Acute Bronchitis

Risk Factors

Exposure to infected person, smoking

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

St John's Wort (Goatweed, tipton weed, Hypericum Perforatum) [1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that St Johns Wort can help to treat bronchitis)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Pokeweed Antiviral Protein (PAP) [1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Warning! All parts of the plant, Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana), is poisonous and should not be ingested. Thoroughly cooking the plant reduces that toxicity. The effects of the improperly prepared plant include vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, headache, confusion, convulstions, low blood pressure, heart block and death. Only plant extracts (PAP) or thoroughly prepared plants should be ingested, and even then, under professional medical guidance.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that PAP helps to treat bronchitis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Larch (Larix Occidentalis)  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Although approved for external use in Germany, available evidence does not support claims that Larch helps to treat bronchitis)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Black Cohosh (cimicifuga Racemosa):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly against (Available evidence does not support claims that Black Cohosh helps to treat symptoms of bronchitis in any way. Studies have yielded mixed results)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Larch (Larix Occidentalis)  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Although approved for external use in Germany, available evidence does not support claims that Larch helps to treat bronchitis)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Peppermint Oil [22, 23]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that peppermint oil is able to treat bronchitis despite it’s commonality as a natural therapy. More research is needed)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Pelagonium Sidoides [24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Available evidence shows that pelargonium sidoides may be able to shorten the duration and lessen the severity of congestion that occurs during bronchitis)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/larch

3. http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/plants/lichen.html

4. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council; 1998.

5. Bown D. New Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. New York, NY: DK Publishing Inc; 2001.

6. http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=12&p_type=all&p_sci=sci&p_x=px

7. http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phytolacca+americana

8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/315368

9. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002874.htm

10. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pokeweed

11. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/st-johns-wort

12. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-stjohnswort.html

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18843608

14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11939866

15. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/ataglance.htm

16. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm

17. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/how-is-depression-detected-and-treated.shtml

18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11939872

19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12132963

20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16423519

21. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/299/22/2633

22. http://birchhillhappenings.com/bronchit.htm

23. http://mightynest.com/blog/the-essential-6-uses-for-peppermint-essential-oil

24. http://www.drugs.com/npp/pelargonium.html

25. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17288687

26. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24463034

27. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18222667

28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18646148

29. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24146345

30. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12807338