South African Flower Does What COPD Drugs CAN’T
You never forget what it feels like to struggle for air.
The shortness of breath. The coughing fits that seem to come from nowhere.
The feeling that your lungs just can’t keep up anymore.
For millions living with COPD, those moments define their days.
And while inhalers, steroids, and oxygen can help, they often feel like stopgaps—temporary fixes for a problem that never really gets better.
But halfway around the world, a simple South African flower is quietly changing that story.
In the hills of South Africa grows a deep-red blossom called Pelargonium sidoides—a medicinal geranium long used by traditional healers to fight coughs and chest infections.
Modern researchers took notice—and gave its extract a name: EPs 7630.
And in multiple clinical studies, this humble flower has done something extraordinary…
It helped people with COPD breathe easier.
In one 24-week, placebo-controlled trial, patients who added EPs 7630 to their usual treatments had fewer flare-ups, less coughing, and less mucus buildup than those who used inhalers and steroids alone.
They even went longer between COPD exacerbations, meaning more good days—without increasing drug doses.
Researchers believe the extract works by doing three things mainstream medicine struggles to do at once:
- Calming airway inflammation
- Loosening thick mucus so lungs can clear themselves
- And boosting the immune response that helps prevent infections before they spiral into full-blown flare-ups
Unlike most experimental drugs, EPs 7630 is already available—right here in the U.S.—as an over-the-counter herbal extract (often labeled Umcka or EPs 7630).
Most studies used about 30 drops, three times daily, diluted in a small amount of water.
It’s not a replacement for prescribed therapy, but for those who feel stuck on a medical treadmill of inhalers and steroids, this gentle, evidence-backed supplement could be a meaningful add-on.
And the best part?
It doesn’t just treat symptoms—it helps restore your lungs’ natural rhythm.
So the next time you hear someone say “there’s nothing more you can do,” remember:
Sometimes healing doesn’t come from a lab—it blooms quietly on a hillside halfway across the world.
To easier breaths,
Rachel Mace
Managing Editorial Director, e-Alert
with contributions from the research team
P.S. Natural juice fights COPD? Learn more here.
Source List
- Matthys, H., & Funk, P. (2013). EPs 7630 improves acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Respiratory Medicine, 107(5), 691–697. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23478193/
- Matthys, H., & Funk, P. (2017). EPs 7630 as an add-on therapy for COPD: 24-week clinical trial results. Respiratory Medicine, 132, 31–38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29231073/
- Tahan, F. (2022). Pelargonium sidoides extract in respiratory tract infections: Systematic review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 9425964. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9425964/
- WebMD. (2025). Pelargonium sidoides: Uses, side effects, and precautions. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1135/pelargonium-sidoides
