pelargonium reniforme + Pelargonium sidoides: clinical use

Prescribing considerations

• Traditional Herbal Registration: the indication is supported by longstanding use, not separately demonstrated efficacy.
• Exclude symptoms requiring assessment, including fever, dyspnoea, haemoptysis, deterioration or persistent symptoms.
• Dizziness has been reported; affected patients should not drive or operate machinery.
• Consider the sorbitol and maltitol content and concurrent oral medicines.

Contraindications and cautions

• Hypersensitivity to Pelargonium root or an excipient
• Severe hepatic disease
• Severe renal disease
• Hereditary fructose intolerance

Monitoring

• No routine laboratory monitoring is specified.
• Stop treatment and assess promptly if symptoms suggest hepatotoxicity or hepatitis.
• Review suspected adverse reactions and report them through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme where appropriate.

Clinical pharmacology

The product is a complex dry Pelargonium root extract. Product-specific pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies are not required for its traditional registration; experimental studies of other Pelargonium extracts suggest antiviral, immunomodulatory, anti-adhesion and mucociliary effects, but direct extrapolation is uncertain.

Formulation and product differences

• The selected product is a dark-red, sugar-free syrup containing sorbitol and maltitol.
• The extract is manufactured using ethanol as its extraction solvent.
• The pack includes a graduated measuring spoon; the opened bottle should be retained in its original container and discarded after the labelled in-use period.