Evaluation of a Phyto Aromatherapy Treatment in the Management of Recurrent Cystitis (CYSTALTERNA)

November 25, 2025 updated by: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Evaluation of a Phyto Aromatherapy Treatment in the Management of Recurrent Cystitis Preliminary Study

Half of the women have a once-in-a-lifetime episode of cystitis. Recurrence occurs in about 20% to 30% of patients, and half of these patients will have more than 4 episodes per year, defining recurrent cystitis.

The clinical assessment sometimes brings to light favourable factors; variables in pre- or post-menopause; but in the majority of cases, no explanatory cause can solve the problem and some authors refer to resignation as a classic reaction to this problem.

several countries have already opted for alternative treatments (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, phytotherapy, diuresis treatment), especially since the pressure of antibiotic selection is at the root of the dramatic spread of bacterial resistances.

There is a growing interest in the potential of complementary medicine to assist in this care. Products based on cranberries, for example, have been particularly studied and a 2012 Cochrane review concluded that there is a benefit with an estimated risk reduction of between 10 and 20%. Another "alternative" approach is the use of Chinese medicinal herbs. These herbs have been used for more than 2000 years.

The implementation of phyto-aromatherapy treatment implies a global management of patients with recurrent cystitis. Initially, it involves a curative phase as soon as the first symptoms of the attack appear, thanks to a mixture of antibacterial essential oils. In a second phase, it integrates a preventive phase over several months thanks to an association of medicinal plants whose effects in this field have been proven in vitro and in vivo, allowing to rebalance a "terrain" associating anxiety, hypersensitivity to pain, a terrain willingly associated with the irritable bowel syndrome in these patients. While having few side effects, the plants will act, in the long term, at different levels: directly on the cause of the disease thanks to their antiseptic, antiadhesive and diuretic activities, but also by reducing the symptoms thanks to their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic and anxiolytic activities.

Investigators hypothesize that patients with recurrent cystitis can be improved by a two-phase, multi-plant, phyto-aromatherapy treatment combining several plants: the treatment of attacks, by aromatherapy, and a prophylactic treatment, by phytotherapy. In the absence of any such studies published in the literature, investigators propose a non-randomised prospective monocentric interventional pilot study on 15 patients with proof of concept and feasibility.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
15

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • France
      • Nice, France, 06202
        • Hôpital Archet

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 18 or older.
  • Affiliated to social security.
  • Presenting recurrent cystitis defined by a frequency of at least 4 episodes per year.
  • For women of childbearing age: effective contraception followed for at least 3 months prior to the start of the study and agreeing to keep it throughout the study period
  • Available to consult a phyto-aromatherapy pharmacist for an initial consultation and then every 3 months (M3, 6,9, 12) and then at 18 months.
  • Having been previously explored according to good practice and informed
  • Having signed the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • Severe visceral deficiencies in the previous year.
  • Individualised psychiatric pathology.
  • Other progressive infectious pathologies requiring antibiotic treatment.
  • Taking anticoagulants.
  • Concomitant intake of non-drug treatments.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Alternating each month for 1 year between Phytocyst herbal tea and Cyscontrol
Alternating each month (From Day1 to DAY15) for 1 year between Phytocyst herbal tea and Cyscontrol = Preventive Treatment In case of episode of cystitis : AROMAFEMINA, Capsules for the comfort of the urinary tract Oleocaps 2 : 2 capsules before meals, 3 times a day for 5 consecutive days.
Combination product: CYSCONTROL/PHYTOCYST Herbal tea
Alternating every month from Day1 to Day15 cyscontrol and phytocyst herbal tea to prevent episode of cystitis

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
adherence to phyto-aromatherapy treatment
Time Frame: 12th month
The scale called "treatment compliance" ranges from 1 to 10. A score of 1 means not at all observant and 10 means very observant.
12th month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Antibiotic treatments
Time Frame: 12 months
The number of antibiotic treatments over 12 months
12 months
Number of cystitis
Time Frame: 12 months
The number of cystitis over the 12 months of the protocol
12 months
Patients' overall satisfaction
Time Frame: 12 months
Patients' overall satisfaction will be assessed on a simple numerical scale from 1 to 10. The scale is called the "General Satisfaction Scale" and ranges from 1 to 10. A score of 1 means not at all satisfied and 10 means very satisfied. As well as their ability to manage their symptoms. Three analogue scales will also be used to assess the impact of the protocol on patients' sexuality (including anxiety and comfort in relation to intercourse, when appropriate)
12 months
Recording adverse events
Time Frame: 18 months
The nature of the side effects, sought and at each phyto-aromatherapy consultation
18 months
The benefit persisting at 6 months after stopping treatment with phyto-aromatherapy
Time Frame: During 6 months after stopping treatment (patient stop treatment at Month12 so between the 12th and 18th month)
The benefit persisting at 6 months after stopping treatment with phyto-aromatherapy will be evaluated on the number of times antibiotic therapy is used over a period of 6 months after stopping the treatment
During 6 months after stopping treatment (patient stop treatment at Month12 so between the 12th and 18th month)
Evaluation of the evolution of bacterial resistance on phenotypes isolated from the cytobacteriological examination of urine
Time Frame: From date of inclusion until the date of documented episode of cystitis, assessed up to 18 months
Evaluation of the evolution of bacterial resistance on phenotypes isolated from the cytobacteriological examination of urine if inclusion resistance markers are present, in comparison with the last cytobacteriological examination of urine carried out during the protocol period, requested in the event of a clinical episode. A cytobacteriological examination of the urine carried out on a systematic basis that can detect asymptomatic colonisation or bacteriuria is not appropriate.
From date of inclusion until the date of documented episode of cystitis, assessed up to 18 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Veronique MONDAIN, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 18, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 20, 2023

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 23, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 2, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 5, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 10, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 2, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 25, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 17-AOIP-02

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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