A randomized, open-label, multicentre, comparative study of therapeutic efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BNO 1030 extract, containing marshmallow root, chamomile flowers, horsetail herb, walnut leaves, yarrow herb, oak bark, dandelion herb, in the treatment of mild forms of COVID-19

BACKGROUND: COVID19 is a high burden for medicine and society as still no specific therapy exists. Most patients depend on symptomatic treatment, comparable to the symptomatic treatment in common respiratory infection e.g., Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. Many cases of COVID19 show mild forms without need of hospitalization. In this randomized, open-label, multicentre, comparative trial we analysed the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the herbal medicinal product BNO 1030 in mild cases of COVID-19 to offer an additional symptomatic relive. METHODS: The study was designed as an open label randomized, prospective, multicentred clinical trial. Out of 133 screened outpatients aged 18 to 70 with mild COVID-19 symptoms 120 patients were randomised (1:1) in 2 parallel groups. The main group received BNO 1030 in addition to symptomatic therapy (acetaminophen or ibuprofen). The control group got a symptomatic therapy only. The patients with laboratory proven COVID 19 were included for the final analyses: 47 – in the main group and 46 – in the control one. The evaluation criteria were dynamics of the symptoms: hyperthermia, myalgia, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, coughing, anosmia, rhinolalia, sore throat, duration of the use of antipyretics (clinically significant fever). These symptoms were assessed during the physician’s visit on a 4-point scale (0 — absent, 1 — insignificant, 2 — moderate, 3 — strong/pronounced) and self- assessed via ten-point visual analogue scale (VAS) daily in a patient’s diary. The primary endpoint was the decrease of the average score compared to the baseline defined as “therapeutic benefit” from the usage of BNO 1030. RESULTS: In the comparison of both groups over the treatment time, the main group (n = 47) showed a greater decrease in the severity of symptoms of fever, myalgia, nasal congestion, coughing, anosmia and rhinolalia, assessed by the doctor on a 4-point scale on V2 (4th day) and V3 (14th day) compared to those on V1, as well as a reduction of the antipyretics intake duration (p < 0.05). Significant differences of the main group were obtained, too, based on the results of symptoms self-assessment by the patient. The “therapeutic benefit from the use of BNO 1030 was 3 days. There is an increase in the number of recovered patients from 73.9–96.6 % according to the average symptom score, and a decrease in the number of hospitalized patients from 8.6–4.4 % in the main group., as compared to the data of the control group (p < 0.05). All patients tolerated the herbal medicine well, with no adverse drug reactions being reported. CONCLUSIONS: BNO 1030 (Imupret®) offers a safe and effective treatment benefit in patients with mild forms of diagnosed COVID-19 aged 18–70 in addition to symptomatic treatment with acetaminophen or NSAIDs. COVID 19 positive patients treated with Imupret showed an earlier relive of symptoms when being treated with BNO 1030. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT04797936.