burdock root liquid extract + hyssop liquid extract: clinical use

Prescribing considerations

• Traditional herbal registration for symptomatic relief of nasal and throat catarrh; efficacy is based on traditional use only.
• Not recommended below 18 years because of insufficient data and alcohol content.
• Account for alcohol exposure in pregnancy, breastfeeding, alcohol dependence, liver disease and epilepsy.
• Review concomitant medicines for alcohol-related or herbal-product interactions.
• Contains glucose and parahydroxybenzoates; the latter may produce delayed allergic reactions.

Contraindications and cautions

• Hypersensitivity to burdock, hyssop, any excipient or other Asteraceae/Compositae plants.
• Rare glucose-galactose malabsorption.

Monitoring

• No product-specific laboratory monitoring is specified.
• Assess worsening or persistent symptoms and promptly review breathlessness, fever or purulent sputum.
• Remain alert for allergy, including anaphylaxis, and report suspected adverse reactions through the Yellow Card Scheme.

Clinical pharmacology

Burdock-root and hyssop-herb water extracts are combined in an oral liquid. Product-specific pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and reproductive-toxicology studies are not provided; the indication rests on traditional use.

Formulation and product differences

• The product information covers both Covonia Catarrh Relief Formula and Natures Aid Herbal Catarrh Relief Formula without describing an active-ingredient difference.
• The brown, opaque oral liquid contains ethanol, caramel, glycerol, parahydroxybenzoates, capsicum tincture, carrageenan-containing material, menthol, sodium saccharin and purified water.
• Different bottle sizes may be marketed.