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Researchers have discovered that a natural compound found in the spice turmeric may be just as effective as omeprazole, a medication used to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort by reducing excess stomach acid. These findings were published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
Turmeric is derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and contains curcumin, an active chemical known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It has been utilized for centuries in Southeast Asia for medicinal purposes, particularly in the treatment of dyspepsia.
However, it remains uncertain how turmeric compares to traditional medications for this purpose due to a lack of direct comparison studies. To address this, researchers randomly assigned 206 individuals aged 18-70 with recurrent functional dyspepsia (upset stomach of unknown cause) from Thai hospitals between 2019 and 2021 to one of three treatment groups for a 28-day period.
The groups were as follows: one receiving turmeric (four large capsules containing 250 mg of curcumin each, four times daily) along with a small placebo capsule (69 patients); another receiving omeprazole (one small 20 mg capsule daily, along with two large placebo capsules four times daily, totaling 68 patients); and a third group receiving both turmeric and omeprazole (69 patients).
Omeprazole, classified as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), is used to treat functional dyspepsia, a condition characterized by symptoms such as postprandial fullness, early satiety, and discomfort or burning sensations in the stomach or food pipe (epigastric pain).
However, the study notes potential risks associated with long-term PPI use, including an increased risk of fractures, nutritional deficiencies, and infections.
The trial initially involved 151 participants, with 20 from the curcumin group, 19 from the omeprazole group, and 16 from the combined treatment group dropping out. At the beginning of the study, patients in all three groups exhibited similar clinical features and indigestion scores, as assessed by the Severity of Dyspepsia Assessment score (SODA).
Patients were re-evaluated after 28 days and again after 56 days. The SODA scores revealed significant reductions in symptom severity by day 28 for pain (4.83, -5.46, and 6.22) and other symptoms (2.22, -2.32, and 2.31) in the combination, curcumin alone, and omeprazole alone groups.
After 56 days, these improvements were even more pronounced for pain (7.19, -8.07, and 8.85, respectively) and other symptoms (4.09, -4.12, and 3.71, respectively).
SODA also records satisfaction scores, which showed minimal change over time among curcumin users, potentially related to its taste and/or aroma, as suggested by the researchers.
The researchers reported no significant side effects, although liver function tests indicated a slight deterioration among overweight curcumin users. They acknowledged the study’s relatively small size and other limitations, such as the brief intervention period and the absence of long-term follow-up data. They emphasized the need for larger, longer-term investigations.
Nevertheless, they concluded that “This multicentre randomised controlled trial provides highly reliable evidence for the treatment of functional dyspepsia,” and suggested that “the new findings from our study may justify considering curcumin in clinical practice.”
