Patients were treated with either the homeopathic syrup or a placebo for a week, and recorded cough severity in a diary by means of a verbal category-descriptive score for two weeks. Sputum viscosity was assessed with a viscosimeter before and after 4 days of treatment; patients were also asked to provide a subjective evaluation of viscosity.
Eighty patients were randomized to receive placebo (n聽=聽40) or the homeopathic syrup (n聽=聽40). All patients completed the study. In each group cough scores decreased over time, however, after 4 and 7 days of treatment, cough severity was significantly lower in the homeopathic group than in the placebo one (p聽<聽0.001 and p聽=聽0.023, respectively). Sputum was collected from 53 patients: in both groups its viscosity significantly decreased after 4 days of treatment (p聽<聽0.001); however, viscosity was significantly lower in the homeopathic group (p聽=聽0.018). Instead, the subjective evaluation did not significantly differ between the two groups (p聽=聽0.059). No adverse events related to any treatment were reported.
We concluded that the homeopathic syrup employed in the study was able to effectively reduce cough severity and sputum viscosity, thereby representing a valid remedy for the management of acute cough induced by URTIs.