title: Camphor-Crataegus berry extract combination dose-dependently reduces tilt induced fall in blood pressure in orthostatic hypotension.
abstract: In order to test the efficacy of a combination of natural D-camphor and an extract of fresh crataegus berries (Korodin Herz-Kreislauf-Tropfen) on orthostatic hypotension, two similar, controlled, randomized studies were carried out in a balanced crossover design in 24 patients each with orthostatic dysregulation. The camphor-crataegus berry combination (CCC) was orally administered as a single regimen in 3 different dosages of 5 drops, 20 drops and 80 drops; a placebo with 20 drops of a 60% alcoholic solution served as control. Orthostatic hypotension was assessed with the tilt table test before and after medication. Source data of both studies were pooled and meta-analytically evaluated for all 48 patients. CCC drops decreased the orthostatic fall in blood pressure versus placebo, as almost uniformly established at all times by mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Mean arterial pressure demonstrated the very fast onset of action by a clearly dose-dependent statistically significant effect even after 1-minute orthostasis. Increase of mean arterial pressure as compared to the orthostasis test before medication was on average 4.5 mmHg. CCC affected diastolic blood pressure after 1 minute of orthostasis in all dosages as compared to placebo. A statistically significant effect of the highest dose of 80 drops on diastolic blood pressure could be demonstrated after 1-, 3-, and 5-minute orthostasis. The hemodynamic findings of a stabilizing effect on arterial pressure in orthostasis corroborate the long-term medical experience with CCC and justify the indication orthostatic hypotension.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, ZeKaPha GmbH, Mainz, Germany. belz@zekapha.de
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Belz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Butzer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gaus
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002164:Camphor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D027825:Crataegus; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018667:Tilt-Table Test; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002164:Camphor