Pelargonium sidoides Usage

An alcohol extract made from Pelargonium sidoideshas become popular in Germany as a treatment for various respiratory problems, including acute bronchitis , the common cold ,...

Read more about Sinusitis and Pelargonium sidoides.

An alcohol extract made from Pelargonium sidoideshas become popular in Germany as a treatment for various respiratory problems, including acute bronchitis , the common cold , sinusitis, pharyngitis (sore throat) , and tonsillitis. ¹ Fairly large studies have been performed to substantiate some of these uses.

For example, in one double-blind , placebo-controlled study, 468 adults with recent onset of acute bronchitis were given either placebo or a standard alcohol extract of Pelargonium sidoides 3 times daily for a week. ² The results showed a significantly greater improvement in symptoms in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group. On average, participants who received the real treatment were able to return to work 2 days earlier than those given placebo. Benefits were also seen in 2 other double-blind, placebo-controlled studies enrolling a total of almost 350 people with acute bronchitis. ³ When researchers pooled the results of four well-designed, placebo-controlled trials, they found that a standardized extract of Pelargonium performed significantly better than placebo at reducing the symptoms of bronchitis by the seventh day of treatment. ⁴ Given this evidence, Pelargonium appears to be effective for acute bronchitis.

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 143 children aged 6-10 years with a nondangerous form of strep throat (technically, non-group A beta hemolytic strep tonsillopharyngitis). ⁵ On average, the total duration of the illness was reduced by 2 days in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group.

Note: Only a medical test can distinguish between the relatively nondangerous form of strep throat studied in this trial (non-group A strep) and strep throat of the potentially very dangerous A form (group A strep). For this reason, physician supervision is essential. See the

Finally, a double-blind study of 133 adults who had just come down with the common cold found that use of a standardized pelargonium extract at a dose of 30 ml three times daily significantly reduced the severity and duration of symptoms as compared to placebo. ⁶ It is not known how Pelargonium sidoides might work, but its action is hypothesized to involve both direct antibacterial effects and immune function modification. ^{7 8}