{"id":354096,"date":"2026-05-03T13:56:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T12:56:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=354096"},"modified":"2026-05-03T13:56:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T12:56:49","slug":"african-geranium","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/african-geranium\/","title":{"rendered":"African geranium"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":354127,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_integration_method":"rest-api","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"60561f57-9f91-4599-9e2c-3c32c893cd5c","beyondwords_preview_token":"9db44ecd-76e9-4790-8112-ddfe10fd680e","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[],"conditions":[685,701,695],"sustainability":[1575],"sense":[17,31,18],"western_action":[2055,993,998,1831,1000,1001,1010,1013,1015,1018],"chinese_action":[1042,1050,1168,1038],"ayurvedic_action":[1074,1079],"energetics_action":[1564,1908,1508,1499,1515,1541,1498,1512,1540,1382,1533,1487,1546,1554,1523,1490],"writer":[1203],"region":[1893],"class_list":["post-354096","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","conditions-digestive-system","conditions-immune-system","conditions-respiratory-system","sustainability-amber-sustainability-status","sense-aromatic","sense-astringent-taste","sense-bitter","western_action-antibacterial","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-antitussive","western_action-antiviral","western_action-astringent","western_action-bitter","western_action-expectorant","western_action-hepatic","western_action-immunomodulant","western_action-relaxant","chinese_action-aromatically-transform-damp","chinese_action-astringents-stabilise-bind","chinese_action-clear-heat-dry-damp","chinese_action-tonify-the-qi","ayurvedic_action-drying-action-grahi","ayurvedic_action-stop-coughing-kasahara","energetics_action-air-channel-ayurvedic","energetics_action-aromatic","energetics_action-aromatic-temperature-chinese","energetics_action-astringent","energetics_action-astringent-taste-chinese","energetics_action-astringent-kashaya","energetics_action-bitter","energetics_action-bitter-taste-chinese","energetics_action-bitter-tikta","energetics_action-cool","energetics_action-cooling","energetics_action-dry","energetics_action-dry-quality","energetics_action-kapha-minus","energetics_action-lung-channel-chinese","energetics_action-relaxing","writer-ellen-rowland","region-western-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20260503","herb_author":1203,"banner_text":"African geranium is a herb with an affinity for treating productive coughs","latin_name":"Pelargonium sidoides <\/span><\/i>DC.<\/span>","pseudonym_name":"Umckaloabo","family_name":"Geraniaceae","herb_summary":"African geranium is one of the safest and most widely-used herbs for treating upper respiratory tract infections in children and adults.","key_benefits":"","how_does_it_feel":"An infusion or <\/span>decoction<\/span><\/a> (strong herbal tea) made from the root is bitter, woody and earthy, and strongly aromatic. It has an intense, robust flavour, and feels drying on the tongue.<\/span>","hdif_image_1":354130,"hdif_image_2":354127,"hdif_image_3":354131,"hdif_video":"","sense":[17,31,18],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"[caption id=\"attachment_354128\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"514\"]\"African African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAfrican geranium can be a useful remedy in the treatment of acute upper <\/span>respiratory<\/span><\/a> tract, ear and chest inflections such as colds, bronchitis, rhinosinusitis \u2014 predominantly in the treatment of coughs (<\/span>1,2<\/span>). It has also been used to treat fevers, colds and tuberculosis (<\/span>2,3<\/span>).<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products of the European Medicine Agency (EMA)\u00a0 supports this use, stating that \u201cthe effectiveness of these herbal medicines is plausible\u2026 and there is evidence that they have been used safely\u2026 for at least 30 years\u201d (4).<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhilst there is clinical research to support its medicinal use, evidence is patchy \u2014 yet due to its proven long history of traditional use, it has been accepted by the EMA as a key, safe herbal remedy in the EU, and is listed in the European Pharmacopoeia, making it a strong \u2018advocate herb\u2019 and ally for herbalists and communities; its official acceptance by regulatory bodies helps bolster the case for herbal medicine use globally (<\/span>1,4).<\/span>\r\n<\/span>","into_the_heart_of":"[caption id=\"attachment_354125\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"508\"]\"African African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nWith a clear affinity for the <\/span>respiratory<\/span><\/a> system due to its immunomodulator, antimicrobial, expectorant and antiviral actions, and one with few known safety cautions or contraindications, this herb has developed a reputation for being particularly important in the treatment of children with upper respiratory tract infections and catarrh (<\/span>1,2,5<\/span>).<\/span>\r\n\r\nSeveral trials have conducted research using African geranium for this purpose \u2014 and results have shown it is both a well tolerated and safe remedy for children over the age of one year old, who are experiencing <\/span>coughs<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>colds<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>sinusitis<\/span><\/a> and sore throats (2). It also shows activity against some strains of Herpes virus (2).<\/span>\r\n\r\nCooling and drying in nature due to its bitterness and astringency, it can be considered a relaxant, <\/span>qi<\/span><\/i> regulating herb, although there is little documented information available on the traditional energetic qualities of this plant across traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Unani or Western herbal medicine, since it is a herb from the South African Muti system of medicine, which does not classify plants in the same way as other traditional medicine systems (<\/span>6<\/span>).<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe South African Muti traditional medicine system is more experiential and deals with \u2018functional energetics\u2019 as opposed to fixed temperatures or categories that exist in other traditional medicine systems (i.e., hot\/cold, damp\/dry) (<\/span>6\u20138<\/span>).<\/span>","tradtional_uses":"Historically, in its native South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, it has been used \u2014 by the Xhosa people in particular \u2014 to treat digestive conditions such as dysentery (a severe form of gastroenteritis) <\/span>diarrhoea<\/span><\/a> and liver conditions (<\/span>1\u20133<\/span>).<\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/span>It has also been used in the treatment of wounds, <\/span>menstrual pain<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>fatigue<\/span><\/a>, fevers and weakness (<\/span>2,3<\/span>). One source cites it as having been used to treat \u201cstinging breast pain\u201d(<\/span>8<\/span>).<\/span>","what_practioners_say":"

\"RespiratoryRespiratory system<\/h3>\r\nComplete patient recovery or major improvements in bronchitis have been widely documented by researchers and practitioners in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults and <\/span>children<\/span><\/a> in several studies (9\u201311). Patients with rhinosinusitis, otitis media and tuberculosis have also shown improvements in various studies (<\/span>12).<\/span>\r\n\r\nHowever, many of the clinical trials and studies focus on an isolated extract of the herb (EPs 7630) and not the whole-plant extract. Isolating single compounds or using standardised extracts can limit results or have different risks compared to whole-plant extracts, since whole-plant extracts often work synergistically and many of the \u201csecondary\u201d compounds may be very supportive to the action of the \u201cprimary\u201d active compound, for example, enhancing immunomodulator activity (<\/span>13,14).<\/span>\r\n\r\nSome promising research was conducted in 2021, with the herb demonstrating efficacy in prevention and treatment of COVID-19 (<\/span>15).<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs such, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to understand the full spectrum of actions of whole-plant extracts of <\/span>Pelargonium sidoides<\/span><\/i> in addition to studies of single isolates in order to understand this plant\u2019s healing potential.<\/span>","research":"[caption id=\"attachment_354129\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"510\"]\"African African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n

Treatment with EPs 7630, a Pelargonium sidoides<\/i> root extract, is effective and safe in patients with the common cold: Results from a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial<\/h3>\r\nThis study randomly prescribed 105 adults with common cold symptoms administration of 40 mg oral EPs 7630 or a placebo, for 10 days. The aim was to measure differences in cold intensity score (CIS) between day one to five. Treatment with EPs 7630 demonstrated higher impact than a placebo in patients. It demonstrated a faster reduction of symptom intensity which supports existing data on efficacy and safety of EPs 7630 (<\/span>11<\/span>).\r\n

Pelargonium sidoides<\/i> preparation (EPs 7630) in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults and children<\/h3>\r\n2099 patients (between ages 0 to 93 years) with a productive cough lasting fewer than six days were studied as part of this multi-centre, prospective, open observational study. Its main aim was to monitor the mean change in the Bronchitis Severity Score (BSS). The markers included \u2014 cough, sputum, rale, rhonchi, chest pain when coughing, and dyspnoea. Patients were given an age-dependent dose of EPs 7630 for 14 days.\r\n\r\nIn adults, the average bronchitis severity scores dropped from 7.1 to 1.0, showing major symptom improvement, from moderate illness to very mild symptoms by the final assessment. In children, scores decreased from 6.3 to 0.9, and children under three years old decreased from 5.2 to 1.2. These results indicate good symptom reduction across age groups (10).\r\n

The Pelargonium sidoides<\/i> extract EPs 7630 drives the innate immune defense by activating selected MAP kinase pathways in human monocytes<\/h3>\r\nIn this <\/span>in vitro<\/span><\/i> study, researchers administered EPs\u202f7630 to cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at intervals of concentrations: 0.1\u202f\u03bcg\/ml; 1\u202f\u03bcg\/ml; 3\u202f\u03bcg\/ml; 10\u202f\u03bcg\/ml and 30\u202f\u03bcg\/ml. The aim was to evaluate dose\u2011dependent response in cytokine production and signalling activation in the cells. EPs 7630 improved immune responses via influencing immune signals that modulate inflammatory responses. EP 7630 therefore demonstrates <\/span>in vitro<\/span><\/i> efficacy in infection prevention \u2014 suggesting that administering the extract <\/span>in vivo<\/span><\/i> before full symptom presentation could reduce respiratory infection symptoms at onset (<\/span>16).<\/span>\r\n\r\nThese findings indicate that further study of P. sidoides<\/i> for effects on the immune system could lead to identification of chemical structures that novel therapeutic agents could be developed from, as well as lending further insight into molecular mechanisms of action (17).","did_you_know":"Umckaloabo means \u201csevere cough\u201d in Zulu, nodding to its primary medicinal use (<\/span>3).<\/span>","additional_information_right":{"illustration":354145},"additional_information_left":{"botany":"A hardy, aromatic evergreen plant with a compact, bushy rosette of soft, greyish green, aromatic leaves.<\/span>\r\n\r\n It has delicate dark purple flowers, and reaches a maximum height of 30 cm (<\/span>18,19). <\/span>","common_names":"