium (EPs 7630) helps against coughs.
To do this, she evaluated existing randomized, placebo-controlled studies that showed the effectiveness of the plant extract Bronchitis and cold checked. Efficacy analyzes included change in cough intensity score, cough remission, and disease disability.
26 percent of adults with bronchitis stopped coughing
A total of data from 2,195 participants from 11 studies were found: 3 in children/adolescents with Bronchitis, 3 in adults with bronchitis, 5 in adults with a cold. In children and adolescents with bronchitis, 79.6 percent of those treated with EPs 7630 and 41 percent of those treated with placebo had at least a 50 percent reduction in cough intensity after one week. 18 percent versus 5.5 percent showed complete remission of the cough.
In adults with bronchitis, 88.7 percent of participants in the EPs 7630 group and 47.6 percent in the placebo group had a more than 50 percent reduction in cough intensity after seven days. 26 percent versus 6.3 percent stopped coughing by day 7. Pelargonium extract showed significant improvements over placebo in performing daily activities and quality of life.
Cape geranium extract helps against cough
For the common cold, 56.8 percent of EPs 7630-treated and 38.8 percent of placebo-treated participants showed a greater than 50 percent reduction in cough intensity by Day 5, while 26.1 percent versus 18.4 percent achieved complete cough remission reported.
Conclusion of the investigation, which was published in the journal Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine: The extract of Cape geranium helps against coughs. It reduces the burden of disease and leads to earlier remission of the cough. Patients treated with the herbal product were sooner able to resume their usual daily activities. EPs 7630 is included in the products marketed under the Umckaloabo name.