Schwabe positions homeopathic cough-cold remedy Zucol for children's fall cold-flu season
NEW YORK Schwabe, through it’s U.S. subsidiary Nature’s Way, is looking to position its homeopathic cough-cold remedy Zucol as this season’s remedy du jour in light of many of the safety and efficacy concerns raised about allopathic pediatric cough-cold medicines.
“Zucol is powerful medicine to fight colds, and this plant-based extract has been studied extensively and found to be safe for children,” stated David Riley, clinical associate professor at the University of New Mexico Medical School and founder of the Integrative Medicine Institute. “In Germany, it is prescribed to adults of all ages and children beginning at two years of age—though we recommend that when used for children younger than six, you consult your family doctor. … “With all of the recent warnings from the FDA about conventional cough and cold medications in children, it seems prudent to use a safe and effective alternative.”
Zucol contains an extract of pelargonium sidoides, which has been the subject of 18 published clinical studies involving more than 2,500 patients, according to the company. These studies concluded that cold sufferers were able to return to their normal routines two days faster than those who simply treated their symptoms with OTC medications.
Zinc gluconate has also been found to reduce the duration of cough-cold symptoms. However, Nature’s Way maintains as a point of differentiation that Zucol does not irritate membranes, upset the stomach or leave a lingering unpleasant taste in the mouth.
“For hundreds of years African Zulu tribes have used pelargonium sidoides preparations to treat coughs and upper respiratory symptoms, and it is the top-selling active ingredient for upper respiratory tract infections sold in Germany and most of Europe,” David Gumner, vice president of Mass Market for Nature’s Way said. “Extensive clinical research has proven the safety and efficacy of pelargonium, which justifies its use to reduce the need for typical OTC medications that merely mask symptoms of the common cold.”
In a press release issued Tuesday, Nature’s Way noted the cough-cold remedy would be distributed through Walgreens in January and is currently available in all Rite Aid, Duane Reade, Meijer Stores and regional drug stores and pharmacies across the U.S.
The benefits of pelargonium have been featured in several U.S. medical journals including the American Family Physician and The Journal of Family Practice, the company stated.