I looked up the original article on the Pelargonium sidoides and I had 2 concerns:
- The study didn’t specify if the placebo had the same alcohol content as the treatment. If not, then the results may have been entirely from the alcohol and not the Pelargonium sidoides. This potential study limitation should have been mentioned explicitly.
- A difference in symptoms was noted at 5 days and was minimal at 10 days. Because the treatment was continued for 10 days, the difference at 5 days could have simply been a masking of the symptoms and not really any improvement in the disease process itself. Comparison with a common antihistamine or analgesic, or stopping the Pelargonium at 5 days, might have revealed if the herb really shortened the disease course.
So, I’m not sure this study shows as much as The Journal of Family Practice article indicates. I find any practice recommendation very concerning when this type of article is published without adequate analysis and comment by the reviewer.
David L. Weldy, MD, PhD,
Department of Family Medicine,
University of Toledo Medical Center