A historical, scientific and commercial perspective on the medicinal use of Pelargonium sidoides (Geraniaceae)

Anti-proliferative properties of commercial Pelargonium sidoides tincture, with cell-cycle G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in Jurkat leukaemia cells

“…Due to overharvesting, commercial farming of P. sidoides is being developed in South Africa as an alternative source of raw material (Brendler & Van Wyk 2008;Moyo et al 2013). Plant extracts of the tubers or rhizomes are rich in various polyphenolic compounds such as gallic acid, di-and trihydroxy and methoxycoumarins, coumarin sulphates, catechins and proanthocyanidins (Kolodziej 2007).…”

“…Its traditional uses include the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, colic, anaemia and tuberculosis and reported medicinal properties including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and immunomodulatory activities (Brendler & Van Wyk 2008). Based on these medicinal properties commercial formulations such as Linctagon and EPs Õ 7630 have been developed for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (Matthys et al 2007;Brendler & Van Wyk 2008).…”

Antimicrobial activity of Pelargonium endlicherianum Fenzl. (Geraniaceae) roots against some microorganisms

“…sidoides is traditionally used to cure tuberculosis in areas of Southern Africa (Brendler and van Wyk, 2008). The antimicrobial activities of P. sidoides extract are known, and a commercialized extract derived from the roots of P. sidoides is also used to treat acute bronchitis (Agbabiaka et al, 2008).…”

“…(Geraniaceae) belongs to the family Geraniaceae which has about 750 species scattered widely around the world growing as annuals. Members of the family occur mostly in temperate and subtropical climates and have many important medicinal features (Brendler and van Wyk, 2008). A standardized extract obtained from P. sidoides DC.…”

Bioprospecting: Creating a Value for Biodiversity

“…In December 2005, the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM, Bonn) approved a new licence for the use of a proprietary extract of the root of the South African plant Pelargonium sidoides, (EPs® 7630), known as Umckaloabo, as a drug (Conrad et al, 2007). This registered liquid herbal medicine has been reported to have an annual turnover in Germany alone in 2006 of €80,000,000 (Brendler & van Wyk, 2008). In-country fractionation and screening could also, potentially, raise the value of a collection of natural product extracts on the basis of reducing the risk of failure to the commercial development partner.…”