Myrtle references
(Myrtus communis

    The bibliographic citations are derived from Medline databases through the National Library of Medicine.  

Respiratory care
Inflammation
Oral toxicity
Chemotherapy

Respiratory care

Meister R, Wittig T, Beuscher N, de Mey C (1999).  Efficacy and tolerability of myrtol standardized in long-term treatment
of chronic bronchitis. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Arzneimittelforschung, 49(4):351-8.

Summary:  Myrtol was found to minimize acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in human subjects.  It was as well tolerated as the
placebo. Myrtol standardized reduced the need for antibiotics, reduced the intensity and frequency of acute episodes, and
minimized the debility of chronic coughing and expectoration.     

Sengespeik HC, Zimmermann T, Peiske C, de Mey C (1998).  Myrtol standardized in the treatment of acute and chronic
respiratory infections in children. A multicenter post-marketing surveillance study.  Arzneimittelforschung, 48(10):990-4.

Summary:  Myrtol standardized was used with 511 children with acute and chronic sinusitis, bronchitis and sinubronchitis.  Symptoms
of headache, trigeminal pain, mucus in the pharynx, and paranasal sensitivity disappeared after treatment for two weeks in
more than 90% of the children.  Difficulty clearing sputum and clogged nasal passages were no longer observed in more
than 60% of the children.  Adverse drug reactions were less than 1%.  The majority of physicians, patients, and parents
judged the efficacy to be very good or good.

Federspil P, Wulkow R, Zimmermann T (1997). Effects of standardized Myrtol in therapy of acute sinusitis--results of a
double-blind, randomized multicenter study compared with placebo. Laryngorhinootologie, 76(1):23-7.

Summary: The efficacy and safety of Myrtol standardized was studied in 331 human patients with acute sinusitis.  It was found to be
significantly more effective than the placebo.  The results supported the use of essential oils like myrtol as a treatment for
acute sinusitis.  The researchers concluded that use of myrtol instead of antibiotics as a first choice of treatment is confirmed
by the literature.

Inflammation

Grassmann J, Hippeli S, Dornisch K, Rohnert U, Beuscher N, Elstner EF. (2000). Antioxidant properties of essential oils.
Possible explanations for their anti-inflammatory effects.
 Arzneimittelforschung, 50(2):135-9.

Summary: These researchers summarize the effects of essential oils on the the inflammatory process. They state that Myrtol
Standardized and Eucalyptus oil reduce inflammation by interacting with oxygen radicals,
buffering biochemical damage
triggered by infections.  

Oral toxicity

Uehleke H, Brinkschulte-Freitas M (1979).  Oral toxicity of an essential oil from myrtle and adaptive liver stimulation. Toxicology,
12(3):335-42.

Summary:  Oral toxicity of myrtle essential oil was studied in mice.  The study concluded that continuous use in humans of 1 - 2 ml per day
is too low to cause liver damage.  

Chemotherapy

Moghimi HR, Williams AC, Barry BW (1998).  Enhancement by terpenes of 5-fluorouracil permeation through the stratum corneum:
model solvent approach. J Pharm Pharmacol, 50(9):955-64.

Summary:  Using human epidermis, 26 different terpenes were tested to enhance the permeability of 5-flourouracil, a chemotherapy agent,
through skin. Data obtained showed that cineole enhances the effect of 5-fourouracil much more than limonene. Cineole is the
primary compound in essential oils from the Myrtaceae and Lauraceae families, such as myrtle, eucalyptus, tea tree, and cinnamon.  

Last updated 04.14.05

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