The value of herbal medicines in the treatment of acute non-purulent rhinosinusitis

Abstract

In a prospective, randomised, double-blinded controlled study, we compared the efficacy and safety of two different treatment options with the herbal medicines cineole and a combination of five different components for acute viral rhinosinusitis. One hundred and fifty patients with acute and viral rhinosinusitis (75 patients in each treatment group) were enrolled. The diagnosis rhinosinusitis was made according to a defined symptoms-sum-score which was based on rhinoscopic and clinical signs which are characteristic for rhinosinusitis. The primary endpoint was the amelioration of the symptoms-sum-score, which includes all relevant characteristics for rhinosinusitis as headache on bending, frontal headache, sensitivity of pressure points of trigeminal nerve, impairment of general condition, nasal obstruction, rhino-secretion, secretion quantity, secretion viscosity and fever in a treatment period of 7 days. The mean reduction of the symptoms-sum-score after 4 days was 6.7 (+/-3.4) and after 7 days 11.0 (+/-3.3) in the cineole group and 3.6 (+/-2.8) after 4 days and 8.0 (+/-3.0) after 7 days in the control group. The differences between both groups were clinically relevant and statistically significant after 4 and 7 days (P < 0.0001). This result is validated by the amelioration of the secondary endpoints headache on bending, frontal headache, sensitivity of pressure points of trigeminal nerve, impairment of general condition, nasal obstruction and rhino-secretion. These findings correlate with the statistically significant difference of the estimation of B-scan ultrasonography. It is safe to use both medications for 7 days in patients with acute viral rhinosinusitis. Treatment with cineole is clinically relevant and statistically significant, more effective in comparison to the alternative herbal preparation with five different components.

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis

“…Although extract of Pelargonium sidoides 210 and cineole 211 have evidence suggesting efficacy, methodological flaws and possible conflicts of interests in their associated studies makes it difficult to make any useful recommendations regarding their use other than the need for further well-designed trials.…”

Identification, Functional Characterization, and Evolution of Terpene Synthases from a Basal Dicot

“…Industrially, 1,8-cineole is widely used in hygiene products, food flavors, and pharmaceutical preparation (Juergens et al, 2004;Kehrl et al, 2004;Tesche et al, 2008). The high levels of 1,8-cineole in the leaves, roots, flowers, and fruits may thus play a role in protecting L. nobilis from its enemies and increase its ability to compete belowground with neighboring plants for limited water and nutrient supplies.…”

Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.): a perfume tree with several medicinal purposes

“…Au cours de trois essais cliniques, le 1,8-cinéole que contient l'eucalyptus s'est révélé efficace pour réduire la dose de corticostéroïdes utilisée par des sujets souffrant d'asthme et pour combattre le rhume [58][59][60][61].…”