Pelargonium root (Pelargonium sidoides DC) extract in paediatric patients - food supplement or medicine?

Summary Pelargonium sidoides DC is an interesting plant with various biological properties. Pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of food supplements are particularly interested in its beneficial effects in upper respiratory tract infections. The search for new therapeutic options is especially important at a time when antibiotics are prescribed too often. However, due to proven clinical effects of extracts from Pelargonium sidoides, their use in diet supplements, especially intended for infants and small children, is highly disputable. The paper presents reports on the use of Pelargonium sidoides extracts in paediatrics and also tries to answer the question whether the pelargonium extract should be qualified as food supplement or medicine.