Umckaloabo: From a Patent Remedy to a Modern Herbal Pharmaceutical based on Pelargonium sidoides with Clinically Proven Efficacy

摘要

Pelargonium sidoides has a long-standing tradition in the treatment of diseases, starting with ethnobotanical records from the mid 19th century. Pelargonium sidoides is native to the coastal regions of South Africa. In the first half of the 20th century, a product made from the root (Umckaloabo) was successfully used in Europe for the treatment of tuberculosis. Various metabolites including phenolic and cinnamic acids, tannins, flavonoids and coumarins were characterized in P. sidoides. In the late 20th century Umckaloabo was developed into a safe and efficacious herbal pharmaceutical for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, specifically acute bronchitis in children. EPs? 7630 (Umckaloabo?), an ethanolic root extract (1:9-11) of P. sidoides roots, showed antibacterial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties in a vast number of investigations. These activities seem to account for its therapeutic effect. In Germany, Umckaloabo is a fully licensed medicinal product ranging among the most widely bought self-medications. Numerous clinical trials with EPs? 7630 have confirmed its efficacy and safety.