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Am Fam Physician. 2024;109(4):313-314

This clinical content conforms to AAFP criteria for CME.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

Clinical Question

Are herbal medicines effective in treating adults with functional dyspepsia?

Evidence-Based Answer

STW 5 (Iberogast), peppermint plus caraway oil, and turmeric (Curcuma longa) may be effective in improving symptoms of functional dyspepsia without significant adverse events.1 Peppermint plus caraway oil and turmeric may also improve quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia.1 (Strength of Recommendation: B, meta-analysis of low-quality randomized controlled trials [RCTs].)

Practice Pointers

Functional dyspepsia is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by one or more of the following Rome IV criteria: postprandial fullness, early satiety, epigastric pain, and epigastric burning severe enough to interfere with usual activities at least 3 days per week over the previous 3 months, starting at least 6 months before presentation. The prevalence of functional dyspepsia is about 10% in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.2 The pathophysiology of functional dyspepsia is complicated and poorly understood. Conventional treatment options include pharmacologic agents such as histamine H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors, prokinetic agents, tricyclic antidepressants, mucosal protectants, serotonin type 4 receptor agonists, and antispasmodics.3,4 Complementary and alternative medicine treatments, including herbal products, have become increasingly popular in treating functional dyspepsia.4,5 The authors of this Cochrane review sought to determine the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines in adults with functional dyspepsia.

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These are summaries of reviews from the Cochrane Library.

This series is coordinated by Corey D. Fogleman, MD, assistant medical editor.

A collection of Cochrane for Clinicians published in AFP is available at https://www.aafp.org/afp/cochrane.

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