Plant extract may be new therapy for hay fever, study suggests
- Date:
- April 30, 2011
- Source:
- Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Centre for Environmental Health
- Summary:
- Fighting hay fever with a plant extract? It works, as was shown in a new clinical study. Allergic symptoms were alleviated significantly better than with the usual histamine receptor antagonists.
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Fighting hay fever with a plant extract -- this works, as was shown in a clinical study conducted by researchers of the Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM) of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München. Allergic symptoms were alleviated significantly better than with the usual histamine receptor antagonists. In a paper published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology the scientists explained how this plant extract works and how effective it is.
Antihistamine medications have long been considered the treatment of choice to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever sufferers. Now, in a randomized double-blind study, Dr. Adam Chaker and Prof. Dr. Carsten Schmidt-Weber demonstrated that the plant extract Ze 339 (Petasol butenoate complex) combats nasal mucosa swelling faster and more effectively.
Apparently, however, the extract not only works in acute cases -- "Our data indicate that the extract also has a preventive effect, which must be investigated further," said Dr. Schmidt-Weber, head of the Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM) in Munich. The results look promising for improving the quality of life of people with allergies.
So far the plant extract has only been approved as a drug in Switzerland and South Korea. Further studies need to be carried out in order to allow it to be sold as a prescription drug elsewhere.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Centre for Environmental Health. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Alina F. Dumitru, Mohamed Shamji, Martin Wagenmann, Simone Hindersin, Kathrin Scheckenbach, Jens Greve, Thomas Klenzner, Lorenzo Hess, Sabine Nebel, Christian Zimmermann, Catherine Zahner, Carsten B. Schmidt-Weber, Adam M. Chaker. Petasol butenoate complex (Ze 339) relieves allergic rhinitis–induced nasal obstruction more effectively than desloratadine. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.02.045
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