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AIM OF THE CLINICAL TRIAL
To test if a proprietary herbal formula is effective in treating common warts.
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Common Warts
- Common warts are contagious epithelial
tumours commonly occurring in areas
prone to trauma, such as knees, elbows,
hands and feet and caused by more than
100 types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
- Transmission is by skin-to-skin inoculation
however the mechanisms are poorly
understood.
- Time between infection and manifestation
of visible warts may vary from days to
weeks.
- Resistance to clearance of warts is due to
cell-mediated immune responses.
- Herbs have been used traditionally to treat
warts however few have been subject to
rigorous clinical trials.
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Wart on Human Skin
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Giant
verrucous exophytic nodule
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 Clinical Trial Design and Method
PARTICIPANTS (n=40)
- Males and females between the ages of 18 –70.
- Diagnosis of benign warts verified by a Medical Practitioner.
- No serious pre-existing medical condition(s).
OUTCOME MEASURES
- Wart size and number as measured by a visual comparison of the
photographs before and after treatment and classified as:
- – No Change: there was no apparent change in the warts
- – Partially Cleared: up to 50% of the warts reduced or cleared
- – Almost Cleared: more than 50% of the warts reduced or cleared
- – Totally Cleared: all sign of warts had disappeared.
- A questionnaire on general wellbeing, physical activity and
State–Trait Anxiety.
Intervention
- Participants were randomised to either the active or no
intervention (control) groups.
- 8 mls of the active intervention was taken orally twice daily with
food for 12 weeks.
- A “no intervention” rather than a placebo group was used as it
was not possible to produce a credible placebo with a similar
appearance and taste to the active formula.
The study was approved by the Bay of Plenty Ethics Committee.
Results
The wart size/number in the active group were greatly reduced compared
to the control group. This was highly statistically significant (p = 0.0007).
There was no statistical difference in the responses to the
questionnaires between the two groups at baseline or after 12 weeks.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
There were no serious adverse reactions. Minimal adverse reactions
included increase in flatulence and looser stools initially when taking
the herbs. There were some comments about the strong taste.
Conclusion
There is evidence for the effectiveness of
this herbal formula
in reducing/clearing
common warts.
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RESEARCH TEAM
Principal Researcher: Karina Hilterman
Tel: +61 400 019 567
Email: karina@lavenderhillsherbals.com
Research Assistant: Elizabeth Higgs
Monitor: Dr. Nicky Baillie
Statisticians: Elizabeth Robinson & Joanna Stewart
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• The Trustees of the Lavender Hill Research Trust
• Kerry Bone, Director of Mediherb Australia, for
his helpful advice and for manufacturing and
donating the Lavender Hill HPV Herbal Formula
used in this clinical trial
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