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South African geranium (Umckaloabo)
Caution🐾Kapland-Pelargonie (Umckaloabo) · (Pelargonium sidoides)
Geranium family (Geraniaceae)
Description
The South African geranium is a perennial herb native to southern Africa (South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho). It forms a basal rosette of heart-shaped, velvety leaves and bears striking dark red to nearly black five-petalled flowers nearly year-round. The medicinal part is the tuberous root (Pelargonii radix), from which the standardised ethanolic special extract EPs 7630 (trade name Umckaloabo) is produced. Unlike many European herbal remedies, this plant comes from South African traditional medicine rather than the European herbal canon.
- TinctureRootInternalTraditional use
The root extract is used traditionally to relieve common cold symptoms. The European Medicines Agency (HMPC) classifies this as 'traditional use' – plausible effectiveness with over 30 years of safe use, based on long-standing experience rather than robust clinical trials.
Preparation & dosage
The standardised ethanolic root extract EPs 7630 (Umckaloabo) is used. Adults and adolescents from 12 years: 30 drops three times daily (about 1.5 ml of liquid root extract). Use until symptoms subside, generally no longer than 3 weeks. Home-made tinctures do not reach the defined composition of the licensed product; children use age-banded lower doses per the package leaflet.
- Liquid amount
- 1.5–1.5 ml
- Doses per day
- 3×
- Max duration
- 3 weeks
⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 6 years — Not for children under 6 years; adult dosing from 12 years (EMA HMPC). Liquid forms may contain ethanol.
- TinctureRootInternalClinical trial
A Cochrane review (Timmer et al. 2013) assessed controlled trials of EPs 7630 in acute respiratory infections and found an overall positive but inconsistent effect on acute bronchitis symptoms such as cough and sputum. Overall evidence quality was rated low and many trials were manufacturer-funded. The EMA therefore does not recognise bronchitis as an approved indication.
Preparation & dosage
For acute bronchitis the special extract EPs 7630 was tested in clinical trials mostly at 30 drops three times daily over about 7 days. Use only after medical assessment; do not self-treat in cases of persistent fever, shortness of breath or bloody sputum.
- Liquid amount
- 1.5–1.5 ml
- Doses per day
- 3×
- Max duration
- 3 weeks
⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 6 years — Not for children under 6 years; adult dosing from 12 years (EMA HMPC). Liquid forms may contain ethanol.
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