Validation of a Traditional Medicine, <i>Achyrocline satureioides</i> Infusion, for the Improvement of Mild Respiratory Infection Symptoms: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled and Open-Label Clinical Trial
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> The need for the scientific validation of traditional and folk medicine knowledge has emerged lately. <i>Achyrocline satureioides</i> inflorescences have been widely used for the management of mild viral respiratory infection symptoms in South Br...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceuticals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/6/861 |
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| Summary: | <b>Background/Objectives:</b> The need for the scientific validation of traditional and folk medicine knowledge has emerged lately. <i>Achyrocline satureioides</i> inflorescences have been widely used for the management of mild viral respiratory infection symptoms in South Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. We intended to assess the therapeutic efficacy of a 14-day course with <i>A. satureioides</i> for mild viral respiratory infection symptoms. <b>Methods</b>: We conducted a randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled trial. Before COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnostic tests, participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups: <i>A. satureioides</i> or <i>Malus domestica</i> infusions, with instructions to use the infusions twice a day for 14 days. Our primary endpoint was the recovery time for respiratory symptoms in the overall analysis; the secondary outcomes were the recovery time for non-respiratory symptoms and for stratified analysis, taking into account the vaccination status against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 infection; and the rate of symptom recovery was also evaluated. <b>Results</b>: The <i>A. satureioides</i> infusion significantly accelerated the resolution of sore throat and sneezing compared with the control group. The participants with COVID-19 who had not been vaccinated and received <i>A. satureioides</i> infusion recovered faster from sore throat, body ache, fever and cough, and showed a shorter median survival time for symptom resolution. The SARS-CoV-2-negative group that received <i>A. satureioides</i> had a faster improvement in the survival analysis of sore throat, earache and loss of appetite. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings support the hypothesis that <i>Achyrocline satureioides</i> inflorescence infusions may offer therapeutic benefits in the management of mild viral respiratory infections, as its administration was associated with a significantly accelerated resolution of clinical symptoms. This study was registered in the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC; registration number RBR-8g6f2rv) on 27 January 2022. |
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| ISSN: | 1424-8247 |