South African Geranium Derivative Effective against Colds

Research presented in January at the First International Conference on Natural Products and Molecular Therapy in Cape Town, South Africa, suggests that a preparation made from Pelargonium sidoides roots shortens the duration and lessens the severity of the common cold. South African native cultures have traditionally incorporated roots of this South African geranium into treatments for upper respiratory ailments.

According to press materials from the manufacturer of a commercial preparation, investigator David Riley, MD, a clinical associate professor at the University of New Mexico Medical School. and colleagues abroad used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter design to test the medicine’s effectiveness. After five days of treatment, 64% of the experimental group were free of cold symptoms or reported major improvement, compared to 4% of the controls. The press materials did not include sample sizes, but claim, “more than eight out of 10 patients returned to 75–100% of their normal activity level—this being more than double as many with placebo.”

In an earlier investigation, Riley and others had found Pelargonium sidoides effective against tonsillitis in children. This research was published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine in 2003.