Evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of Platanus orientalis L. distillate in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis

Introduction: Platanus orientalis L, a traditional medicine, is used to alleviate symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) in patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of P orientalis L. distillate in treating AR patients.Methods: This double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial study included 30 AR patients who received either P orientalis L. distillate or placebo nasal drops for four weeks. Patients' symptoms, physician's assessment, quality of life, and adverse effects were evaluated. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyse the chemical composition of the distillate.Results: P orientalis L. distillate significantly relieved nasal symptoms (P < 0.05) and improved all domains of quality of life (P < 0.05) compared to the baseline level. However, a similar effect was observed in the placebo group. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: P orientalis L. distillate is safe and effective in treating nasal symptoms and improving the quality of life in AR patients. However, the placebo effect cannot be ignored.