Efficacy of External Application of Rosemary Oil in Patients With Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: a Feasibility Study

June 3, 2025 updated by: ARCIM Institute Academic Research in Complementary and Integrative Medicine

Efficacy of External Application of Rosemary Oil in Patients With Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy - a Monocentre, Single-arm Non-controlled Feasibility Study to Assess the Feasibility of Evaluating Topical Applications in CIPN

Chemotherapy can cause sensory disorders in the hands and feet called peripheral neuropathy. Typical symptoms are pain, loss of sensation, tingling, numbness, and gait disturbances, which worsen patients' quality of life and increase the risk of falls. Little is known about the effect of rosemary oil (applied to hands and feet) on the symptoms of neuropathy. The present study is a feasibility study to see if it is possible to conduct a clinical trial in patients diagnosed with cancer and receiving chemotherapy who report peripheral neuropathy and apply rosemary oil to their hands and feet.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

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.

Detailed Description

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most common severe dose-limiting side effects that accompany treatment with different chemotherapeutic agents. Patients with CIPN often experience a reduction in quality of life and an increase in fall risk due to symptoms such as pain, sensory loss, paresthesia (tingling, numbness), and gait disturbances. Treatment of CIPN is based on pharmacotherapy, which may in turn cause side effects such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue and others. In addition, various approaches from integrative medicine are used, e.g. acupuncture, touch therapies, mind-body medicine, dietary supplements, and aromatherapy. Little is known about the effect of rosemary oil, applied to hands and feet, on CIPN. The present study is a feasibility study to determine the feasibility of a future clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of topical application of rosemary oil in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who develop CIPN.

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 Locations

  • Germany
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Filderstadt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 70794
        • ARCIM Institute

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Written informed consent
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Cancer diagnosis
  • Assignment to neurotoxic chemotherapy that has not yet started at the time of enrolment
  • Intact, irritation-free skin on the hands and feet
  • No history of neuropathic pain

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neurorelevant comorbidities such as diabetes or alcohol abuse
  • Use of medication for neuropathy such as gabapentin, pregabalin, venlafaxine or duloxetine
  • Other relevant treatments for CIPN during the study
  • Insufficient knowledge of the German language
  • History of rosemary oil allergy

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: Other
  • 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: Rosemary oil
Other: Rosemary oil application
Application of Rosemary oil (10%) to both hands and both feet once a day for 24 weeks

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
Participation rate
Time Frame: When participation in the study is offered, before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application
Participation rate in relation to all eligible patients and the reasons for non-participation. Reasons for refusal to participate in the study will be recorded.
When participation in the study is offered, before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application

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
Rate of fully completed EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaires
Time Frame: Before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application (baseline), then weekly for 24 weeks
The rate of fully completed EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaires in relation to incomplete questionnaires and reasons for missing data. EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 is used to measure the severity of CIPN pain and functional symptoms. It includes 20 items in three subscales to evaluate sensory (9 items), autonomic (3 items) and motor (8 items) symptoms and function. Each item is rated on a four-point Likert scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much). Scores are summed up to a total score, which is linearly converted to a scale of 0-100 (a high score means more symptoms and pain).
Before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application (baseline), then weekly for 24 weeks
Efficacy of rosemary oil according to EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaire
Time Frame: Before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application (baseline), then weekly for 24 weeks
Efficacy of rosemary oil in order to obtain a basis for a sample size calculation in a follow-up study. Effect of rosemary oil application will be measured using the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaire. EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 is used to measure the severity of CIPN pain and functional symptoms. It includes 20 items in three subscales to evaluate sensory (9 items), autonomic (3 items) and motor (8 items) symptoms and function. Each item is rated on a four-point Likert scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much). Scores are summed up to a total score, which is linearly converted to a scale of 0-100 (a high score means more symptoms and pain).
Before start of chemotherapy and rosemary oil application (baseline), then weekly for 24 weeks

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.
ARCIM Institute Academic Research in Complementary and Integrative Medicine

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.
  • Study Director: Jan Vagedes, Dr., ARCIM Institute Academic Research in Complementary and Integrative Medicine

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.
January 18, 2024

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 3, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
June 3, 2025

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).
May 3, 2023

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.
May 3, 2023

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.
May 11, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
June 4, 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.
June 3, 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.
June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • CPN_01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Deidentified individual participant data will be made available, in addition to study protocol and informed consent form.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

The data will be made available upon publication for a duration of three months.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

The data will be made available to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal for use in achieving the goals of the approved proposal.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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