[Acute respiratory and urinary tract infections in medical practice : a selection of complementary medicines]

Respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis or sinusitis and urinary tract infections are common in the family doctor's office. Bronchitis and sinusitis are mostly of viral origin and antibiotics rarely hold a place in their management, while urinary tract infections most often require the prescription of antibiotics. In both situations, patients often seek complementary medicines to relieve symptoms or prevent recurrences. This article aims to synthesize available data on efficacy and safety of some treatments in complementary medicine used in these indications, such as South African geranium, the combination of thyme-primrose or thyme-ivy, Echinacea or cranberry.