Application of pelargonium extract in children with acute bronchitis

Aim: to study clinical efficacy and safety of a herbal preparation, liquid extract of Pelargonium sidoides roots, used as monotherapy for viral acute bronchitis in children. Materials and Methods: 50 children aged 1–12 years with viral acute bronchitis were observed. Depending on therapy received, the patients were divided into two groups of 25 subjects each. The study group received monotherapy with liquid extract of Pelargonium sidoides roots in an age-dependent dose three times daily for 7 days. The comparison group received symptomatic treatment. Time course of main symptoms of acute bronchitis (severity of cough and pulmonary rales), as well as duration of an acute period, a need for antibiotics, and overall treatment satisfaction, were assessed. Results and discussion: monotherapy with liquid extract of Pelargonium sidoides roots demonstrated high efficacy in children aged 1–12 years with viral acute bronchitis. The treatment resulted in a 1.8-fold reduction in duration of an acute period of the disease. Moreover, main symptoms (daytime and nighttime cough, dry and wet pulmonary rales) were managed faster than in the comparison group. This, in turn, led to decreased incidence of bacterial complications and a reduced need for systemic antibiotics. The drug was characterized by good tolerability, rare side effects and absence of serious undesirable side effects. Conclusion: due to high clinical efficacy and safety, liquid extract of Pelargonium sidoides roots in an age-dependent dose may be considered as 7-day monotherapy for viral acute bronchitis in children. KEYWORDS: acute bronchitis, children, liquid extract of Pelargonium sidoides roots, efficacy. FOR CITATION: Malanicheva T.G., Ziatdinova N.V., Gataullina G.S., Kuznetsova O.Yu. Application of pelargonium extract in children with acute bronchitis. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2026;9(1):72–76 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430-2026-9-1-9