Treatment of acute tonsillitis with a fixed-combination herbal preparation

In an observational study involving 10 non-hospital-affiliated physicians, 48 patients between 6 and 73 years of age with symptoms of acute tonsillitis were treated with either a liquid or tablet formulation of a herbal compound of Phytolacca, Guajacum, and Capsicum. More than half of the patients reported marked alleviation of the principal symptom, moderate or severe difficulty in swallowing, within the first 5 days of treatment. Comparable improvements occurred in other outcome measures, including earache, headache, and fatigue. No adverse side effects were reported.