Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Controlled clinical trials using placebo were included. Studies using one potency against another, trials with arnica as one of several remedies with no subanalysis on a pure arnica group, or studies in which arnica had been administered concomitantly with other remedies were excluded.
Specific interventions included in the review
Arnica montana in various dosages in the intervention groups and placebo or metronidazole (400 mg, twice daily) in control groups.
Participants included in the review
Patients and healthy volunteers being treated for delayed-onset muscle soreness, prevention of post-surgical (dental) complications, acute trauma, stroke, and experimentally inflicted mechanical bruising.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Outcomes assessed were:
1. For delayed-onset muscle soreness - soreness intensity and duration, maximal isometric muscle strength, and serum creatine kinase concentrations.
2. For prevention of postsurgical (dental) complications - pain, trismus, edema, bleeding and wound healing.
3. For acute trauma outcomes - pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and subjective symptoms.
4. For stroke outcomes - 3-month mortality rates.
5. For experimentally inflicted mechanical bruising - extent of bruising and subjective symptoms.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
All studies were read in full by both authors independently. Discrepancies were settled by discussion.