Naturopathy

Umckaloabo

Synonyms in a broader sense

Cape geranium
Pelagonium sidiodes reniforme

Explanation / definition

Umckaloabo will obtained from a geranium species, in the Native to South Africa is. The extract will from the tuberous root won.
It belongs to the active group of Naturopathy and should be a so-called immunomodulatory effect have. This means that the immune system is strengthened and threatening diseases are averted or at least weakened.
It is especially in the Therapy of pre-acute or chronic infectious diseases in the ear, nose and throat area used.

The plant

The Cape Pelargonium is a type of geranium that is closely related to the species Pelargonium sidoides and Pelargonium reniforme (family of Geraniaceae). The rosette plants are up to 50 cm high. The narrow petals are deep red in color, which stand together in umbel-like inflorescences.

history

In the south of Africa, pelargium décolleté is used in traditional healing arts. Its healing power was discovered centuries ago by medicine men of the Zulu people and used to treat infections. On the advice of his doctor, Charles Henry Stevens, an Englishman with lung disease, traveled south in 1897 Africa. There he met a Zulu from Basetholand, today's Kingdom of Lesotho. He learned from him that the boiled root stock of the Cape Pelargonium has been used by the South African Zulu tribes for centuries to treat respiratory infections. C.H. Stevens was treated with an extract (umckaloabo) from the tuberous root by a Besotho healer. He recovered completely and imported the supposed miracle plant to Europe. Under the name “Stevens consumption cure”, the extract was used for a time as a tuberculosis treatment. For a while, Umckaloabo was forgotten again. It was only with the development of modern medicine that Umckaloabo successfully achieved the breakthrough in the therapy of respiratory infections in European medicine.

It is believed that the name Umckaloabo is based on a misunderstanding between Stevens and his healer.
The Zulu words umkhuhlane (generic term for illnesses associated with fever and cough) and uhlabo (pleuritic chest pain -> pleura = pleura) probably referred to the diagnosis. But Stevens took “Umckaloabo” as a name for the drug administered to him.

Umckaloabo contains the special extract from the roots of the Cape Pelargonium.

application

Umckaloablo® is used for acute inflammation of the bronchi (bronchitis). It can also be used for non-purulent tonsillitis or sinusitis.

Ingestion

Take Umckaloabo® according to the instructions on the package insert. The drops should be taken three times a day (morning, noon, evening) with some liquid. Small children aged 1-5 years should take 3 x 10 drops. Children aged 6-12 take 3 x 20 drops.

Adolescents from 12 years of age and adults can take 30 drops 3 times a day. It is recommended to continue taking Umckaloabo drops for several days after the symptoms of the disease have subsided in order to avoid a relapse. However, the intake should not exceed a period of 3 weeks.

application areas

Due to the relatively short market launch, there are no traditional areas of application in Europe. In South African folk medicine, Umckaloabo in addition to respiratory diseases, also against diarrhea, gastrointestinal complaints, Menstrual disorder and liver disease used.
A successful treatment of tuberculosis with Umckaloabo by the Englishman Charles Stevens was scientifically recognized as early as the 1920s. With the development of synthetic drugs, umckaloabo extract was forgotten again by doctors and researchers.
It did not experience a renaissance of the South African root extract until the 1970s. There are now some scientific studies that prove its effectiveness. Further studies are currently ongoing.

Areas of application in European medicine from Umkaloabo are :

acute or pre-acute Respiratory infections
chronic respiratory infection
bronchitis
Sinusitis
Tonsillitis
Inflammation of the nose and throat

If you have a sinus infection

Symptoms of sinusitis include headaches, runny nose with obstructed nasal breathing, thick mucus and fever. You can take Umckaloablo® to relieve the symptoms. It has an expectorant effect.

For a sore throat

If you have a sore throat, you can take Umckaloablo® against it. Sore throats often appear as an accompanying symptom of a cold. Umckaloablo® prevents the penetration and attachment of pathogens to the surfaces of the mucous membrane. It also prevents bacteria from multiplying and strengthens the immune system. It has an expectorant effect and is beneficial for sore throats.

For angina tonsillaris

Angina tonsillaris (tonsillitis, streptococcal angina) is an acute inflammation of the tonsils that is triggered by bacteria (usually streptococci). Symptoms such as severe difficulty swallowing, sore throat, fatigue and occasionally fever occur.

Bacterial tonsillar angina cannot be treated by Umckaloablo alone. It has to be treated with antibiotics. See a doctor and take the antibiotic as directed by the doctor.

Read more on the subject at: Acute tonsillar angina

If you have a cystitis

There is no proven effectiveness of taking Umckaloablo® for a bladder infection. Umckaloablo® is used to treat respiratory infections. An acute cystitis usually requires antibiotics to be taken, as it is a bacterial infection. You should see a doctor for treatment.

With the baby

With babies, it should be noted that Umckaloablo® drops should only be taken from the age of 12 months, as the effect on babies has not been clearly investigated. Umckaloablo® juice is specially made for children. The dosage for children from one year of age is 2.5 ml in the morning, at noon and in the evening.

Active ingredients / ingredients

The active ingredients / ingredients that work in the Umkaloabo extract are catechin tannins, curmarine, flavonoids, polysterols and essential oils.

effect

Antibacterial effect:
According to current studies, umckaloabo extract can prevent bacteria from attaching to the mucous membrane cells. The phenolic groups in the extract are probably responsible.
Furthermore, Umckaloabo is said to prevent or slow down the reproduction of bacteria by stimulating the immune system.

Antiviral effect:
Umckaloabo prevents viruses from attaching to the mucous membrane cells and viruses that have already penetrated the tissue from multiplying.

Expectorant effect:
It is observed that the extract also has an expectorant effect. The cause of the effect is so far unclear.

dosage

Adults and children over 12 years of age should take 20-30 drops 3 times a day for acute infections.
For subsequent treatment, especially in the case of chronic disease or frequent relapses, 10-20 drops 3 times a day.
Children aged 6-12 years: 10-20 drops 3 times a day for acute infections.
Children under 6 years: depending on age, 5-10 drops 3 times a day.

side effect

Overall, side effects are rare.
It should be noted that Umckaloabo is made up of various active ingredients such as coumarin (related to marcoumarin), phenols, silica and calcium and, under certain circumstances, can influence blood clotting through the action of coumarin.

liver

The drug commission of the German pharmacists warned in 2011 against the over-the-counter drug Umckaloablo®. It was said that ingestion could cause liver damage. However, this suspicion could not be clearly substantiated by studies. Nevertheless, medicines containing pelargonium such as Umckaloablo® have had to indicate the risk of liver damage since 2014.

The package insert lists an increase in liver values as a side effect and reports on cases of hepatitis and liver damage in connection with the use of medicines containing pelargonium. However, the frequency is unknown

interaction

Strengthens the effect of curmarin derivatives (Marcumar)

If other information is available, please send information to: info@.

pill

There are no known interactions between Umckaloablo® and the pill. You can take Umckaloablo® without hesitation, the effect of the pill is not reduced.

Use with St. John's wort

You can take Umckaloablo® and St. John's Ash herb together. There are no known interactions. Read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Taking with Sinupret®

There are no known interactions between Sinupret® and Umckaloablo®. You can safely take the medication together.

Taking with Marcumar®

There is no known interaction between Marcumar® and Umckaloablo®. However, if you take Umckaloablo, your blood platelets may decrease. A frequency of this is not known. If you want to take Marcumar® and Umckaloablo® at the same time, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Contraindication / Contraindication

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are considered contraindications, as there is not enough experience / studies on the use in pregnancy to rule out a fundamental risk.

Use while breastfeeding

You should not take Umckaloablo® if you are breastfeeding. This is because it is unknown whether any active ingredients in the drug are excreted in breast milk. Thus, a risk for the infant cannot be excluded.

Use during pregnancy

Umckaloablo® should not be used during pregnancy as insufficient data on safety are available.

criticism

Any medicine, however natural, becomes a "poison" if it is used incorrectly.
Natural remedies also have their limits.
Even nature with its healing powers cannot do much against severe infections.
If the infection does not change after three days with self-medication or if it becomes even worse, a doctor must always be consulted!
Umckaloabo is allowed Not be taken instead of an antibiotic. If, for example, streptococcal angina is not treated with antibiotics, there is a risk of serious complications such as endocarditis (bacterial inflammation of the heart valve or heart muscle).

Dosage form

Uckaloabo is available in various forms. It can take the form of:

Drops (contain 12% alcohol !!!)
Tablets

be taken.

drops

Umckaloabo is available in tablet form or as drops. The drops are available in 20ml, 50ml or 100ml liquid. They are made up of the extract of the Pelargonium sidoides roots, 11% ethanol and 85% glycerol.
The Umckaloabo drops are expectorant, fight the infectious agent and shorten the duration of the illness. The drops are available as non-alcoholic, tasty juice for children aged 1-12. It is based purely on plants and is well tolerated.

criticism

Summary

The Cape Pelargonium or Palargonium sidoides is one of the modern phytobiotics (herbal remedies). Medicinal use finds the dried one root, which is harvested when the plant is three years old. Only after this time have the roots reached a sufficient level of active ingredient.

Because of his bacteriostatic (Ability to stop bacterial growth) and immunomodulating properties is the herbal remedy Umckaloabo a Alternative to conventional therapy for respiratory diseases and may optionally use Antibiotics prevent or support.

The decisive ones pharmacologically effective Ingredients are probably tannins, especially Catechin tannins as well as coumarins, flavonoids, polysterols and essential oils.

For a long time, the extract was known to be obtained exclusively from wild roots. It only grows in a very limited area of South Africa.
Only in the last few years has the plant been successfully grown in South African plantations under biologically controlled conditions. Sufficient availability made it possible to successfully market the product “Umckaloabo”, which was previously only traded as an insider tip.
Each root is carefully harvested by hand and processed under conditions that are gentle on the active ingredients in accordance with strict quality guidelines.

The alcoholic extract of a South African pelargonium has been on the market in Germany since 1983 and is rated by experts as an “infection blocker”. The drug is valued for its good tolerance.
It is supposed to stimulate certain substances of the immune system very specifically. In Germany, some studies are currently running with Umckaloabo, which should scientifically substantiate the effectiveness.
In addition to the antibacterial effect, the observation of the good effectiveness against viruses should be investigated.