The Efficacy of Mentha longifolia in the Treatment of Patients With Postprandial Distress Syndrome: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common gastrointestinal disease that has various treatments, including medicinal plants. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of Mentha longifolia on relieving the symptoms and improving the quality of life (QOL) in patients with functional dyspepsia from the subgroup of postprandial distress syndrome (PDS). Patients and Methods: This randomized,double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in a gastroenterology clinic affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. One hundred patients diagnosed with PDS according to the ROME III criteria were assigned to two groups: the M. longifolia capsules (three times daily for four weeks) group and the placebo group. Tools for gathering data were the FD severity scale and QOL (Persian version of the SF-36 questionnaire). Assessments of FD symptoms were obtained at baseline and also at the end of weeks 2, 4, and 12. QOL was evaluated at baseline and at the end of week 12. Results: At the end of treatment period, the M. longifolia group reported a more significant improvement in themeanseverity scales of FD symptoms than the placebo group (P < 0.001). A significant difference was also observed between FD symptoms and severity scores in the two groups eight weeks after the medication was stopped. At the end of the fourth week, the greatest degrees of relief regarding epigastric bloating (70.5 vs. 21.4, P < 0.001), epigastric fullness (68.2 vs. 31, P < 0.001), loss of appetite ( 34.1 vs. 9.5, P = 0.014) and early satiety (36.3 vs. 21.4, P = 0.02) were observed in the control group. With M. longifolia, significant improvement in the scores of QOL was observed for the dimensions of general health, role-physical, social functioning, bodily pain, vitality, and mental health. Conclusions: This study showed the efficacy of M. longifolia in relieving PDS symptoms and improving the QOL of patients with PDS.