News Release

South African geraniums effective in treatment of adults with acute bronchitis

New study in EXPLORE shows promise in treatment for upper respiratory tract infections

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Elsevier

PHILADELPHIA, PA, December 13, 2005 – A recent clinical trial in Europe showed that EPs® 7630, a remedy made from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides--a species of geranium unique to South Africa, is an effective alternative treatment of acute bronchitis. The results were published in the November 2005 issue of EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing.

Upper respiratory tract infections such as acute bronchitis are one of the most frequent infections encountered by primary care healthcare providers. In approximately 70% of cases, acute bronchitis, which is almost always caused by viruses, is treated with antibiotics. The duration of the disease is not substantially shortened by this practice and there are numerous risks, including gastrointestinal side effects, allergic reactions, and development of resistant bacteria leading to a longer duration of treatment and relapse. Despite their frequent use, antibiotics are no longer recommended as first line treatment for acute bronchitis.

In the clinical trial, 124 adults with acute bronchitis in six different outpatient clinics were given either EPs® 7630 or a placebo for seven days. Improvement in health within four days was recognized in more than two thirds of patients in the EPs® 7630 group as compared to one third of patients in the placebo group. In addition, significantly more of the patients in the EPs® 7630 group reported complete recovery. The trial was conducted by AG Chuchalin, MD, of the Russian Research Institute of Pulmonology in Moscow, Russia, in accordance with international clinical research guidelines. W. Lehmacher from the prestigious Institute for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Epidemiology at the University of Cologne, Germany conducted the independent statistical evaluation and data analysis.

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EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing is published six times a year by Elsevier. Please contact Bonnie Horrigan at 760.634.4947 (bonniehorrigan@cox.net) or Shannon Magee at 215.239.3664 (s.magee@elsevier.com) for a copy of "Treatment of Acute Bronchitis in Adults with Pelargonium sidoides: A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial."

About Elsevier
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Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com/) is a global business headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide. Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc (http://www.reedelsevier.com/), a world-leading publisher and information provider. Operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Notes to Editors:

The History of Pelargonium sidoides
For hundreds of years, indigenous South African tribes (Zulu, Basuto, Xhosa and Mfengi) have used Pelargonium sidoides as a curative for coughs, upper respiratory tract irritations and gastrointestinal problems. In 1897, British citizen Charles Stevens went to South Africa hoping to cure himself of tuberculosis. A Basuto tribal healer gave him a remedy made from the local medicinal plant, after which Charles Stevens fully recovered and returned to England. The remedy, known as Steven's Consumption Cure, was consequently used throughout Europe for decades. But with the introduction of synthetic tuberculosis drugs, Steven's remedy became largely forgotten in Western medicine until it was recently "rediscovered" by European researchers. EPs® 7630 has now been the subject of numerous clinical trials for the successful treatment of a variety of upper respiratory tract infections including the common cold, tonsillitis, sinusitis, and this study on acute bronchitis.


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