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Enrolling by invitationNCT07030855EXOTICUpdated Jun 26, 2025

Efficacy of Elixirium Thymi Compositum in the Treatment of Acute Bronchitis in Pediatric Patients

A Phase 4 interventional study of Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) and Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) placebo in Acute Bronchitis, sponsored by Semmelweis University. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in Hungary. Open to participants aged 6 Years to 17 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-06-26.

Sponsored by Semmelweis University · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
56
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
6 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Elixirium thymi compositum (Formulae Normales (FoNo) VIII.) compared to a placebo in children between 6 and 17 years old to treat their acute bronchitis. The main question it aims to answer is: Is Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) safe and effective in the treatment of acute bronchitis compared to placebo?

Read the detailed description

Acute bronchitis is a common disease caused mainly by viral infections. Although there is a standard symptomatic therapy for it, antibiotics are often prescribed, which contributes to an increase in antibiotic resistance. Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) might be an alternative therapeutic option.

The aim is to establish the role of this product by evaluating its clinical efficacy and safety, meanwhile reducing the misuse of antibiotics in treating this condition.

This is a randomized, controlled, double-blinded, two-arm multicenter phase 4 trial. Eligible patients will be pediatric individuals between 6 and 17 years old diagnosed with acute bronchitis. The trial will enroll at least 56 eligible participants with a Total Bronchitis Severity Score (BSS) ranging from 5 to 12 points. Participants will be assigned randomly in a 1:1 ratio to receive either Elixirium thymi compositum at an age-dependent dosage (18-30 ml daily) for 5 days or a placebo with the same concentration and duration.

The trial's primary endpoint is the assessment of symptom improvement in acute bronchitis, as indicated by changes in the BSS score on Day 7. Secondary endpoints include evaluating use of concomitant medications and dietary supplements, safety and tolerability through reported adverse events, and the necessity of antibiotic usage. These secondary endpoints will provide deeper insights into the differences between the treatment and placebo groups. The primary and secondary endpoints will be monitored throughout a follow-up period of 7 days.

02

Conditions studied

  • Acute Bronchitis

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Keywords

  • Elixirium thymi compositum
  • thyme
  • Bronchitis Severity Score
  • pediatric
  • bronchitis
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
6 Years to 17 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. age 6-17 years,
  2. diagnosis of acute bronchitis and the Total Bronchitis Severity Score of the patient is between 5-12 points,
  3. informed consent form and patient information leaflet signed by the patient and the parent or legal guardian, and
  4. no pregnancy, no planned pregnancy, and no breastfeeding.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. allergy to the active ingredients or any other components of Elixirium thymi compositum,
  2. hypersensitivity to plants of the Lamiaceae family,
  3. chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
  4. pneumonia in the last year,
  5. a history of recurrent or severe laryngotracheal stenosis due to inflammation,.
  6. active or chronic inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) or infectious enterocolitis,
  7. heart failure (New York Heart Association Class II-IV),
  8. smoking (the patient currently smokes or has smoked at least one cigarette, cigar, or pipe daily),
  9. a diagnosis or history of lung cancer,
  10. a history of lung or chest surgery,
  11. epilepsy,
  12. any viral infection in the last 6-8 weeks,
  13. immunostimulant medications, antibiotics, or systemic steroid treatments in the past month,
  14. antihistamines, expectorants, or local steroids applied in the last two weeks,
  15. hereditary fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, or sucrase-isomaltase deficiency,
  16. taking or planning to take hormonal contraceptives within the next 2 weeks
  17. chronic liver disease (e.g., cirrhosis) or acute hepatitis.
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
56 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Elixirium thymi compositum

    For 6-9 years old patients, 6 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days. For 9-15 years old patients, 8 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days. For 15-17 years old patients, 10 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days.

    Combination Product: Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.)

  • Placebo comparator
    Elixirium thymi compositum placebo

    A placebo identical in appearance (color) and taste to the investigational product, without the active ingredient (thyme tincture). For 6-9 years old patients, 6 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days. For 9-15 years old patients, 8 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days. For 15-17 years old patients, 10 ml oral solution three times a day for 5 days.

    Combination Product: Elixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) placebo

Interventions

  • Combination productElixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.)

    During the study, the dosage is for children and adolescents as follows: 6 ml three times a day for 6-9 years, 8 ml three times a day for 9-15 years, and 10 ml three times a day for 15-17 years.

  • Combination productElixirium thymi compositum (FoNo VIII.) placebo

    During the study, the dosage is for children and adolescents as follows: 6 ml three times a day for 6-9 years, 8 ml three times a day for 9-15 years, and 10 ml three times a day for 15-17 years.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Bronchitis Severity Score

    The Bronchitis Severity Scale (BSS) is a tool that assesses the five most important symptoms of acute bronchitis: cough, sputum production, wheezing, chest pain on coughing, and dyspnea. The assessment is based on the examiner's clinical judgment and patient feedback. The examiner rates each parameter of the BSS on a 5-point verbal scale from 0 to 4 (0: absent; 1: mild; 2: moderate; 3: severe; 4: very severe). The total BSS score is the sum of the ratings of the five symptoms, with a maximum score of 20.

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at 7 days, measured on Day 0, Day 3 and Day 7.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]

    Any adverse events and concomitant medications during the 7-day period.

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at 7 days.

  2. Quality of life in acute bronchitis

    Quality of life in patients with acute bronchitis was assessed using the Quality of Life Questionnaire, which measures the physical, psychological, and social impact of symptoms during illness. Each question is scored from 1 (absent symptom) to 5 (very severe symptom). Domain scores are calculated as the average of item scores within each domain (Physical: 6 items, Psychological: 7 items, Social: 5 items), resulting in a range of 1 to 5 per domain. The total score, obtained by summing the three domain scores, ranges from 3 (best possible quality of life) to 15 (worst possible quality of life).

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at 7 days.

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Noé Medical Center
    Szeged, Hungary
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Saust LT, Bjerrum L, Siersma V, Arpi M, Hansen MP. Quality assessment in general practice: diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2018 Dec;36(4):372-379. doi: 10.1080/02813432.2018.1523996. Epub 2018 Oct 8. PubMed 30296885 ↗
  • Braman SS. Chronic cough due to acute bronchitis: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2006 Jan;129(1 Suppl):95S-103S. doi: 10.1378/chest.129.1_suppl.95S. PubMed 16428698 ↗
  • Cutrera R, Baraldi E, Indinnimeo L, Miraglia Del Giudice M, Piacentini G, Scaglione F, Ullmann N, Moschino L, Galdo F, Duse M. Management of acute respiratory diseases in the pediatric population: the role of oral corticosteroids. Ital J Pediatr. 2017 Mar 23;43(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0348-x. PubMed 28335827 ↗
  • Gonzales R, Sande MA. Uncomplicated acute bronchitis. Ann Intern Med. 2000 Dec 19;133(12):981-91. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-133-12-200012190-00014. PubMed 11119400 ↗
  • Snyder RL, King LM, Hersh AL, Fleming-Dutra KE. Unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in pediatric ambulatory care visits for bronchitis and bronchiolitis in the United States, 2006-2015. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 May;42(5):612-615. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.1231. Epub 2020 Oct 16. PubMed 33059780 ↗
  • Wenzel RP, Fowler AA 3rd. Clinical practice. Acute bronchitis. N Engl J Med. 2006 Nov 16;355(20):2125-30. doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp061493. No abstract available. PubMed 17108344 ↗
  • Gonzales R, Bartlett JG, Besser RE, Cooper RJ, Hickner JM, Hoffman JR, Sande MA; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Principles of appropriate antibiotic use for treatment of uncomplicated acute bronchitis: background. Ann Emerg Med. 2001 Jun;37(6):720-7. doi: 10.1067/S0196-0644(01)70091-1. PubMed 11385346 ↗
  • Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I. Thymol and Thyme Essential Oil-New Insights into Selected Therapeutic Applications. Molecules. 2020 Sep 9;25(18):4125. doi: 10.3390/molecules25184125. PubMed 32917001 ↗
  • Ludwig S, Stier H, Weykam S. Evaluation of Blood Alcohol Concentrations after Oral Administration of a Fixed Combination of Thyme Herb and Primrose Root Fluid Extract to Children with Acute Bronchitis. Drug Res (Stuttg). 2016 Feb;66(2):69-73. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398543. Epub 2015 Feb 17. PubMed 25823507 ↗
  • Kamin W, Maydannik VG, Malek FA, Kieser M. Efficacy and tolerability of EPs 7630 in patients (aged 6-18 years old) with acute bronchitis. Acta Paediatr. 2010 Apr;99(4):537-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01656.x. Epub 2010 Jan 11. PubMed 20070280 ↗
  • Gruenwald J, Graubaum HJ, Busch R. Evaluation of the non-inferiority of a fixed combination of thyme fluid- and primrose root extract in comparison to a fixed combination of thyme fluid extract and primrose root tincture in patients with acute bronchitis. A single-blind, randomized, bi-centric clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2006;56(8):574-81. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1296754. PubMed 17009838 ↗
  • Kardos P, Bittner CB, Seibel J, Abramov-Sommariva D, Birring SS. Effectiveness and tolerability of the thyme/ivy herbal fluid extract BNO 1200 for the treatment of acute cough: an observational pharmacy-based study. Curr Med Res Opin. 2021 Oct;37(10):1837-1844. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2021.1960493. Epub 2021 Aug 13. PubMed 34340607 ↗
  • Kemmerich B, Eberhardt R, Stammer H. Efficacy and tolerability of a fluid extract combination of thyme herb and ivy leaves and matched placebo in adults suffering from acute bronchitis with productive cough. A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2006;56(9):652-60. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1296767. PubMed 17063641 ↗
  • Haidvogl M, Heger M. Treatment effect and safety of EPs 7630-solution in acute bronchitis in childhood: report of a multicentre observational study. Phytomedicine. 2007;14 Suppl 6:60-4. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2006.11.014. Epub 2006 Dec 20. PubMed 17184982 ↗
  • Matthys H, Kamin W, Funk P, Heger M. Pelargonium sidoides preparation (EPs 7630) in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults and children. Phytomedicine. 2007;14 Suppl 6:69-73. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2006.11.015. Epub 2006 Dec 20. PubMed 17184981 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — There is not a plan to make individual participant data (IPD) available for this study. The informed consent form, in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant Hungarian laws, specifically informs participants that their data will be handled confidentially, stored anonymously, and presented only in aggregate, anonymized form in any resulting publications. The consent does not include permission for broader sharing of individual-level data outside the study team or approved data processors.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07030855
Lead sponsor
Semmelweis University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 22, 2025
Start date
Jul 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jun 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 26, 2025

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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