The Efficacy of Local Application of B-sitosterol Versus Vasline in Cases of Idiopathic Epistaxis

April 13, 2026 updated by: Nada Mohamed Hussain Mohamed, Assiut University

Epistaxis, commonly known as nosebleed, is a frequent otorhinolaryngological complaint, affecting a large proportion of the population. Approximately 60% of individuals experience at least one episode during their lifetime, while around 6% require medical intervention'. The majority of cases are anterior in origin, arising from Kiesselbach's plexus in the anterior nasal septum(2) Idiopathic epistaxis refers to recurrent nasal bleeding without any identifiable local or systemic cause. (3) Factors such as mucosal dryness, minor trauma, inflammation, and environmental conditions can predispose the nasal mucosa to bleeding(4) Maintaining mucosal integrity and hydration is essential in preventing recurrence.

Conservative management remains the first-line treatment for anterior epistaxis. Strategies include direct nasal compression, topical vasoconstrictors, nasal packing, and application of moisturizing agents(5) Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is widely used as a topical agent to maintain hydration, protect the mucosa, and reduce crust formation, thereby minimizing the risk of further bleeding(6) B-sitosterol, a plant-derived phytosterol, has shown anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and tissue-healing properties in several experimental and clinical studies'(7,8) Its anti-inflammatory activity may stabilize the nasal mucosa and enhance repair processes, suggesting a potential therapeutic rol in conditions like idiopathic epistaxis(9) Previous studies hav demonstrated B-sitosterol's efficacy in reducing mucosal inflammation and promoting healing in other mucosal tissues, although its use in ENT applications remains underexplored'(7,8) Considering these properties, B-sitosterol may represent a promising topical alternative to conventional moisturizers such as Vaseline for managing idiopathic epistaxis. This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of local B-sitosterol versus Vaseline in reducing the frequency, duration, and severity of nosebleeds in affected patients.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

162

Phase

  • Phase 4

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Study Population

Patients with recurrent idiopathic anterior epistaxis > = 2 episodes in last month

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with recurrent idiopathic anterior epistaxis > = 2 episodes in last month
  • No systemic bleeding disorders
  • no nasal trauma or surgery in last months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients on anticoagulants
  • Systemic disease affecting hemostasis (e.g. liver disease)
  • Known allergy to B-sitosterol or vasline

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Group A
81 patients will be managed by vasline
Drug: vasline
patients with epistaxis will be managed by vasline
Active Comparator: Group B
81 patients will be managed by B-sitosterol
Drug: B-sitosterol
patients with epistaxis will be managed by B-sitosterol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
frequency of bleeding episodes
Time Frame: 1 month
total Number of bleeding episodes
1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Assiut University

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 (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 13, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • B-sitosterol versus vasline

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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