Volume 4, Issue 1, Supplement, May 2015, Pages 9
Open Access
OS06.02
Clinical trials on herbal remedies in children: a systematic review
- Open Access funded by Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
- Under a Creative Commons license
Purpose:
Herbal remedies are very popular for self-medication in minor diseases,
also in children. However, in Germany, the use of most herbal remedies
not authorized for this group, due to missing data on safety and
efficacy. A systematic overview on clinical trials with herbal remedies
children does not exist so far.
Methods:
A systematic search in medicinal databases on herbal remedies in
clinical trials with children was performed, and a database structured
in 5 main categories (countries, study design, age of the participants,
indications, medicinal herbal drugs) was established.
Results:
Altogether 133 clinical trials with herbal remedies in children were
identified; 63% were conducted in only 5 countries (China (n=37),
Germany (n=19), USA (n=12), Russia (n=12) and Great Britain (n=4)).
67.7% of the trials were randomized, 32.2% double-blind. They were
performed most often in the age cohort 6-12 years (39.0%). Main
indications were: respiratory (n=26), gastro-intestinal (n=18) or
neuropsychiatric diseases (n=18) and skin problems (n=11). A large
variety of herbal drugs was tested, only with Hedera helix, Pelargonium
sidoides, and Vaccinium macrocarpon more than 3 trials had been
conducted.
Conclusion:
In children until now efficacy and safety could be demonstrated only
for a few herbal remedies. The results of the review however confirm
longstanding empirical knowledge. As herbal remedies are often used
because of their assumed high potential of safety compared to synthetic
drugs, their efficacy should be proven in clinical trials in order to
allow their broader application in this sensitive age-group.
Contact: Karin Kraft, karin.kraft@med.uni-rostock.de
Copyright © 2015 Published by Elsevier Korea LLC.
