Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Complement Ther Med. 2020 Mar;49:102324. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102324. Epub 2020 Jan 21.
The roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) are used in traditional Persian medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. A chronic cough is a non-specific reaction to irritation anywhere in the respiratory system. It usually lasts for more than eight weeks. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of a modified traditional Persian medicine preparation, licorice pastille, in healing a chronic cough.
Through a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed in a respiratory disease clinic in Shiraz, Iran; between October 2016 and December 2017. Seventy participants with a chronic cough took part in the trial. The outcome measures were as the daily cough scores (the score being logged via patient symptoms, diary, and the visual analogue scale) and the quality of life measure of chronic cough according to the Leicester Cough Questionnaire.
At baseline, there were no significant differences in the demographic or clinical (cough score) characteristics between the two groups. There was complete adherence to protocol in both groups but, the drop-out rate was 4 patients in the placebo and 6 ones in the intervention groups. The results at the end of the trial (Week 2) and follow-up (Week 4) demonstrated the efficacy of the licorice pastille in terms of the cough severity score against the placebo group. This item showed a significant decrease in the intervention group (1.2 ± 0.93) comparing to the placebo one (1.8 ± 1.03) at follow-up time. No major side effects were reported during the study and follow-up time.
Licorice pastille could be a promising choice in the treatment of a chronic cough of unknown origin.
甘草（Glycyrrhiza glabra L.）的根和根茎在传统的波斯医学中用于治疗许多疾病。慢性咳嗽是呼吸系统任何部位受到刺激的非特异性反应。它通常持续超过八周。本研究旨在评估改良的传统波斯医学制剂甘草锭在治疗慢性咳嗽方面的疗效。
通过在伊朗设拉子的呼吸疾病诊所进行随机、双盲、安慰剂对照临床试验；时间为 2016 年 10 月至 2017 年 12 月。70 名慢性咳嗽患者参加了试验。疗效评价指标为每日咳嗽评分（通过患者症状、日记和视觉模拟量表记录评分）和莱斯特咳嗽问卷评估的慢性咳嗽生活质量。
在基线时，两组在人口统计学或临床（咳嗽评分）特征方面没有显著差异。两组均完全遵守方案，但安慰剂组有 4 名患者和干预组有 6 名患者脱落。试验结束时（第 2 周）和随访时（第 4 周）的结果表明，甘草锭在咳嗽严重程度评分方面优于安慰剂组。与安慰剂组相比，干预组（1.2±0.93）在随访时显著降低。在研究和随访期间未报告重大不良反应。
甘草锭可能是治疗不明原因慢性咳嗽的一种有前途的选择。
