Effect of Bronchipret on Antiviral Immune Response in Patients With Mild COVID-19

Although intensive research efforts have been underway worldwide, so far, only few effective treatment against the disease has been brought to the market in Germany. Based on the pathological features and different clinical phases of COVID-19, particularly in patients with moderate to severe COVID- 19, the classes of drugs used are antiviral agents (e.g., remdesivir), inflammation inhibitors/antirheumatic drugs (e.g., dexamethasone), low molecular weight heparins, plasma, and hyperimmune immunoglobulins Bronchipret exhibits multidirectional anti-inflammatory effects as demonstrated in vitro and in vivo studies. Several clinical trials have demonstrated positive effects of Bronchipret, a fixed combination of thyme herb and ivy leaf fluid extracts, on symptom relieve and recovery time in patients with acute bronchitis and cough. There is currently an urgent need for effective and safe treatments of COVID- 19 and the cytokine storm that is responsible for the development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). As Bronchipret has been proven to be a very safe medicine, it is not expected that it would lead to the development of severe adverse effects in COVID-19 patients. Bronchipret can therefore be recommended as effective and safe supplementary treatments of COVID-19, even more so considering the positive effects shown in vitro. Thus, this randomized study will be conducted to assess the effect of Bronchipret on the immune response and recovery in patients with mild COVID-19 by assessing several blood parameters as well as the symptom recovery and improvement in comparison to patients who do not receive Bronchipret. Another aim of this feasibility study is to determine the best possible primary endpoint, i.e. which shows the greatest effect according to Cohen.