Peppermint — herbal remedy for stomach problems that works better than pills?

Tujuan studi: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of brain-gut interaction that causes abdominal pain and bloating, along with changes in stool consistency. Many people with IBS prefer plant-based preparations to drug treatment, but the usefulness of this approach has not been firmly established.

Hasil: The quality of many studies was limited. The findings show that treatment with peppermint oil and Chinese herbal medicine was more effective than placebo for people with IBS and had a good safety profile. Dietary fiber showed effects that came close to being statistically significant. More well-designed, adequately powered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to establish the role of plant-based preparations in IBS treatment.

Tujuan studi: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of gut-brain interaction and has a complex underlying mechanism. Antispasmodics are prescribed as first-line treatment because they act on abnormal gut movement. Peppermint oil also has antispasmodic properties.

Hasil: We identified 10 eligible RCTs (1030 patients). Peppermint oil was more effective than placebo for overall IBS symptoms (RR for no improvement = 0.65; 95% CI 0.43-0.98, number needed to treat [NNT] = 4; 95% CI 2.5-71) and abdominal pain (RR for no improvement in abdominal pain = 0.76; 95% CI 0.62-0.93, NNT = 7; 95% CI 4-24). Adverse events were significantly more common with peppermint oil (RR for any adverse event = 1.57; 95% CI 1.04-2.37). Peppermint oil was superior to placebo for treating IBS, but adverse events were more frequent and the quality of evidence was very low. Adequately powered RCTs of peppermint oil as a first-line treatment for IBS are needed.

Tujuan studi: IBS is a common disorder often seen in clinical practice. Medical treatment options are limited and focus on controlling symptoms.

Hasil: Nine studies evaluating 726 patients were identified. The risk of bias was low for most of the factors assessed. Peppermint oil was found to be significantly more effective than placebo for overall improvement in IBS symptoms (5 studies, 392 patients, relative risk 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.78-2.81) and improvement in abdominal pain (5 studies, 357 patients, relative risk 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.64-2.79). Although patients taking peppermint oil were significantly more likely to experience an adverse event, these events were mild and temporary. The most commonly reported adverse event was heartburn. Peppermint oil is a safe and effective short-term treatment for IBS. Future studies should assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of peppermint oil, and how effective it is compared with other IBS treatments, including antidepressants and antispasmodic medicines.

Tujuan studi: Digestive disorders are common complaints in childhood. Certain types of complementary and alternative medicine, such as herbal medicine, are commonly used for children. Information from research on effectiveness, safety, and dosage forms is still lacking. This study aimed to systematically summarize the effectiveness and safety of different herbal treatments for digestive disorders in children.

Hasil: This review included 14 trials with 1927 participants who had different acute and functional digestive disorders. Promising evidence of effectiveness in treating diarrhea was found for Potentilla erecta, carob bean juice, and an herbal compound preparation including Matricaria chamomilla. Evidence was also found that peppermint oil reduced the duration, frequency, and severity of pain in children with functional abdominal pain of unknown cause. In addition, different fennel preparations (e.g., oil, tea, or herbal mixtures) were found to be effective in treating infantile colic. No serious adverse events were reported. Because the number of studies was limited, the results should be interpreted with caution. More rigorous clinical trials are needed to support the evidence outlined in this review.