Work

The effectiveness and safety of GeloMyrtol® forte in the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis: A rapid review of clinical studies

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction Bronchitis is a global health burden characterized by symptoms such as cough, sputum production, and respiratory distress. Although the efficacy of GeloMyrtol forte, an herbal product, in treating bronchitis has been evaluated in clinical trials, no reviews have yet been conducted. Methods This rapid review included the systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and CAMbase from inception to February 2025 for clinical trials that investigated the efficacy of GeloMyrtol forte in treating acute or chronic bronchitis. Two independent reviewers screened the resulting papers for eligibility criteria and extracted the relevant data for data synthesis. The risk of bias in the included randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (RoB-2). Results The systematic search in four databases yielded 28 papers, four of which met the inclusion criteria. These four studies included 1846 patients (511 children) with acute (three studies) or chronic (one study) bronchitis. GeloMyrtol forte reduced cough exacerbations and the need for antibiotics, improved respiratory function and sputum consistency, and led to a statistically significant reduction in symptom duration compared to placebo. Side effects were rare, mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract, and resolved spontaneously. No study examined the effects of GeloMyrtol forte in pregnancy or lactation. Conclusions Oral administration of GeloMyrtol forte reduces the intensity and frequency of the signs and symptoms associated with bronchitis, provided that there is no severe infection and no underlying chronic disease.

Source: European Journal of Integrative Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102594