The Effect of Single Dose of Harpagophytum Capsule (Teltonal) on Post Tracheal Intubation Sore Throat after General Anesthesia

Background: Sore throat is one of the major complications of tracheal intubation after general anesthesia. Harpagophytum is an herbal medicine, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of which have been demonstrated in various studies. We studied the effects of single dose Harpagophytum one hour before tracheal intubation, to prevent the sore throat after extubation. Methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 60 patients who had undergone general and urologic surgeries at Imam Reza hospital in Tabriz, Iran, since March to July 2015 that required tracheal intubation, were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (case group 30 patients and control group 30 patients). In the case group, one hour before anesthesia, one Teltonal capsule (480 mg) was given to the patients. For the control group of patients, the empty capsule of Teltonal was given. After patients regained consciousness, the severity of sore throat was scaled and recorded by VAS scale after 2, 6 and 24 hours of the surgery. Results: Severity and incidence of sore throat after tracheal intubation were not significantly different between case and control groups. Also, no side effects of Harpagophytum were observed in the case group. Conclusion: Administration of Harpagophytum with the single dose of 480 mg one hour before the anesthesia and intubation did not decrease the sore throat severity and incidence.