Effects of Ocimum Basilicum on Functional Dyspepsia: a Double-Blind PlaceboControlled Study

Background: Traditi onally some people employ Ocimum basilicuni (Shas pram) to re lieve the symptoms of dy sp epsia. We therefore stud ied the effects of oral extract of thi s medicinal plant o n functi onal dy sp ep sia . Methods: In a double-blind placebo-controll ed c linica l trial , th e effect of a four-week tre atment of Sh aspram was eva luated 0 11 fun ctional dysp ep sia. Two hundred cases from a ll pati ent s referred for dysp epsia without hav ing any o bv ious pathologic s igns were randoml y divid ed into case and co ntro l groups (100 eac h) . The hydroalcoholic ex trac t of leaves of Shaspram was prepared and used . Pat ient s were asked to hav e 30 drop s of prescribed medi cations (placebo or the ex tract, equa l to 1.5 gram leaves powd er) dail y at 30 min befor e lunch and dinner for four-weeks. Severity was scored for eac h symptom on a numbered sca le and the res ults compared with th e results of placebo group or pretr eatment period . Results: Pati ents in dru g gro up resp onded to treatment bett er than pati ent s in placebo gro up ( P(LESS THAN)O.OOI). Shasprarn was more effec tive in fem ale and yo ung patients. Pati ents with fun ction al dyspepsia that had dysmotility problems a lso responded to Shas pram better than others. Conclusion: Ocim um basilicum see ms to reI ieve th e sympto ms of fun cti on al dysp epsia es pec ia lly in fema le and young patients with dysm oti lity.