Phytodolor--effects and efficacy of a herbal medicine.
Herbal antirheumatics are successfully used in painful inflammatory or degenerative rheumatic diseases. One of these herbal medicines is Phytodolor (STW 1), a fixed combination of extracts from aspen leaves and bark (Populus tremula), common ash bark (Fraxinus excelsior), and golden rod herb (Solidago virgaurea). Its effects as well as those of its components have been verified in experimental and human pharmacological investigations. The mode of action of STW 1 includes antiinflammatory, antioedematous, antioxidative and analgesic properties, and it is considered to be broader than that of synthetic antirheumatics. Open clinical studies and randomised, placebo- or verum-controlled double-blind trials, performed in different subtypes of rheumatic diseases, confirm the pharmacological evidence of efficacy, such as by reducing the intake of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). STW 1 has a high drug safety.


CONCLUSIONS
Phytodolor (STW 1) is a reasonable alternative to NSAIDs and to cyclooxygenase(COX)-2-inhibitors such as rofecoxib.
Gundermann
Karl-Josef
KJ
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chair of Pharmacology, Pomeranian Medical Academy, Szczecin, Poland. gmc-gundermann@web.de
Müller
Jürgen
J
D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D051381:Rats; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012449:Safety
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C092917:Phytodolor N
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